White Around Nose on Veiled

[AZJ0SH]

For the last week or so my veiled has developed some white around his nose, it's not the little specks that I have seen with over-supplementation it looks more like he stuck his nose in powdered sugar.

I read on here that using wet q-tips to wipe it off, but I tried and he didn't let me get near him with it.

Any suggestions or health concerns?

 

[Pilotman800]

Can you upload a picture of it?

 

[AZJ0SH]

Here is a picture I just took, it's not really visible in the photo for some reason but you can see a small bit of the white.

 

[Elizadolots]

The often dissipate excess calcium through their mucus membranes. It's probably not a major concern. You might ask yourself if you can cut back on dusting your crickets. Maybe dust 2 crickets a day instead of all of them?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

It's not excess calcium. It's excess salts. Do not change your calcium supplementationas th buildup is completely harmless and not a cause for concern.

 

[ataraxia]

if he has formations directly around the nostrals. that is from excreting salts.

id like to see clearer pic of the head but it looks like shed to me. his face, around his eyes looks like it is preparing to.

 

[Elizadolots]

Calcium supplements are most often in the form of calcium salt. If there is a build up at the nostrils it means it might be okay to cut back on the supplements (note that I did not say to stop supplementing).

The ability of chameleons to vent excess calcium is one of the few things that is easier about them. I also have guinea pigs which are prone to creating internal organ "stones" from excess calcium so there's a more delicate dance on feeding....enough to keep them strong, not enough to form stones.

 

[kinyonga]

"A number of species have nasal salt glands for excretion of sodium and chloride in response to an osmotic load. White crusty deposits may be seen around the nares of chameleons as well as green iguanas and other lizards and are normal findings. Certain species also secrete potassium as well as sodium, and chloride or bicarbonate. The system helps to conserve water while ridding the body of excess minerals."
http://chameleonnews.com/02NovDonoghue.html
You may need to look at the WayBackMachine to access this one.

Also...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/white-stuff-my-chameleons-nostrils-15192/index3.html

 

[AZJ0SH]

"A number of species have nasal salt glands for excretion of sodium and chloride in response to an osmotic load. White crusty deposits may be seen around the nares of chameleons as well as green iguanas and other lizards and are normal findings. Certain species also secrete potassium as well as sodium, and chloride or bicarbonate. The system helps to conserve water while ridding the body of excess minerals."
http://chameleonnews.com/02NovDonoghue.html
You may need to look at the WayBackMachine to access this one.

Also...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/white-stuff-my-chameleons-nostrils-15192/index3.html

I checked out this thread, the pictures I see it seems to be directly around the nostrils, in my example it's more around the entire front of his nose/face like he dipped his nose in cocaine.

I am doing a lot of reading on the subject, from what I have read so far it's harmless and not a cause for concern?

I will try and get a better picture today.

 

[AZJ0SH]

Besides the white on his nose, how does he look health wise? He is about 7 months old, the only concern I had was his legs they seem to be fatter at the bottom-half than the top, is that normal?

 

[Pilotman800]

Besides the white on his nose, how does he look health wise? He is about 7 months old, the only concern I had was his legs they seem to be fatter at the bottom-half than the top, is that normal?

He looks healthy, and handsome. Its normal that chameleons legs are a little fatter on the bottom.

 

[AZJ0SH]

He looks healthy, and handsome. Its normal that chameleons legs are a little fatter on the bottom.

Awesome, thanks for the reply. I got a few more pictures but my memory card reader on my desktop doesn't want to work, I am going to head to my office and upload them today.

I hope he starts to get more blue as he gets older, what age do chameleons normally start to show full colors?

Most of the time he looks that color, but when he sleeps he turns bright green/yellow/blue I wish he always looked like that.

 

[fluxlizard]

He's already capable of better color than that and closer to his sleep colors, though they may be a little deeper than sleep colors. Try messing with his lighting (brighter) and giving him more plant cover and if he still isn't greens and blues but looks drab and brown you might try a warmer basking site or moving his enclosure to another location or change the color of his walls to something lighter so more light is bouncing around for him (not saying he's trying to match the walls, I am saying the color you chose absorbs light and will make his enclosure darker which will have an effect on the amount of light available and his mood. Make an adjustment, wait a couple of days, and observe and then make another. His pattern and color that he is showing in the picture indicate to me that he can do the pretty colors you are waiting for, he just needs a different environment...

 

[AZJ0SH]

He's already capable of better color than that and closer to his sleep colors, though they may be a little deeper than sleep colors. Try messing with his lighting (brighter) and giving him more plant cover and if he still isn't greens and blues but looks drab and brown you might try a warmer basking site or moving his enclosure to another location or change the color of his walls to something lighter so more light is bouncing around for him (not saying he's trying to match the walls, I am saying the color you chose absorbs light and will make his enclosure darker which will have an effect on the amount of light available and his mood. Make an adjustment, wait a couple of days, and observe and then make another. His pattern and color that he is showing in the picture indicate to me that he can do the pretty colors you are waiting for, he just needs a different environment...

I am working on plans for a new enclosure, the current one I have I am starting to dislike due to drainage issues and the size of the enclosure, it's built out of a piece of an entertainment center, it's a tower used for holding electronics. I sealed everything and there is no water damage, it's just a funky size standing at 7' tall with the base. His new cage is going to be 3' Wide X 4' Tall X 2' Deep and should allow much more light in the enclosure.

So you think his darker coloration might be caused by lack of hiding places in plants and the color of the inside of the enclosure (dark green)?

 

[fluxlizard]

yes and possibly temperature- just general comfort things. Play with ways of making him feel more secure and comfortable (light level is important for that). But give him time to adjust each time you tweak his environment- constantly being messed with is another thing that effects his comfort level...