Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[felix93]

I have Megan for almost a year now, I have recently upgraded her tank (about 2 - 3 weeks), set up is exactly the same, same plants but more tree branches for her to climb on. She seems has settled in the new tank and catch the locusts without problems. I have also put in a sand box for her, just in case she wants to lay etc. Only one problem, I noticed she sticks her tongue out but not putting that back in sometimes. She's not catching the locusts or anything. She even sleeps with her tongue out sometimes. So can anyone tell me what's the matter with her or think why she sticks her tongue out sometimes please? I tried to spray her and she seems drinking from that. Eyes look okay, not sinking in, closing or anything. The new set up tank temp and humidity is just the same, I spray the tank twice or three times a day as I have not set up the water drip method into the tank.

[Rickeezee]

Sometimes this can be a sign of overheating.

Is her breathing OK, any excess mucus from her mouth at all? Any signs of a respiratory tract infection?

Sometimes muscle weakness can affect the tongues function. The complex structure of the Hyolingual apparatus which allows the chameleon to flick its tongue out and retract it may have a weakness or some form of damage. Commonly damage to muscles connected to the Hyoid bone may lead to poor tongue control.

Very difficult to say exactly what might be wrong though. Has this only occured since the cham moved to a new viv?

Sorry did not quite understand this bit, is your Yemen able to catch food such as locusts without any problems at the moment? or is she unable to catch food and unable to flick her tongue out?

Hope its nothing to serious and that she will be ok.
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[kroakykaren]

Here are a couple of links to add to ricks post, hope you get him sorted soon
http://www.reptileandbirdvet.co.uk/1915.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*
http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/10/2/174.pdf
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[felix93]

She is breathing okay and catching the locusts without problems. No muscus or anything. In fact when I feed her, her eyes are looking everywhere and she usually just catches the food straight away. She can flick her tongue out. The temp of the tank is just the same as before. I put her in the exo terra cage, so there's ventilation on the top.

I have just taken a pic of her. Before I got her, the previous owner did not give her any calcium or gutload the food, so her arms got bend a little but they are getting better now. She only just shedded, so you probably be able to see some loose skin around her eyes. I dare to get them off 'cos I worry I will damage her eyes area.



That is what I meant by sticking the tongue out.

[kroakykaren]

Felix, this problem can also be caused by nutritional deficiencies, so that could be the problem, as you say she had no vits or calcium until you got her, or maybe she has just strained the hyoid muscle and it will come good soon, at least she is eating and drinking hope it improves soon hun
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[Rickeezee]

Cute cham! Could well be just a strain or as K said due to the deficiencies that you have mentioned from when younger. Main thing is she can catch food OK.

Informative links Karen.
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[felix93]

Yes I rescued her from the previous owner and as far as I know, the owner just put her in a plastic tank without any deco but just one tree branch in there. I got her since she was 4 months old as I was told, but I think she's younger than that because she looks very tiny.

I have gutloaded and dusted the food and give her the calcium at least 4 times a week, I ain't too sure if I should do that calcium thing more often though, I only was just told by my vet.

But since I upgraded her tank, she started showing the tongue look to me. When I spray her, she is drinking and will get her tongue back for quite a while and then stick that back again. But I see the plants are always dripping with water, so it's not the humidity has gone down or anything.

I have checked out the books and I am really lost.

[lol93]

She's lovely!

Occasionally chams can get food, particularly spiky bits of locust leg etc. trapped right at the back of their mouth where the tongue joins. Just a thought, but might be worth checking.
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[PaulG]

Nice cham,

I had a flap-neck cham that had got its whole toungue out and it couldn't get it back in!
It was just limp out side her mouth and she could not retract it.
It is like a coiled spring and once it is out like mine was it loses its elasticity.
We had to prize he mouth open and push the tongue back in but she could not eat or drink and eventually dies
I was destraught!
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Regards, Paul.

:.Rhacodactylus.:.Eublepharis.:.Stenodactylus.:.Nephrurus.:

[kinyonga]

SmallPaul...for future reference...if a chameleon can not retract its tongue, it needs surgery to remove the tongue at the tip of the hyoid bone. It obviously can't eat if its tongue keeps getting in the way because it won't retract properly. There have been cases of a chameleon swallowing its tongue when it couldn't retract it properly and the tongue being gone after it swallowed it.

felix93...as Rickeezee said...its difficult to know for sure what the reason for the tongue sticking out might be...but a vet should be able to tell you.

If this chameleon still has low calcium levels, a vet can give it shots of calcium over a few weeks followed by a shot of calcitonin which rapidly draws the calcium back into the bones. Calcium defeciency not only affects the bones, but the muscles (and other things for that matter) too.

When I have looked after rescued chameleons that have MBD, I would give them liquid calcium sandoz for a while....its supposed to be absorbed better.