Tragic Happening

boogie

boogie

New Member
Just wanted to let everyone know of my tragic happening, yesterday my son
was feeding my 2 yr old ambilobe panther on our perch and somehow he missed the superworm and got his tongue caught on part of the branch and he pulled his tongue completely off. I was'nt home at the time, but i rushed home and sure enough it was true , so i rushed him to the vet with his tongue on ice, the Dr gave him fluids, antibiotics, and morfien for pain and said he couldnt reattach his toungue but said he could live with out it. So I took him home, he knows some thing is wrong with his tongue as he keeps opening his mouth and trys to extend his tongue but all there is is the bone that the tongue used to attach to. My Question is has any one seen this happen maybe some long time keepers or breeders, any suggestions as I
don't know what to do, I am beside myself, literaly sick to my stomach
I just don't know how he can survive without a tongue. I have had him
since he was little he is a very important part of our family.
 
I don't know about pulling it off, but I know that chams can get along just fine without their tongues. They learn to hand feed or they chase the pray down and eat it without their tongue. I'm sorry about what happened.
 
Pssh is right. I have read it a few times already.

My guess is the muscle made to project and insert back his tongue has been cut when throwing his tongue...But then again, i may be wrong!

Nevertheless, it is possible to keep it alive for a few years ago, if he can learn to eat in your hand. So there's hope! :)
 
I had something similar happen to a gravid female veiled about two months ago. I came home to find her tounge hanging out of her mouth, and a bit of blood at the bottom of the cage. She had been biting it so it had to be removed. The sucky part was she was about a week from laying, and I couldnt give here any meds except liquid calcium orally. When the time came to lay, she would dig but not lay. She ended up dying a few days later, but I removed the eggs and some how all where perfect. I hope things go much better for you, but you should try hand feeding for now. Also Ive never heard of chams getting anything for pain, is this common? My vets never done that to any of my animals, not sure if I would want them to, sounds dangerous.
 
I am sorry to hear about this. Good luck and I hope you can help him learn to feed ok without his tongue
 
Wow, I've never heard of this happening .. I hope that your cham adapts with the loss. Just give your cham special attention. Hopefully that assists in a full recovery and your cham will be able to continue living a long and healthy life.
 
I wouldnt say he is going to die, as your veiled did.

I have seen chameleons with this same problem that have adjusted their eating habits to eat properly. What he will learn to do now is sort of leap his head forward towards the insect and grab it, but you will have to be hand feeding him he wont be able to do it on his own.

Good luck with him
 
He can eat without a tongue. I took a rescue, form a guy at a vet's office. He was there to have his cham put down. The vet said it could live with the
proper attention. I took him home and he lived for 2 years. I fed him daily by putting his pray at his mouth, he opened & I put the pray into his mouth. He never had any other type of problem. He was a wonderful cham. Best of luck, it can be done.
 
Ouch! Oh jeez, I can imagine how you feel. Definately do cup feeding - my jackson's sometimes likes to grab superworms in his feeding cup with his mouth instead of using his tongue - or hand feed, as others have suggested already. I wish you the best with him, and hope he still lives happily without his tongue.
 
that happen to me and my boyfriend we had a flapneck,we came home to find her tongue completely out ,the vet had to amputate her tongue and we had to hand feed the cham the vet told us that some chams can live with out there tongue but you have to teach them how to eat again meaning hand feeding them or putting there food in a cup hope that helps
 
Thanks Everyone, I will do everything I can (of coarse) I'm just very upset I didn't think
such a thing could happen it seems like such a vitale part to be without. I have read post of chameleons with paralized tongues, but his tongue is completly gone accept for the bone and he seems to be struggling without it. he is making shriking noises and opens his mouth to try to use his tongue (very depressing) I guess time will tell. I will keep everyone posted.
 
Out of curiosity, how old is your son? Was anyone at home with him? He looks so young in your avatar picture.
 
My son is 9 yrs old. the avatar picture is of my 4 yr old daughter and she is holding
Mr. Big he is the one who lost his tongue. my wife was also home at the time. I don't blame them it was just a freak accident. I do wonder had I been there maybe the out come would be different I might of been able to react to the situation quicker.
 
boogie said:
My son is 9 yrs old. the avatar picture is of my 4 yr old daughter and she is holding
Mr. Big he is the one who lost his tongue. my wife was also home at the time. I don't blame them it was just a freak accident. I do wonder had I been there maybe the out come would be different I might of been able to react to the situation quicker.
Click to expand...

I was gonna say that looks like it would be your daughter but i didn't want to be rude if it turned out otherewise:rolleyes::D Oh and sorry to hear that about your cham.
 
If he doesn't have any major health issues from losing the tongue.... and it heals well... he should live just fine. You'll obviously have to help him eat... Crickets will be too fast for him, but you could hand feed them to him with tongs and you can feed silks and supers and hornworms on a branch that he can pick up himself. I have heard of WC animals coming into the country without tongues..... so the animal lost it on the way here or never had it in the wild and was still alive.

You might need to feed him via syringe with something called 'critical care' for a but while he heals up. Be sure you get baytril to prevent infections.
 
I am sorry to hear about what happened to you cham. I hope he will be ok. I would try soft foods for him at first......maybe some silkworms.
 
As long as there is no part of the tongue left extending past the end of the bone the chameleon should be able to cope with the loss. You could help it by hand feeding it by holding the cricket near enough that it can take it without chasing it and gradually over a few days moving it a little further away so that it has to move forward to get it. This way it learns to chase after the crickets/insects to eat them like other lizards have to.
 
oh my goodness. I am so sorry to hear that. please keep us posted, alot of experianced people in here, we will do our best for advise (not me) but there is plenty! chin up, you can do this!
 
Rip

geez what a shocker, i am in tears and wish I could take the lil ones pain away, my chams are my life, i thrive on them and I can only feel for you and your family for the tragic catostrophy you have witnessed, may the arc angels bring you comfort and strength to make it through this difficult time
 
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