Vent trouble

[Orchidartist]

Rusty has some vent blockage, I am concerned...looks kinda swollen today. Should I try to soak him in water fo awhile to loosen it up? What is it? Please take a look at the photo, thanks for any advice.
DJ

 

[veiledchamguy]

Soaking him wouldnt hurt even very gentle rubbing perhaps...

Sperm plug? thats my only guess

 

[Miss Lily]

Poor little man - that looks rather uncomfortable for him. I was also thinking sperm plug, but I don't keep males (yet) so don't know about those things! I thought sperm plugs were more commonly seen with panthers. Hopefully someone who keeps males will read this and offer some helpful advice. Check out this link - there may be something to help you in there:https://www.chameleonforums.com/ease-out-impacted-sperm-27027/

 

[jannb]

Normally, from the pictures I've seen on here spurm plugs look a kind of clear to yellow color and that doesn't look like any of them. Do you have a vet? Rusty might need one.

 

[Orchidartist]

Thanks

I dont think its a sperm plug either...he pooped normally today but its still stuck there. Im going to try giving him a soak in my bath.

 

[luevelvet]

Soaking couldn't hurt unless there's something worse wrong with him. I would also provide much more water for at least the next few weeks, if not always.

Luis

 

[Lizardlover]

its a sperm plug, they can dry out like this and turn a darker color. I will post a pic of one I removed a few days ago.

 

[Lizardlover]

nasty huh?

 

[laurie]

its a sperm plug, they can dry out like this and turn a darker color. I will post a pic of one I removed a few days ago.

That picture is awful, please don't let any of my chams do that!! I would hate to have to take care of that, I would be so worried that I might hurt my cham that my hands would shake.

I better explain that the picture is awful because I would hate to be the one with the plug or the one removing the plug. I do find the picture helpful and I learn more from the picture than just a description.

 

[Lizardlover]

misunderstanding.

 

[BocaJan]

That is a great picture of something that happens to male chams. It happens in the wild as well as in captivity. Which cham of yours did you remove this plug?

 

[Lizardlover]

My panther, Karma. Normally they are yellow/white like Jann said but occasionally they will turn into an actual "plug" and get all nasty like the one in the pic.

 

[Dave Weldon]

I dont think its a sperm plug either...he pooped normally today but its still stuck there. Im going to try giving him a soak in my bath.

Howdy DJ,

The direction that the material is pointing does not look correct for being a seminal plug. I would have said that it was impacted/stuck poop except that you said he pooped - and that material is still there .

Here's a heavy-duty seminal plug case from Mader's book:

Soaking in warm water and extra oral hydration, maybe with 50/50 (generic is fine) Pedialyte/water often helps.

A few years ago, I gave 2ml-3ml to an impacted Panther at the local reptile store and here was the result the next day :
(Like the color of that urate chunk .)

 

[Lizardlover]

Is there another type of sperm plug? thats exactly what the one I removed looked like prior to being removed.

 

[laurie]

Howdy DJ,

The direction that the material is pointing does not look correct for being a seminal plug. I would have said that it was impacted/stuck poop except that you said he pooped - and that material is still there .

Here's a heavy-duty seminal plug case from Mader's book:

Soaking in warm water and extra oral hydration, maybe with 50/50 (generic is fine) Pedialyte/water often helps.

A few years ago, I gave 2ml-3ml to an impacted Panther at the local reptile store and here was the result the next day :
(Like the color of that urate chunk .)

Thanks Dave, I am dieting and I WAS going to eat dinner!!

 

[Syn]

Dave, you sure do seem to love that picture.

 

[Orchidartist]

Holy grossness! Oh, I dont want to have to pull anything out...GAH! I gave Rusty a little soak in some warm water...I will repeat tomorrow if I dont see any change. Thanks guys.

 

[laurie]

Holy grossness! Oh, I dont want to have to pull anything out...GAH! I gave Rusty a little soak in some warm water...I will repeat tomorrow if I dont see any change. Thanks guys.

That is my kind of man, I couldn't do it either!lol

 

[AJA]

Didn't Gesang have the same thing happen to her chameleon? And it was in pain or it was always grumpy or something like that. Poor guy. That can't be feeling good.

 

[Miss Lily]

Didn't Gesang have the same thing happen to her chameleon? And it was in pain or it was always grumpy or something like that. Poor guy. That can't be feeling good.

Yes she did. I linked that thread in my earlier post as it may contain useful info for Orchidartist too.