mkoe
Member
Hi all my cham is having some problems with his tail. I looked around the forum and couldn't find anything that looked quite the same as this. Let me know if I need to get any better pictures I did the best I could with these but it seems the problem is the little lump on the tail. It is a bit raised and white in color. His tail is not curling around this area. I at first thought it may have been a burn as I noticed his light had slipped a little and was touching the screen on top. Having seen other pictures of burns on here I'm not totally sure that this is the case. He has not had it squeezed in anything or closed in a door. I was thinking it is possible he fell but if he did I was not home so I can't be sure. I noticed it about three or four days ago and it popped up all of a sudden. I am also attaching the husbandry review in case that is helpful. Thank you all so much.
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - Gave the description at the top and hopefully the pictures will describe the problem well enough. But if I can provide any additional information that might be helpful please let me know. Thank you so much in advance.
Chameleon Info:
- Your Chameleon- The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
- Male panther chameleon about a year and a half old has been in my care a little over a year.
- Handling- How often do you handle your chameleon?
- Rarely once every two months or so.
- Feeding- What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
- Mostly crickets around four a day or so but mix in various other foods including dubia roaches. Gut-loading with carrots and calcium feed.
- Supplements- What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
- repashy calcium NOD every time with the other repashy calcium supplement mixed in every couple weeks.
- Watering- What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
- Have been hand-watering for about a year but finally put in an automatic system that runs for 60 seconds every 2 hours. I know that my misting slipped a little to around 2 minute misting twice a day or so in the week or two prior to installing the automatic system due to work schedule. Have seen him drinking a lot since I've gotten the system set up.
- Fecal Description- Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
- Seems relatively standard black and white pretty mushy. Had isospora about 6 months ago but has been treated for it.
- History- Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
- Was a dark color for the first day or two after the tail thing popped up but has since returned to normal.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type- Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
- Glass and acrylic on front and doors
- Screen on top
- ventilation holes in bottom
- dimensions 3x3x4 though slightly smaller as it is a trapezoidal prism
- Lighting- What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
- Using arcadia t5ho 6% light this is around a year old I know I need to replace it.
- 40 w heat lamp as well
- Temperature- What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
- thermocline from about 70-80. Gets a little warmer under the basking spot.
- Night temperature gets to around 68-70
- Have two gauges to measure
- Humidity- What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
- Same gauges measure
- Stays around 50-60% humidity during the day and a little higher at night
- As previously stated I have the new misting system and I have started using a fogger for about an hour in the mornings to further hydrate
- Plants- Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
- Live plants. Large swiss cheese plant is his main plant. Also have rubber tree and some pothos and a small calathea
- 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?
- In a corner of the room away from vents or fans.
- Top of the cage is only about five feet above the ground. I know this isn't ideal and I'm working on make a base to raise it more but I instruct anyone who goes near the viv to sit on the ground to maintain his perceived sense of height.
- Location- Where are you geographically located?
- North Carolina
Current Problem - Gave the description at the top and hopefully the pictures will describe the problem well enough. But if I can provide any additional information that might be helpful please let me know. Thank you so much in advance.