Anyone have any idea what causes this to happen (don't have pict) but I've got a young cham w/ swollen or deformed lip. Is it a calcium problem (too much too little?) or something else? Just wondering.
Thanks
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Tom Feeney
chameleons.iguanaman.com
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swollen or deformed lips on panther
reptile
Jan 13, 2004 12:50 PM
Replies (2)
tessai
Jan 13, 2004 06:53 PM
If you could post a pic that would make it easier to identify. It could be mouth rot. The likely cause of it is probably a cricket leg that poked his mouth.
If its not mouth, it could be a calcium deficiency. Gently apply pressure to his a jaw. It should be very firm, not rubbery. If it is rubbery, go to your vet and get a calcium supplementation.
Vincent
Carlton
Jan 14, 2004 02:42 PM
Calcium deficiency does not usually show as swollen lips in chams. Most likely it is an infection either from injury to the lip or gum or from a systemic bacterial infection. The term "mouth rot" or stomatitis is a result of bacterial infection not a cause in itself. Look closely at your cham's mouth for reddened areas, patches of cheesy material in the mouth and throat, and obvious pain around the mouth or under the skin on the face.
Just an observation for list members:
Lately, for some reason "calcium deficiency" or MBD seems to be the "ailment of choice" for folks on this forum. It is being blamed for an amazing array of health problems. Maybe because it has been discussed so much recently. It is only one of a group of nutritional problems we could see in captive chams. We need to remind ourselves to look outside the box when trying to diagnose and treat cham illnesses.
