Incomplete shed and stuck shed

BryanP

Avid Member
OK my boy hatched in May 2021 so that makes him almost 2 now and he's been a really decent shedder every time.

This time was different. As you can see from the pictures he only seems to have shed half of it.

It's been about 3 days since the event.

Feed 5 dubias every 3 days, just recent (this last month) added 2 horn worms, and 5 bsfl.

I know adults should eat less as they get older but he keeps earing and so I keep feeding. Plus I feed in a cup so if there are any left over he usually eats them the next day.

Mist 1 time when lights come on for 90sec, again 3 hours later for 3min, and 1 final time for 90sec about an hour before lights out. Then a few short burst over night

Uvb is measured with a solar meter and he is under an Arcadia 6%

He is in a hybrid enclosure and I measure all my ambient and basking spot with govee meters.

I think that covers most everything in the checklist.

What could be causing the stuck or impartial shed and is it an issue?




20230130_143900.jpg
20230130_144128.jpg
 
As chameleons get to adulthood they usually shed in parts, like first they might shed their head, then their upper back, then their abdomen, and then their limbs and tail, not always in that order And it may be a week or two between shedding each part of their body. I don’t think you need to be concerned. I don’t keep panthers though so I’ll tag in someone who knows about them. Nowhe is eating too much but I’ll let miss skittles explain that.
@MissSkittles
 
What have your humidity levels been? What supplements do you use and by what schedule? His weight looks ok to me. Has he been tested for parasites recently?
 
What have your humidity levels been? What supplements do you use and by what schedule? His weight looks ok to me. Has he been tested for parasites recently?
So below are the 1 day and 1 week temp/humidity graphs for the enclosure That's located in the middle of the enclosure not up by the basking spot.

I have also included a graph of JUST the basking spot.

I use repashy calcium plus LoD every feeding as recommended by the
breeder kamerflage chameleons.

Have not had him tested for parasites. Poops are consistent and white urates.
Screenshot_20230130_162734_Govee Home.jpg



Screenshot_20230130_161939_Govee Home.jpg
Screenshot_20230130_162026_Govee Home.jpg
 
Last edited:
All looks great. Usually we recommend using a calcium without D3 at every feeding and then using the LoD once every two weeks, but Kammerflage knows their chams. Besides being an adult now and shedding happening much differently as @Lindasjackson has said, maybe he sits beneath the mister which is making it a little harder to shed.
Do be careful that you don’t overfeed and he becomes obese. I feed all of my chams 3-4 feeders, 3 days a week plus treats and that has been good for maintaining their weights. Do you weigh him? If not, it’s always a good idea and just another tool to monitor their wellness. Having a fecal done is always a good idea too.
 
You can cheat a little by powdering a meal of feeders with crushed up human B complex vitamins. Its water soluble so its impossible to over dose on (we humans take 2000-5000% of daily).

I use this for my "problem shedders". Ideally you give it to them right when they go dull for a big shed. Its a bit less effective for a post stuck shed, but it does work better than adjusting humidity or more frequent mistings.
 
maybe he sits beneath the mister which is making it a little harder to shed.
You know what... he does set up shop for the night right below one of the misters.

I wonder if that has contributed to it this time around.

Maybe I will rearrange some of the plants to see if he will find a different spot to sleep.

Thanks for all the input!
 
Having a fecal done is always a good idea too.
This may not be a bad idea... yesterday I notice he was at the top of the enclosure near the heat lamp all day and again overnight he didn't move (spent basically 24hrs in the same spot. Eyes were open most of the day but did see them closed (but he does this while basking on occasion)

Last night he went and slept in an entirely different spot near the bottom of the enclosure and now today, lights on for an hour now, he is still eyes closed and hasn't moved. I'll monitor today and through the weekend but looks like I may need to take him to the vet next week to see if they can notice anything.

Zero symptoms or sounds of an RI so it may be parasites?
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - panther, male, about 2 years
  • Handling - no handling really.
  • Feeding - main staple Dubai roaches feed about 5 every 3 or 4 days. Gutload with repashy bug burger.
  • Supplements - repashy LoD evey feeding
  • Watering - mist king; (7:30am-30sec) (9am-2min) (6pm-1min) (10pm-30sec) (1am-15sec) I have seen him drink and urates are always white to slightly tinge of orange
  • Fecal Description - Normal? No changes to speak of. See above under watering for urate description. Never tested for parasites
  • History - none I can think of.
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - zen habits style hybrid with course screen top and 6in screen section 1ft from the bottom. 2ftx2tx4ft.
  • Lighting - Arcadia 6%, t5ho 24in, 7:30am to 7:30pm
  • Temperature - see above post for govee temp graphs
  • Humidity - see above for govee temp grpahs
  • Plants - yes live plants but most have died off so they need replaced
  • Placement - cage is 36in off the floor in our living/dining room. High traffic but he's always been here and I work from home so the exposure is essentially always to people
  • Location - southern California inland valleys
Current Problem - stuck shed/sleeping during the day, weird change in behavior
 
Back
Top Bottom