Back ridge concern

[MandieMae]

I have two veiled chameleons, one male and one female, housed separately. Both about 1 1/2 years old. The female will eat anything I put in her cage. He does not. He has always been thin. He will eat worms everyday if I provided them, but will walk away sometimes without eating them all.

noticed his back has a gap along the ridge. Thought maybe this was caused by a bad shed or he got too close to the year lamp.
Could not get him to stay in the side view position so hope you can get the idea from this one.

wondering if anyone has noticed this condition before

 

[Beman]

I have two veiled chameleons, one male and one female, housed separately. Both about 1 1/2 years old. The female will eat anything I put in her cage. He does not. He has always been thin. He will eat worms everyday if I provided them, but will walk away sometimes without eating them all.

noticed his back has a gap along the ridge. Thought maybe this was caused by a bad shed or he got too close to the year lamp.
Could not get him to stay in the side view position so hope you can get the idea from this one.

wondering if anyone has noticed this condition before

That is from a thermal burn. Temps at basking are either too hot or he is too close. You need a Vet and get silver sulfadiazine cream for it so it can heal properly without infection.

What worms are you feeding?

 

[MandieMae]

Got him to a better position to show this issue.

 

[PabloTheCham]

Got him to a better position to show this issue.

Like @Beman said, thermal burn.
Can you post a pic of your basking spot?

 

[Beman]

Got him to a better position to show this issue.

Yes, It is a thermal burn... More then likely he can get far too close to his heat lamp. The spikes are actually separating from the back... This is painful. Most of the time this produces puss below from the infection the burn creates. You have to take him to a vet and get the silver sulfadiazine cream for it so it can heal.

 

[MandieMae]

That is from a thermal burn. Temps at basking are either too hot or he is too close. You need a Vet and get silver sulfadiazine cream for it so it can heal properly without infection.

What worms are you feeding?

I was worried about that although nothing in his habitat has changed. Just moved the closest vine further away from the heat lamp.

He eats wax worms regular and giant mealworms, an occasional cricket. I don’t give him many, but there are always a few the next day, some die before he eat them.

from day one, he has had this bulge in front of his right eye, believe hereditary, that I feel affects his hunting ability. Should I put all his food it a feeder, not just the mealworms

 

[MandieMae]

Like @Beman said, thermal burn.
Can you post a pic of your basking spot?

 

[MandieMae]

I can move that vine down further

 

[Beman]

I can move that vine down further

He is too way close... Depending on the bulb your using for heat this can be part of the issue as well if it is a focused heat bulb. But there is more... You have the incorrect UVB lighting for him as well. I can not see his limbs well enough to tell if he has MBD showing in the extremities due to the incorrect UVB lighting. Looks like he is overweight as well due to the high fat diet.

If you want full feedback you can fill out this form. Take pics of the entire cage lights down. If your female is under the same lighting this is very dangerous as MBD in females causes them to not be able to lay their eggs and to become egg bound and die.

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[MandieMae]

Thank you for the help. First, working on habitat changes. Will complete the form, etc.