Seeing more bumps on my veiled, Female

[dadofmanykids]

I have a 3-year-old female veiled chameleon. She is developing more bumps. I noticed she had maybe one or 2 over the years, but now it's much more. I just changed out the zoomed T5 HO, which I have had since December 2021. I don't dusk crickets much, but when I do, I use the Repti calcium with D3. I am not sure why this is happening. She still eats and is active. Everything is pretty much status quo. Does anyone have some thoughts to share? I would appreciate it.

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

I have a 3-year-old female veiled chameleon. She is developing more bumps. I noticed she had maybe one or 2 over the years, but now it's much more. I just changed out the zoomed T5 HO, which I have had since December 2021. I don't dusk crickets much, but when I do, I use the Repti calcium with D3. I am not sure why this is happening. She still eats and is active. Everything is pretty much status quo. Does anyone have some thoughts to share? I would appreciate it.

Hi! I’m not an expert but I’ll tag some of the great people on here who know a lot about female veileds. As far as your supplementation, you are supposed to dust with calcium WITHOUT D3 everyday and a multivitamin WITH D3 twice a month (1st and 15th). If you use too much D3 it can cause a sort of overdose and cause health problems. I’ll tag some peeps now @kinyonga @MissSkittles @Beman

 

[Beman]

Hi there, welcome to the forum @dadofmanykids So your seeing the bumps because she is getting far too much D3. Oral D3 can actually do the opposite of what it is supposed to do when given too much. It can cause the bones to become more brittle and build up calcium deposits.

So as mentioned by @Bazelthechameleon you need a plain calcium without D3 (repticalcium makes the without D3 as well). And this needs to be given at every feeding. Lightly dusted on all feeders right before giving them to her. Then you want a multivitamin with D3 which you only give 2 times a month say the 1st and the 15th. Reptivite with D3 or repashy calcium plus LoD version are two options for your multivitamin. The multivitamin also has vitamin A which they need for vision and proper targeting.

I would also remove all fake plants. Veileds are notorious for eating plants. Females can be quite a bit worse with it. So you would only have real live plants that are considered veiled tested. See the image below.

The T5HO UVB bulb would be better if it was a 5.0 bulb. It looks like you do not have a lot of space between the bottom of the fixture and the basking area that she sits on. Really wanting 8-9 inches between these with a 5.0 bulb. The 10.0 would put out too much UVB for her putting her into overexposure levels. With this bulb you would have to have 11-12 inches between the bottom of the fixture and the highest basking branch to put her into the appropriate UVI levels.

 

[dadofmanykids]

Hi! I’m not an expert but I’ll tag some of the great people on here who know a lot about female veileds. As far as your supplementation, you are supposed to dust with calcium WITHOUT D3 everyday and a multivitamin WITH D3 twice a month (1st and 15th). If you use too much D3 it can cause a sort of overdose and cause health problems. I’ll tag some peeps now @kinyonga @MissSkittles @Beman

Thanks for helpiing!

 

[dadofmanykids]

Hi there, welcome to the forum @dadofmanykids So your seeing the bumps because she is getting far too much D3. Oral D3 can actually do the opposite of what it is supposed to do when given too much. It can cause the bones to become more brittle and build up calcium deposits.

So as mentioned by @Bazelthechameleon you need a plain calcium without D3 (repticalcium makes the without D3 as well). And this needs to be given at every feeding. Lightly dusted on all feeders right before giving them to her. Then you want a multivitamin with D3 which you only give 2 times a month say the 1st and the 15th. Reptivite with D3 or repashy calcium plus LoD version are two options for your multivitamin. The multivitamin also has vitamin A which they need for vision and proper targeting.

I would also remove all fake plants. Veileds are notorious for eating plants. Females can be quite a bit worse with it. So you would only have real live plants that are considered veiled tested. See the image below.

The T5HO UVB bulb would be better if it was a 5.0 bulb. It looks like you do not have a lot of space between the bottom of the fixture and the basking area that she sits on. Really wanting 8-9 inches between these with a 5.0 bulb. The 10.0 would put out too much UVB for her putting her into overexposure levels. With this bulb you would have to have 11-12 inches between the bottom of the fixture and the highest basking branch to put her into the appropriate UVI levels.

I appreciate all the great feedback. So just to let you know, I had this cage set up since she was 1yr and a half old, and it's only been a year since I changed over to the T5HO bulb. Before that, I had a double dome with the lights together. I changed because I saw the site called the Bio Dude, and he was recommending using this type of T5HO Bulb with a fixture. So just to make sure I understand what you're saying, should I move her 8-9 inches from the top? I am also going to look up the supplements as well. Are you familiar with other pet owners with the same issues? If so, do you know if they got better with the changes? I don't want to lose her. That is why I am trying to reach out for some help. Is a vet visit necessary? I also have a male veiled, but he is not showing any bumps, and the setup is the same.

