Black stuff on crest of chameleon???
- Thread starter lmews1961
- Start date
cricketkilla
Member
Some pics and filling out the how to ask for help questionnaire will help us, help you.
lmews1961
New Member
Chameleon Info:
•Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Max is a veiled chameleon, 9 months old, I have had him for about 6 months
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Max hates to be touched so I do not handle him. I am afraid of stressing him out.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I am feeding Max 5 crickets a day and 2 super worms. The crickets get Fluckers High Calcium Diet, and Fluckers Cricket Quencher Calcium Fortified. Max will not eat any vegetables.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Crickets are dusted before I feed him and they are dusted with ReptoCal
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Max has a water fountain in his cage and I change the water once a week. I see him drinking out of it daily.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? His droppings are mostly dark in color but sometimes it can be white. I have never seen any parasites.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. No
•
Cage Info:
• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Cage is glass, 30x12x12
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Don’t know the brand or model but he has a UV light which is on 9 am to 9 pm and he has a heat light that is on 24 hours a day.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a thermometer in his cage and it stays pretty much at 75 degrees.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have a humidity gage in his cage, it reads 75-80 most of time. His water fountain and misting is what creates the humidity.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I use both artificial plants and live.
• 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? Max’s cage is not near any fans, air vents or high traffic areas.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Iowa
•Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Max is a veiled chameleon, 9 months old, I have had him for about 6 months
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Max hates to be touched so I do not handle him. I am afraid of stressing him out.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I am feeding Max 5 crickets a day and 2 super worms. The crickets get Fluckers High Calcium Diet, and Fluckers Cricket Quencher Calcium Fortified. Max will not eat any vegetables.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Crickets are dusted before I feed him and they are dusted with ReptoCal
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Max has a water fountain in his cage and I change the water once a week. I see him drinking out of it daily.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? His droppings are mostly dark in color but sometimes it can be white. I have never seen any parasites.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. No
•
Cage Info:
• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Cage is glass, 30x12x12
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Don’t know the brand or model but he has a UV light which is on 9 am to 9 pm and he has a heat light that is on 24 hours a day.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a thermometer in his cage and it stays pretty much at 75 degrees.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have a humidity gage in his cage, it reads 75-80 most of time. His water fountain and misting is what creates the humidity.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I use both artificial plants and live.
• 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? Max’s cage is not near any fans, air vents or high traffic areas.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Iowa
Alexl
Avid Member
I wouldn't worry about some scales being black as shown in your picture. It does not look like a burn, a fungal infection or similar to me. Did you take the picture during sleeping time?
You feed a lot, a nearly adult veiled doesn't need to get feeders every single day. Super worms are "little fat bombs". I recommend to feed those rarely, maybe as a treat sometimes, but not as usual food.
About his poop: The brown or black part is his feces. The white or slightely yellowish part is urate. Usually, both parts stick together and there might be some kind of mucus around. Most parasites in your chameleon's feces aren't visible to the naked eye. You need to get fecals done by your vet regularly to assure your chameleon being free from parasites.
I woudln't use a water fountain inside chameleon cages. You can never clear them properly, it's a source of bacteria growth and muggy air. Unfortunately, chameleons tend to be sensitive about that and respiratory infections are difficult to treat due to lung anatomy.
Why do you keep a "heat light" on 24 hours? Is it under 60°F in your room at night? Your cage should have a temperature night drop to keep your chameleon healthy and offer a natural circadian rhythm (in addition to lightning setup). During the day, a chameleon cage needs to have spots at the highest plants to warm up and lower temperatures near to the bottom.
You feed a lot, a nearly adult veiled doesn't need to get feeders every single day. Super worms are "little fat bombs". I recommend to feed those rarely, maybe as a treat sometimes, but not as usual food.
About his poop: The brown or black part is his feces. The white or slightely yellowish part is urate. Usually, both parts stick together and there might be some kind of mucus around. Most parasites in your chameleon's feces aren't visible to the naked eye. You need to get fecals done by your vet regularly to assure your chameleon being free from parasites.
