Chameleon tail turning black and scabbing

[jannb]

You could try Dr. Harris. I’d call and ask if he has chameleon experience.
https://www.poplarvillevet.com/OurServices/Exotics.aspx

Here’s another that sees exotics. Dr. Ricks
https://www.townandcountryanimalhospitalhattiesburg.com/team-member/tom-ricks-dvm/

My friend uses Bottle Tree Animal hospital in Oxford. She says they are not specialist but ok with chameleons.

 

[MzLaurie11]

Oh btw when you buy hornworms also buy dry food for them that you can make yourself. All they do is eat and will die after food runs out. I tried making my own nothing worked so just buy. All of this is cheaper then a vet visit.

Speaking of different insects… I moved to Mississippi about a year ago, and I have yet to find a good pet store that supplies anything other than crickets. Do you know of any online sources for insects?

Try rainbowmealworms.com. They charge for shipping but their prices are good and I have never had an issue.

 

[MzLaurie11]

Yeah, when this first started it looked like he had been scraped or something of that nature. I hate that my little dude may have burned himself but I’m glad no one has yet to comment something worse. How far do you all recommend his lights be from his basking spot? Maybe where he’s older he’s a little lazier and just getting burnt? Not sure. He’s still a tough little dude. Climbs around all day and still loves to eat. I’ll definitely get him some greens today and I’ll also ask the vet about some burn ointment. Thanks for your feed back! I will definitely keep the forum updated.

No ointment, silver cream better. Ointment builds up and dirt tends to stick to it. I posted some different stages of my boys burns. He climbed up into a heater and was stuck next to the pilot light. The pics with his buddy Taz are mist recent and the burns are seven months old. Healing slowly but surely. Make sure to wear gloves when tending to him. My vet was very adament about that. Also I turned off the basking light for about a month and took him for walks in the sun and indirect sun so the burn wouldnt get worse. As long as he is eating and getting enough hydration he should ne fine

 

[ERKleRose]

No ointment, silver cream better. Ointment builds up and dirt tends to stick to it. I posted some different stages of my boys burns. He climbed up into a heater and was stuck next to the pilot light. The pics with his buddy Taz are mist recent and the burns are seven months old. Healing slowly but surely. Make sure to wear gloves when tending to him. My vet was very adament about that. Also I turned off the basking light for about a month and took him for walks in the sun and indirect sun so the burn wouldnt get worse. As long as he is eating and getting enough hydration he should ne fine

In case you didn’t know/for future reference, cats shouldn’t be around chams because you never know. Also, since you are new (hello and welcome to the forums!), it’s always a good idea to get your husbandry reviewed. Just from the pics, there are adjustments to be made in the cage, like replacing all fake plants with veiled-tested live plants, removing the hammock, and to stop fogging in the cage during the day, along with making sure your temps are right. So we don’t hijack this thread, it‘d be best to start your own with the husbandry form filled out in as much detail as possible, including more pics of your cham, his entire enclosure, and his lights.

 

[MzLaurie11]

In case you didn’t know/for future reference, cats shouldn’t be around chams because you never know. Also, since you are new (hello and welcome to the forums!), it’s always a good idea to get your husbandry reviewed. Just from the pics, there are adjustments to be made in the cage, like replacing all fake plants with veiled-tested live plants, removing the hammock, and to stop fogging in the cage during the day, along with making sure your temps are right. So we don’t hijack this thread, it‘d be best to start your own with the husbandry form filled out in as much detail as possible, including more pics of your cham, his entire enclosure, and his lights.

I totaly understand about cats and do agree. Especially since chams tails are like a cat toy for cats. However my cat adores Iggy and is only allowed to be near him when they are both on me. the pic of the cage was taken when my son first brought him here after he rescued him. So cage is different now. Thank you for your concern.

 

[The.pascal.show]

Hey there! I don’t know anything about what’s going on with your guys tail, but i wanted to reach out and say hi because i saw that you’re in the same area as me! If you do end up finding a good vet anywhere near the Jackson, MS area feel free to let me know and ill do the same for you if i find one!

 

[ChamCham69]

No ointment, silver cream better. Ointment builds up and dirt tends to stick to it. I posted some different stages of my boys burns. He climbed up into a heater and was stuck next to the pilot light. The pics with his buddy Taz are mist recent and the burns are seven months old. Healing slowly but surely. Make sure to wear gloves when tending to him. My vet was very adament about that. Also I turned off the basking light for about a month and took him for walks in the sun and indirect sun so the burn wouldnt get worse. As long as he is eating and getting enough hydration he should ne fine

Thank you for posting pictures for me to compare! Here is are a couple pictures from today. The scab looks like it’s wanting to fall off. I notice some fresh “skin” under it. I was worried about seeing the news skin but it looks like your chameleon shed its scab and is left with his fresh skin (pink). I did put some bacterial ointment on the scab (using a q tip) and I’ve been spraying it with water to clean it out.

