Tongue issues and one eye occasionally closed during the day.

[Deo32]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male Panther, 2.5 years old
• Handling - Rarely
• Feeding - Every other day—crickets/waxworms/superworms/dubia gut loaded with suggested fruits/veggies from guidebook
• Supplements - Calcium w/o D3/phosphorus every feeding, rotating vitamin or D3 every Sunday
• Watering - Misting
• Fecal Description - Normal
• History - Very small chameleon, kind of just stopped growing after about a year. Never had any health issues.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screen cage, 4ft tall- 2ft - 2ft width
• Lighting - Fluorescent for heating, tube UVB
• Temperature - ~75-83 throughout the cage, 88-92 basking, ~68 at night
• Humidity - Good
• Plants - Pothos and umbrella plant
• Placement - By window
• Location - IL

Issue: His tongue has appeared to be kind of nonfunctional in the sense that he only manages to shoot it out like 2-3 inches and it is not as sticky as it should be; he is still able to eat, but he has to get VERY close to the food and it must be placed in a small cup. On top of this, he has begun to keep his right eye closed for periods of time during the day, but it does not appear to be infected or inflamed and externally appears to be healthy when he opens it.

He is not lethargic or exhibiting any other symptoms that would help me identify the underlying issue. I assumed it must be a lack of calcium/D3 (usually the culprit in the case of these tongue issues, from what I've seen and read) but have not made any significant changes in feeding and supplement schedule since the issue has only been going on for about 4 days and I'm not an expert. Anything helps!

 

[NashansCamos]

He might be too hot, the basking is very hot for him, go 78-82 basking IMO. nothing over 85. Can you please specify the humidity and misting, what is your misting schedule? What percents is the humidity? Also photos of him and the enclosure are the best way to find out whats wrong.

 

[Deo32]

He might be too hot, the basking is very hot for him, go 78-82 basking IMO. nothing over 85. Can you please specify the humidity and misting, what is your misting schedule? What percents is the humidity? Also photos of him and the enclosure are the best way to find out whats wrong.

Humidity around 75% and misting is 6x per day in 1.5-4 minute intervals (early morning and late-night are the shorter ones). I raise the basking are temps from around 82-85 to current levels once my panthers get older but I will try to lower it—maybe since he is so small that could help.

I'll send some photos when I get home, thanks for the response.

 

[NashansCamos]

Humidity around 75% and misting is 6x per day in 1.5-4 minute intervals (early morning and late-night are the shorter ones). I raise the basking are temps from around 82-85 to current levels once my panthers get older but I will try to lower it—maybe since he is so small that could help.

I'll send some photos when I get home, thanks for the response.

in my opinion the humidity is a touch high, I would aim for 50-60% personally. Maybe just change the mistking to only 4 or 5 times a day instead.

 

[Beman]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male Panther, 2.5 years old
• Handling - Rarely
• Feeding - Every other day—crickets/waxworms/superworms/dubia gut loaded with suggested fruits/veggies from guidebook
• Supplements - Calcium w/o D3/phosphorus every feeding, rotating vitamin or D3 every Sunday
• Watering - Misting
• Fecal Description - Normal
• History - Very small chameleon, kind of just stopped growing after about a year. Never had any health issues.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screen cage, 4ft tall- 2ft - 2ft width
• Lighting - Fluorescent for heating, tube UVB
• Temperature - ~75-83 throughout the cage, 88-92 basking, ~68 at night
• Humidity - Good
• Plants - Pothos and umbrella plant
• Placement - By window
• Location - IL

Issue: His tongue has appeared to be kind of nonfunctional in the sense that he only manages to shoot it out like 2-3 inches and it is not as sticky as it should be; he is still able to eat, but he has to get VERY close to the food and it must be placed in a small cup. On top of this, he has begun to keep his right eye closed for periods of time during the day, but it does not appear to be infected or inflamed and externally appears to be healthy when he opens it.

He is not lethargic or exhibiting any other symptoms that would help me identify the underlying issue. I assumed it must be a lack of calcium/D3 (usually the culprit in the case of these tongue issues, from what I've seen and read) but have not made any significant changes in feeding and supplement schedule since the issue has only been going on for about 4 days and I'm not an expert. Anything helps!

This sounds like an issue with vitamins... What exactly are you using for your supplements? Can you take a picture for me? And what is the UVB lighting exactly fixture type T5HO or T8 and what bulb strength?

 

[Deo32]

This sounds like an issue with vitamins... What exactly are you using for your supplements? Can you take a picture for me? And what is the UVB lighting exactly fixture type T5HO or T8 and what bulb strength?

T5HO. Reptivite for vitamins, Rep-cal for no d3/phosphorus calcium, and Repticalcium for calcium with D3 (I also have repashy calcium plus vitamin and calcium supplement according to my amazon history, but I don't think I ever used this). Sorry for no picture, am still not home.

 

[Beman]

T5HO. Reptivite for vitamins, Rep-cal for no d3/phosphorus calcium, and Repticalcium for calcium with D3 (I also have repashy calcium plus vitamin and calcium supplement according to my amazon history, but I don't think I ever used this). Sorry for no picture, am still not home.

