Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone have any tips on getting a cham to open its mouth so i can give it baytril?

If your cham will drink when you hand spray it you can get it swallowing and drip the meds onto its snout so the med runs into its mouth. Baytril is bitter, so dilute it with some warm water or sweet fruit juice to make a bit more volume. If your cham gapes at you when you pick it up you can usually coax it to open its mouth by tapping it lightly on the snout. If it is a really laid back cham you may have to open the mouth by hand. A couple of tips. Put fingers over its nostrils gently and it may open up to breathe. Or, put fingers over the nostrils and GENTLY pull down on the gular (throat) skin. Once the cham has opened its lips a little you can hold them open by curling a fingertip into its mouth. When squirting the med in its mouth be careful to aim at the back of the throat. The opening of their trachea is low by the tongue, so you want to try and get the liquid past that. I also have a favorite insect handy to act as a "chaser" and a distraction from the Baytril taste. I will usually put the insect in its mouth directly so it will chew and swallow on its own.