Leon is now 6 1/2 months old, but since his last shed (he shed one body part at a time practically), I hope you can see in the picture where he has a "line" towards the back of his body where the back of him still has what appears to be unshed skin. Any suggestions? Ideas?
Hi!
It's amazing how much my 8 month old male Veil looks like Leon in coloring!!
My Male has that incomplete shedding line on his casque that has been there for several weeks.
So long as your Chameleon is alert and eating, drinking, and pooping normally, it's all part of its growth where they can get incomplete shedding lines. You took a great pic of Leon! He looks like he is "king of his turf" and looks extremely healthy and alert so I wouldn't be concerned.
Suggestions: Put him underneath your kitchen faucet and use a gentle stream of warm water to wet his entire body. Might help in accelerating the shedding process or mist him with warms water more frequently. My Veil is very used to being placed in my kitchen sink and having warm water drizzled all over his body which helps in softening his shedding skin/lines and/or when the weather is hot and humidy is low.
Your kitchen faucet?? Even though you might think your chameleon is "germ-freee" there is no way I would bathe a chameleon in the same sink that my food and dishes were washed in.
"Regardless of the species, many lizards carry Salmonella bacteria; thus their cages and feeding bowls should be kept away from human food, and any surface they have contact with outside of their enclosures should be disinfected." http://www.avianexoticsvet.com/AEVcare.php?species=lizard
I was thinking that I could fill my big mister/sprayer that holds a few gallons with some warmer water, put him on his outside potted tree, and give him a good shower. This guy is the most handleable easy going chameleon there is, so it will be easy.
Hi again,
Should explain in more detail regarding putting your C. in your kitchen sink as far as cleaniness is concerned.
I have a double sink. The one that I use is not used to clean dirty dishes in. I understand the concern for cleaniness but even if you have one kitchen sink without a divider and it is first cleaned out with antiobiotic soap before you put your C. in it, I can't see why that would still be a problem with santitation. When I posted my original reply, it was assumed that you're not going to put your C. in a sink that is not meticously clean in the first place. Maybe I assume wrong and people need to be initially informed to make sure "to clean your sink well with antiobiotic liquid soap and then rinsed well before putting your C. in it."
Cristine, the issue is not cleaning it for your veiled's safety, it is for the safety of YOU and your family. All reptiles carry samonella bacteria in their intestinal lining. Samonella can only constracted by entering your blood system, or through your saliva. The latter is a transmission method that is very very easily possible while in the kitchen- and washing down the sink afterwards does not eliminate all the possibilities and still leaves you at risk. No reptile should even be in a kitchen and remotely near to any food preparing areas for safety.
Will,
Thanks for the enlightenment! I always associate Samenella with turtles and obviously, there are other cold-blooded pets that could be carriers of Samenella, too
I have to find another method like heavy misting to soften up shedding skin. I know some owners like to have their adult Chameleon in the shower stall with them while they shower but I'm scared that he'll fall!
My male veiled sometimes will get the same line on his back after a full shed and then will shed that entire top piece a second time a few days later. I have tried everything.. thinking it was a humidity problem, a vitamin a problem.. but everything seems to be fine in my husbandry so i have just chalked it up to one of those things that happen.