the temporal gland

[studiocham]

Usually, the males will shed excess musk material from these glands. I found this one about to fall off of my LTC WC male, and got it while he was eating. It's his first.

The weird thing is, these waxy sheds are normally white or cream colored. This one is black. He doesn't have any infection, everything looks normal. Just weird. It is laying on a paper towel in this pic:

Does anyone else get black wax from their melleri?

 

[Tokoloshe]

Hey Kristina, its been a while since I've had Melleri but I recall seeing darker sheds forming as well as lighter ones. FWIW
T.

 

[CammieNLeno]

Hey Kristina, its been a while since I've had Melleri but I recall seeing darker sheds forming as well as lighter ones. FWIW
T.

Before someone asks, FWIW stands for "for what its worth"

i KNOW someone will be like so yea! here is my post on that FWIW

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Do females do this, as well? Megana has what appears to be the exact same thing being extruded from her temporal gland. It is that same color as in your photo here, a blackish brown.

 

[studiocham]

Yes, females can produce a temporal wax, but it's typically much less than the males. Some don't shed it for years, if ever.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Here is the one I finally pulled out of Megana. When I first noticed the thin crust poking out from between her lips I had no idea what it was. I could tell it was not part of her lips or gums, and then I saw your post and realized where it was coming from. Must be this time of year. Thank you, Kristina, for posting this or I may have been headed for the vet by now and paid $$$ to find out it was quite normal.

I pulled it out because the exposed part was stiff and dry and I was concerned that if she could not close her lips over it completely that she would begin to have a problem with drying mucosa. I tried to remove it last week but didn't want to tug hard so left it there. Today it came out easily. Here is the photo:

 

[studiocham]

I pulled it out because the exposed part was stiff and dry and I was concerned that if she could not close her lips over it completely that she would begin to have a problem with drying mucosa. I tried to remove it last week but didn't want to tug hard so left it there. Today it came out easily.

You did the right thing in waiting for it to loosen itself before pulling it out. That area has very delicate skin.

There is a pic of a yellow one on the Dental page of the MD. I'm equally happy to read that these black ones are also normal. Thank you, Tokoloshe.