Help with shedding

[Rowenacham]

Our female veiled chameleon is doing her first post-burn shed (her lamp fell and was resting directly on the top of her screen, and she stayed directly under it for around half an hour, resulting in black burns over most of her body). The vet gave us burn cream and said she most likely would have difficulty shedding for the next shed or two. She's super grumpy, should I just let her rest and not do the burn cream for a few days while she sheds? And how long should I give it until I assist the shedding? Vet said to gently rub the stuck skin with a moistened q-tip.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Not sure about the cream, but I do know that you should hold off from assisting with the shed unless she is having complications. If the shed is stuck to her extremities for too long, it can cut off circulation as she continues to grow. Just watch out for that, and keep us updated.

 

[Rowenacham]

Shed progress, morning of day 2

 

[Rowenacham]

Shed progress, evening of day 2

 

[Rowenacham]

She seems to be losing some of her spikes??? They were burned but these look like they shedded off with her skin?

 

[Rowenacham]

Shed progress, morning of day 3. She has bits of dead skin hanging off the bottom of her feet that must be driving her crazy!

 

[Rowenacham]

Soooooo much dead skin at the bottom of her enclosure

 

[Syreptyon]

Could you please post a picture of her entire enclosure? I'm a little worried about what I can see in that last pic (the glass and the substrate, specifically). It is recommended that you do not use any substrate for veiled chameleons unless you have a bioactive setup, as they have a tendency to either intentionally or accidentally ingest it - which can lead to impaction.

Looks like she's recovering from her burns fairly well, though! Poor girl, this shed looks like a difficult one

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Make sure you watch the shed on her feet and make sure it comes off within the next few days, unless it has already come off.

 

[Rowenacham]

This is the full enclosure. The bottom third is glass with soil and live plants, the top third is mesh and combo live and fake plants.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

You need some more foliage. I recommend a plant like a golden pothos to fill out in the cage, because your cham just doesn't have enough cover right now. I am guessing your enclosure is not bioactive? Also, is that a water dish for you cham at the bottom?

 

[Rowenacham]

You need some more foliage. I recommend a plant like a golden pothos to fill out in the cage, because your cham just doesn't have enough cover right now. I am guessing your enclosure is not bioactive? Also, is that a water dish for you cham at the bottom?

The water dish is for the crickets. We mist the enclosure every few hours and the chameleon drinks from the leaves.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

The water dish is for the crickets. We mist the enclosure every few hours and the chameleon drinks from the leaves.

Okay good. I was just wondering. If you enclosure is not bioactive, you probably want to get rid of the substrate unless there are plants that are rooted in it.

 

[Rowenacham]

Okay good. I was just wondering. If you enclosure is not bioactive, you probably want to get rid of the substrate unless there are plants that are rooted in it.

The plants are rooted in it. She barely goes down there, and it's just soil.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Okay, that is better. If she starts to ingest it, involuntarily or voluntarily, I would consider taking it out. Is it deep enough for her to lay her eggs in? About 10"?

 

[Rowenacham]

Okay, that is better. If she starts to ingest it, involuntarily or voluntarily, I would consider taking it out. Is it deep enough for her to lay her eggs in? About 10"?

No, we're planning on making a laying bin for her with a mix of soil and sand

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

No, we're planning on making a laying bin for her with a mix of soil and sand

As long as you have somewhere, it sounds like everything is going well. Is there any more problems that you had that we didn't cover yet?

 

[Rowenacham]

As long as you have somewhere, it sounds like everything is going well. Is there any more problems that you had that we didn't cover yet?

Yeah, bits of the ridge on her spine seemed to come off as she shed. Is that normal?