Do you know if the reptivite has D3 in it? And can you tell me when these were purchased and how do you store them? With the T5HO what bulb strength is it and when last did you replace the bulb?

 

[Deo32]

5.0 T5HO swapped in June, will swap again come December. The reptivite does have D3 in it. Alll my vitamins were purchased (at least the most recent batch) in like April and I store them on a shelf next to the enclosures.

 

[Beman]

5.0 T5HO swapped in June, will swap again come December. The reptivite does have D3 in it. Alll my vitamins were purchased (at least the most recent batch) in like April and I store them on a shelf next to the enclosures.

Ok so just so I make sure I understand this correctly. You are currently giving the reptivite with D3 two times a month and the repticalcium with D3 two times a month? Then at all other feeding calcium without D3.

 

[Deo32]

Ok so just so I make sure I understand this correctly. You are currently giving the reptivite with D3 two times a month and the repticalcium with D3 two times a month? Then at all other feeding calcium without D3.

Yes but the reptivite doesn't** (sorry, typo earlier, on phone) have D3. I give D3 twice a month.

 

[chamnub]

I store them on a shelf next to the enclosures.

Shouldn’t they be refrigerated? I also write the date I got the supplements on the bottle and replace every 6 mos.

 

[Beman]

Yes but the reptivite doesn't** (sorry, typo earlier, on phone) have D3. I give D3 twice a month.

Ok good because that was taking me down the rabbit hole of D3 toxicity lol. What veggies are you using for gutloading? Nothing calcium binding like spinach?

Your husbandry is basically perfect. While temp is a bit high that would not cause tongue or eye issues. Typically these are linked to preformed A but reptivite has preformed A.

If you are able to can you post pics of the entire enclosure?

 

[Beman]

Shouldn’t they be refrigerated? I also write the date I got the supplements on the bottle and replace every 6 mos.

This is one of those it depends on who you ask... I have asked a leader in the industry that make the products I use and they say no absolutely not that they should be kept in a dry, cool, dark environment. But the person that distributes their product says they should be stored in the fridge.

I get totally different answers based on what forum I ask in and who I ask.... ?

 

[Beman]

@JacksJill are you seeing anything here that would be linked to tongue issues and eye closing?

 

[Deo32]

Ok good because that was taking me down the rabbit hole of D3 toxicity lol. What veggies are you using for gutloading? Nothing calcium binding like spinach?

Your husbandry is basically perfect. While temp is a bit high that would not cause tongue or eye issues. Typically these are linked to preformed A but reptivite has preformed A.

If you are able to can you post pics of the entire enclosure?

Yeah, I'll send a picture when I get home, sorry that I keep saying this (haha..).

I'm also very confused since I have multiple chameleons that run on the same feeders/supplement/husbandry schedule and I've never really had any health issues in any of them. At this rate, I might just give extra vitamins because he doesn't eat a lot normally—as I mentioned he is very small—or I might just buy new vitamins or something. No idea. The only other thing I can think of is like some sort of disease that I have no control over, but if that's the case then I can't really do anything...I just hope it doesn't get worse.

 

[Beman]

Yeah, I'll send a picture when I get home, sorry that I keep saying this (haha..).

I'm also very confused since I have multiple chameleons that run on the same feeders/supplement/husbandry schedule and I've never really had any health issues in any of them. At this rate, I might just give extra vitamins because he doesn't eat a lot normally—as I mentioned he is very small—or I might just buy new vitamins or something. No idea.

I am more cautious when it comes to Vitamins especially with Vitamin A and D3 since both or fat soluble. Overdosing can be quite a bad thing.

Do you have a solarmeter to check and make sure the UVB bulb is working correctly?

 

[Deo32]

I am more cautious when it comes to Vitamins especially with Vitamin A and D3 since both or fat soluble. Overdosing can be quite a bad thing.

Do you have a solarmeter to check and make sure the UVB bulb is working correctly?

I dont have one, no.

 

[Beman]

I dont have one, no.

Well I tagged Jacksjill in on the thread she is much better then I am with these issues and may see something that I am not. I am pretty good at picking a help form a part to find the issues but yours has no real issues lol. But upload pics of the cage and boy when you get a chance.

Honestly my first suggestion since your husbandry appears to be on point and it does have to do with eyes and tongue is take him in to get bloodwork done.

If this is not an option for you right now then I would get a new UVB bulb just in case there is an issue with yours. With a 5.0 T5 single bulb fixture basking level should be about 9 inches away from the fixture for a UVI level 3. I would say if he seems to perk up and start using the tongue correctly then the bulb was a dud.

 

[JacksJill]

@JacksJill are you seeing anything here that would be linked to tongue issues and eye closing?

Nothing jumps out at me but you might be on to something. It couldn't hurt to get a fresh batch of multivitamin. Fat soluble vitamins can go rancid over time especially if they aren't stored properly (and who knows how they were handled before you got them) and vit A deficiency can cause problems with both eye and tongue. Infection is something to consider as a possibility. Is there any sign of gular edema or swelling below the throat?