Veiled with Hurt Tongue!!!

[s7plagues]

Ok, I have a male 4 year old Veiled that has been peachy up until today! I went to the store to get him food, came back and saw a rather large stool sample, and a granite type rock, I put some large ones in the plant base so he wouldnt eat the soil. The rock was on the bottom of the cage and was covered in saliva not stool. It was big but I guess he got it in his mouth and hurt his tongue.

I put some crickets in and noticed his tongue comes out but is not as smooth and normal looking but comes out at a slight angle with a little bit of an odd shape. like part of it is not sitting correctly. It's color looks fine, there is no blood, or blues or reds or purples....its just weird...He will only extend it maybe 1-2" trying to get a cricket and then will either pull it back or try a shot and miss usually...

What can I do? Does he need vet support or just hand fed worms till his tongue is legit? Can he heal on his own? I am going to be honest, I don't have any cash for a vet visit.

Update: Just saw him eat a cricket from about 3" away... his tongue has like a bottom lip to it that looks new....?

 

[ChameleonNerd]

i am not a vet, nor do i really have any experience with tongue issues. but it sounds like that would be a hyoid problem. if i were you, i would get him to flare up so i could see him push out his hyoid imprint. if it looks normal, then i am out of ideas

 

[chameleoman]

my cham has the same problem right now i took him to the vet and hes on antibiotics right now

 

[s7plagues]

I am getting pictures uploaded soon.

 

[Pilotman800]

I am getting pictures uploaded soon.

I was just about to ask, haha.

 

[s7plagues]

He's been able to eat about 3 crickets total, after a few tries and patience on his part. Here's what I could get.

http://imgur.com/a/7Z8eM 3 pictures of him

also the rocks are out now, for good.

 

[Hoj]

i would maybe hand feed him a close range for a few days just to let him give his tounge a rest and chance to heal any damage he may have done, but the fact that he is eating still is very good in my opinion.
best of luck, hope all turns out peachy

 

[s7plagues]

Thank's he doesnt mind hand feeding so that will be all he gets.

 

[Hoj]

ya for a few days, maybe start rather close and slowly increase the distance he has to shoot, kinda a tounge rehabilation LoL, i have a veiled who compleatly lost his tounge and has survived for the past year with only hand feeding.

 

[ChameleonNerd]

if i'm not mistaken, his tongue looks swollen

 

[Elizadolots]

I agree with giving his tongue some time to rest. I don't know if the tongue is swollen, but it's definitely not a happy tongue.

 

[s7plagues]

Done and done. He will not eat very little tomorrow hand fed and then see how it looks.

 

[s7plagues]

Update, he's hurt bad I think, he just extended his tongue all the way like he dropped it and it looked red at the bottom of it...like its infected.

 

[SilverDragoness]

Sounds like it's vet visit time. Especially if you believe that it's infected.

 

[s7plagues]

His tongue keeps sitting in his mouth sideways and he pushes it out to straighten it.

 

[Olimpia]

Vet time, and quickly! They may be able to give anti inflamatories and save the tongue but if they can't and he decides to bite it you could end up losing the tongue. Trust me, I'm talking from experience. My veiled has no tongue, it had to be amputated. If you can bring the swelling down it could heal in a little bit of time, but only a vet can take care of it.