Digestive disorders in chameleons

The digestive system converts food into energy. In chameleons, left over waste is expelled through the vent which is the reptile equivalent of a mammal’s anus. The digestive tract of your chameleon consists of the mouth, stomach, intestines and vent.

Chameleons have lots of very small peg-like teeth. They have acrodont dentition meaning, if they break a tooth it will not regrow unlike other lizards that can regrow broken teeth. In our mouths the roof is called the hard palate; the chameleon does not have a hard palate, instead he has a hole called the choana. Their tongue is unique and they can project it from their mouth to catch insects; the end of the tongue is a bit like an adhesive sucker.

Leading from the mouth is a tube called the oesophagus that leads to the stomach.

After the stomach, the digestive tract continues as the small and large intestine.

The vent (the chameleon’s anus) is made up of three areas: the coprodeum, urodeum and proctodeum. The food waste from the large intestine is stored in the coprodeum. The urodeum is the area which stores urine, and sperm or eggs (depending on whether your chameleon is male or female). Both the coprodeum and urodeum empty into the proctodeum and from here all feces and urine are passed out of the vent.

The liver is the largest organ inside the body and has many functions. It plays an important part in the breakdown of proteins and fats from the food. It helps the body to expel any toxins and other harmful substances.

The pancreas produces juices which help to breakdown food.

Stomatitis is inflammation of the mouth and is commonly known as ‘mouth rot’. Stomatitis can be caused by either viral or bacterial infection. Damage to the mouth caused by furniture, self-trauma amongst other things can also cause mouth rot. Luckily, this is not common in chameleons.

Pay particular attention to the condition of the vivarium. Low temperatures in the vivarium  can lead to a weakening of the immune system. The daytime temperature should be around 21-40°C/69.8-104°F. The vivarium should have two ends, the higher temperatures being the basking end of the vivarium and the other end the lower temperature where the chameleon can go to cool off.

Ensure the furniture in your chameleon house is not sharp to avoid damage to the mouth.

If you think your chameleon has stomatitis get him checked by your veterinarian.

Fatty liver disease, also known as hepatic lipidosis, is when the liver cells become swamped with fat, this enlarges the liver and prevents it from working properly. It is very difficult to detect fatty liver disease; there are no obvious symptoms, but a chameleon with this condition will stop eating. It is important to weigh your chameleon weekly to spot any severe weight loss./

Low temperature can cause loss of appetite.

If the food for your chameleon is too big, or if you feed too many insects at once, this can put him off eating. Make sure you are feeding a good balanced diet for your particular species of chameleon. If your chameleon loses more than 10% of his bodyweight you should take him to the veterinarian.

Chameleons often eat material from the floor of their house by mistake which can lead to impaction in the large intestine, this is when pieces of the material clump together to cause a blockage. When choosing a substrate for the vivarium ensure the substrate is not small enough to swallow.

Constipation is when a chameleon cannot pass feces. If your chameleon is constipated you may notice him straining to pass feces or that his feces may also look very dry. The temperature in your chameleon’s house is vital. If it is too cold the intestines cannot digest food properly and this can lead to constipation.

Calcium is needed to make the intestines work properly. Ensuring that your chameleon’s UV light is at the correct height around 30-45 cm away from where the chameleon spends most of its time and is not too old, this will help the chameleon to absorb calcium through the intestine.

It is very important that your chameleon has water at all times and that the humidity in his house is at the correct level. Dehydration often leads to constipation. Make sure your chameleon is eating the right type of food and the correct amount. If he is greedy his intestine may become too full and therefore prone to impaction. If an impaction is very severe an operation may be necessary to remove the material blocking the intestine.

Constipation is often left until it is too late. To try and avoid this, ensure you are familiar with the color, consistency and frequency of your chameleon’s feces. This will allow you to pick up on any changes and make your veterinarian aware if you are unsure. The veterinary surgeon may choose to test the feces either in house or send it away to an external laboratory.

A vent prolapse happens when one of the organs that are plumbed into the vent, eg the large intestine, gets pushed out of the body.

Egg binding and low calcium in the diet can cause a vent prolapse.

A prolapse is an emergency; if you suspect a prolapse you must take your chameleon to the veterinary practice as soon as possible.