Crooked casque/bleeding

[abragg12]

I have a veiled chameleon (Sprite) that I got a little over a year ago, he was pretty tiny when I got him but he can't be over a year and a half. I'm new to this, so forgive me.

Things have been fine until about two weeks ago, I noticed a pretty bad spot on my cham's back. His casque looks split off to one side and there was some red around it, don't know if it is bad bruising but I bet it's blood. I immediately scoured the internet, I haven't found any pics that match what I'm seeing. Sprite's been eating normally, drinking fine, and his mobility doesn't seem affected, so I doubt it's anything related to MBD, he gets plenty of natural sunlight and he also has a daylight bulb. His basking bulb is far enough away from his highest perch spot that he can't burn himself on it, unless he can float. I do gutload my crickets and dust them with calcium about every other feeding. I really just think he's hurt himself :S

I managed to snap a really crappy cell phone pic before he got all super-saiyan pissed off on me. He is usually pretty ornery regardless, but cameras really bother him for some reason.

Maybe someone can offer some insight? At first I thought maybe he fell and hit his back on the way down, but tonight I noticed the same type of thing happening further down his spine. It looks like it's cracking, no blood yet but it still doesn't look "normal." He just finished up with a shed and I'm wondering, can chams shed to the point of bleeding?? I wouldn't ask if I hadn't already really tried to find the answer.

Thanks in advance for your (hopefully kind) replies.

 

[ataraxia]

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?

i know its a camera phone and he is a mean one but we need better pics of the sites and of the chameleon.

 

[abragg12]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled cham, male, year to two years, had since March 2010
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Do not handle, stresses him out too much
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Feed him crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and superworms, gutloaded with Flukers orange cricket food and lightly dusted, every other day, as much as he'll eat but do not exceed maybe 6 insects (feed a variety)
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Flukers, every other day to two days apart
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Mist his cage and use a drip system, I do see him drink, occasionally he will even drink from a pipette
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Dropping look normal, solid brown fecal matter and yellow uric acid. Never tested.
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? Screen cage all around, ReptiBreeze brand, 18x18x36
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Exo Terra Tropical Day Glo bulb for sunlight, infrared basking lamp, maybe ZooMed
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? Live umbrella tree
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? Located in dining room in corner, not very high traffic as there are only two of us living here, not too near any vents, never turn fan on
Location - Where are you geographically located? South GA

i know its a camera phone and he is a mean one but we need better pics of the sites and of the chameleon.

Sorry for the low quality pic, it's just late here and I didn't want to disturb him too much for a picture. Mainly I was hoping to see if anyone else had this problem. More pics to come.

 

[abragg12]

Pics of his back and enclosure, more coming

 

[abragg12]

Luckily he was sleeping by this point, tried my damndest not to wake him. These were taken with a dig camera, hopefully they're better.

 

[maggiemay1969]

Is he maybe rubbing himself on the screen or something in his cage, irritating his skin??? Hmmm....Haven't heard of this before, hopefully somebody who has or can tell from the pic will come along soon and be of more help.

 

[ataraxia]

im being honest i can barely make out whats going on here but from the looks it looks like a burn that is possibly getting infected on the back. on the head it looks like a burn also but not infected. for the areas that are open. id suggest (be as sterile as you possible can) getting some provodone iodine and mixing it with water to what looks like a mild tea solution. taking a drenched cotton swab or dressing, pat the affected area. rinse with saline or a fresh bottle of water. apply silvadene or polysporin. you will need to change your infrered light to prevent further injury. id also suggest seeing a chameleon specialized vet.

supplement/dusting: plain calcium phosphorus free calcium every feeding, calcium with d3 twice a month and multivitamin twice a month.

gutload: try any vegetable and fruit 24 hours before you feed the insect off to your cham.

Fecal: his yellow urate means he is semi dehydrated. bump up your mistings.

lights: he needs a uvb light (reptiglo or reptisun linear tube), sunshine shining through the window gets filtered of its uvb so it is not effective. use a plain house bulb for basking. a infrered basking lamp put out to much heat and im sure it is the source of your burn. it could have also came from the tropical bulb as it lays on the screen just above vines he can bask from.

temps? these are very important!!measure by digital thermometer you can buy at any pet retail store.

 

[abragg12]

I realized that "casque" means just the big head thing... there is nothing wrong with his head, just on his back, that big open area that is in most of my pictures. The ridge along his back looks like it split off to one side and bled. I'll try to take better pics tomorrow when he is in an easier spot to take pics from.

Sorry for the confusing posts/pics. It's after midnight here and this probably could've waited till the a.m., I'm just really at a loss as to what's hurting my cham. I'll move his heat lamp and look into getting those meds.

Thank you ataraxia, I really appreciate the feedback.

 

[ataraxia]

np

notice the top of his casque it looks to be a thermo burn also.

 

[Elizadolots]

I agree, it looks like a burn. I'm guessing he gets right up there under the lights, up against the screen.

I know people like to think they would never stay someplace that injures them, but you have to remember: we all have gotten sunburns, sometimes really bad sunburns. It takes time for the damage to happen, until it does, it can feel really good!

I really think your chameleon would benefit from a trip to the vets. That's a pretty large area that's damaged.

Minimally, I'd keep it moist, if possible coat it with an antibiotic ointment.

 

[laurie]

I am going on my first guess to be a burn, with my second guess being a fungus. If it is a burn try to get some silvadine cream and apply daily.

If that doesn't help it may be a fungus, for that you will need a vet.

 

[abragg12]

He looks so happy to be there, too.

I took Sprite to the vet today, after looking him over he referred me to a specialist. He thinks it's a burn that is possibly infected. Going to take him Saturday first thing. Thanks for all the input guys!

 

[ataraxia]

that was my first guess also. please keep us updated

 

[Benjie85]

This looks very similar to what i posted about on here, mine had the same problem, I believe it is a burn that got infected.

My Chameleon (Steve) later went on to shed his spines on the burnt spot that went blue, inbetween each individual spine does it look sore and red? maybe dried blood?

My advise is get some wound healing aid cream for burns and cuts.

Also look through my what the replies were on my posts here. i got pics and plenty of advise.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/veiled-chameleon-shedding-spines-bleeding-60071/

keep me posted

Please let me know what the specialist says too as my chameleon def had the same burns looking at your pics.