Feeder bite

[jmerrick27]

Hey everyone, so I noticed a bite spot on my cham and It's either from a cricket or a hornworm, but the bite is very small, I took a picture from the best angle that I could get, but would it get infected or will it heal on its own with no further action needed? I'll post a picture

It's just slightly under her chin that spot, looks big in the picture but it's about .5mm in size when I look at her. TIA!!

 

[MissSkittles]

If you happen to have any silver sulfadiazine, you can put a small dab on it. Plain neosporin (without pain reliever) can also be used. It should heal up fine, but do keep an eye on it just in case.
When feeding crickets, unless you are certain that she has eaten every one of them and none have escaped, it’s a good idea to put a small piece of veggie in the bottom of the enclosure…like carrot.
Hornworms and superworms will bite back. Make sure that they are the appropriate size for your cham…not too big. Chams usually know to grab the head first, but not always.

 

[jmerrick27]

If you happen to have any silver sulfadiazine, you can put a small dab on it. Plain neosporin (without pain reliever) can also be used. It should heal up fine, but do keep an eye on it just in case.
When feeding crickets, unless you are certain that she has eaten every one of them and none have escaped, it’s a good idea to put a small piece of veggie in the bottom of the enclosure…like carrot.
Hornworms and superworms will bite back. Make sure that they are the appropriate size for your cham…not too big. Chams usually know to grab the head first, but not always.

Noted, but it was from a feeder cricket because I saw one crawl onto her face while she was eating, I usually try to pick off the ones that crawl onto her to avoid bites but she got pissy and hissed at me when I tried to take it off, with the horn worms I tend to hand feed those and I hold close the head so it's moving but not as much and then I let go once her tongue hits it. Thank you, I will be buying some today and do you suggest I use a Q-tip to apply the cream?

 

[MissSkittles]

FYI - silver sulfadiazine is by prescription only. Using a q tip is probably the easiest way to put a dab of anything on that. Crickets are just nasty buggies.

 

[nightanole]

The skin will get a dark spot from any abrasion, no matter how small. It could not be a bruise and not be a bite. It might even be when the cham nabs a feeder and hits a stick abit while chewing.

Do you see anything but a dark spot? Like a scab or a puncture etc?

 

[jmerrick27]

The skin will get a dark spot from any abrasion, no matter how small. It could not be a bruise and not be a bite. It might even be when the cham nabs a feeder and hits a stick abit while chewing.

Do you see anything but a dark spot? Like a scab or a puncture etc?

No, just looks like an abrasion no puncture from what I can tell when I look at her, I'll keep monitoring her daily but she seems quite unbothered by it but I don't want to take her to vet to only have them say she's fine and it will heal on its own and then slapped with a $500 vet bill just for a check up (there's no exotic pet insurance where I live) so I want to be 100% sure before I make that decision to take her

 

[nightanole]

No, just looks like an abrasion no puncture from what I can tell when I look at her, I'll keep monitoring her daily but she seems quite unbothered by it but I don't want to take her to vet to only have them say she's fine and it will heal on its own and then slapped with a $500 vet bill just for a check up (there's no exotic pet insurance where I live) so I want to be 100% sure before I make that decision to take her

Ok lets say worse case, the feeder (or sharp stick etc) created a puncture. Its still a lizard, and 99% of the time they will not get an infection vs us mammals that have skin pores and are moist and delish with lots of proteins/oil/dandriff for the bacteria to eat, etc. So i would just monitor it. You are looking for swelling or discharge around the area. If she is not bothered and you see nothing other than a dark spot, you are fine. They will get dark spots all the time from just about any handling. Ive had them get a line down the side from trying to weasel around pokey stick to take a short cut. It goes away in a few days.

 

[jmerrick27]

Ok lets say worse case, the feeder (or sharp stick etc) created a puncture. Its still a lizard, and 99% of the time they will not get an infection vs us mammals that have skin pores and are moist and delish with lots of proteins/oil/dandriff for the bacteria to eat, etc. So i would just monitor it. You are looking for swelling or discharge around the area. If she is not bothered and you see nothing other than a dark spot, you are fine. They will get dark spots all the time from just about any handling. Ive had them get a line down the side from trying to weasel around pokey stick to take a short cut. It goes away in a few days.

This was very informative and it gave me some peace of mind, thank you so much!