Hole in senegal's head

[oliveblanche]

Hi everyone, I am a new member desperate for help!

I just recently bought a young female Senegal chameleon who is wild caught. She is eating fine (1/4 crickets) and drinking fine as well. However when I bought her I noticed an area on the top of her head that looks like a cigarette burn. I asked the store owner what he thought and if he would buy her in that condition if he was me and he said yes, he wasn't concerned. She might have had a "rough shed." This is my first chameleon, I worked very hard researching & building a habitat for her and I'd be devastated if she was ill. I took some pics, the little flecks on her is just dirt. Please help my little Olive! I need to find a vet, I know, but if you can ease my worry, that would be great!!

Thanks! Courtney

 

[VeiledChams]

hello and welcome to the world of chameleons!
I know you are very worried, please fill this out so we can get a better idea of your husbandry. It may also help if you can post pictures of the enclosure and the chameleon as a whole. We'll try to help as best we can.

Also, where do you live? That plays a major role in the keeping of chameleons


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?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[robmd1]

hi an welcome to the fourm.looks like it could be a burn maybe from heat lamp being to close hard to say, im also guessin its wild caught which isnt the best choice for a new cham owner,bein wild caught an havin the burn you need to find a good vet in your area an take it in for a check, wild caughts usually come in with parasites that need to be treated. good luck to you an your lil one.

 

[oliveblanche]

Thanks for your reply... No pics of her cage yet. Did you see her little head? What do you think??

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Senegal, Female, Less than a year old, I got her a week ago.
Handling - I've maybe taken her out of her habitat 3 times.
Feeding - 1/4 sized crickets so far, every other day...
Supplements - None
Watering - I am misting constantly with warm water. She likes to drink off the walls so I keep them soaked.
Fecal Description - Runny yellow/whitish from what I've seen.
History - All I know is she is wild caught.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass with a screen top, for now 12x12x18 planning on getting a larger enclosure when she grows... She's tiny.
Lighting - A lighted hood for tropical reptiles.
Temperature - 70-85
Humidity - 85
Plants - All natural terrarium, pothos, palms, some semi aquatic (all on the safe list.)
Placement - In a quiet, very well lit room.
Location - Illinois

Current Problem - Described above.

 

[VeiledChams]

Thanks for your reply... No pics of her cage yet. Did you see her little head? What do you think??

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Senegal, Female, Less than a year old, I got her a week ago.
Handling - I've maybe taken her out of her habitat 3 times.
Feeding - 1/4 sized crickets so far, every other day...
Supplements - None Dust feeders every feeding with calcium. 2X/month with calcium w/ D3, and 2X/month with multi vit
Watering - I am misting constantly with warm water. She likes to drink off the walls so I keep them soaked.Get a dripper. Chameleons recognize water droplets as their source of water. A dripper will incite their instinct to drink
Fecal Description - Runny yellow/whitish from what I've seen.I dont personally know what this means, but i know yellow coloration means dehydration.
History - All I know is she is wild caught.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass with a screen top, for now 12x12x18 planning on getting a larger enclosure when she grows... She's tiny.Best is a screen cage, specially if you live in the warmer climates. Glass enclosures can have stagnant air which leads to respiratory infections. If she is tiny, you'll be ok for now.
Lighting - A lighted hood for tropical reptiles.Chameleons arent typical. They require a UVB tube bulb and a basking lamp for heat. preferably have them on 12hours, off for the other 12. i have mine 8am-8pm
Temperature - 70-85
Humidity - 85
Plants - All natural terrarium, pothos, palms, some semi aquatic (all on the safe list.) Remember no substrates if you have any
Placement - In a quiet, very well lit room.
Location - Illinois

Current Problem - Described above.

Hope this helps.

It looks like a bulb, but then it doesnt. its too localized for it to be a burn from a bulb. It could be that, being wild caught, she cut herself somehow and it got to be like that. Im just taking a guess.

 

[oliveblanche]

Hope this helps.