I woudln't use a water fountain inside chameleon cages. You can never clear them properly, it's a source of bacteria growth and muggy air. Unfortunately, chameleons tend to be sensitive about that and respiratory infections are difficult to treat due to lung anatomy.
Why do you keep a "heat light" on 24 hours? Is it under 60°F in your room at night? Your cage should have a temperature night drop to keep your chameleon healthy and offer a natural circadian rhythm (in addition to lightning setup). During the day, a chameleon cage needs to have spots at the highest plants to warm up and lower temperatures near to the bottom.
D
DavidBuchan
Guest
Hello, welcome to the forum He looks nice and healthy from here I agree with everything Alexl says. I would also like to ask about the ventilation in your cage, and about the temps. What is the basking temp for him? Ventilation is very important, if the air gets stale then it will breed mould and bacteria quickly, and could cause a respiratory infection (RI) Most people use screen cages, but it's not impossible to make glass work. Here is a great all-round caresheet for Veileds - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html
Here's some info. about other good insects to feed - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
Lastly, your gutloading could be improved. The flukers stuff is not the best, I use Repashy bugburger, and there are people here who sell great stuff as well.
With any commercial gutload though it is best to add fresh fruit and veg. -
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
He looks nice and healthy from here I agree with everything Alexl says. I would also like to ask about the ventilation in your cage, and about the temps. What is the basking temp for him? Ventilation is very important, if the air gets stale then it will breed mould and bacteria quickly, and could cause a respiratory infection (RI) Most people use screen cages, but it's not impossible to make glass work. Here is a great all-round caresheet for Veileds - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.htmlHere's some info. about other good insects to feed - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
Lastly, your gutloading could be improved. The flukers stuff is not the best, I use Repashy bugburger, and there are people here who sell great stuff as well.
With any commercial gutload though it is best to add fresh fruit and veg. -
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
lmews1961
New Member
Thanks for all the information. I was not aware of the temperature and will make sure I shut his heat lamp off at night. I live in a small rural area so I will call vets on Monday to see who can test his feces. Also I will feed him his super worms as a treat and cut back on his feeders too. I figured since he was eating them I was fine. This is why I joined this forum, I want to learn more and be able to keep him as healthy as can be. I have been looking on line for a new cage for him because he can't climb well in this one and there is no way for him to climb to the top and warm up and then go to the bottom for cooler temps. I will continue to read and learn from you guys and I will also check into purchasing better gutloading. Again thanks for your help....
D
DavidBuchan
Guest
squeekz1992
New Member
Welcome to the forum! My cham had something similar, but he had a burn when he was younger, and the black just stayed. But his wasn't on his "forehead" like that. So, maybe yours did get burned a while back?
lmews1961
New Member
I worried he got burnt, I will keep an eye on it an make sure it doesn't get worse. I have done a lot of research on Chams and there is so many different suggestions out there. I read that water falls are great for them so I bought one. I figured if I cleaned it weekly it would be fine. Is there a place where I can see cages set up so I can get some new ideas for Max's new cage I ordered? It is a standing cage, it bothers me that he can't climb around and get exercise.
squeekz1992
New Member
Put neosporin on it, and if that's not doing the trick, vets give something called silver sulfadiazine to treat burns, works great.
No no no no no, I had a waterfall for a short time, bad idea I cleaned mine every day, and it still got all kinds of nasty crap in it, do not get a waterfall, it's a pain in the butt, and more than likely will make him sick. I'm sayin this, only b/c i have had personal experience,mine didn't get sick but so many out there have.
I don't have any pics of my "forest" but I'm sure a lot of people on here do. Tons of foliage is the best way to go. With at least one live plant.
Meow Kitty
New Member
it doesnt look like aburn my vieled cham has those black coloration around his crest and im positive it isnt a burn
