Chameleon skin bumps that look like barnicles

Glittergloomgirl

Glittergloomgirl

New Member
Hey All,

One of my Chams has recently developed 2 little scabby areas.
Ive seen these on other chams in pictures on the internet and stuff. I was wondering what they were, these bumps look like little barnicles on the skin.

Does anyone else's chams get these and what are they? See the yellow males chin, I sort of picked picked that barnicle thing off :rolleyes:. lol

anyway....



Thanks Noelle
 
I don't know what the bumps are, but what a beautiful baby!!! What kind is he? If you have babies let me know.
 
Has he been sneaking out at night? Possibly carousing with some lady chams of questionable morals? :eek: From what I've heard/read, if it is a "growth" as Dean was asking, they are often related to a virus (similar to the big H.) Hopefully it's just some bug juice and not the gift that keeps on givin'. I haven't heard of the viral condition ever becoming deleterious to an otherwise healthy chameleon and, as far as I know, are just annoying to the keeper.
 
Kent67 said:
Has he been sneaking out at night? Possibly carousing with some lady chams of questionable morals? :eek: From what I've heard/read, if it is a "growth" as Dean was asking, they are often related to a virus (similar to the big H.) Hopefully it's just some bug juice and not the gift that keeps on givin'. I haven't heard of the viral condition ever becoming deleterious to an otherwise healthy chameleon and, as far as I know, are just annoying to the keeper.
Click to expand...

Haha. The big H. Funny Hairfarm ;P ok ok. Mr. Kent.
 
You got him pegged hes definitely doing a lot of carousing in the red light district, multiple partners :eek:. Having lots of babies hatching soon. ;)

It just seems like a little scab.
 
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Kent67 said..."I haven't heard of the viral condition ever becoming deleterious to an otherwise healthy chameleon and, as far as I know, are just annoying to the keeper"...I have had a couple of WC's come in with what tested out to be a pox virus that killed the chameleon...it presented itself as tiny "pimples" all over the body. I can't be sure without looking it up but as I remember it, the chameleon had no health issues show up on the autopsy.

What Glittergloomgirl's chameleon may not be the same thing. Did it start off like a pimple?

There are quite a few viruses cases reported in chameleons....
Occurrence of an Invertebrate Iridescent-Like Virus....
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1439-0450.2001.00495.x?journalCode=jvb.1

Chlamydial and poxvirus infections of circulating monocytes of a flap-necked chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis)...
http://lib.bioinfo.pl/meid:18993

Lizard erythrocytic virus in east African chameleons...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8445790
 
kinyonga said:
Kent67 said..."I haven't heard of the viral condition ever becoming deleterious to an otherwise healthy chameleon and, as far as I know, are just annoying to the keeper"...I have had a couple of WC's come in with what tested out to be a pox virus that killed the chameleon...it presented itself as tiny "pimples" all over the body. I can't be sure without looking it up but as I remember it, the chameleon had no health issues show up on the autopsy.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's the first time I've actually heard of something like that becoming lethal. Do you know how it actually killed? Immuno-suppression or something? Was it possible to have any bloodwork done for platelet counts?

As for what I said above, I've always thought of these types of infections as being opportunistic in how and when they flourish. Due to the stresses of capture, being held for a while, and then being shipped halfway around the world, not to mention the other parasitic organisms they are likely to be exposed to in the wild and in exporter's/importer's facilities, I wouldn't include them in the "otherwise healthy" category in the same way I would a captive bred panther or veiled with no medical history.
 
The bumps dont look exactly that. Well now Im not sure cause those bumps have that green coloration. They look more like little grey volcanos, with a flaky texture. He has one on his chin, neck and I noticed a real small one on his side.

The bumps on that chameleon, what did your vet say they were? That looks like a very interesting case study.
 
Howdy,

I know what you are describing as a barnacle. Sorry that I didn't get a chance yet to photograph one of the 2-3 on my Panther. I had my vet look at them about a year ago. I didn't get much of an answer as to what they are. I've had discussions with other keepers that describe them as caused by a virus or bacteria. I didn't get any more than the few that popped-up all at about the same time. It is as if that single scale erupts and then the process stops. The damage certainly doesn't go away very fast if ever. I wouldn't pick at them either. It doesn't seem to help things :(. One of these days I'll get a photo...
 
You asked..."The bumps on that chameleon, what did your vet say they were? That looks like a very interesting case study"...they said it tested out as a pox virus. Samples were requested (by a vet who is studying pox) to be sent to the States by the vet clinic...but they were never sent.

Nothing was done for this chameleon in spite of me phoning back to say that it was declining in health rapidly in the week or so since the vet visit.

This is not the only lizard I have seen with this type of lesion...but in one of the other cases the test came back as bacterial. The lizard (a conehead) was given amikacin, but died in about 3 days.

All the lizards I have seen this on have died too.
 
Hey Dave,

Sounds like that is the problem I am having. Did you use anything to clean the area like nolvasan solution or betadine solution? Or did you just leave it be?
 
Im am truly sorry, that your chameleons passed. I want to thank you for giving me all those articles they were very interesting. I am always happy to learn new things.

Thanks for your advice
Noelle
 
Glittergloomgirl said:
Hey Dave,

Sounds like that is the problem I am having. Did you use anything to clean the area like nolvasan solution or betadine solution? Or did you just leave it be?
Click to expand...
The vet opened-up one of the barnacles that was located next to one of his dorsal spikes. I used Nolvasan and Silvadene to keep it from getting any external contamination that could lead to an infection.
 
Hey :) So I spoke to my vet today and she didnt seem to concerned about the bumps. I told her I picked them off and such. She just said if it happens again let her see it. Sorry its not a better answer but its all I have to offer....:rolleyes:
 
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