What does a chameleon choking look/sound like

[phantomchameleon]

My cham hasn't, but i just want to know in case it happens, and is there anything i can do about it? Like some chameleon version of the Heimlich maneuver?

 

[brownie64]

I would say it looks a lot like a human, or any other creature gasping for air, and trying to dislodge something from their throat for that matter. Hope this helps.

 

[phantomchameleon]

I would say it looks a lot like a human, or any other creature gasping for air, and trying to dislodge something from their throat for that matter. Hope this helps.

Is there anything i can do to help then?

 

[brownie64]

Never had the problem as long as you don't feed them anything wider than your chams head it shouldn't be an issue. That being said if things got dire before I would let my cham die I would try to dislodge it some how

 

[wavingsnail]

Like some chameleon version of the Heimlich maneuver?

Yes, initiate the chameleon heimlich, call chameleon 911 and wait for the chameleon ambulance .

I mean, come on.

 

[phantomchameleon]

Yes, initiate the chameleon heimlich, call chameleon 911 and wait for the chameleon ambulance .

I mean, come on.

Jeez, I'm just wondering if there was anything i can do in the event of a chameleon choking. Thanks.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Short answer: no

Longer answer: don't feed your animal anything wider than the skull and it won't happen.

Really long answer: will cost you $5 in roaches.

 

[Andee]

I don't honestly think it will work for a chameleon, because their tongues and throat structure are different but one of my leos, when I was learning her sizes, apparently she needs much smaller roach nymphs than it seems because she seems to have a problem with swallowing, I used to do something that farmers do with horses that have mucus from the birthing canal in their esophagus and nose and it won't come out. I only did it this way because the roach was to far back to pull out with tweezers. I gripped her carefully I my hands and then sharply moved her from directly in front of me to upside down. The great thing about leopard geckos is if they great stressed enough they usually regurgiatate their meals, the fact that she was upside down didn't allow her to try to eat it again.

However I do NOT recommending ever doing this with a chameleon. Totally different reptiles.

 

[Andee]

This why when you buy feeders you buy too small and let them grow, too small is better than too large. Then when they grow passed the point of feeding off safely, either sell or breed.

 

[Carlton]

I had a melleri aspirate a combination of food and water and start choking. She thrashed around "roaring" and coughing and turned a color I'd never seen before or since. Then she went limp, laid still in my hand, eyes shut. I cleared out her mouth, held her with her head tipped down, and did try flexing her ribcage over and over. She came around again, threw up some throat contents and bit me. She was a bit shaky for the rest of the day but she did recover.

 

[leedragon]

I had a melleri aspirate a combination of food and water and start choking. She thrashed around "roaring" and coughing and turned a color I'd never seen before or since. Then she went limp, laid still in my hand, eyes shut. I cleared out her mouth, held her with her head tipped down, and did try flexing her ribcage over and over. She came around again, threw up some throat contents and bit me. She was a bit shaky for the rest of the day but she did recover.

well you have the scare color- you have the angry color, the stress color and then you have this which is what your chameleon was trying to tell you with that.

 

[phantomchameleon]

I had a melleri aspirate a combination of food and water and start choking. She thrashed around "roaring" and coughing and turned a color I'd never seen before or since. Then she went limp, laid still in my hand, eyes shut. I cleared out her mouth, held her with her head tipped down, and did try flexing her ribcage over and over. She came around again, threw up some throat contents and bit me. She was a bit shaky for the rest of the day but she did recover.

Poor baby! Im glad she recovered. This gave me an idea of what to do if it does happen but hopefully it doesnt! Thank you for sharing

 

[phantomchameleon]

well you have the scare color- you have the angry color, the stress color and then you have this which is what your chameleon was trying to tell you with that.

Oh my gOD

 

[Andee]

I had a melleri aspirate a combination of food and water and start choking. She thrashed around "roaring" and coughing and turned a color I'd never seen before or since. Then she went limp, laid still in my hand, eyes shut. I cleared out her mouth, held her with her head tipped down, and did try flexing her ribcage over and over. She came around again, threw up some throat contents and bit me. She was a bit shaky for the rest of the day but she did recover.

Always know when they bite you that it's a good sign. Which probably reptile keepers only understand. XD

 

[Ben28tx]

I just saved my communion from choking on a roach. I could tell it was stressing out by the dots on his throat. I just grabbed him and took the roach out. I would definitely feed it smaller roaches

 

[Beman]

I just saved my communion from choking on a roach. I could tell it was stressing out by the dots on his throat. I just grabbed him and took the roach out. I would definitely feed it smaller roaches

This thread is from 2016 feeders should be no wider then the space between their eyes.

 

[Thatcher]

Yes, initiate the chameleon heimlich, call chameleon 911 and wait for the chameleon ambulance .

I mean, come on.

Yeah we learned this in chameleon school from our chameleon teacher in chameleon class