URGENT! Doesn't stick her tongue out

[zsazsa85]

Hi there!

I have a 2-3 months old female veiled chameleon. She is with us for 1.5 months now.Very active, has appetite,but sometimes she can not stick her tongue out.
She usually 16 eats crickets a day and 2 mealworms.
I use the ZooMed Repti Calcium without D3 + Zoo Med's Reptivite with D3 every day. I mix them 1:1 ratio.
Is it ok?
So she has appetite,'cause every time I put the crickets in,she is like a racket. But lately more often (in the last 3 days)when she wants to stick her tongue out,it looks like it stucks in;it comes out half way...Then she tries again and again and then tries to bite them,but of course they jump away. So she leaves. Then her tongue works again. I mean it happens on the same one day. I don't understand.
She seems healthy otherwise. She did shed 2x already.

Please help us!!
Thank you very much!

 

[ridgebax1]

I am not sure about your tongue issue, but I think your supplementation is incorrect. You should be using the plain calcium daily. The vitamin should be twice a month only and you also need calcium with D3 twice a month. I recommend you complete the how to ask for help form that is in the health clinic forum. There could be many reasons for your problem and the form gives others all the information about your cham and husbandry.

 

[zsazsa85]

...

Thank you very much!
So you think I gave her too much multivitamin? I should only use the calcium daily?
Where can I find that form? I tried "search" nothing matched.

Thanks again!

 

[GrimsbyPatchwork]

Read this thoroughly and you should be good as gold > https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

You have the supplementation listed on the care sheet above. you are definitely over-supplementing with D3 ...supplementation should be of calcium WITHOUT D3 every feeding or almost every feeding, calcium WITH D3 TWICE MONTHLY, Multivitamin twice monthly.

If there is a supplement with both D3 and Multivitamin such as > http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptivite-Vitamin-2-Ounce/dp/B0002AQB6A/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top just dust twice monthly..if Multi Vit and Calcium D3 are seperate just mix 1:1 ratio and dust twice monthly .

This would be approx once every two weeks ..it helps a lot to keep a paper with the dates of when you supplemented and other notes or activity to track your chamelons activity and health.

natural Sun is also very good for them ...they do get D3 from sun exposure.

D3 helps the calcium be absorbed into the bones ...without D3, no matter how much calcium you give, very little will be absorbed .

 

[Psychobunny]

Besides the supplements being wrong, already mentioned, what do you mean
when you say, "Then her tongue works again"?
I don't quite understand your post!

Is she getting enough water?
How do her urates look?

 

[zsazsa85]

...

Thank you!
I meant that on the same day it works once,than it doesn't...I gave her a mealworm,she could take it,2 minutes later she couldn't stick it out for a cricket.

 

[zsazsa85]

...

Thank you GrimsbyP!
I will do that! I hope she is going to be all right!
I found the form,thank you!
And when you say twice a month,you mean I should give her the crickets with the mixed vitamins for one day? Or do you mix the vitamins is water?

 

[Psychobunny]

Thank you GrimsbyP!
I will do that! I hope she is going to be all right!
I found the form,thank you!
And when you say twice a month,you mean I should give her the crickets with the mixed vitamins for one day? Or do you mix the vitamins is water?

You want to 'dust' the crickets lightly with the multi-vitamin powder.

Just put some cricks in a container, sprinkle a little vitamin powder on them, and shake around so they all get evenly coated.
Then feed them to your cham

Yes, just one day, twice a month

 

[zsazsa85]

re

Oh I forgot to mension that her poop has pee in it always,'cause it has white part. And she drinks when she is thirsty. Or shold I sort of force her to drink?
Thank you!

 

[zsazsa85]

...

Hi,
now her tongue worked well today but she is constipated. She tried to poop,but only pee came...I gave her some calcium-water. But she could drink drops from the cage's side too,so I wouldn't think she is dehydrated.
Any suggestions?
Thank you very much!

