I think my chameleon is sick.

Question
hello.....my name is Jordan and i think my female chameleon is sick. I've talked to several people and some said SHE was sick And other's said SHE was pregnant. She is always lying at the bottom of her cage and she looks sick too. She has a swollen tongue that won't go back into her mouth, she was gooey puss in her mouth and she has little black scabs under her tongue(bottom of her mouth). I'm very worried about her. She also has a ribs showing and parts of her stomach is skinny and the back of her stomach near her tale is fat. What do you think is wrong with her? PLEASE HELP ME!

Answer
Hi Jordan, You have described a very sick chameleon that desperately needs veterinary care, I think you already knew that. The situation may have started out as a pregnancy. Female chameleons can develop severe complications from that or the mouth infection may be the primary problem. I think I can say quite confidently, even without seeing her, that she will not recover without medical intervention, I'm sorry. Make sure she has access to some heat,you may have to move her to a smaller cage. The heat will help her immune system if the problem is infection based. I would try to gently clean her mouth with a cotton swab, but only if you can do it without too much handling and further stress. Keep her hydrated as well by offering drops of water. Good luck.