Burnt after shedding?

[dlaunde]

So tonight I noticed a black spot on my 18 month Panther, Ares, that hadn't been there before. He is just getting done shedding so I figured maybe he injured some scales. But then I noticed right behind the spot is also a little dark discoloration to his color that looks like maybe he burnt himself.

His cage is 24*24*48 with a UVB 10.0 T8 bulb and two 50w Halogen lights. Basking temps at the tallest branches are around 95 degrees.

What should I do? Keep an eye on it and let it go on its own? Put something on it?

If it is a burn, how would it happen considering he's never burnt himself in this cage before?

His appetite and feces is still perfect (just ate some hornworms today and had a great looking bowel movement lol).

Thanks!

 

[dlaunde]

Update.

It's scanning over (spot is raised now). I took him out today and cleaned the area with some cotton swabs and a mix of water+hydrogen peroxide. It bubbled some as expected but he didn't mind at all.

In terms of wound care, anything else I should be doing?

In terms of the burn, the only way I could see him doing it is if he was pressed up against the top of the cage right under the light but even then with my hand touching it it would take about 5 seconds to start getting uncomfortably warm. And the highest branch is low enough he can't touch the top of the cage if he's basking... He would need to purposely climb on the top screen to do it. Is this something that can happen from time to time and they "learn"?

 

[Scottsquatch]

From what I understand, they do not really feel themselves burn. I just started a thread about this very issue as I am currently setting up a new enclosure. It was suggested that I have a space between the basking light and top of the screen. Also, I am only well read on chams at this point as I have only kept anolis and geckos, but 95 is a bit warm for a panther. A lot of keepers go with a basking temp of 86F. I wish you and your cham the best of luck in his recovery.

 

[dlaunde]

I'll bump my halogens down to 25watt versions and see how that works.

 

[Angelwolf]

I was thinking 95 was pretty hot, too. It looks like there are 2 burns. Watch for signs of infection and take him to the vet, just to be sure it isnt something else, like broken ribs from a fall or anything else. I would keep a close eye on him.

 

[Angelwolf]

Personally, I don't use halogens. I feel like the light beam is focust too tightly for chams, and if they sit there long enough, even at a distance, they can still burn. I use 1 100w incandescent household bulb and it seems to work great. The warm area is broader, but still provides the right amount of heat.

 

[dlaunde]

I was thinking 95 was pretty hot, too. It looks like there are 2 burns. Watch for signs of infection and take him to the vet, just to be sure it isnt something else, like broken ribs from a fall or anything else. I would keep a close eye on him.

Personally, I don't use halogens. I feel like the light beam is focust too tightly for chams, and if they sit there long enough, even at a distance, they can still burn. I use 1 100w incandescent household bulb and it seems to work great. The warm area is broader, but still provides the right amount of heat.

Thanks. He doesn't withdraw at all to pain when I was swabbing the area and he's climbing and exploring like normal.

I am only using halogens because they are built into the canopy light (Exo Terra) so it's a better form factor. I'll try 25w halogens and see how they do for basking temps.

Stupid question but those wouldn't be UV burns, right? The UV card I have says the levels are mild to moderate but just thought I'd ask.

Thanks!

 

[KeopiCat]

I'm guessing they are regular burns. I did a little research on Panthers and it said 90F maximum as the hot spot. The extra heat is likely the issue.

 

[Graves923]

Id move the light up or the branch down until you can get a lower watt bulb. Definitely looks like a burn. Keep it clean and keep an eye on it and it should heal fine.

 

[dlaunde]

I'm guessing they are regular burns. I did a little research on Panthers and it said 90F maximum as the hot spot. The extra heat is likely the issue.

Id move the light up or the branch down until you can get a lower watt bulb. Definitely looks like a burn. Keep it clean and keep an eye on it and it should heal fine.

Thanks!

Just put in 25w bulbs. Will measure Temps as they warm up.

I have a place holder appointment with my reptile vet for Monday afternoon just in case the burn gets infected or doesn't get better. Over the weekend is there anything special I should do? Is cleaning it with some peroxide helpful or not necessary?

 

[Carlton]

Peroxide can be hard on new tissue. There is a great topical for burns but you may need to ask a vet for it. Silvadene. It will protect against infection, physically protect the new tissues, and speed up healing. I don't know if there's an OTC generic, but a search may help find one based on the active silver ingredient.

 

[Zephalia]

Personally, I don't use halogens. I feel like the light beam is focust too tightly for chams, and if they sit there long enough, even at a distance, they can still burn. I use 1 100w incandescent household bulb and it seems to work great. The warm area is broader, but still provides the right amount of heat.

Precisely. I also use a regular good old dollar store 100 watt incandescent bulb.

I agree that this appears to be a burn, likely from the halogen lighting. It would be best to switch to these bulbs vs. halogen as the heat is more generally spread and not focused.

I keep a 89-90F basking spot for my male adult panthers. Don't go any higher that that.

Carlton's suggestion of Silvadene would be the best course of treatment for a burn such as this.

 

[Nursemaia]

Ditch the halogens and the UV cards. They already explained why you should get rid of the halogen. You need to ditch the UV card because it measures if there is any UV output not UVB output all by itself. So it could give you a positive reading but the bulb isn't putting out the correct wavelength for the cham to process Vit D. The only way to tell if a bulb is still putting out the correct light is to test it with a solarmeter

 

[dlaunde]

Thanks all. I'll move things around to accommodate a normal incandescent bulb and dome in the next few days. And look at a solar meter.

Regarding ointment, is there any risk of him trying to "lick" it off like a normal pet might or will he likely not even notice or care?

 

[Zephalia]

Thanks all. I'll move things around to accommodate a normal incandescent bulb and dome in the next few days. And look at a solar meter.

Regarding ointment, is there any risk of him trying to "lick" it off like a normal pet might or will he likely not even notice or care?

He will not be bothered by it or attempt to ingest it.

 

[dlaunde]

Ordered a new slimline T5 HO fixture + T5 HO 5.0 UVB bulb so I can now fit a standard Dome with an Incandescent bulb (will try 75w first, then 100w if needed).
Also, going to put a little Mecca ointment on the burn. It's a Canadian OTC for minor burns. Active ingredients are Phenol, Camphor, and Zinc Oxide. Will keep a steady eye on the healing process.

Just curious why he burnt himself now and not at anytime in the past.

 

[Angelwolf]

He probably just sat in one spot too long. It can happen. Ambient room temperature will contribute as well. Being that it's summer time now, and he was probably younger last summer and was more tolerant of the higher temps. He was also smaller, so the top of his back wasn't up there as close to the bulb either. Not to mention, a burn can accumulate over time. Similar to a sunburn.

 

[dlaunde]

Just an update.

Ares is healing fine. He LOVED getting the Mecca ointment put on. Literally just laid on my forearm and didn't budge a muscle everytime I put it in.

New bulb setup is done. He seems to like it better.

Also pretty sure I know why he burnt himself. I had the ceiling fan off last week when normally it's always on. Probably helped temperatures get hotter than usual in the cage. Never again.

 

[Angelwolf]

Thanks for the update! Glad he's healing and glad you figured out the cause quickly!