 

[dadofmanykids]

I appreciate all the great feedback. So just to let you know, I had this cage set up since she was 1yr and a half old, and it's only been a year since I changed over to the T5HO bulb. Before that, I had a double dome with the lights together. I changed because I saw the site called the Bio Dude, and he was recommending using this type of T5HO Bulb with a fixture. So just to make sure I understand what you're saying, should I move her 8-9 inches from the top? I am also going to look up the supplements as well. Are you familiar with other pet owners with the same issues? If so, do you know if they got better with the changes? I don't want to lose her. That is why I am trying to reach out for some help. Is a vet visit necessary? I also have a male veiled, but he is not showing any bumps, and the setup is the same.

are these 2 good?

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

are these 2 good?

Both look good for the vitamin supplement that you feed twice a month, however you’ll need a calcium supplement without D3 for daily feeding like this one.

 

[dadofmanykids]

Both look good for the vitamin supplement that you feed twice a month, however you’ll need a calcium supplement without D3 for daily feeding like this one.

Cool! Do you have any other thoughts on my reply about the bulbs and visiting the vet?

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Cool! Do you have any other thoughts on my reply about the bulbs and visiting the vet?

I think that’s a question for @Beman, but it’s probably not urgent. I do think it’s always good to get an annual checkup, so maybe just mention it at your next visit

 

[dadofmanykids]

I think that’s a question for @Beman, but it’s probably not urgent. I do think it’s always good to get an annual checkup, so maybe just mention it at your next visit

Thanks. How did you find a good vet? What do I need to look for when looking for one? I live in NJ.

 

[MissSkittles]

So just to make sure I understand what you're saying, should I move her 8-9 inches from the top? I am also going to look up the supplements as well. Are you familiar with other pet owners with the same issues? If so, do you know if they got better with the changes? I don't want to lose her. That is why I am trying to reach out for some help. Is a vet visit necessary?

Hi. Yes, you want a distance of about 8-9” between the basking area and your light. That will provide the ideal uv index of approx 3.0 for your cham.
Yes, I am familiar with at least one other keeper who’s cham had those bumps on her ribs. It’s taken some time with proper supplements and care, but they have almost if not completely gone away.
Vet visits are always a good idea for general wellness and having a fecal check for parasite….same as we do for cats & dogs.
Has your girl laid eggs yet? Are you aware that egg laying shortens the lives of our beautiful ladies, so thru reduced diet and basking temp we try to reduce their egg production? If you want/need more info, say the word.

 

[Beman]

are these 2 good?

The calcium plus is the wrong one. If you go with the repashy you need the LoD version. It has a Jacksons chameleon on it. The reptivite is correct so you could buy that one for the multivitamin. Then you need the calcium without D3 as well. Supplementation would be the same for your male.

I appreciate all the great feedback. So just to let you know, I had this cage set up since she was 1yr and a half old, and it's only been a year since I changed over to the T5HO bulb. Before that, I had a double dome with the lights together. I changed because I saw the site called the Bio Dude, and he was recommending using this type of T5HO Bulb with a fixture. So just to make sure I understand what you're saying, should I move her 8-9 inches from the top? I am also going to look up the supplements as well. Are you familiar with other pet owners with the same issues? If so, do you know if they got better with the changes? I don't want to lose her. That is why I am trying to reach out for some help. Is a vet visit necessary? I also have a male veiled, but he is not showing any bumps, and the setup is the same.

So females have to have more calcium then males due to egg production. Without it they start pulling plain calcium from their bones. It is why you are seeing the visual effects in your female. We have seen this quite a few times in the forum. One person updated their journey in this thread https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/nachitos-road-to-recovery.186488/ @Ghostbirb took in a female that had very poor care prior with the right care and enclosure set up along with total supplements change the female is now thriving. So yes it can reverse itself but you really want supplementation on point along with all husbandry and set up.

You would get the 5.0 strength uvb bulb in order to have a distance of 8-9 inches from the fixture bottom to the branches below for the correct UVI level. This would be the same for your male.

I do not feel that a vet visit is necessary for the bumps. She is otherwise acting normal and what she is dealing with can not be magically fixed by a vet it takes time and the correct supplementation.

