Is there something wrong with my chameleon?

[Yodas Mommy]

I have noticed about 2 days ago my vieled chameleon has a bump on his chest. Im worried he may have a broken bone.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen cage 16x16x20
Lighting - exoterra 120v and a 75 watt heat lamp
Temperature - Approx a constant temp of 75-77 deg as apartment is using a thermostat, and basking spot temp of 86 deg, overnight temp of 72 approx, no lights using an in cage thermometer
Humidity - humidity can range from 40 - 80% Apartment seems to be very humid at times. Using a misting bottle to increase humidity, using an in cage reader to measure.
Plants - No live plants, just plastic.
Placement - it is on table in living room, beneath ac vent but no direct contact with air from vent. Beside large window. height of cage from floor is 20 inches to cage floor.
Location - Virginia USA

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Vieled Chameleon, male approx 12 months old, in care for approx 9 months
Handling - Handled when he was young, maybe handled for a few mins once or twice a week now he is older.
Feeding - Mainly fed medium crickets, 4-6 a day, try to introduce fruit, melon being the only thing he would eat. Only using cricket quenchers.
Supplements - Flukers calcium with vitamin d3 once or twice a week and rep-cal herptivite with beta carotene once a week.
Watering - Use a spray bottle when I notice the cage is dry, regularly throughout the day, maybe 6 times. He doesnt like being sprayed directly so I spray leaves over his head. I havent seen him drinking in a while, but im sure he must be.
Fecal Description - Never taken to vets or tested for parasites, droppings are brown/green in colour with white/yellow on one end, regular with no changes.
History - He used to be in a quiet bedroom in the dark with only his lights on. Recently moved into a bright apartment and he is beside the window, he is put outside more regular, no past illness or problems, only his face shed a few weeks ago.
Current Problem - I have noticed him to be less active and doesnt hiss or try to bite when I put my hand in his cage, he just shies away and hides. We have noticed a bump on his chest and worried that he may have a broken bone. He doesnt seem in pain and he can move fine when he does. Hes eating well and likes to hang on his screen cage when he is on the balcony 7 floors up, I think he likes the height. He is only a lime green colour when he is sleeping, or put onto plants outside his cage, he is mainly dark green in colour with a few green patches.
Here are some photos...you might notice a lump middle of his chest behind his left arm elbow.

 

[veiledchamguy]

I would suggest A trip to the vet is in order...take a fecal with you for further analysis.

 

[Pure]

It's really hard to see but the bump appears to be under the skin. Has he fallen? If there is a calcium deficiency and a bone is broken, it's usually a leg that breaks. It would be very odd for him to break a rib. A trip to a qualified herp vet, preferably one with cham experience, is in order.

Could you give a little more detail on his lighting? What about UVB? How often are you putting him outside?

 

[Yodas Mommy]

He has a heat lamp and a uvb lamp, uvb is an exoterra reptiglo 2.0 uvb coil bulb. They are both switched on in the mornings, no set time. The light from the window wakes him first lol
I put him outside in his cage when the sun is on the balcony about 2 hours of sun in the morning and about 3 hours of sun in the evening. I take him in when it gets dark as he seems to like looking out over the balcony. When its dark outside I turn off lamps.
The bump is under his skin and only noticable when he is relaxed, not when he is moving or puffed up. When he flattens himself, his ribs stick out on his sides and thats what his bump looks like. Theres no swelling either. I will take him to the vet just to get him looked over if it seems to be a problem for him. I will try to get a more clear picture when he is in a better position.

 

[chameleon97]

FIX ALL OF THESE!

Screen cage 16x16x20

-You need a 18x18x36 or (even better) a 2x2x4

Approx a constant temp of 75-77

-79-83 ambient, 85-90 Basking is ideal.

No live plants, just plastic.

-You should use live

Flukers calcium with vitamin d3 once or twice a week and rep-cal herptivite with beta carotene once a week.

-Calcium WITHOUT D3 6 times a week, Calcium WITH D3 twice a month, Herptivite twice a month,

exoterra reptiglo 2.0 uvb coil

-NO!!! REMOVE IT NOW!! I MEAN RIGHT NOW! get a Reptisun 5.0

---------------------------
white/yellow on one end,

Your cham is dehydrated

Never taken to vets or tested for parasites

Take to a vet


-Steve

EDIT Sorry guys! I know I should have added info earlier... i was hoping he could research and find it out himself. And maybe learn a few other things, too.

 

[ronnie]

Approx a constant temp of 75-77





-Steve[/QUOTE]

Whats wrong with a constant temp of 75-77?

 

[Warrix642]

FIX ALL OF THESE!

Screen cage 16x16x20

exoterra 120v

Approx a constant temp of 75-77

- No live plants, just plastic.

Flukers calcium with vitamin d3 once or twice a week and rep-cal herptivite with beta carotene once a week.

exoterra reptiglo 2.0 uvb coil

---------------------------
white/yellow on one end,

Your cham is dehydrated

Never taken to vets or tested for parasites

Take to a vet


-Steve

I agree with him.

 

[chameleon97]

Whats wrong with a constant temp of 75-77?

Its too cold... 79-83 ambient, 85-90 Basking is ideal.

