Increase in fatpads of the casque?!?

[squeekz1992]

Okay, so since I have posted my last thread i've been researching like crazy, and have come across the idea that he could just have a fat head??

I have been feeding him wax worms fairly regularly until this week when I found out that they are high in fat. So I am wondering if maybe that is the cause of the puffy casque? I can find nothing else wrong with him, but he has a burn on his back from the heat lamp, which was caused by me rearranging his cage, He loves having more braches and leaves but i'll have to alter it cuz i dont want to hurt him.

Is there any way to decrease his fat head? I feel awful being this worked up but he's my baby and I don't want anything to happen to him

 

[kinyonga]

Can you post a photo so I can see how fat it is please?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Mine has it too. Previous owner fed him lots of mealworms and he had minor MBD so his casque is shorter and fatter. They are fat stores and unfortunately it seems like veileds don't get rid of theirs once they develop. As long as it's the same on both sides and everything else is normal he most likely has a fat head. It's not detrimental and it probably won't go away.

A picture would be good to confirm that is all it is though.

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

Okay, so since I have posted my last thread i've been researching like crazy, and have come across the idea that he could just have a fat head??

I have been feeding him wax worms fairly regularly until this week when I found out that they are high in fat. So I am wondering if maybe that is the cause of the puffy casque? I can find nothing else wrong with him, but he has a burn on his back from the heat lamp, which was caused by me rearranging his cage, He loves having more braches and leaves but i'll have to alter it cuz i dont want to hurt him.

Is there any way to decrease his fat head? I feel awful being this worked up but he's my baby and I don't want anything to happen to him

you deffinately need to lay off fatty feeders for the next little while (superworms, waxworms, mealworms)

no need to feel bad though, he is just going to store that excess fat in his casque for the next bit. crickets and even roaches should be a staple for the next couple weeks.

is the burn healed? if not, treat with neosporin.

if you see any change in stamina or activity, maybe scheduale a blood test with a herp vet who has taken blood from chameleons prior to yours.

hope this helps, again, dont feel bad. you noticed it before it could be a potential problem. you just love him

 

[squeekz1992]

How do you post a pic? it's really subtle, nobody noticed till i pointed it out, he's asleep now so it would be tomorrow before i could post it.

His casque has been growing nicely, it's about an inch and a half, is it normal for the fat-ness to show up suddenly? otherwise he's completely normal. Thanks for all the help

 

[squeekz1992]

Alright I definitely will.

Okay, that makes me feel alot better

I think so, its just darker then the rest of him, and it doesn't seem to bother him, but i'm going to move his basking spot a little lower to see if that helps. I'll put a little Neosporin on it too, I'll do anything to help him

Alright, he seems normal right now, he loves free ranging a little bit, and falls alseep on my chest at night, so if that kind of behavior changes i'll get him to a vet asap.

It did help, i'm not as freaked out now, thanks so much

 

[Elizadolots]

How do you post a pic?

I don't know how to do it from your phone, but if you can get the picture to your computer, use the POST REPLY button (not the convenient "quick reply" box at the bottom of the thread). There's an icon that looks like a paperclip. Click that and it will let you upload a picture (or more than one).

Go ahead and use a big picture. It will display in your post as a "thumbnail" that enlarges when it's clicked on.

Bigger just gives people more information so go for it.

 

[squeekz1992]

Alright I will do that.
Thanks for all of your help
I stopped by to ask the reptile guy at the store what he thought, and he told me most likely he is just getting fat, so i'm feeling a lot better about it. He also told me where the reptile vet is and to watch it and if he stops eating and moving around as much to take him in.

 

[squeekz1992]

These are pictures that i took of him today. Any ideas?

 

[pssh]

That doesn't look too bad to me. I've seen some panthers that looked like their brains were about to pop out of their heads because the pads were so big!

 

[sandrachameleon]

Ive seen fatter chameleon heads.
Once you reduce to a caloric intake that is more in line with his needs (no more wax worms!) the fat pads will cease to expand and eventually will slowly gradually reduce.

 

[squeekz1992]

Wow they really get that big??
Thanks, that makes me feel better, like i said he's totally normal otherwise, maybe just a tad more needy attention wise.

 

[squeekz1992]

Ive seen fatter chameleon heads.
Once you reduce to a caloric intake that is more in line with his needs (no more wax worms!) the fat pads will cease to expand and eventually will slowly gradually reduce.

Alright lol he's gonna hate that Thanks, I feel alot better now

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Yeah mine has a fatter head than yours. It's not the best pic but see how his fat pads pretty much stick straight out from the sides of his casque? This is how he came to me and despite a diet they haven't changed much. It's the least of his issues really since he can't use his tongue...but he gets along just fine and thinks I'm about to kill him at any moment.