 

[ridgebax1]

Again fill out and post the how to ask for help form. Calcium in her water will do nothing for constipation. I have seen a drop of mineral oil placed onto a feeder bug such as a cricket or roach recommended for this. You really need to complete the help form so you can get the best and most complete advice. Go to the how to ask for help sticky at the top of the health clinic page, copy and paste the questions with your answers into the reply area and post this or start a new thread with your completed form.

 

[zsazsa85]

Tongue and constipation

Hi there,
Here are my Cham's informations and I really hope somebody can help her.

Chameleon Info:
My Chameleon - I have a (probably) female about 3 months old veiled chameleon. She is been with us for 1,5 months now.
Handling - I would say lately about 5 times a week. I always wash my hand before.
Feeding - I feed her smaller size crickets, 16 pcs a day,in two portions+2 mealworms a day. They eat cornmeal and apple.
Supplements - Zoo Med Repti Calcium every day,everything she eats is dusted with it+ I used Zoo Med's Reptivite with D3 every day mixed with the calcium until two days ago. Now I am going to use it in every two weeks only.
Watering - I spray water about 4 times a day,plus now she has a fogger. I offer water to her from sprayer every day,she doesn't always drink it.
Fecal Description - She has never been tested for parasites. She pooped every day or two days;it was moist,had a white pee part and a dark brown solid part.
History - N.A

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Screen cage, 15''x16''x20''. Two sides and back are enclosed.
Lighting - UVB: Exo Terra 5.0 until yesterday( so I used it every day for 1,5 months),since then 10.0. Heat lamp is Exo Terra sun glo 75 Watts. Plus I sometimes use Infra lamp for extra heat.
Temperature - Exo Terra thermometer. At night 19-20 Celsius,during the day about 26-28. It is the 3/4 of the way up in the cage.
Humidity - Exo Terra hygrometer. 30-80 %. Spray water+ fogger.
Plants - 1 live plant, Scindapsus aureus. I have plastic plant too+ Exo terra climbing sticks/branches.
Placement - In our bedroom,it is not near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas. The top of the cage is 55'' from the floor.
Location - Whitehorse, YT, Canada


Current Problem:
About a week ago her tongue started not working properly: on occasion it seems only the bone would protrude, and the rest of the tongue would not flick out.
She didn't produce any dropping since five days ago. And this is my main concern! In the last three days each she got two mealworms soaked in olive oil and powdered in Calcium in order to speed up her metabolism,today I gave her couple drops of straight olive oil. She does try to poop several times every day, but she only gets the moist white part out and after that she just fights with the rest of it without any result.
Her colour is green,so she seems ok. She never lost her appetite. Sleeps well,but during the day she moves around a bit more than usual. Her last shedding was a week ago.
I let her out of the cage once in a while. She likes to come out,sometimes sleeps on me before her"bedtime". She comes out by herself.

Thank you very much for the help and advices because I am worried very much!

 

[Psychobunny]

If the olive oil didnt make her poop, it sounds like possible intestinal impaction.

Sometimes chams will eat small pieces of things like mulch, rocks, dirt, tree bark,
or nearly anything small, thinking it's a bug. This can cause impaction.
You may not have seen it happen.
Do you have anything covering the potted plant in the cage?

Also, stop feeding her mealworms, they can cause constipation.

Make sure she is drinking, if she becomes dehydrated, she will not poop normally.

Veiled chams also need veggies in their diet.
Wash and break off some pieces of romain or mustard greens and offer it to her.
Also, try blueberries, fresh fruit and veggies will also help make her poop.
Veileds (esp young ones) are notorius for picking up and eating junk!!

Feed her softer bugs, like cricket nymphs, hornworms, silkworms, butter worms, any soft worm with no outer schell.

Try the olive oil again, and if it does not work, you need to take her to a vet who knows something about chams.

Her straining to poop and not being able to, is your immediate concern, and chams can die from impaction.