But, that is something less serious compared to the other problems

 

[Yodas Mommy]

And no, I havent seen him fall bad enough to break a rib or even fall at all, here are a few more pics a little blurry, but hopefully u can see what I mean. Under his left arm on the middle of his chest

 

[Yodas Mommy]

FIX ALL OF THESE!

Screen cage 16x16x20

exoterra 120v

Approx a constant temp of 75-77

- No live plants, just plastic.

Flukers calcium with vitamin d3 once or twice a week and rep-cal herptivite with beta carotene once a week.

exoterra reptiglo 2.0 uvb coil

---------------------------
white/yellow on one end,

Your cham is dehydrated

Never taken to vets or tested for parasites

Take to a vet


-Steve

I am looking for a larger cage - to one of your suggestions, I have been reading about temperatures and thought that temp was ok for vieled chameleons so will fix that but how am I supposed to fix things if I dont know what to replace my current errors with? A bit of info would be useful, thanks

 

[Damien]

the dark colouring is usually a sign of being cold- for my chameleon anyways

 

[Pure]

FIX ALL OF THESE!

Screen cage 16x16x20

exoterra 120v

Approx a constant temp of 75-77

- No live plants, just plastic.

Flukers calcium with vitamin d3 once or twice a week and rep-cal herptivite with beta carotene once a week.

exoterra reptiglo 2.0 uvb coil

---------------------------
white/yellow on one end,

Your cham is dehydrated

Never taken to vets or tested for parasites

Take to a vet


-Steve

Steve. Next time try to give a little more information. The OP may not have a clue how to "fix" these problems.

The cage is really too small. He should be kept in a minimum of a 2/2/4 cage. The lighting needs to be dealt with. UVB coil bulbs are not preferred and have been linked to many health issues. A recent article has shown that some of the newer ones are not as harmful but are still not the proper way to provide UVB. For a person with little experience it's safer to just use the standard excepted method. That is to use a linear tube type florescent bulb. Preferably a reptisun 5.0

Basking temp for a veiled of this age should be in the mid 90s. So a stronger wattage bulb is in order.

With the information given I wouldn't say this cham is dehydrated to the point of concern. It's perfectly normal for them to have urates that are mostly white with a little bit of yellow on one end. It's when there is more yellow/brown than white that you should be concerned. But in this guys case maybe add a dripper to help hydrate him just a little bit more.

Unless this is a WC animal I see no reason to do a fecal unless he shows some kind of signs of parasite infestation. But since you are going to the vet any how it wouldn't hurt to spend the extra 20 bucks to make sure he is clean.

I see the bump but have no clue as to what that is. In all my research on cham health I have never run across such a thing. So indeed take him to the vet for a qualified expert opinion. Perhaps an Xray is in order.

With your cham getting natural sun, a calcium deficiency isn't likely. The fixing of the light has more to do with his eye site that anything else. But also the right UVB bulb is a good thing to have in the event he can't get outside that day. Also winter is coming. You won't be able to put him out on that porch in a VA winter.

 

[jannb]

He looks like he in need of a vet. In addition to everything above. You need to gutload his feeders with fruits and veggies or a premixed gutload https://www.chameleonforums.com/gutload-sale-28801/ and dust his feeders with plain calcium everyother feeding.

 

[Yodas Mommy]

He has 2 lights a 50 watt basking light and a uvb 2.0 light - was wondering what is wrong with those? I have been looking up everything but everywhere has different advice.

 

[jannb]

He has 2 lights a 50 watt basking light and a uvb 2.0 light - was wondering what is wrong with those? I have been looking up everything but everywhere has different advice.

You need a Reptisun 5.0 long style bulb. Take that coil light out until you can get the tube style. The coil bulbs cause eye problems and blindness.

 

[Yodas Mommy]

Steve. Next time try to give a little more information. The OP may not have a clue how to "fix" these problems.

The cage is really too small. He should be kept in a minimum of a 2/2/4 cage. The lighting needs to be dealt with. UVB coil bulbs are not preferred and have been linked to many health issues. A recent article has shown that some of the newer ones are not as harmful but are still not the proper way to provide UVB. For a person with little experience it's safer to just use the standard excepted method. That is to use a linear tube type florescent bulb. Preferably a reptisun 5.0

Basking temp for a veiled of this age should be in the mid 90s. So a stronger wattage bulb is in order.

Thanks pure, my husband bought him and I have just recently taken on the care and even though I HAVE been searching for info, its all different as I dont want him to be suffering.

 

[Yodas Mommy]

You need a Reptisun 5.0 long style bulb. Take that coil light out until you can get the tube style. The coil bulbs cause eye problems and blindness.

Is this one ok? Im thinking its the only 1 that will fit into the holder

http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/-097612340050.html

 

[Pure]

No that's not a good one. It's still a compact floro. You need the long straight pin tube bulbs. If it screws in you shouldn't use it. Get a new fixture. WalMart sells 18 inch ones for 8 bucks. Pretty cheap IMO, especially when you are dealing with something this important.

YW BTW.

 

[Yodas Mommy]

oh ok thanks again, I'll get a new fixture on my next shopping trip and not use the current one any more as he's outside during the day so its not really being used.

 

[jannb]

Here's the best one and a good price.
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...por-bulbs/-/zoo-med-24-repti-sun-50-uvb-bulb/