Not pooping...how long is too long?

[Thrashback90]

My lil guy is rather constipated and hasn't pooped for roughly a month now, Tried a drop of olive oil on a cricket, increased misting and a shower and i also get him out for a walk as that usually gets him going but nothing seems to work. He's incredibly grumpy and doesn't really do much just sits and sulks basically. So how long is too long before i really need to get him to a vet? as i know it's just from food. i just don't want to clog him up with even more food but i don't want to starve him either.

 

[windex]

Honestly... A month is too long, I'd start worrying after about a week, two at the absolute most, I would have him to the vet ASAP

 

[carol5208]

I am finding it hard to believe he has not pooped in a month! Did you check all the plants really well? In the pots and everything? I have gone that route and freaked out only to find the poop dried up and sitting on a leaf or in the plant pot wedged between the rocks. A month is a long time. I agree, a week or two at the most, and if you for sure know it is really that long I would take him and have a vet check him out. Can you post a pic of him?

 

[Thrashback90]

I shall call the vets first thing tomorrow and get a photo in the morning as well. As i don't have a job at the moment and he's in my room i keep my eye on him and have done a complete check of his enclosure for any hiding poop, but nothing. He had slightly larger locusts at christmas but only a couple which from experience usually takes slightly longer to digest but never this long. After 2 weeks he did drop a sperm plug so i was hoping that mean't he would go soon, but still nothing. I spoke to someone local about it a few days ago and i was told he'll go when he's ready, just keep doing what i'm doing.

 

[windex]

I shall call the vets first thing tomorrow and get a photo in the morning as well. As i don't have a job at the moment and he's in my room i keep my eye on him and have done a complete check of his enclosure for any hiding poop, but nothing. He had slightly larger locusts at christmas but only a couple which from experience usually takes slightly longer to digest but never this long. After 2 weeks he did drop a sperm plug so i was hoping that mean't he would go soon, but still nothing. I spoke to someone local about it a few days ago and i was told he'll go when he's ready, just keep doing what i'm doing.

He'll go when he's ready as long as there is nothing wrong. One month of no pooping would be a sign of something wrong.. My panther has slowed down his eating/pooping lately, but after 4 days he let one drop that would put me to shame.. I can't imagine what it would look like after a month.. Feces sitting inside him for that long, and urate, could rupture his digestive system. Be a lot cheaper to go to the vet now, then to wait until then.
Sometimes a good soak in warm water (not a shower) will loosen things up, also a couple horn worms could lube him up pretty good

 

[Thrashback90]

Thanks for the input, always good to get a second opinion. I'm not sure you can get hornworms over here in the UK, I'll try giving him a soak in the morning and give the vets a call. How long should i soak him for, a couple of minutes or slightly longer?

 

[windex]

I'd go for about 30 minutes for a soak. A tall sided dish with a vine/branch/wire on the bottom for him to hold on to is a good idea.. just as long as the water is fairly warm and by the time it has cooled off would probably do it. Just don't make soup out of him, and just a little water, don't need him treading water either, just enough to have his vent submerged

 

[ataraxia]

Hi, couple questions.
1. Where are you located? If your where the weather is above 72* in the day. You may try natural unfiltered sunlight. Acts as a laxitive to animals that havent been subjected to sunlight in a while.
2. Does he still eat? If so, you are missing his stools somewhere in the cage.
3. Do you see him drink? You may want to try long shower to be sure he is hydrated. This will also sometimes spur a nice poo in due time.

A month is a bit long for a chameleon. An xray from a vet could ease your mind.

 

[Thrashback90]

Hi, couple questions.
1. Where are you located? If your where the weather is above 72* in the day. You may try natural unfiltered sunlight. Acts as a laxitive to animals that havent been subjected to sunlight in a while.
2. Does he still eat? If so, you are missing his stools somewhere in the cage.
3. Do you see him drink? You may want to try long shower to be sure he is hydrated. This will also sometimes spur a nice poo in due time.

A month is a bit long for a chameleon. An xray from a vet could ease your mind.

