Problems shedding

[solson2749]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled (Yemen), Female, about 5 months
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? a couple minutes every few days
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed her crickets with the occasional meal worm. I feed her 8-12 small crickets a day. I usually feed her 3-4 crickets 3 times a day. I gut load my crickets with romaine lettuce, carrots, parsnips, potatoes and oranges.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? rep-cal calcium with no d-3 lightly in one of the 3 feedings daily. rep-cal calcium with d3 couple times a month. rep-cal herptivite twice monthly.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I mist 3-5 times daily. I have been using a humidifier for the past few days because of the low humidity in my house.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Her feces are brown colored and moist. She has not been tested for parasites
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. none
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? 2'wx2'lx4'h
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? repti-glo 10.0 UVB and exo-terra sun-glo 75w. These are both left on 12 hours a day.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking area 90-95 degrees. cage floor 75 degrees.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Humidity for the past few days has been roughly 70%. before that probably around 40%. I create and maintain humidity throughout the whole room with a humidifier. I use a petco "piece-of-crap" hygrometer but I just ordered a much more accurate xikar hygrometer online that should be here in about a day.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Live, I have a honeysuckle vine and a pothos vine as well as a baby schefflera. I also have a large stick and several smaller sticks from outside that I have cleaned and sanded for her to relax on.
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? Cage is in my bedroom. it is not near any vents or fans that have been running. The overall height of the cage on its table is 7'.
Location - Where are you geographically located? I am in Omaha, NE (midwest)
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. My chameleon is having her first shed with me. It started on saturday (5 days ago) and her body still has not shed. She shed all of her legs but im worried because i don't see her body or her head peeling at all. I took her to the vet two days ago because I noticed the tip of her tail died from what i thought, and the vet confirmed, was circulation being cut off due to lack of shedding. I felt really bad about her tail. This is the first cham I have had but I have been reading like crazy, built her this cage and was trying to take good care of her. I spoke with the vet about the shed and she said it should only take a couple days. Even with me keeping the humidity at 70% she doesn't seem to be making any progress on the shed.
Should I be worrying or will it happen eventually? Thanks for any input everyone.

 

[solson2749]

Oh forgot to add I see her drink and munch on the honeysuckle quite often and I mist for a couple minutes (soak the cage, but not her, pretty good).

 

[Elizadolots]

First, I love the way you used a different color for your responses. I don't think I've ever seen a form so easy to read.

You didn't give us the age of your chameleon. You say you've had her 5 months and this is her first shed, so I suspect she was an adult when you got her, but it would be nice to know for sure.

Adults don't always shed everywhere every time.

I suspect the problem with the tail was that a bit of shed got stuck around the end and that cut off the circulation. About the only time I worry about stuck shed is if it's around a limb (I consider that prehensile tail a limb). In cases like that, if it doesn't come off in a couple of days it might be necessary to intervene.

You might try upping the misting a bit...you didn't say how long you mist for, but try for something that seems on the "long" side....at least 30 seconds, more if you can. Misting seems to help with shedding.

However, I wouldn't be worried that part of the animal hasn't shed this time.

 

[solson2749]

Oops I meant she is about 5 months old she is still a youngin. Her legs have all shed and what you said about the tail is what I thought as well. The vet agreed with you also. I was just worried she was gonna have issues if her body did not shed. You said adults don't always shed everywhere but what about a 5 month old?

 

[solson2749]

Oh shoot I forgot to mention I have only had her for about a week and a half.

 

[Elizadolots]

Well, then...ignore everything I said....

I don't do veileds so hopefully someone who does will come in and offer help.

My suspicion (therefore not anything you can say is factual) is that she is coming into her adulthood and so no longer doing the baby shed (which is just "pop it all off NOW!") as you've only had her less than 2 weeks, she might well have shed the other areas before. Could you contact the previous owner/breeder and get that information?

However, I would really want someone experienced with veileds to chime in...

Meanwhile, I'll congratulate you on taking your chameleon to the vet so soon after getting it. You're a good chameleon owner. I applaud that.

 

[solson2749]

Thanks for your help elizadolots hopefully someone else has some input as well.

 

[Mr Wilson]

From things I have read, misting the chameleon with warm water (not hot!) helps aid in the shedding process. Our Nosy Be who is 8 months is shedding for his first time with us and we have been helping him along with misting him with warm water, along with the rest of the enclosure.

If anyone else can chime in and correct me if I am wrong, please do!

 

[jessica]

Misting with warm water is good to help shedding but how about giving the skin time to dry a little?

I've had similar problems with one of my panthers and I let him dry a little and the skin came off. I was keeping him too moist to let the dead skin dry and fall off.

Just wanna make it clear when I say DRY I still misted him, I just gave extra time between mists

 

[solson2749]

Thanks for the ideas i tried misting with warm water and ill let the humidity get back down to 50% to see if it helps. I think I just need to give her time. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Elizadolots]

You know...she may just not need to shed those areas right now. Adults are weird that way and teen chameleons are like teen humans, adult or child on apparent whim we can't predict. I've seen mine (which were both adults when I got them) shed a foot twice before shedding the head....