Maggot inside jackson cheek

[Carmstrong]

Yesterday me and my boyfriend noticed our 9 month old jackson had a swollen cheek and assumed it was a swollen temporal gland like they are prone to and have been cleaning it with recommended products. Tonight we went to go clean his cheek once again except when we wiped it down with warm water we noticed something moving inside got a pair of tweezers and he had a tiny maggot inside his cheek. The picture was taken yesterday after I noticed his swollen cheek but we just removed the maggot and cleaned the area. Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to help his cheek heal quicker or any general info would be appreciated.

 

[jamest0o0]

Have you seen a vet?

@JacksJill

 

[kinyonga]

Is it a WC chameleon?
There's a chance there is more than one maggot in there ...if it's really a maggot. Can you post a photo of the maggot?

 

[Carmstrong]

Is it a WC chameleon?
There's a chance there is more than one maggot in there ...if it's really a maggot. Can you post a photo of the maggot?

I wish I would have taken a photo of it but it was a very tiny white worm I couldn't think of what else it could be but I do not see any others inside as of right now

 

[Carmstrong]

I wish I would have taken a photo of it but it was a very tiny white worm I couldn't think of what else it could be but I do not see any others inside as of right now

And I am located in Ohio we bought him from underground reptiles back in November got him very young

 

[Jevin]

And I am located in Ohio we bought him from underground reptiles back in November got him very young

Just from the name, it sent a red flag up for wild caught chams. Haven't heard about this place before though.

 

[Jevin]

Quick google and my suspicion proves correct, all the chams they sell are field collected. In other words, wild caught. Also pretty sure most of their captive bred chams are more so captive hatched than captive bred.

 

[Jevin]

Also some quick snooping, apparently when you order something from them, it is apparently worded as such that basically you pay first, but might not get exactly what you ordered, or not get anything at all and they won't give you your money back. Name was a major red flag to me to begin with.

 

[Jevin]

In fact, their fine print is actually a little bit terrifying and in my opinion, seems to contradict itself.

 

[Jevin]

Definitely seems like they are more concerned about their bottom line rather than the well-being of the animals. So many loopholes and clauses in their fine print.

 

[Carmstrong]

Also some quick snooping, apparently when you order something from them, it is apparently worded as such that basically you pay first, but might not get exactly what you ordered, or not get anything at all and they won't give you your money back. Name was a major red flag to me to begin with.

We've gotten 2 chameleons from them both arrived happy and healthy and they called right after we got them to ensure they were fine. We have not had a single issue with either of them until my jackson right now. We've had him since November of last year and he has been happy and healthy up until his swollen cheek yesterday and he was born by a mother they had there in the underground reptile facility.

 

[Jevin]

We've gotten 2 chameleons from them both arrived happy and healthy and they called right after we got them to ensure they were fine. We have not had a single issue with either of them until my jackson right now. We've had him since November of last year and he has been happy and healthy up until his swollen cheek yesterday and he was born by a mother they had there in the underground reptile facility.

Jackson chameleons are live bearing, so if they caught a wild female that was bearing young, it's not uncommon for places like these to sell the young off as captive bred when in reality they are what we refer to as captive hatched. Captive bred refers to a cham who's parents were bred in captivity and they were hatched out and grew up in captivity. Captive hatched is when a wild caught female is brought in already fertilized, and then the birth of hatching takes place in captivity.

 

[Carmstrong]

Jackson chameleons are live bearing, so if they caught a wild female that was bearing young, it's not uncommon for places like these to sell the young off as captive bred when in reality they are what we refer to as captive hatched. Captive bred refers to a cham who's parents were bred in captivity and they were hatched out and grew up in captivity. Captive hatched is when a wild caught female is brought in already fertilized, and then the birth of hatching takes place in captivity.

But all this has nothing to do with the issue I am dealing with now I have had him for 9 months in my care inside and he has been happy and healthy, the company I got him from has nothing to do with what is occurring now where his cheek is swollen and a maggot was found inside.. all of what you are saying about this company is completely irrelevant.

 

[jannb]

It sounds like a filarial worm. The falaria live under the skin or in the body cavity and produce microworms that can be seen in the blood. I recommend a vet visit with a vet that has chameleon experience.

 

[Jevin]

Not entirely, as Jackson chameleons area live bearing, I wouldn't think it impossible for parasites from the mother being capable of migrating to the developing young. It's possible that the female was a wild caught female carrying young and her offspring as a result have the same parasites as well and it's finally starting to look rear it's head. And after @jannb's possible ID, that is a likely possibility.

 

[Carmstrong]

It sounds like a filarial worm. The falaria live under the skin or in the body cavity and produce microworms that can be seen in the blood. I recommend a vet visit with a vet that has chameleon experience.

Quite confident it was a maggot but you could be right the problem is I am in a very rural area with little to no reptile vets let alone ones with chameleon experience

 

[Carmstrong]

Not entirely, as Jackson chameleons area live bearing, I wouldn't think it impossible for parasites from the mother being capable of migrating to the developing young. It's possible that the female was a wild caught female carrying young and her offspring as a result have the same parasites as well and it's finally starting to look rear it's head. And after @jannb's possible ID, that is a likely possibility.

We've had him for 9 months and somehow it is just an issue now? I dont think that's how it works

 

[Jevin]

Yes, it can. Chameleons, like most reptiles, hide illness extremely well. This could very well be something he had from birth, but it took until now for the population of the parasite to get large enough to produce any noticeable signs. He could have also been successful at keeping the population down himself, although highly unlikely, until a recent change or stress gave the parasite population the opportunity it needed to produce symptoms. My Panther Chameleon had a mouth infection from when I got him, but I only found out six months after buying him, that he even had one. And even then, it showed up very subtlety, a decrease in appetite, lethargic and two scales slightly out of position on his lower lip. Their guarantee of a live and healthy animal delivery is not comparable to a clean bill of health from a vet. A chameleon can look healthy visibly, but in reality it's very ill, we see it here on the forums quite often.

 

[jannb]

Where

Quite confident it was a maggot but you could be right the problem is I am in a very rural area with little to no reptile vets let alone ones with chameleon experience

Where do you live? I might be able to help you locate a vet.

 

[jamest0o0]

You need to see a vet, these infections get out of hand fast. Cleaning it helps slow things, but I doubt that it will stop it without antibiotics. Temporal glands from my understanding are already thought to try and attract flies and other critters with the smell(in order to be eaten by the chameleon). I believe that is a theory at least. Anyway, if the infection was open enough, it is very possible a fly flew up and dropped some eggs. My concern ATM is that you need the infection treated by a proper vet. Even if you just get a recommendation for medication from someone here, make an appt, and request said medication to treat the cham.