Dark Spots on a Rescue Veiled Chameleon

NxDauntless

New Member
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Veile Cham (rescued 2.5 Weeks ago)
  • Handling - Currently almost not at all due to him getting used to his new place
  • Feeding - Gut loaded Dubia Roaches, Field Crickets and the ocasional Wax Worm every. I feed him every 2 days
  • Supplements - Calcium for every feeding. Calcium with d3 one a week. and multi vitamins once a month
  • Watering - Automatic Sprinkler System. Twice a day for 2 minutes. I see him drinking during that time. And i mist by hand usually at night before going to sleep.
  • Fecal Description - Feces; "good" shape, consistency and dark brown color, Urate: Initially more yellow/orange now its almost white
  • History - Rescued him a couple of weeks ago from a pretty bad place (Small Horizontal Enclosure, almost no hiding or climbing spots, and he was supposed to drink out of a cup

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Screen Cage 24x24x36
  • Lighting - Basking Sport with a Solar Raptor UV HID Lamp 50w and additionally 1 UVA and 1UVB Exo terra bulbs
  • Temperature - 70 F at night, 75+ during the day and around 88 at the basking area/spot Measured by a handfull of digital gauges and a Laser Temperature Gun
  • Humidity - 55% around the day. 80+% at night. measured by a handfull of digital gauges
  • Placement - In my Office Room at home. Fairly quite spot except me sitting on the Desk
  • Location - Germany

Current Problem -

I used to have a Veiled about 20 Years ago

Now I rescued this little guy a couple of weeks ago from horrible conditions.

He improved a lot while he was with me the first week.
He eats well, is active, poop and urate is good now, he shed (legs and belly)
but Now im slowly growing concerned about that dark spots on his back and knees.

I already have an appointment with the Vet but the earliest possible is on the 24th of this month. (the next closest one is about 3 hours by bus and train)

Am i correct to assume that these are burns? or is he just having a weird shed?
Does anyone have any suggestions for me to help him or to calm my nerves?
 

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Hi and welcome! :) Awesome that you rescued this guy! Your husbandry looks pretty good except for a couple of things.
The D3 should be given one feeding every other week, alternating with the multivitamin.
I’m not familiar with your uvb lights. Are they the long tube kind or screw in bulbs?
You could bring your basking temp down a bit closer to 80-82.
55% is just a tad high for humidity. If you’re able to bring that down any it would be ideal.
I’m not sure if those are burns or something else like maybe a fungal infection. I’m sure a more experienced member will be better able to tell.
A vet visit is definitely a great idea, not just for those spots but to determine his general health. I’d suggest taking a fresh fecal sample along to be checked for parasites.
Your enclosure looks great! You may want to lower the basking branch though, which will in turn decrease basking temp.
 
Hi there... My concern is due to the bulbs your using. These 2 in 1 bulbs are not advised in the hobby for chameleons unless you have a solarmeter 6.5 to check the uvi level at basking. They produce very high UVB and heat which is why they are not used on small enclosures and never without a solarmeter 6.5. Your looking for a 3 uvi. Typically your going to see suggested a T5HO linear fixture and a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb, if it is a single bulb fixture with reflector you would have 8-9 inches to the basking branch below it and the fixture sitting on top of the cage. Then swap out the solarbulb for a regular 60 watt incandescent bulb.


With where he has the lighter spots on the spine it could very well be over exposure due to high UVI giving a thermal burn/shed appearance.
 
Thanks for your quick replies,
I´m still kinda embarrased to ask for help... i like to be a lot more prepared when i get a new reptile
but i couldn`t just stand aside and do nothing with this little guy :)

I really appretiate your help

Update:

The bulbs i had in the front were a JBL UV310 (For UV-A and UV-B) and a Exo Terra PT2346 for additional light plus the Solar Raptor as basking Spot.


I replaced the front bulbs with a T8 Tube from Exo terra and the Solar Raptor with a "regular" basking spot light.

So now i have a dedicated UV Light Source and a Basking Spot (currently at 81.5F) and i will keep the humidity a little bit lower now aswell.
 
Thanks for your quick replies,
I´m still kinda embarrased to ask for help... i like to be a lot more prepared when i get a new reptile
but i couldn`t just stand aside and do nothing with this little guy :)

I really appretiate your help

Update:

The bulbs i had in the front were a JBL UV310 (For UV-A and UV-B) and a Exo Terra PT2346 for additional light plus the Solar Raptor as basking Spot.


I replaced the front bulbs with a T8 Tube from Exo terra and the Solar Raptor with a "regular" basking spot light.

So now i have a dedicated UV Light Source and a Basking Spot (currently at 81.5F) and i will keep the humidity a little bit lower now aswell.
Your help form shows that you are prepared so I would not be embarrassed at all!
With the T8 what strength bulb are you using? And what is the measured distance to the branch below it?
 
Its an Exo Terra UVB 100 with 14W strength and the distance is between 6 - 8 Inches from the closest branch to the Tube
 
Its an Exo Terra UVB 100 with 14W strength and the distance is between 6 - 8 Inches from the closest branch to the Tube
Ok unfortunately I do not know how those compare to the Reptisun T8 bulbs... But what I would suggest is getting the Reptisun 10.0 T8 bulb for the fixture and then your distance will be perfect for a 3 UVI level. These I have tested with a solarmeter but the exo terra ones I have not. And since they do not have a real comparable output to reptisun and arcadia bulbs I do not want to tell you it would be ok if it is not.
 
Thanks for your quick replies,
I´m still kinda embarrased to ask for help... i like to be a lot more prepared when i get a new reptile
but i couldn`t just stand aside and do nothing with this little guy :)

I really appretiate your help
Never be embarrassed for asking any questions or for help! No one knows everything and I love that here on the forum we are all able to share knowledge and help each other out for the sake of our chameleons. I’m certainly not alone in being happy to have you here and ensuring you’re going to provide the best life for your little scaly man. 😊
 
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