 

[ridgebax1]

Not sure why you changed your UVB. I think 10.0 is too much for your cage based on size. I would switch back to the 5.0 and maybe save the 10.0 for use in a bigger cage. I have read that pears are good for consitipation so mabe offer her that. Mealworms are not that great of a feeder. I try to think of the as McDonald's french fries, tasty but not good for you! Hornworms and Silkworms have a high moisture content so can help with hydration. If she is not eating as much she may not have to poop everyday but as said in other responses the babies are notorious for eating non-food items. There was a poster here a few weeks ago who lost his cham due to an ingested piece of a zip tie, which many folks use to secure twigs and vines in the cages. If she is straining that hard and often I do think a visit to the vet is in order.

 

[zsazsa85]

...

OMG!
Thank you! So her plant is not covered...Actually I had that idea that she might picked up a peace of something from the plant.
I hope not! I stop the mealworms. Unfortunately up here I can't just buy other worms,I have to order it. Which I did already. I am just waiting and hoping the olive oil will do its job!
Fruits I tried but she doesn't want to take it (probably 'cause it doesn't move)... I 'll try every day!Strawberries,grape,romaine...
Fingers crossed!

 

[zsazsa85]

...

So I am still waiting,no poop today either. Only pee.
I tried strawberry,grape,but she just walked over. She doesn't care about not live food.
Fortunately the waxworms arrived today,so I gave her two in oil and calcium. She drank a lot,water,more olive oil and even senna leaves tee (laxative,but couple drops only). I am waiting for a miracle,but she moved less today...And her tummy is so big...
Should I give her less food than usual? She will explode....

 

[ridgebax1]

Can you post a picture of her? Are you sure of her age? With you describing a big belly it makes me wonder if she may be older and need to lay eggs. There are several threads regarding providing them with a laying bin.

 

[zsazsa85]

Well she was tiny when I got her in November. As my finger. I don't think she is older than 3 months. And her colour is still just green. She is not digging. Here is a picture, from a 1,5 week ago.

 

[ridgebax1]

Well I think you are right about her age so I don't think eggs are a concern. If she does not poo soon I would take her to a vet.

 

[ChameleonMom]

A couple of things jump out at me, reading your how to ask for help form.

The UVB 10.0 bulb is too much and is usually reserved for desert dwellers like bearded dragons or monitors. The Exo Terra 26w/5.0 UVB bulb is PERFECT for a veiled chameleon so I would switch it back. No red heat light at night as chams require a temperature change to sleep and maintain health. As mentioned a regular 60W household bulb should be fine but monitor your temps and see if a higher wattage is required for your house. You will want your temps in the mid-80's.

Gutloading your feeders is very important and I have noted you are gutloading with cornmeal. I know that corn in humans in not digestable so I am thinking that by gutloading your feeders with cornmeal, you may have bunged up your lady. Proper gutloading can be made very easy: cut up leafy greens such as cilantro, chard, dandelion greens (from your front yard as long as there is no pesticide use), collard greens, etc. Try not to use spinach or kale, parsley or kiwi as these items are high in phosphorus and oxalic acid and are only good in small quantities. Shredded carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash, apple, strawberries, blueberries, any melon, peaches etc. I like to use fresh cut oranges alot as it acts as food & water! I generally provide fresh gutload every second day and offer about 5 - 6 varieties of veg/fruit at any given time.

Your supplementation schedule is off. The general schedule adopted by most people on this forum is as follows:

Plain calcium - at every feeding
calcium w/d3 - twice a month
multivitamin - twice a month

Generally I dust with plain calcium during the week and on Sunday's I alternate; one Sunday I'll dust with cal w/d3. The next Sunday I'll dust with a multivitamin and then the next Sunday back to cal w/d3. And so on and so on. Too much calcium w/d3 can cause an overdose or vitaminosis, which is never a good thing for any chameleon. I keep a logbook for each of my chams (I have 6 - this makes it easier!) but if you make a note on your calendar each Sunday, you will know which supplement to use from week to week.

I will go back and check if I've missed anything. At this point, these are the issues that jump out and really need to be changed for the health of your baby, especially that cornmeal. Good luck in bringing her around.