Allergic to chameleon??

[walzy444]

So i have no allergies to anything.. but everytime my female chameleon is on my hands or arms i get bright red spots where each toe or nail was... not scratches.. just bright red dots... anyone else get this type of skin reaction?? I always wash off the area after because they sting a bit...

 

[FancyRaptor]

Yeah, I get it too. I am pretty sure it is the pressure they apply with their hands and the claws dig in. That is at least my guess.

 

[walzy444]

Also... might be unrelated.. but i also recently got 3 of these spots... looking stuff up online and kinda looks like ringworm spots?? Gotta schedule a Dr. Appointment this week.. but can u get ringworm for chameleons? I also have a horse as well, 2 dogs and 2 bunnies... someone said touching animal poop can give u ringworm... ughh

 

[kinyonga]

Must be a veiled chameleon!

 

[walzy444]

Lol yes, i have a 6 month old male and a 9 month female... didnt really know of the other species when i got them.. prob woulda got a blue panther... haha they r still cool tho the spots might also be eczema.. hmm i use to have it when i was little...

 

[kinyonga]

Veiled nails are well known for causing those little red dots! Never really remember any other species doing that to me and I've had quite a few species over the year.

 

[Crashbandit05]

Also... might be unrelated.. but i also recently got 3 of these spots... looking stuff up online and kinda looks like ringworm spots?? Gotta schedule a Dr. Appointment this week.. but can u get ringworm for chameleons? I also have a horse as well, 2 dogs and 2 bunnies... someone said touching animal poop can give u ringworm... ughh

Ringworm is actually a fungal infection. It is also highly contagious. It will spread to other people and animals. I know this because I work in animal welfare. Over the counter, topical creams will work but IMHO, a high quality tea tree oil is most effective.

 

[walzy444]

yeah, I have been putting tea tree oil on the spots at night and a topical antibiotic cream on them in the mornings...

 

[TheAmazingGerby]

I'm pretty positive all you have there is just your skin reacting to the nails digging into your skin. It doesn't look like anything serious to me. Chama have a string grip and can easily leave those marks. I think I can say pretty confidently that you'll be just fine.

 

[PJK]

Best to see a doctor to see if it is ringworm. I got in once back when I use to wrestle along with half the team and we had to wash everything, get medicated cream, and steam the entire gym and they shut it down for a few days. Fun times!

 

[broderp]

My gone little friend , Jackson (R.I.P. ) who was a veiled left those on my every time I had him out and he climbed on my arms and hands. I always assumed it was just an irritation caused by his little claws that gripped like crazy. I always washed my hands and arms with antibacterial soap and the marks went away pretty quickly.

 

[Graves923]

Definitely the nails. they may not scratch you but they can easily puncture the skin just enough to irritate the skin like what is pictured. You can always try wearing gloves and long sleeves.

 

[Crashbandit05]

Also... might be unrelated.. but i also recently got 3 of these spots... looking stuff up online and kinda looks like ringworm spots?? Gotta schedule a Dr. Appointment this week.. but can u get ringworm for chameleons? I also have a horse as well, 2 dogs and 2 bunnies... someone said touching animal poop can give u ringworm... ughh

That does look like ringworm in my (unprofessional, not a doctor but have seen it a lot) opinion

 

[JacksJill]

Those are welts. I get them when I handle rats. They are likely either from tissue damage(pinching or punctures) or allergies. If they persist it's never a bad idea to consult your doctor.
Ringworm literally forms ring like (not perfect circles) of hair loss and can itch. Rabbits are a likely source. I would check all my furry pets for areas of hair loss with crusty borders if I was thought ringworm was possible. I've never heard of ringworm in reptiles but who knows.
Ringworm can be contracted from contact with soil but feces isn't the route of transmission. It is from contact with lesions.

 

[kinyonga]

Walzy444 in the photo in your second post in this thread it does look like ringworm which you can get from any one of the furry pets you mentioned. I've never heard of a chameleon having it.

The marks on your hands are the type of marks veiled chameleon nails leave on people.

The ringworm is fungal and antibacterial meds won't kill it as far as I know. You need something like silvadene or flamazine or maybe even penetan. Betadine also works and a rinse with Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar will help. But see a doctor because Im not a doctor and am only telling you what I've heard/been told before.

You need to check your animals for it and if did come from them you need to be thorough about cleaning everything . in animals it can clear up on its own sometimes but then you risk cross contamination in the mean time.

Good luck!

 

[kwengkynator]

I remember those fun days when my veiled chameleons were young and liked climbing on my limbs. They left the same marks. Now they are just grumpy and want all the space. Unless I bribe them with hornworms.