 

[dadofmanykids]

Hi. Yes, you want a distance of about 8-9” between the basking area and your light. That will provide the ideal uv index of approx 3.0 for your cham.
Yes, I am familiar with at least one other keeper who’s cham had those bumps on her ribs. It’s taken some time with proper supplements and care, but they have almost if not completely gone away.
Vet visits are always a good idea for general wellness and having a fecal check for parasite….same as we do for cats & dogs.
Has your girl laid eggs yet? Are you aware that egg laying shortens the lives of our beautiful ladies, so thru reduced diet and basking temp we try to reduce their egg production? If you want/need more info, say the word.

Thanks for the reply! My girl laid eggs. I believe 3 times since the 3 yrs I had her. I learned to reduce egg laying, and she hasn't done it in over a year now. I do you search for a good vet for reptiles? I also heard I can quit it expensive for visits. Is that true? I don't want to lose her; she is very special to me!

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Thanks. How did you find a good vet? What do I need to look for when looking for one? I live in NJ.

There’s some threads on here that have resources for good vets in your area. Take a look at this one!
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/veterinarian-resources.67/

 

[CalamityCrow]

For vets, check out this thread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/area-by-area-country-vet-list.32880/page-11#post-1751071
You'll have to do some digging but I think there are some NJ vets listed. Exotic vets *can* be expensive, but I haven't seen prices be much higher in my area at least (Ohio) for taking my cham vs taking my dog.

 

[Ghostbirb]

The calcium plus is the wrong one. If you go with the repashy you need the LoD version. It has a Jacksons chameleon on it. The reptivite is correct so you could buy that one for the multivitamin. Then you need the calcium without D3 as well. Supplementation would be the same for your male.


So females have to have more calcium then males due to egg production. Without it they start pulling plain calcium from their bones. It is why you are seeing the visual effects in your female. We have seen this quite a few times in the forum. One person updated their journey in this thread https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/nachitos-road-to-recovery.186488/ @Ghostbirb took in a female that had very poor care prior with the right care and enclosure set up along with total supplements change the female is now thriving. So yes it can reverse itself but you really want supplementation on point along with all husbandry and set up.

You would get the 5.0 strength uvb bulb in order to have a distance of 8-9 inches from the fixture bottom to the branches below for the correct UVI level. This would be the same for your male.

I do not feel that a vet visit is necessary for the bumps. She is otherwise acting normal and what she is dealing with can not be magically fixed by a vet it takes time and the correct supplementation.

Yep! My girl also had bumps but after getting all the right care and supplements they slowly went away.

When I first got my girl

Her now

I have a 3-year-old female veiled chameleon. She is developing more bumps. I noticed she had maybe one or 2 over the years, but now it's much more. I just changed out the zoomed T5 HO, which I have had since December 2021. I don't dusk crickets much, but when I do, I use the Repti calcium with D3. I am not sure why this is happening. She still eats and is active. Everything is pretty much status quo. Does anyone have some thoughts to share? I would appreciate it.

 

[dadofmanykids]

Yep! My girl also had bumps but after getting all the right care and supplements they slowly went away.

When I first got my girl
View attachment 332347


Her now
View attachment 332348

Wow, that is great news! I am so glad you're veiled, is all healed up. I appreciate everyone's kind input; I want to make sure I am doing everything right to give her a happy and long life. I can't return these bulbs since I installed them. I got them from the Bio dude and thought it was a good site. Oh, and where did you get the wooden item you veiled is sitting on? It looks really cool?

 

[MissSkittles]

https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661 is another resource for finding a vet. It can be a challenge to find a vet with decent experience and knowledge about chameleons. Many treat them the same as lizards like bearded dragons. Hopefully you can find one in the forum list of vets. Do keep in mind that it isn’t unusual at all to need to drive a bit of a distance for a good vet. I have one that is ok within walking distance of me, but for the better vets I choose to drive an hour away.
Costs will vary. You can get the cost for exotic visit and fecal check when you call. Usually visits are around $50 ish and fecals around $30. Blood work and radiographs will add greatly to the bill.

 

[nightanole]

You can do 1 or two wraps of screen around that 10.0 to turn it into a 5.0. There is nothing wrong with buying that bulb, its all about distance.

 

[dadofmanykids]

Yep! My girl also had bumps but after getting all the right care and supplements they slowly went away.

When I first got my girl
View attachment 332347


Her now
View attachment 332348

You can do 1 or two wraps of screen around that 10.0 to turn it into a 5.0. There is nothing wrong with buying that bulb, its all about distance.

Forgive me for asking, but what do you mean by wraps of the screen?