Is this a burn?

[Syd]

Hello!

I just found this spot in his chin, do you guys think that’s a burn? He sometimes wanders upside down on the roof, but the light has a proper distance for 85-90 F in his basking spot... thanks always for your comments!

 

[KobaOregonherper]

Very easily could be. Looks more like an infection to me to be quite honest. If you could fill out this form itll help us get a better grip on your cham.



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.

--------------

Please Note:

The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.

Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

It would be a very unusual place for a burn.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Looks more like he rubbed his chin raw on the screen.

 

[Syd]

Thanks for your replies, the requested info:
- It’s a male 8-9 months old veiled chameleon, 6 months under my care with no issues at all.
- Not much handling, just sometimes. He is not bothered by the handling, I feed him outside whenever I take him out as reward.
- I switched to from small to large crickets about three weeks ago, seems just fine, he eats about a dozen daily. He was eating about 20 small before that, they’re gut loaded with fluckers. Could an infection be passed by a sick cricket?
- Calcium without D3 daily, multivitamines every two weeks and calcium with D3 every two weeks.
- I mist twice a day, and I do see him drinking
- his poops look dark brown solid with the white urate thing, looks fine.
- not tested for parasites
- the cage is all the large reptibreeze includes, lighting, temp, and humidity levels are fine, it’s on a low traffic room, no fans or vent, there’s a window mostly closed. I live in florida.
Basking spot 85-95, the rest of the cage around 75, in the night low to 66... only fake plants.

@Brodybreaux25 I know right? But look at this pic, he usually walks around like this (uploaded)

@CamoChameleonsHuman Do u think so? That’d be kind of a relief

Thanks all for your kind responses!!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Thanks for your replies, the requested info:
- It’s a male 8-9 months old veiled chameleon, 6 months under my care with no issues at all.
- Not much handling, just sometimes. He is not bothered by the handling, I feed him outside whenever I take him out as reward.
- I switched to from small to large crickets about three weeks ago, seems just fine, he eats about a dozen daily. He was eating about 20 small before that, they’re gut loaded with fluckers. Could an infection be passed by a sick cricket?
- Calcium without D3 daily, multivitamines every two weeks and calcium with D3 every two weeks.
- I mist twice a day, and I do see him drinking
- his poops look dark brown solid with the white urate thing, looks fine.
- not tested for parasites
- the cage is all the large reptibreeze includes, lighting, temp, and humidity levels are fine, it’s on a low traffic room, no fans or vent, there’s a window mostly closed. I live in florida.
Basking spot 85-95, the rest of the cage around 75, in the night low to 66... only fake plants.

@Brodybreaux25 I know right? But look at this pic, he usually walks around like this (uploaded)

@CamoChameleonsHuman Do u think so? That’d be kind of a relief

Thanks all for your kind responses!!

Respectfully, he’s doing that because your setup is all wrong. Fill it up with branches and live plants and he will stop that.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Thanks for your replies, the requested info:
- It’s a male 8-9 months old veiled chameleon, 6 months under my care with no issues at all.
At this age he needs to be cut back on his feeders to avoid obesity. No more than 10 feeders every other day.
- Not much handling, just sometimes. He is not bothered by the handling, I feed him outside whenever I take him out as reward.
- I switched to from small to large crickets about three weeks ago, seems just fine, he eats about a dozen daily. He was eating about 20 small before that, they’re gut loaded with fluckers. Could an infection be passed by a sick cricket?
Yes it can but it's not very common. You need to stop gutloading with flukers. It is insufficient and malnourishment for your chameleon.. Fresh greens and a premium gutload like cricket crack or bug burger is needed as well. I also recommend bee pollen.
- Calcium without D3 daily, multivitamines every two weeks and calcium with D3 every two weeks.
- I mist twice a day, and I do see him drinking
- his poops look dark brown solid with the white urate thing, looks fine.
- not tested for parasites
- the cage is all the large reptibreeze includes, lighting, temp, and humidity levels are fine, it’s on a low traffic room, no fans or vent, there’s a window mostly closed. I live in florida.
Basking spot 85-95, the rest of the cage around 75, in the night low to 66... only fake plants.
This entire setup or "kit" is insufficient for your adult male. The size is too small. The lighting will cause MBD eventually as well. You need to get him into at least a 2x2x4 enclosure with a T5HO 24" linear UVB hood.


@Brodybreaux25 I know right? But look at this pic, he usually walks around like this (uploaded)

@CamoChameleonsHuman Do u think so? That’d be kind of a relief

Thanks all for your kind responses!!

Side notes: raise your basking bulb off the top of the enclosure to prevent burns. Add more foliage especially a live plant. Empty space is wasted space. Upgrade your UVB lighting immediately than cage size immediately after.

 

[Rst_Cham]

Hi there! Here are some care images that will help you with gutload and lighting upgrades you need to make. Looks like you got sold the chameleon kit, so sorry but even though it's marketed for chameleons, is actually really insufficient. You'll definitely want to fix your gutloading and upgrade your lighting asap:

 

[Syd]

I really appreciate all of your responses, I’ve been progressively adding more and more branches to the cage, here’s a more recent pic (As you can see in this one, the lights are suspended from the screen to avoid burns. I took note of all your advice, however my primary concern now is the black spot on his chin, would the cage setup, or the cricket gutload, cause an infection? What are the causes? Thanks to you all!

 

[Rst_Cham]

I'm no expert so hopefully others will chime in but I definitely think that rubbing his chin raw (or getting a burn) from screen crawling due to an inadequate enclosure could cause an infection. It's not at all normal for adults to do that, especially from the top, unless there is a husbandry problem.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I'm no expert so hopefully others will chime in but I definitely think that rubbing his chin raw (or getting a burn) from screen crawling due to an inadequate enclosure could cause an infection. It's not at all normal for adults to do that, especially from the top, unless there is a husbandry problem.

Agreed^ if he keeps reopening the wound by dragging it on the screen it could definitely leave an opening for infection to set in.

I believe he is screen crawling due to an empty viv.

 

[Beman]

Get your self some dragon ledges for your cage type. You will be able to mount plants through out the cage. Or get a more mature dwarf umbrella plant to put in there to give him places to hide.

 

[Rst_Cham]

Get your self some dragon ledges for your cage type. You will be able to mount plants through out the cage. Or get a more mature dwarf umbrella plant to put in there to give him places to hide.

Agree, putting some live plants in your enclosure will go a long ways towards making your chameleon feel more secure. I went the umbrella plant route, they can really fill things up nicely. Here's a pic of mine just for reference. I do have to thin my plant out regularly; I have a Sansi grow light over it. I have my enclosure up on a stand, holes drilled in the bottom under the plant, and a five gallon bucket underneath for drainage. But my chameleon loves it and all his branches and thankfully he never screen crawls.

 

[Rlc1994]

I agree with everyone above needs more foliage. You want the top mostly open and clear for basking. The middle you want to be densely shaded with foliage. Dragonledges are perfect for this as Beman said. Or a very large unmbrella plant like rst_cham has.