It looks like a bulb, but then it doesnt. its too localized for it to be a burn from a bulb. It could be that, being wild caught, she cut herself somehow and it got to be like that. Im just taking a guess.

It literally looks like a cigarette burn. Just wondering why no substrate? I have clay balls submerged in water covered in a mesh screen with the reptile dirt on top of the mesh so I can change it regularly. Is that bad?

 

[VeiledChams]

No substrate because chameleons will sometimes ingest it while they are in search of food. This can cause impaction (blockage), and the chameleon can (most likely will) die. Its better to have a bare bottom lol. substrates are also breeding grounds for bacteria.

 

[laurie]

Hi Olive, welcome to the forum. I think your little one has had a injury of some sort but it looks like it had healed. I blew it up and I can see the depression or hole. It doesn't look like it is still raw, burned or hurt in any way. Does it seem to bother her at all? If she has no issue, it isn't draining, an open wound, or showing any pus, I would leave it alone.

Now about the substrate, first where are you located, second what kind of enclosure are you using? Give me that info and I can come close to explaining the possible problem, if there is one.

 

[VeiledChams]

Listen to Laurie! Voice of experience!

 

[ataraxia]

im interested in seeing what experts will say about this. my guess... maybe it is a injury from capture or parasites.

 

[VeiledChams]

im interested in seeing what experts will say about this. my guess... maybe it is a injury from capture or parasites.

That's what i thought too

 

[oliveblanche]

Hi Olive, welcome to the forum. I think your little one has had a injury of some sort but it looks like it had healed. I blew it up and I can see the depression or hole. It doesn't look like it is still raw, burned or hurt in any way. Does it seem to bother her at all? If she has no issue, it isn't draining, an open wound, or showing any pus, I would leave it alone.

Now about the substrate, first where are you located, second what kind of enclosure are you using? Give me that info and I can come close to explaining the possible problem, if there is one.

I hope it heals soon! i feel so bad for her, it collects water!! maybe after a few sheds it will be gone... also what exactly is a rough shed? I have heard this a number of times but can't find a definitive answer!

i live in illinois, a suburban area... i am using a glass terrarium with a screen top for now... i went with that because i have a very nosy cat and he can't bother her at all. any advice is helpful!

 

[oliveblanche]

*bump* for daytime readers!

 

[justjumpit621]

she should be in a screened cage for better ventilation. There are a couple to choose from or you can build your own. Try http://lllreptile.com/ to see the different screened cages. To me the hole looks like either an old burn or an old bite wound. If she was wild caught and has always had it you never know what could have caused it, my opinion, possibly a bird pecked at her head or a large insect bit her.

 

[justjumpit621]

You also need 3 supplements, pure calcium, calcium with d3, and a multivitamin. rep-cal is a good brand to use. calcium every feeding, d3 twice a month, and a multivitamin once a month.

Also, you need a heat bulb and lamp, you can probably use a regular soft white 60 watt bulb, or higher depending on how the temperatures are at the basking spot. You also need a reptisun 5.0 long linear UVB bulb as well as the light fixture for it you can find at a hardware store.

 

[Carlton]

Hi Olive, welcome to the forum. I think your little one has had a injury of some sort but it looks like it had healed. I blew it up and I can see the depression or hole. It doesn't look like it is still raw, burned or hurt in any way. Does it seem to bother her at all? If she has no issue, it isn't draining, an open wound, or showing any pus, I would leave it alone.

Now about the substrate, first where are you located, second what kind of enclosure are you using? Give me that info and I can come close to explaining the possible problem, if there is one.

I agree, this looks like an old wound or possibly an old abscess pocket. Whatever it was, it looks cleared out and healing. You can probably just keep it clear of old skin and watch for infection. I once had a wc verrucosus who had an abscess under the skin in about the same area. What caused it originally was unknown. Over time it swelled a bit on the surface so I took him to my vet. When the vet began cleaning it out we realized he had a cavity right through his nasal area to the roof of his mouth. It healed, didn't bother him at all amazingly.