Chameleon spike falling off?

[SoberParrots]

Hey there. My veiled chameleon is about 2 years old now. He had a burn on his back and his crest which was treated by the vet. His recent shed has caused some stuck shed around his back. I upped the humidity and a lot of it came off. But what I noticed was a single spike on his back had started to come off with the shed and was bleeding a little bit.

I put some medicine on his back for burns and I cleaned it off. Is there anything I can do to help or prevent this in the future?

I attached pictures of his spikes (with the medicine on it) and the medicine i use which was prescribed by the vet. Also his set up as well.

He wasn’t badly bleeding. Just a small bit, and the spike hasn’t fully come off just yet.

 

[Flick boy]

Hi so I see you've been a member for quite a bit ,do you have pictures of your full enclosure including lights, what are your temps at basking? And how close is your basking branch

 

[SoberParrots]

Hi so I see you've been a member for quite a bit ,do you have pictures of your full enclosure including lights, what are your temps at basking? And how close is your basking branch

Hey.

I provided pictures of everything. His lamp is about a foot and an inch away from his basking branch, his basking branch is 83 degrees.

His cage is also infront of a window.

 

[elizaann2]

It looks like thermal burns

 

[SoberParrots]

It looks like thermal burns

He’s had thermal burns in the past that have been treated by the vet and he was prescribed the cream shown. I applied that onto his back to potentially help him. - wondering if this might be more thermal burns or possibly just a result of the past burns.

 

[Flick boy]

Hey.

I provided pictures of everything. His lamp is about a foot and an inch away from his basking branch, his basking branch is 83 degrees.

His cage is also infront of a window.

What type of heat light are you and what wattage the branch at the top looks really close to your heat also you need a linear uvb fixture either a zoomed t5 ho 5% or an arcadia t5ho 6% , ( with out this they cannot grow properly or digest food or absorb supplements properly. Also there is a lot of space in your enclosure, which is a good size but adding more branches will make the most of their space and give lots of different places to explore and also you could look in to getting more plants, this helps with not only humidity, cleaner air but safe places to hide and feel secure

 

[SoberParrots]

What type of heat light are you and what wattage the branch at the top looks really close to your heat also you need a linear uvb fixture either a zoomed t5 ho 5% or an arcadia t5ho 6% , ( with out this they cannot grow properly or digest food or absorb supplements properly. Also there is a lot of space in your enclosure, which is a good size but adding more branches will make the most of their space and give lots of different places to explore and also you could look in to getting more plants, this helps with not only humidity, cleaner air but safe places to hide and feel secure

I use a 75 watt Arcadia bulb at the top. - I also have the t5, but I thought that the sun would replace the linear. But I will get that set back up.

I am working on his enclosure, so plants will arrive shortly

 

[Flick boy]

The thing is if the temp is measuring 85 ( right on top of the top branch then you add the height of your chameleon it is going to be way hotter

 

[Flick boy]

The sun / uvb will not penetrate through glass

 

[SoberParrots]

The thing is if the temp is measuring 85 ( right on top of the top branch then you add the height of your chameleon it is going to be way hotter

Thank you for the replies. I’m moving the fixture up and measuring the temp. Also reordering the t5 uvb bulb. Thank you

 

[elizaann2]

He’s had thermal burns in the past that have been treated by the vet and he was prescribed the cream shown. I applied that onto his back to potentially help him. - wondering if this might be more thermal burns or possibly just a result of the past burns.

Got it. I'm not sure on that actually. I apologize.

 

[Tkrd69]

Don't know where you are located at but in Florida I don't need basking bulb on now at all with 1 t5ho uvb light and 2 t5ho plant lights going during the day. Is that a halogen bulb? If so they project heat a lot further than a household light bulb. Hopefully it will heal up.

 

[MzLaurie11]

One thing is burns take a long time to heal. I know you have the urge to help things along, but the best course of action is to leave it alone and let the molt come off on its own. put a bit of the silver cream on the area that is bleeding as it has an antibiotic in it. do not touch any burnt area with an ungloved hand even if it has molted several times. The molt is staying on longer as protection. The burn did not hit the muscles so that is good and the spikes r growing back. They will not line up like they used to and their shapes maybe different but that is of no concern. the biggest thing you can do is fix whatever caused this to begin with. its hard getting plants up high with a 4' cage but zip ties and hanging plants help. Also a broad leafed plant like monstera hold up well under the lights and provide shade areas up high.