Do burns heal?

[GlennFrog]

I'm really worried about my girl hanging out too close to the heat lamp and getting a burn, so I've only been running the heat lamp while I'm home and can watch her. I live in So Cal, so it's pretty temperate all day. If she did get burned, would it heal up over time, or would the burned patch stay burned? I'm definitely scared to leave the heat on unattended; is there a general rule of thumb for distance from highest perch to heat lamp? I really don't want to open her up to any unnecessary risks. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[mhfan305]

You can elevate the basking bulb and move the basking perch closer to the top. You'll have to play with the distance of the bulb until the correct temperature is there.


Also, I'm pretty sure burns heal. They just show up as patches.

 

[Carlton]

I'm really worried about my girl hanging out too close to the heat lamp and getting a burn, so I've only been running the heat lamp while I'm home and can watch her. I live in So Cal, so it's pretty temperate all day. If she did get burned, would it heal up over time, or would the burned patch stay burned? I'm definitely scared to leave the heat on unattended; is there a general rule of thumb for distance from highest perch to heat lamp? I really don't want to open her up to any unnecessary risks. Thanks in advance for any help.

Of course a burn can heal. How much of a scar would remain depends on how severe the burn happened to be and whether it got infected.

The key, as was already mentioned, is to adjust the basking light so the temperature directly under it at the basking perch is correct (check the correct temps on the husbandry pages under resources). You can move the lamp fixture farther or closer to the top of the cage. Also, to provide a network of perches at varying distances from the heat for her.

 

[GlennFrog]

What's the best way to elevate the heat bulb? Blocks of wood, plastic cups? Also, how long does it take to heal a burn? I'm thinking that she already has a slight burn on her head, which is why I'm cutting back on heat lamp access. She's shed since I first saw the gray portion on her casque, but it's still there. I want her to be as healthy as possible, so I'd rather not turn on the heat lamp before I find a suitable way to adjust the heat provided. Thanks for the help, guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[mhfan305]

Build some PVC tower and have the top portion hanging over the top of the cage. And hang the dome with a clamp. You can get PVC at homedepot. You can use a lower wattage bulb for basking for now. The chameleon needs a basking bulb.

 

[GlennFrog]

Just for reference, I have a 50w basking bulb installed on top of her enclosure. I measured the temp as in the mid-high 80s with the lamp on, so I'm not sure how she was burned in the first place. I used a digital thermometer gun to measure the temp in her basking spot. It's just the grey streak on her face that worries me.

 

[mhfan305]

She probably climbed on the top screen and stayed underneith the bulb. That's why you should elevate the bulb so she can't get right up to it where it's probably 100+ degrees.

 

[carol5208]

Their casque can be grey in color especially around the edges. It might not be a burn at all. Post a pic and let us see what you are talking about.

 

[GlennFrog]

Sorry that some of them are upside down; I didn't realize my phone had auto-rotated.

 

[GlennFrog]

Anybody have an opinion on if she's burned or not? Her ridges are more yellow than grey, but I don't trust myself to make that distinction.

 

[Thompson]

She does not look burned to me.

 

[Carlton]

She does not look burned to me.

I agree. She looks lovely and healthy!

 

[GlennFrog]

Excellent news! Thanks for the help guys. I feel a lot better now.

 

[ridgebax1]

As the others have said she does not look burned at all. The best way to treat a burn is to not let it happen. Attention to the cage is a big part of that. I had a male who got a pretty bad burn when he was able to pull down the screening from the top of his cage and crawled up and was directly in contact with the bulb. I felt horrible. It was very difficult to care for in that I believe it was quiet tender to touch and he winced every time I put medication on it. It had started to heal but then he got a URI and between the two passed away. So I think you are on the right track with keeping the bulb away from the top of the cage.

 

[Andee]

I have my light raised on some small cinder blocks above the cage. My panther boy Ryker got burned pretty badly when I was accidentally using a halogen bulb, had no idea that got hotter than regular bulbs. Sadly he got severely burned before I realized what it was and what was causing it. I ended up taking him to the vet, changing the bulb back to a regular 65 watt, and getting an infared thermometer. He was put on silvadine or however you spell it >.> and he is now starting to shed his scar. Though I gotta admit the shed skin is quite thick and he gets rather itchy, either way it does eventually get better and it eventually ends up looking like weird patches in their color on their skin. Slowly but surely it gets better ^^

 

[GlennFrog]

^Good to know. I'm just really relieved that Rinoa's not burned after all. I'm going to try to keep it that way, too. Thanks again for all the help and advice, guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[Yakoman]

Of course a burn can heal. How much of a scar would remain depends on how severe the burn happened to be and whether it got infected.

The key, as was already mentioned, is to adjust the basking light so the temperature directly under it at the basking perch is correct (check the correct temps on the husbandry pages under resources). You can move the lamp fixture farther or closer to the top of the cage. Also, to provide a network of perches at varying distances from the heat for her.

 

[Yakoman]

Hi are these burns? If so will they heal?

 

[CJ's Exotics]

That looks like a burn. Please make a thread about that.

 

[kinyonga]

One more hint...put your hand inside the cage at the closest place she can get to...usually the underside of the screen lid...if you can't hold your hand there without having to move it then she can get burned.