Odd color after trip outside

[bridgofaith]

I took Barbossa outside today for a little sun. He had a great time, even took a shower!

After I put him back in his cage, I left for a couple of hours. When I returned I noticed a small patch (about an inch) on his tail that was "missing" his blue color. His red dots are there, just no blue. It's just white.

My first thought was some kind of UV burn, but I really don't think that is what it is. Any thoughts?

It's still there tonight, but not as large as earlier.

 

[Fearaffect]

HEs going Michael Jackson on ya!!! HAhAHA!!!!

 

[bridgofaith]

HEs going Michael Jackson on ya!!! HAhAHA!!!!

OMG! Is that the best you've got!!? LOL

 

[Fearaffect]

OMG! Is that the best you've got!!? LOL

Hey! I thought that was pretty damn clever.......i am getting old afterall..........

GOD his blue is amazing.....miss that.....

 

[bridgofaith]

Hey! I thought that was pretty damn clever.......i am getting old afterall..........

GOD his blue is amazing.....miss that.....

He is pretty amazing! Yeah, yeah! You're soooo clever! Hahaha

(It was actually quite funny!)

Here's the rest of him. Nothing else odd but the spot on the tail!

 

[jojackson]

Cant say I have any idea about the pale spot (lol Fear) but its a gorgeous animal, no doubt about that! Could just be that section of tail was shaded from the sun behind a plant branch for a long while, when he was outside maybe? Im sure itll revert to its normal blue after a while. Colorchange is complex and I still dont fully understand the mechanisms involved. Not much has been written about it, excepting re camouflage and basic physics.
I have noticed when I have my veiled outside, If a leaf blocks the sun from a part of his body for a time, after moving him, the outline can clearly be seen in darker color, almost like a stencil. Sometimes it reverts very quickly, other times more slowly.
Never read anything regards chameleons with 'bleaching' issues, so im sure its just temporary.

 

[bridgofaith]

It's weird, that's for sure! My little Nosy Be can change color on just one side of his body. It's so funny to look at. One side is dark grey and the other is bright blue.

 

[Fearaffect]

It's weird, that's for sure! My little Nosy Be can change color on just one side of his body. It's so funny to look at. One side is dark grey and the other is bright blue.

Well, "Barbossa" is part Nosy Be.......

 

[bridgofaith]

Well, "Barbossa" is part Nosy Be.......

That's true...

And quit putting '' '' around his name! LOL!!! "Satoky"

 

[jojackson]

Light/dark division in the sun is generally speaking, related to thermoregulation, this is normal. Initially the lizard is cool, so its side facing the heat/sun will become darker, because darker coloration absorbs heat more quickly. Once it reaches or approaches IBT
(ideal body temp) it will either orientate itself so its other (lighter colored) side is facing the heat, or its color will become lighter (dorsally flattened lizards) because lighter colors
reflect heat.
It certainly does look odd and the distiction between sides can be quite sharp.
One of the awesome oddities of chameleons!

 

[Fearaffect]

Light/dark division in the sun is generally speaking, related to thermoregulation, this is normal. Initially the lizard is cool, so its side facing the heat/sun will become darker, because darker coloration absorbs heat more quickly. Once it reaches or approaches IBT
(ideal body temp) it will either orientate itself so its other (lighter colored) side is facing the heat, or its color will become lighter (dorsally flattened lizards) because lighter colors
reflect heat.
It certainly does look odd and the distiction between sides can be quite sharp.
One of the awesome oddities of chameleons!

Especially that one u have in your avatar get that one near a power plant??

 

[Fearaffect]

That's true...

And quit putting '' '' around his name! LOL!!! "Satoky"

HeHe......he'll always be a Toky to me........."Barbossa" tisk tisk!!

 

[bridgofaith]

HeHe......he'll always be a Toky to me........."Barbossa" tisk tisk!!

You know, he's probably just confused. I mean... Satoky, Toky, Barbossa. Half Nosy Be, half Ambilobe.

Heck he doesn't know if he's suppose to be blue or red or white. I guess he's just going to try them all!

 

[bridgofaith]

Light/dark division in the sun is generally speaking, related to thermoregulation, this is normal. Initially the lizard is cool, so its side facing the heat/sun will become darker, because darker coloration absorbs heat more quickly. Once it reaches or approaches IBT
(ideal body temp) it will either orientate itself so its other (lighter colored) side is facing the heat, or its color will become lighter (dorsally flattened lizards) because lighter colors
reflect heat.
It certainly does look odd and the distiction between sides can be quite sharp.
One of the awesome oddities of chameleons!

That's exactly what he's doing. He climbs to his high vine, one side faces the screen cage and one side faces the basking light. The side facing the light is dark while the side facing the screen is bright blue. Looking at him from the top, his color is split right down the middle!

They are quite awesome creatures indeed!

 

[jojackson]

Especially that one u have in your avatar get that one near a power plant??

Hes a Neon mutant ninja cham! (Las Vegas Strip Locality)

 

[bridgofaith]

Update: As of this morning his blue color is back and the white patch is completely gone.

 

[chambabysitter1]

On the note of that white patch.

One day I had chameleo's basking light setup wayyyy too close to his cage. He was sitting right under it with temps topping out at 98-99 before I realized it.

The part of his belly that was facing the basking lamp had some white patches similar to the tail in the picture. I guess this occurs because the color pigment was burnt or affected by the heat.

Luckily, the white patch went away after I corrected his lamp, in less than a day they were gone. I assume I was getting close to burning him, but rectified the problem before he received a real burn.

No clue if it's the same or similar situation as yours, but it is food for thought.

 

[bridgofaith]

On the note of that white patch.

One day I had chameleo's basking light setup wayyyy too close to his cage. He was sitting right under it with temps topping out at 98-99 before I realized it.

The part of his belly that was facing the basking lamp had some white patches similar to the tail in the picture. I guess this occurs because the color pigment was burnt or affected by the heat.

Luckily, the white patch went away after I corrected his lamp, in less than a day they were gone. I assume I was getting close to burning him, but rectified the problem before he received a real burn.

No clue if it's the same or similar situation as yours, but it is food for thought.

I considered that as well and moved the basking light last night.

No clue what caused it, but it's gone now!