Brown spots on cham's teeth

[MariaRusso]

Hi guys!
I've just noticed these brown spots on Winston's teeth, both on upper and lower jaw. He's 1-1.2 year old and acts normal, eats and drinks as usual, moves around a lot and seems fine. He has all required lamps, temperature is around 81 and humidity around 50-55%, all his feeders are dusted with calcium without D3 and i give him calcium with D3 every other week in turn with multi vitamins. I feed him mainly with crickets and roaches, occasionally superworms and mealworms as a treat. I mist him every day with warm water. He's shedding these days and a bit grumpy, that's how i noticed those spots, cos he almost never hisses and gaps at me when he's in the mood, so i don't know exactly for how long those spots are there..
Any help would be appreciated!

 

[ERKleRose]

Could you fill out this form, please? And post a pic of his enclosure as well?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[MariaRusso]

• Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, male, 13 month. Have him for 10 month.
• Handling - Almost every day. He liked to walk in the room, so when it's time to go home i'm taking him there, he's used to hands.
• Feeding - mainly crickets and roaches, 10-12 feerers every other day, gut-loading mainly with lettuce, carrot and apple. Occasionally give him superworms and mealworms as a treat.
• Supplements - Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3 every feeding, with D3 twice a month, Exo Terra Multi Vitamin twice a month.
• Watering - Drippers and misting 3 times a day with warm water. He drinks quite a lot.
• Fecal Description - dark brown with white yellowish urate, he poops every 3th day or so but he has never been tested for parasites.
• History - no heath problems so far.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Glass 32X24X16
• Lighting - Exo Terra UVB 5.0, light bulb for basking and ceramic bulb for the night. 12 hours schedule.
• Temperature - at day around 81, at night 71
• Humidity - 50-55% humidity
• Plants - umbrella plant and ficus
• Placement -in my bedroom, low traffic area, no fans no vents, though he likes to spend a lot of time near the window where he has a ficus tree and another UVB Bulb, but since it's getting colder i've limited his free range time down to 3 hours per day. The top of the cage is about 5.5 foot from the floor.
• Location - Country of Georgia, Tbilisi

 

[ERKleRose]

• Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, male, 13 month. Have him for 10 month.
• Handling - Almost every day. He liked to walk in the room, so when it's time to go home i'm taking him there, he's used to hands.
• Feeding - mainly crickets and roaches, 10-12 feerers every other day, gut-loading mainly with lettuce, carrot and apple. Occasionally give him superworms and mealworms as a treat.
• Supplements - Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3 every feeding, with D3 twice a month, Exo Terra Multi Vitamin twice a month.
• Watering - Drippers and misting 3 times a day with warm water. He drinks quite a lot.
• Fecal Description - dark brown with white yellowish urate, he poops every 3th day or so but he has never been tested for parasites.
• History - no heath problems so far.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Glass 32X24X16
• Lighting - Exo Terra UVB 5.0, light bulb for basking and ceramic bulb for the night. 12 hours schedule.
• Temperature - at day around 81, at night 71
• Humidity - 50-55% humidity
• Plants - umbrella plant and ficus
• Placement -in my bedroom, low traffic area, no fans no vents, though he likes to spend a lot of time near the window where he has a ficus tree and another UVB Bulb, but since it's getting colder i've limited his free range time down to 3 hours per day. The top of the cage is about 5.5 foot from the floor.
• Location - Country of Georgia, Tbilisi

I personally wouldn’t handle that much, he probably just wants out of his cage. Lettuce is a horrible gutload, add some more organic fresh fruits and veggies from the gutload list in the food and nutrition tab in resources, or add in a quality commercial gutload like Pangea, Mazuri, Repashy, or Cricket Crack. The Exo Terra Multivitamin is crap, get the Zoo Med Reptivite, instead. How long do you mist him for? And how warm is the water? That cage is too small, he needs a minimum of 2’ by 2’ by 4’ tall. Also add more branches and vines, mostly horizontal, everywhere and some more plants/plant cover. I would also cover the ficus’ soil with rocks. Is your uvb a compact coil or linear uvb? You don’t need the ceramic heat emitter at night. What are the ambient and basking temps for during the day? Good job on puttting uvb in his free range, though!

 

[ERKleRose]

Could it be mouthrot?

