Small discoloration on Jackson's leg..

[mattj]

Wondering if anyone can give some insight into what that mark may be.

I feel he hasn't been himself lately. It took a while for me to get used to my jacksons not eating as much as my veiled. But lately he hasn't been eating as much as normal. It seemed like he went through two sheds almost back to back and still hasn't shed everything from the last time as you may be able to see on his tail.

He is eating and drinking. But im also concerned about that dark spot. Can't be a burn as he has nothing touching the cage to burn himself on.

 

[carol5208]

That to me looks like a burn. They don't have to get that close to the light. Just by sitting under if for a long period of time can cause this. Is he brown like that on his spine also? It kinda looks that way in the pics, but it is hard to tell with the shed.

 

[Carlton]

That to me looks like a burn. They don't have to get that close to the light. Just by sitting under if for a long period of time can cause this. Is he brown like that on his spine also? It kinda looks that way in the pics, but it is hard to tell with the shed.

I agree with Carol. Looks like a burn in both places. There is a good burn ointment available that I would apply to help heal and prevent secondary infection. Ask a vet for some Silvadene. And, check your cage basking light temp at the perch he sits on while warming up, and move the bulb farther away.

 

[Lathis]

Ditto with above. My Jax is too dumb to move out of the light when it's too hot. I love him, but he's dumb and has burned himself before without physically touching the light, almost in the exact same spot. Drop his basking spot another inch or two and keep and eye on temperatures. Do you have a good digital thermometer?

 

[mattj]

I do have a digital thermometer. Ill put it under his basking spot tomorrow. Its only a 40w bulb. Surprised that would burn him. Considering that's been his setup for the past year.

 

[carol5208]

Matt, it may not be the intensity of the bulb, but the length of time your chameleon was basking for. I had this happen to my one panther. His basking bulb was a 60 watt and the temp created was not that hot as the branch was a reasonable distance down. I had him in that set up for over a year and a half, but he was getting old(6 yr) where he did not get around much. I went out one day and he was sitting under the light and when I came home several hours later that afternoon, he was still in the same spot basking. I just thought at first he was back basking, but I now believe he stayed in that spot the whole time. I didn't notice it right then, but he had a dark spot on both of his knees and also a small portion of his spine was dark. I used Silvadene on it and it did heal up. It took quite some time to do so. They heal very slowly from what I have learned. What I am seeing on your chameleon looks identical to what happened to mine. I was surprised also, as like I said he was in the same set up for quite some time.

 

[JosieJobo]

temperature. ..

Im so confused how do you make sure they won't burn? Im having real trouble with my temps for my 7m male panther atm on hot days its too hot and cold days its too cold I have an 80w and a 60w and have to keep changing them depending on the weather but then its too cool to warm him up in the morning and too hot in the afternoon??? And I REALLY dont want hkm to get burnt!!!

 

[mattj]

Yeah. I dont know how I would get him to not go there and bask. But to me I think, he's under the light he must be trying to warm up and he'll move when he's done.

His spine does look dark but it also has shed on it and I dont wanna pull it off.

Any tips on helping him get that last few pieces off? Put him in the shower or something?

 

[carol5208]

You could take a qtip and warm water and try and remove that way. Just kinda rub on it gently.

 

[carol5208]

Im so confused how do you make sure they won't burn? Im having real trouble with my temps for my 7m male panther atm on hot days its too hot and cold days its too cold I have an 80w and a 60w and have to keep changing them depending on the weather but then its too cool to warm him up in the morning and too hot in the afternoon??? And I REALLY dont want hkm to get burnt!!!

This is not really something that happens too often, atleast in this way. Chameleons will get burnt more easily if they are too close to the lights or if a part of their body is able to touch the hot screen. I was very surprised my chameleon got a burn, but the only explanation I could find was he stayed under the lights too long. He was an old fellow and did not move around much, as he would fall. I would not worry too much about it. The burns we usually see on here are from lights being way too close.

 

[Carlton]

Im so confused how do you make sure they won't burn? Im having real trouble with my temps for my 7m male panther atm on hot days its too hot and cold days its too cold I have an 80w and a 60w and have to keep changing them depending on the weather but then its too cool to warm him up in the morning and too hot in the afternoon??? And I REALLY dont want hkm to get burnt!!!

I know it is confusing, but chams are more susceptible to thermal burns in captivity because they are sitting under pretty focused beams of heat from lights, not in outdoor sunlight that is diffused broadly. And, burns result not only from bulbs that might be too close or too hot, but because of the accumulated time they spend sitting still under them. If the thermal gradient between the basking spot and the rest of the cage is more extreme (in a cooler room for example), they may spend too much time sitting in one place that is warm. Odd as it seems, chams don't have all that many heat sensors in their skin. By the time they might feel too hot, the injury has already happened.

If you err on the lower side of a basking area temp the cham may end up taking a little longer to warm up, but it may be the safer option.