Grey patches on skin

[LearningLizard]

Help, my panther has grey patches on the tops of his front arms and back knees. Also just yesterday his skin on his crest and back are turning whitish, maybe shedding there? But I'm especially worried about the grey areas that have been there for several weeks.

Maybe related - We lost power for several days in freezing weather while I was traveling. A neighbor that was taking care of him tried to keep him warm but eventually gave up and took him to a reptile store to take care of him until our heat was back on. I was away for several weeks so I'm not sure when the grey patches started, but they have not healed and now the changes on his head and skin really have me worried.

Other things potentially related - I changed his UV bulb right before I left, and it is right next to his basking lamp, which he is spending more time under. Also, I have an auto-mister that comes on twice/day for 7 ½ and 2 ½ minutes, but I have been letting him spend whole days free-ranging across some branches I hung from the ceiling (he loves it!) with no water, so maybe he is dehydrated?

 

[Virgil1972]

It may be a burn or some kind of skin infection. I would recommend taking him to a vet. If he was at a pet shop he may have picked up something there.

 

[jajeanpierre]

It looks like a burn.

 

[mos.reptiles]

Looks like a burn! I recommend getting "Benson's Snake Oil', a topical skin treatment, to help it heal with little to no issues! You can visit www.lllreptile.com or www.bigappleherp.com to make an order! Hope this helps, if this doesn't work or the cham continues to develop these patches I'd seek a vet!

 

[Nursemaia]

I agree it looks like a burn. The vet can prescribe silvadene cream to help treat it

 

[kinyonga]

Flamazine is a good med for burns because you don't have to worry about the chameleon ingesting a bit of it or getting a bit in itsmeyes.

 

[BayChams]

Probably a burn

 

[LearningLizard]

Thanks so much for your feedback! Sounds like there is a lot of agreement that it is a burn. I've moved both the basking lamp and the UV lamp further back from the branch he likes to bask on but I'm wondering how far away to place them, and which is most likely to be causing a burn? If it's the heat lamp what temp would be hot enough to cause a burn? I'm thinking UV though because I did change the bulb recently. Not sure what a reasonable distance would be so that he still gets the rays but no burns? The UV is a zoo med Reptisun 10.0 UVB 13w mini bulb. The heat light is a Philips 53-watt Par 30 spot. Both are in 5.5" dome fixtures that sit side by side on top of his cage. His basking perch is 10" from the top of the cage, which brings his back within 7" of the base of the light.

Also there are three suggestions for ointments. Maybe any/all are good?

Thanks so much for helping my Cham. Had him for over a year and he is a sweetie!

 

[theintouchable88]

Thanks so much for your feedback! Sounds like there is a lot of agreement that it is a burn. I've moved both the basking lamp and the UV lamp further back from the branch he likes to bask on but I'm wondering how far away to place them, and which is most likely to be causing a burn? If it's the heat lamp what temp would be hot enough to cause a burn? I'm thinking UV though because I did change the bulb recently. Not sure what a reasonable distance would be so that he still gets the rays but no burns? The UV is a zoo med Reptisun 10.0 UVB 13w mini bulb. The heat light is a Philips 53-watt Par 30 spot. Both are in 5.5" dome fixtures that sit side by side on top of his cage. His basking perch is 10" from the top of the cage, which brings his back within 7" of the base of the light.

Also there are three suggestions for ointments. Maybe any/all are good?

Thanks so much for helping my Cham. Had him for over a year and he is a sweetie!

I'm no expert but from what I've read, the 10.0 is too strong unless u have a big cage and it's really dense with foliage. The recommended is the 5.0 reptisun. Reptilglo, or 6% Arcadia. Maybe looking through the forum will tell u if the 10.0 is responsible for the burns

 

[walzy444]

Dammit i think my lil guy got burned too.. ughhh i put a new 5.0 uvb bulb in and its like 4" -5" from his top branch.. now i just saw half his back and head are brown/white but the other side of him is fine... i moved his vines lower, gotta jack the light up now.. dammitttt.... he has tons of leaves to get away from it.. he prob fell asleep too long like i did in florida n got heat stroke...

 

[walzy444]

I agree it looks like a burn. The vet can prescribe silvadene cream to help treat it

I have That silvadene burn cream from my motorcycle burn.. Dr told me to get it over the counter at CVS pharmacy.. can I use the same stuff on my 3 month old? just q-tip a tiny bit on.. I also have Vitamin E and aloe creams/oils...

 

[Nursemaia]

Silvadene cream is not over the counter, prescription only

 

[LearningLizard]

I'm waiting for the vet to call me back. Hopefully I can get some ointment without having to subject him to the trauma of taking him in.

thanks for the UV bulb feedback. Maybe a Reptisun 5.0 tube is better? What size would you recommend for a 24"x24"x48" screen cage? how high?

 

[Decadancin]

The UVB lamps are likely not responsible for burns. These are mostly caused by basking sites that are too hot. That is from basking bulbs (household incandescent) and getting too close.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

The UVB lamps are not responsible for burns.

Incorrect. There are documented instances where the bulb was putting out too much UVB. For example the first generation Zoo Med compact fluorescent lights did cause burns and eye issues. Enough to where Zoo Med had to redo the product. I still have one of those first gen bulbs. You can't use it on a reptile but it grows plants really well.

The vast majority of UVB lights do not cause an issue, I do agree those are from an incandescent light most likely

 

[wavingsnail]

Silvadene cream is not over the counter, prescription only

It depends on location. Most of our Rx only medications are available over the counter in other countries.

 

[Nursemaia]

It depends on location. Most of our Rx only medications are available over the counter in other countries.

True, I should've put a qualifier on that. It requires a prescription in the USA

 

[Decadancin]

Incorrect. There are documented instances where the bulb was putting out too much UVB. For example the first generation Zoo Med compact fluorescent lights did cause burns and eye issues. Enough to where Zoo Med had to redo the product. I still have one of those first gen bulbs. You can't use it on a reptile but it grows plants really well.

The vast majority of UVB lights do not cause an issue, I do agree those are from an incandescent light most likely

Fixed... as always, nothing is an absolute...