 

[MariaRusso]

I personally wouldn’t handle that much, he probably just wants out of his cage. Lettuce is a horrible gutload, add some more organic fresh fruits and veggies from the gutload list in the food and nutrition tab in resources, or add in a quality commercial gutload like Pangea, Mazuri, Repashy, or Cricket Crack. The Exo Terra Multivitamin is crap, get the Zoo Med Reptivite, instead. How long do you mist him for? And how warm is the water? That cage is too small, he needs a minimum of 2’ by 2’ by 4’ tall. Also add more branches and vines, mostly horizontal, everywhere and some more plants/plant cover. I would also cover the ficus’ soil with rocks. Is your uvb a compact coil or linear uvb? You don’t need the ceramic heat emitter at night. What are the ambient and basking temps for during the day? Good job on puttting uvb in his free range, though!

So shouldn't I let him out at all? I don't want him to get stressed, he seems to really like it outside the cage.
I will check the list of veggies and will get zoo med Reptivite too , I kinda thought exo terra was a better brand though, does in mean that they have bad uvb-s too? the free range uvb is from HuntGold brand or smthn like that, maybe i should use it for cage too? both uvb-s are compact ones.
I mist him around 2 minutes maybe, water is definitely not hot, but warmer than room temperature. He drinks this warm water too. All soil is covered with rocks and i change the interior every 2 month, he had more branches before but almost never used all of them, so i though reducing would be better, but i sure can add more. And yeah i thought of changing the cage, but since he's outside half the day, haven't done it yet :/ But doesn't seem to be irritated with it, i mean when i put him back he just gets to the basking spot and just sits there without trying to get out again.
Temperature is 81 in basking spot and 77 ambient during the day.
So what can be the cause of those brown teeth? I've red about mouth rot just now, could that be it? I mean I always try to make him comfortable and happy, if there's anything i can change of course i'll do it, just need to know what, cos i really worry about my buddy Winston )

 

[MariaRusso]

Could it be mouthrot?

yeah i thought of it, but what's the treatment for that? any specific antibiotics or any environment conditions that should be changed maybe?

 

[ERKleRose]

So shouldn't I let him out at all? I don't want him to get stressed, he seems to really like it outside the cage.
I will check the list of veggies and will get zoo med Reptivite too , I kinda thought exo terra was a better brand though, does in mean that they have bad uvb-s too? the free range uvb is from HuntGold brand or smthn like that, maybe i should use it for cage too? both uvb-s are compact ones.
I mist him around 2 minutes maybe, water is definitely not hot, but warmer than room temperature. He drinks this warm water too. All soil is covered with rocks and i change the interior every 2 month, he had more branches before but almost never used all of them, so i though reducing would be better, but i sure can add more. And yeah i thought of changing the cage, but since he's outside half the day, haven't done it yet :/ But doesn't seem to be irritated with it, i mean when i put him back he just gets to the basking spot and just sits there without trying to get out again.
Temperature is 81 in basking spot and 77 ambient during the day.
So what can be the cause of those brown teeth? I've red about mouth rot just now, could that be it? I mean I always try to make him comfortable and happy, if there's anything i can change of course i'll do it, just need to know what, cos i really worry about my buddy Winston )

No, just maybe not daily. Having a free range spot is great for positive reinforcement of associating you with something good, so great job on that! Compact uvbs aren’t the best, when you get the money (if you don’t already have it), invest in a linear uvb fixture, like a T8 or t5HO, and bulb, like a 10.0 (only get a uvb that strong once you get a bigger cage), and an automated misting system while you’re at it. I wouldn’t constanly change the interior of the cage, chameleons don’t like change. Wow, he must be a lucky cham to have outside, free range, and a cage! But I would still fill in his cage more. He probably only stays in the basking spot because it is 10-15* too low, it should be between 90 and 95* with the ambient temp between 75 and 80*. Thank you for taking initiative, I really appreciate it! I’m no expert on mouth rot so maybe someone else can chime in to help you out on that end.

 

[MariaRusso]

No, just maybe not daily. Having a free range spot is great for positive reinforcement of associating you with something good, so great job on that! Compact uvbs aren’t the best, when you get the money (if you don’t already have it), invest in a linear uvb fixture, like a T8 or t5HO, and bulb, like a 10.0 (only get a uvb that strong once you get a bigger cage), and an automated misting system while you’re at it. I wouldn’t constanly change the interior of the cage, chameleons don’t like change. Wow, he must be a lucky cham to have outside, free range, and a cage! But I would still fill in his cage more. He probably only stays in the basking spot because it is 10-15* too low, it should be between 90 and 95* with the ambient temp between 75 and 80*. Thank you for taking initiative, I really appreciate it! I’m no expert on mouth rot so maybe someone else can chime in to help you out on that end.