1.I'm in the UK and it's much to cold at the moment for that.
2.He will eat when i offer food, i only offer 2 of whatever i feed every few days at the moment so i don't stuff him up even worse. after he's eaten he goes back and stretches out and just sit's there all day. Which is something he does if he's over indulged, he'll go dark and just sit in 1 spot for most of the day, i usually move his spot light closer to him because he sometimes won't even move to bask, which if you have a full stomach it can't be too comfortable to move around too much.
3.He still drinks, when i mist i spray for slightly longer so i know he has had a good drink, i generally wont stop until he's noticed and has started to drink.

He's also in shed, but with all of this it's not going quite as well as usual. which means he's not fond of coming out but when he does he wont sit still, so showers and the soaking are a bit troublesome.

I'll phone vets tomorrow, and i found somewhere that has silkworms in stock and i'll order them as i've heard they help too.

 

[Thrashback90]

He has an appointment at the vets this afternoon so should have an update by this evening. I ordered some silk worms as well to try them out. The soak wasn't too successful as he wouldn't sit still as i suspected but i'll try again a bit later.

And a photo

 

[Psychobunny]

Good luck with the vet, sound like he is compacted.
Just make sure he is well hydrated, and keep him from getting stressed.

If he is still eating, try the drop of olive oil again.
Also, you can simply use a eyedropper of oil and apply it all around the seam
of his mouth, enough will get in to do the trick if he is not eating.

Also, continue with warm baths, and find soft food, like silkies, butterworms, etc. NOT meal or super worms.
Soaking him in warm water will likely freak him out.
Get a wash cloth soaked in warm (not hot) water, and keep him on top of it as long as possible.
Keep him warm.

Please let us know how it goes and what the vet says.
I have never heard of a cham not pooping for a whole month

Dryness, and lack of water can help cause constipation, but the oil has always
worked for me, usually the first time, but always the second time, I will find
a GIANT poop on the cage floor.

 

[Trace]

Again, I question whether he is actually impacted or not.

If this guy is not straining to pass feces is he REALLY impacted? Is he really stuffed with poop? Here are a few points to consider. The weather is colder and this will bring down the ambient temperatures in a cage. This will cause your chameleon to eat less, be less active because he is spending more time under the light to stay warm and these combined will probably not produce poop in the volumes he normally does. Also chameleons, as they age, don’t tend to poop as much as when they are younger. I’ve had older Panthers poop every 2 weeks. It was normal for them; you set your watch to it. There are other long term keepers who have experienced the same with their adult Panthers. Sperm plugs are expelled during defecation so are you absolutely positive you haven’t found a poop in the cage hidden somewhere.

The olive oil trick is not going to hurt but do we jump to these diagnoses and remedies when there really isn’t a problem to begin with?

Certainly, if you think there is a bigger problem, then a visit to a vet is warranted. I won’t ever advise against that.

 

[Thrashback90]

Back from the vets, and all the poking and feeling around his tummy ended up making him go just as i was about to leave. Been advised to keep bathing him and some olive oil every now and then for the next few days to make sure everything is clear and passing okay. Silkies should be here in the next day or 2 so that'll keep everything soft and clear. thanks for all the help and advice. he is all active and lively again now.

 

[MelissaB]

Glad to hear that he finally went!

 

[Psychobunny]

I am glad to hear he is doing well, and finally got his bowels to move.

He will love his silkies, all my guyz do.

 

[windex]

Must of been a monster! Glad to hear he's all good again!

 

[Thrashback90]

He loved the silkies, although i wasn't fond of having them pop all over me when he ate them. Back to his old self today even if it is a tad cold due to our heating breaking. Isn't too fond of me right now though after having him poked by the vets. Got told he is the healthiest looking chameleon she has seen though which makes me feel better about getting another. Thank you all for the tips, hopefully it doesn't happen again but if it does i have picked up a few things to try sooner than later.

 

[ataraxia]

Hi, having an appetite and impaction generally dont go together. Now knowing he is in a smaller cage. If you have some plants where he can free range on to get some exercise could be beneficial.