Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was hand feeding my panther a cricket as always and the cricket got out of my fingers when he missed on the first strike and then started to crall up my arm. he struck again and mised striking my arm and i didnt see him strike and it startled me and I jurked and he pulled and the toung came off still stuck to my arm... He was bleeding drops of blood out of his mouth about 8 in all till it stopped about 5 minets later. I don't know what to do next??? should I put him down or have a vet try to do something for him? he tried to still get the cricket that was on the floor and put his stump of a toung or what was left out all bloody and that seemed to hurt him and he ran around. Please help!!!

I would take him to the vet's ASAP. What remains of his tongue needs to be looked at and may need to be stitched at the end...if there is even enough of it left to stitch over the hyoid spike (the boney spike that the tongue is stored on). At any rate he will likely need antibiotics to stave off any bacteria that may have gotten into the blood stream.

I don't think he will have to be put down. I have had a few chameleons have their tongues amputated over the years, and they can learn to eat by approaching the insect like other lizards do and can live long healthy lives without their tongues. They usually require handfeeding until they get the idea of chasing down the insects.

I'm not surprised thate he tried to still get the cricket!

Good luck with him!

How is your panther now??