 

[ChamCham69]

You could try Dr. Harris. I’d call and ask if he has chameleon experience.
https://www.poplarvillevet.com/OurServices/Exotics.aspx

Here’s another that sees exotics. Dr. Ricks
https://www.townandcountryanimalhospitalhattiesburg.com/team-member/tom-ricks-dvm/

My friend uses Bottle Tree Animal hospital in Oxford. She says they are not specialist but ok with chameleons.

Thank you for the extra recommendations! They may come in handy!

 

[ChamCham69]

Update:

Attached are two photos from today. Literally the day I posted this thread Cam must have jumped down to his cricket box and on impact, busted his tail open. I only assume he busted his tail open because it was not showing “fresh skin” when I posted the thread, and after I found him on the floor trying to get his crickets, I could see some pink skin… I put some bacterial ointment on it using a q-tip day of, and today I just got done spraying it with water to clean off the ointment for a fresh dose.

Another chameleon lover posted a photo of their cham recovering from a burn, and the look of the “fresh skin” on their cham looks about the same as mine. All the signs are pointing to a burn.
What do you all think about these new pictures?

 

[Lindasjackson]

Has he ever been to a vet to make sure it’s a burn? It just looks so deep into his tail! I’d want to make sure that’s all it is and not a fungus eating away at it.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Can you post pics of your entire Cham as well as his enclosure and lights so we can give you some tips so it won’t happen again if it is a burn?

 

[ChamCham69]

Has he ever been to a vet to make sure it’s a burn? It just looks so deep into his tail! I’d want to make sure that’s all it is and not a fungus eating away at it.

Yes, of course. If you scroll back to the beginning of the forum I state that he has been to the vet three times for this issue. Vet is not sure what it is. Fungal medicine nor antibiotics have worked. Next step is a biopsy.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Oh I’m sorry, never mind, you already did.

 

[ChamCham69]

Can you post pics of your entire Cham as well as his enclosure and lights so we can give you some tips so it won’t happen again if it is a burn?

Again, please scroll to the beginning of the forum. I have also posted updated photos today.

I think by now most interested people are waiting for an update on his progress. Most seem sure it’s a burn.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Ok sorry!

 

[ChamCham69]

Ok sorry!

No worries!

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."Fungal medicine nor antibiotics have worked"...what fungal medicine was used?

 

[ChamCham69]

You said..."Fungal medicine nor antibiotics have worked"...what fungal medicine was used?

Miconazole lotion 120ml applied twice a day until the bottle ran out.

 

[MzLaurie11]

Update:

Attached are two photos from today. Literally the day I posted this thread Cam must have jumped down to his cricket box and on impact, busted his tail open. I only assume he busted his tail open because it was not showing “fresh skin” when I posted the thread, and after I found him on the floor trying to get his crickets, I could see some pink skin… I put some bacterial ointment on it using a q-tip day of, and today I just got done spraying it with water to clean off the ointment for a fresh dose.

Another chameleon lover posted a photo of their cham recovering from a burn, and the look of the “fresh skin” on their cham looks about the same as mine. All the signs are pointing to a burn.
What do you all think about these new pictures?View attachment 307130View attachment 307131

Thanks for the updated pics. One of the pics i showed you is really hard to make out. But the spikes had hardened and turned black all the while underneather was regenerating and actually pushed off the dead spikes on its own. It looked so horrible and i took mine back to the vet. Who infomed me that all was well, to continue with the silver cream and explained that the spikes may never grow back but as long as that area was shedding normally that color may return but that it would just take a long time and that the shed may stay on longer than other areas toact as a prorective barrier for new skin below. with mine, the color is slowing retuning to the pink areas and new spikes are growing back too. If this happened in your cham's cage then he is still in danger and you have go figure it out. is it possible that your little guy got on top of the cage where his tail may have touched the metal on the lights? For some reason i keep seeing that in my head? dont mind me. I am just weird like that. I am so happy you are posting the progress because there really isnt much on the web about cham burns.

 

[Beman]

I totaly understand about cats and do agree. Especially since chams tails are like a cat toy for cats. However my cat adores Iggy and is only allowed to be near him when they are both on me. the pic of the cage was taken when my son first brought him here after he rescued him. So cage is different now. Thank you for your concern.

Your chameleon does not adore the cat. That is a natural predator. You are causing stress that the cham does not need especially when it is going through a thermal burn and the body is trying to heal it. All your doing is causing stress that in turn lowers the chams immune system. This will make it harder for his body to fight infection that a burn can cause.