Geckoflora
Member
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - Ramses has been shedding for the last several days, and starting a few days before that I noticed a white area on his head which I assumed was the beginning of shedding. Today he's mostly shed except for bits along his back and underside mostly, but I noticed the spot on his head still appeared white. I hardly handle him because he hates it and gets very huffy- even more so recently it seems like. But I noticed the area of white on his head had a dark ring around it and I got concerned. I took pictures below.
Does anyone have any idea what this is? I've never seen this before. I'm very concerned about it. Aside from being weirdly discolored, that side of his head doesn't seem as puffy as the other side like it usually is. I took pictures of the discoloration but it might be hard to see that it is flatter now. At the moment I'm planning on getting him to a vet to check it out. (Sorry if the pictures aren't great- and don't worry about the spots on his back, those spots are actually still shedding.)
- Your Chameleon - Ramses, male panther chameleon, I believe 2 years old but not sure. I got him from a previous owner about 1 year ago.
- Handling - He hates handling, so I usually only handle once a week at most.
- Feeding - Primarily crickets (5 large ones per day) as its the only thing readily available to me, but occasional waxworms and mealworms as treats maybe once a month.
- Supplements - Repashy calcium without D3 every time I feed him, but every other week he gets Repashy calcium with D3 or Reptivite Vitamin A (I alternate weeks with them so they get one of each every weekend, but they don't get either supplement more than two weeks apart)
- Watering - Hand misting with a large mister hand pump (the All Living Things one) usually 3-4 times a day for a few minutes each time (Planning on purchasing a Mistking soon though)
- Fecal Description - Usually only goes every 3-4 weeks but there hasn't seemed to be a problem with them. He recently went after going just the week or two weeks before, so off schedule a bit for him. Recent poop was small and dark, urate only slight yellow
- History - Only other past problem was a minor URI last fall which was treated by the vet. Weight hasn't changed in awhile- it has been 155 grams for a few months now
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - 2x2x4 Reptibreeze screen cage
- Lighting - 12 hours of daylight, 12 of darkness. I use a white heat bulb and UVB strip during the day with an All Living Things brand tropical UVB light.
- Temperature - Basking spot around 90-95 depending on the daily temperature, rest of the cage around 80-85, lower part of the cage probably around 75-80
- Humidity - Humidity is almost always over 50% thanks to live plants, but I aim for 70% and mist heavily so it fluctuates a bit
- Plants - Three live plants- two pothos, one umbrella plant
- Placement - In an open basement next to a floor-to-ceiling window. There's another male panther chameleon housed beside him but the view is obscured by shower curtain hanging on the other male's cage, so the most he can see is movement. I've not seen any indication that they can recognize each other or are bothered. I have other lizards in the same area but am not using any red light bulbs on anything in the area or night bulbs at all.
- Location - Northern Virginia
Current Problem - Ramses has been shedding for the last several days, and starting a few days before that I noticed a white area on his head which I assumed was the beginning of shedding. Today he's mostly shed except for bits along his back and underside mostly, but I noticed the spot on his head still appeared white. I hardly handle him because he hates it and gets very huffy- even more so recently it seems like. But I noticed the area of white on his head had a dark ring around it and I got concerned. I took pictures below.
Does anyone have any idea what this is? I've never seen this before. I'm very concerned about it. Aside from being weirdly discolored, that side of his head doesn't seem as puffy as the other side like it usually is. I took pictures of the discoloration but it might be hard to see that it is flatter now. At the moment I'm planning on getting him to a vet to check it out. (Sorry if the pictures aren't great- and don't worry about the spots on his back, those spots are actually still shedding.)