Yeah he tolerates me pretty good i guess ))) In the room temperature is not that high in general ( around 72 during the day ) and especially when the weather is bad and cloudy he doesn't even want to leave the cage cos there's no sun on his favorite spot at the window, so everything goes around his will ))
Thanks for the uvb info, gonna check 'em for sure and yeah, hope someone will help me with this current problem as well

 

[MariaRusso]

No, just maybe not daily. Having a free range spot is great for positive reinforcement of associating you with something good, so great job on that! Compact uvbs aren’t the best, when you get the money (if you don’t already have it), invest in a linear uvb fixture, like a T8 or t5HO, and bulb, like a 10.0 (only get a uvb that strong once you get a bigger cage), and an automated misting system while you’re at it. I wouldn’t constanly change the interior of the cage, chameleons don’t like change. Wow, he must be a lucky cham to have outside, free range, and a cage! But I would still fill in his cage more. He probably only stays in the basking spot because it is 10-15* too low, it should be between 90 and 95* with the ambient temp between 75 and 80*. Thank you for taking initiative, I really appreciate it! I’m no expert on mouth rot so maybe someone else can chime in to help you out on that end.

btw which one should i get: Zoo Med Reptivite without D3 or with D3? probably without, right? since i already have calcium with d3 and give it twice a month wouldn't it be too much if these vitamins are also with d3?

 

[ERKleRose]

btw which one should i get: Zoo Med Reptivite without D3 or with D3? probably without, right? since i already have calcium with d3 and give it twice a month wouldn't it be too much if these vitamins are also with d3?

You can either do calcium with D3 and Reptivite without D3 or just get Reptivite with D3 and no longer use the calcium with D3, only use one D3 supplement

 

[MariaRusso]

You can either do calcium with D3 and Reptivite without D3 or just get Reptivite with D3 and no longer use the calcium with D3, only use one D3 supplement

Oh ok, thanks!!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

If your Cham willingly climbs up onto you I see no reason to deny him, he is telling you that’s what he wants.

 

[MariaRusso]

If your Cham willingly climbs up onto you I see no reason to deny him, he is telling you that’s what he wants.
View attachment 217104

Thanks for reply, info's real helpful! Have u seen attached pictures of his teeth? Maybe you can give me some advice with that too?

 

[MariaRusso]

Oh and I found some threads about Reptaid being a solution from parasites and infections on early stages, so can i use it in this case? If it won't harm of course?

 

[JacksJill]

Your pictures are a bit blurry but I'm not seeing anything but a bit of brownish coloring on the back teeth. Mouth rot would affect the tissues around the teeth and what I see looks normal. The mouth might not close or line up properly if there is a problem. I'm not seeing any of that.
I wouldn't give Reptaid unless I was sure I had a reason and it wouldn't be my first choice of treatment for parasites or infection. I would save my money and get something effective from a veterinarian rather waste time on something questionable.

 

[MariaRusso]

Your pictures are a bit blurry but I'm not seeing anything but a bit of brownish coloring on the back teeth. Mouth rot would affect the tissues around the teeth and what I see looks normal. The mouth might not close or line up properly if there is a problem. I'm not seeing any of that.
I wouldn't give Reptaid unless I was sure I had a reason and it wouldn't be my first choice of treatment for parasites or infection. I would save my money and get something effective from a veterinarian rather waste time on something questionable.

Oh that's a bit of a relief! Yeah I've rechecked and there's no other changes in or near the mouth except brown color of the teeth. So this is not ultimately a sign of diseise? Chams do have brown teeth sometimes? I just remember them being normal color and all of a sudden I'm seeing this, really made me panick..
I'm adding proper veggies for gutloading and already ordered Zoo Med's Reptivite. I also prefer to rather not give any medicaments on my own, but the problem is here in Georgia there are zero reptile vets and there's really no chance of getting proper consulting whatsoever, so when i see something out of common about Winston the only place i can get help is this forums and it's really helpful, cos i found answers for like thousands of questions throughout the topics here. This is my first reptile, i did a general reserch before getting him, but there's like always something popping up out of the blue and I'm constantly on internet with "is it normal?" questions ))) So i really, really appreciate all the feedback guys!! Thankss!