Jacksons showing sudden bumbs on side of tail

[Jashawa]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Jacksons Cham, I have had him now for 2.5 - 3 years, I purchased him as an adolescent.
  
• Handling - Never, we do interact between the mesh with water and he will eat crickets I hold out on my hand occasionally
  
• Feeding - He's eating large crickets, about 5 a day, gutloaded with total bites
  
• Supplements - Zoomed, dusted with non vit d, then once or twice a month with vit d
  
• Watering - I have a mister that sprays on a 2 hour schedule, I hand mist in the morning on my way out of work, and I have a big dripper running while I'm gone for him to wash down his crickets
  
• Fecal Description - Feces appears normal, brown, wet and slimy
  
• History - no previous health issue

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Md Zoomed Reptibreeze, 16 x 16 x 30
  
• Lighting - zoomed, natural light and uvb, not sure what wattage are (not at home) but it's providing generally around 80. Occasionally in the summer midday with both lights on he gets a bit hot and opens his mouth, but that's very rare
  
• Temperature - Measuring with digital therm, ranges from 65 - 83 or so close to the light
  
• Humidity - Same digital meter as for temp, it ranges from 65 - around 90 once the mister runs
  
• Plants - one live dried stick as the foundation of his tree, the rest are fake vines and plants sold at the pet store
  
• Placement - The top of his cage is at 6' high, he sits on a table located in my living room which is a high traffic area. normally there is no fans, but it's been getting into the 80s inside my house lately so I have been running a few circular fans
  
• Location - California Pacific North west

Current Problem -

My jacksons cham has been growing very healthy the past few years, he just shed and everything seemed fine, then suddenly these bumps appeared on his tail. I can't tell whether or not they are changing size. They are firm to the touch and he got really stressed out when I touched one. He went black striped and just clung to his vine, like it may have been painful.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

He appears kind of big, can you show some more pics please?

 

[JimO]

Those could be some kind of abscess. I'd take him to the vet soon.

 

[Jashawa]

He appears kind of big, can you show some more pics please?

I've had one male jacksons before and in the 6 years I had him (I got him after he became a dad once), he never got as big as this guy grew in his first two years. I had over-handled my previous jacksons out of naivety, so with this cham I never stressed him out, and consistently fed him more from a feeding dish than having him roam around hunting, and he ended up really big compared to the first, at a much younger age, but those two are really my only point of reference.

Attached is a side pic and some close ups of his tail bumps

Those could be some kind of abscess. I'd take him to the vet soon.

Thanks, his appt is tomorrow morning at 9:30.

I should also point out that his behavior is unchanged, he still is eating, drinking, wandering and basking as usual, if maybe going to bed a bit earlier.

 

[JimO]

He's a great looking Jackson's. He looks really buff. Is he on steroids?

 

[Jashawa]

He's a great looking Jackson's. He looks really buff. Is he on steroids?

Haha Thanks! I have actually thought the same thing about him. If you touch him, he's extremely muscular and firm, and if he decides he doesn't want to move (hopefully he wont decide that tomorrow morning for the vet), then you pretty much have to take the vine or limb with you His horns also seemed to grow really fast compared to my other Jackson's. Like I said, I can only really attribute it to better genetics and/or possibly trying to keep him as stress-free as possible so he maintains a healthy appetite.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Damn, he is ripped!

 

[CJ's Exotics]

His horns are huge! Hopefully you can get the information you need from the vet! Praying for you guys!

 

[Jashawa]

Thanks so much for the well wishes guys. This morning Spike visited the vet, where samples were extracted via syringe from a few of the bumps.

He got a lot of compliments and he turned his tail a shade of turquoise he only seems to turn when having a good time (until he got poked). I hope he is as healthy as his behavior seems to indicate.

Should hear back soon, will post updates!

 

[Jashawa]

Oh and one more behavior I observed that sort if indicated his tail is not in pain is that he slept like this last night, pretty much supporting his entire back half by his tail with his legs swinging in the wind.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

He had bumps on his arms too?

 

[Jashawa]

Yes he did. I didn't notice those before taking him out and getting him into the vets office. I still haven't heard back from the vet, not sure if that's normal or bad sign.

After he got poked he remained lethargic for the remainder of the day on Saturday. Would barely move his back legs, maybe he was sore. Then on Sunday he returned to normal behavior (except his appetite was a bit low), and the bumps that were poked seemed to actually "deflate" a bit. They are no longer firm, now a bit mushy to the touch.

Hopefully I will get an update today

 

[Jashawa]

Finally talked to the Vet. She said she saw skin cells, spindle cells, inflammatory cells, and a little bit of blood. Spindle cells can apparently indicate some type of tumor, but she wants us to start with some oral antibiotics (which should be pretty interesting..)

Hoping for the best for now

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Finally talked to the Vet. She said she saw skin cells, spindle cells, inflammatory cells, and a little bit of blood. Spindle cells can apparently indicate some type of tumor, but she wants us to start with some oral antibiotics (which should be pretty interesting..)

Hoping for the best for now

There is a podcast in the chameleon breeder podcast about handling an angry chameleon (to give medication) in a certain manner to help reduce stress and injury, and I believe they have a video on their channel as well. I suggest listening, because medicating a chameleon can be a nightmare.

 

[Jashawa]

There is a podcast in the chameleon breeder podcast about handling an angry chameleon (to give medication) in a certain manner to help reduce stress and injury, and I believe they have a video on their channel as well. I suggest listening, because medicating a chameleon can be a nightmare.

Wow thanks! I will definitely do that. I got super lucky medicating him day one, I just took him out and looked at him face to face and opened my mouth, and he surprisingly did the same thing, so I squirted it in there. I have a feeling he wont be doing that every day though

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Wow thanks! I will definitely do that. I got super lucky medicating him day one, I just took him out and looked at him face to face and opened my mouth, and he surprisingly did the same thing, so I squirted it in there. I have a feeling he wont be doing that every day though

Let's hope for the best, but eventually he will get "tired" of it. Maybe he thought your open mouth was a sign of aggression?

 

[GreenChameleons]

I Am compentent that your Xantholophus Jacksonii will make a full recovery just note that what @Cj’s Exotics said is true speaking from personal experience but it can be done you just got to be patient and gentle...be positive too and you should have great results. Hope that beast gets well fast and keep the progress updates flowing.

 

[Jashawa]

Thanks so much guys, you have been a great help through this stressful time for both of us. For fun I found some pics of when he was tiny, these were taken April 3rd, 2017!

So he came all this way in a period of of about 17 months. (it seems much longer). I can't believe his horns were ever that tiny.

 

[JimO]

He must have been eating his Wheaties.

 

[Jashawa]

Hi guys, three week update on my Jackson's. Unfortunately it's difficult to see much progress. The bumps seem to be slightly different sizes but are all still present. His antibiotics have been given while he's drinking from his dripper or occasionally when he's eating. The vet wanted him to come back after three weeks for an update, but the appointment's not yet scheduled. I will update when she takes another look at him.