Swollen discolored wrist/skin flaking on wrist

[shaferandon]

I just got my first chameleon about a month ago and she seems to be acting normal although her wrist looks swollen and discolored and there is also skin starting to flake off, I was thinking maybe gout at first but I’m not sure if that’s what it is. She doesn’t seem to have trouble moving it and I don’t think that it’s causing her any pain. Is this normal?? Will it ever go away??

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm not a vet...just so you know.
It looks more like an injury to me than gout.
A vet can run tests to see if it's gout though.

How old is she?

 

[shaferandon]

I'm not a vet...just so you know.
It looks more like an injury to me than gout.
A vet can run tests to see if it's gout though.

How old is she?

Okay, I was thinking maybe a injured wrist since she did fall from the top of her cage once, but she seems to move it fine so I can’t tell. She is 4 months old

 

[kinyonga]

If it was/is gout I would expect to see it in both wrists.
What do you feed her? What do you feed the insects? Why supplements do you use no how often for each? Please be specific.

Are you aware that they can lay eggs without having been mated?

 

[shaferandon]

I feel a mix of superworms and dubia’s I usually dust them with calcium and about once a week I feed her with vitamins without d3 and every other week I do vitamins with d3 instead of without

 

[shaferandon]

If it was/is gout I would expect to see it in both wrists.
What do you feed her? What do you feed the insects? Why supplements do you use no how often for each? Please be specific.

Are you aware that they can lay eggs without having been mated?

Also yes I’m aware that they lay eggs no matter what, I plan on getting a laying bin within the next month or two

 

[MissSkittles]

I feel a mix of superworms and dubia’s I usually dust them with calcium and about once a week I feed her with vitamins without d3 and every other week I do vitamins with d3 instead of without

Hi and welcome! I’m just a tad confused about this. Do you mean you are giving each the D3 and multivitamin every other week, so weeks 1&3 you use the D3 and weeks 2&4 you use the multivitamin? If so, perfect.
Also, just want to ask what kind of uvb you are using. Is it a long T5 fixture or a screw in bulb? What is the strength of the bulb?
Can you post a pic of your entire enclosure?

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

Filling this out will make sure all of your husbandry is perfect.

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:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[shaferandon]

Hi and welcome! I’m just a tad confused about this. Do you mean you are giving each the D3 and multivitamin every other week, so weeks 1&3 you use the D3 and weeks 2&4 you use the multivitamin? If so, perfect.
Also, just want to ask what kind of uvb you are using. Is it a long T5 fixture or a screw in bulb? What is the strength of the bulb?
Can you post a pic of your entire enclosure?

Yes you are correct for food, it is a t5 but for a while I had it too close so it started to burn my chameleon so I’ve since raised it up about a foot from the cage, also yes I can

 

[shaferandon]

Yes you are correct for food, it is a t5 but for a while I had it too close so it started to burn my chameleon so I’ve since raised it up about a foot from the cage, also yes I can

 

[shaferandon]

Filling this out will make sure all of your husbandry is perfect.

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:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

It is a female veiled chameleon about 4 months, and I’ve had it for almost 1. I have just recently started to try and handle her and I’ve only held her 2 times but it was just carrying her outside to another plant. I use the t5 reptisun and I light from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. I have her basking temp at around between 80-85, the rest of the cage is around 70-75. The humidity stays between 40-60% during the day and 70-80% at night. I have been using a temp gun to get temps and just a regular hygrometer with the arrow on it that moves, but I plan to get a digital one soon. I use life plants (2 pathos and a Guamanian) I will also be adding more plants soon, I’m just waiting for roots to grow on the trimmings I have. I have the cage in the corner of my room farthest from the door so she won’t have to see people. Also I’m at work for most of the day so there isn’t much traffic in my room during the day. I have raised my cage about 2 feet off the ground, and I live in Iowa.

the problem I’m concerned with is my chameleons right wrist. Also I did burn her a little by keeping the light too close, but I’ve sinced raised the light so it hasn’t been getting worse, what should I do to help with that?

 

[MissSkittles]

I see we never got back to you. So sorry.
Where did she get burned? I’m not seeing any burns in your pics.
I’m also wondering about the plant ‘guamanian’...what is that? Do you mean geranium? Is that the one with the fuzzy leaf in your pic? I’m not sure if it’s safe for chameleons, but a quick Google says it can cause skin irritation to cats/dogs. I’d suggest removing it and replacing it with a known safe plant.
I’m almost wondering if maybe your little one got bitten by something. Superworms do bite. Have you fed her crickets? If one were missed and trapped in her enclosure, it could very well bite her.
For a burn silver sulfadiazine is the best treatment and I would think putting a small dab on her ankle would help that too. A vet visit would be in order though to evaluate her injuries and order the cream.