Newly arrived chameleon with weird burns or bruises.

[scags]

Hi there all! Today i received a pair of mostly healthy looking female oustalets chameleons!

Couldn’t be happier!

One is a female who is possibly gravid. Upon pulling her out from the shipping container- I noticed she had large dark blotches on both sides of her body- lower side abdominal area- but not directly on the bottom (photos attached). These dark spots almost looked like bruising. The chameleons seemed to be packed well in the shipping box. In a foam container, cloth bags surrounded by crumpled newspaper. The box was in good condition. No visible damage.

I cannot tell if they’re bruises or burns. I noticed the spots turned white when she turned dark- but turn black when she turns lighter. If that makes sense?

The place I got her from said she has had the markings since arriving to them about a month ago. They do not know what caused it or why.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Furcifer Oustaleti, female, unknown age, possibly gravid, only been in my care 8 hours.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Only once so far
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I culture my own- dubia, mealworms, crickets, Surinam roaches
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Doesn’t apply yet- but will be using a multivitamin- dusting weekly- using calcium almost daily
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Drank almost immediately after being placed in enclosure
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Hasn’t pooped yet
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Just received her in the mail, overnight shipping

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? About 4’ x 2.5’ wood frame, screen cage
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? 12 hours on, 12 off- 100 watt incandescent basking bulb, t5ho 10.0 uvb, a couple grow lightbulbs (6700k)
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking spot is 85-89 degrees- ambient temps are in the 70s during the day, low 60s at night.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Varies throughout the day 40-75% hand misting a few times a day, and a dripper.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Pothos hanging
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? 4.5’ from ground
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
  Santa Clarita California

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Possible burn marks or bruising on flanks.
Just wondering if anyone has seen something like this before? Should I be concerned?
I’m going to keep an eye on her obviously. If the skin begins to blister or look bad, I will treat with neosporin or silvadene and possibly take her to a vet.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ve no knowledge at all about Ostelets and no idea what the discolored spot could be, but I would make a vet appointment regardless for a wellness and fecal check. Perhaps @kinyonga can look over your husbandry and offer her input about that and the mark.
Are you housing the two together in the same enclosure?

 

[scags]

I’ve no knowledge at all about Ostelets and no idea what the discolored spot could be, but I would make a vet appointment regardless for a wellness and fecal check. Perhaps @kinyonga can look over your husbandry and offer her input about that and the mark.
Are you housing the two together in the same enclosure?

I’ve kept oustalets in the past. They’re great chameleons. They have huge appetites, get super big, and have a calm,docile demeanor.

I agree. I think a wellness check may be in order. I’m always reluctant about taking WC chams to a vet. The process of being hailed around in a car, placed on an exam table under bright lights, and handled a lot is an insane amount of stress for any chameleon, let alone a wild one.
But this situation may definitely call for it.

I am not housing both females together. The other female is in a smaller cage (around 36”x24”) it’s a aluminum frame screen enclosure.
It’s temporary until things get a little warmer here, then she will be in a bigger outdoor cage. The benefit of living in Southern California. We still get some cold weather in the winter, but spring summer and fall are pretty good- if not occasionally too hot during the summer.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ve kept oustalets in the past. They’re great chameleons. They have huge appetites, get super big, and have a calm,docile demeanor.

I agree. I think a wellness check may be in order. I’m always reluctant about taking WC chams to a vet. The process of being hailed around in a car, placed on an exam table under bright lights, and handled a lot is an insane amount of stress for any chameleon, let alone a wild one.
But this situation may definitely call for it.

I am not housing both females together. The other female is in a smaller cage (around 36”x24”) it’s a aluminum frame screen enclosure.
It’s temporary until things get a little warmer here, then she will be in a bigger outdoor cage. The benefit of living in Southern California. We still get some cold weather in the winter, but spring summer and fall are pretty good- if not occasionally too hot during the summer.

As they look so similar to veileds and have been surviving wild in Florida, I’m wondering if their care is similar to veileds or panthers.

 

[kinyonga]

Oustalet's are great chameleons! I've had a few over the years.

Can you post a couple more photos of the marks please.

In the brightest photo she does look gravid.

I hope you have a male!

 

[scags]

Oustalet's are great chameleons! I've had a few over the years.

Can you post a couple more photos of the marks please.

In the brightest photo she does look gravid.

I hope you have a male!

I will post a couple more photos momentarily- I don’t personally have a male- but my brother does.
the plan is to pair the females with his male and hopefully get a little breeding group going.
sadly it doesn’t seem like many people are breeding them in the US- and with Madagascar closing exports- there won’t be many in the coming years unless we start making an effort to get a North American captive population going.
The two females I got were supposedly imports. Not sure how, but that’s what I was told.
Posting more photos soon.

 

[scags]

As they look so similar to veileds and have been surviving wild in Florida, I’m wondering if their care is similar to veileds or panthers.

Their care is more similar to panthers. Both are furcifer- and inhabit the same habitats in Madagascar. There are several wild established populations of panther chameleons in Florida. I have personally found them, and know of at least 2 locations. One location is over 50 years old. In the 1960s a woman was importing plants and trees from Madagascar- she started to notice strange lizards around her nursery. From there they spread to the outlying forests. They’re much tougher than we give them credit- but no doubt the winters in Florida cause die offs in the population.
Veileds are even tougher and are very well suited for Florida weather. They are found all over central and south Florida.

 

[scags]

Photo update
2 of the gravid female and one of my other female who is not gravid- just for comparison.
@kinyonga

 

[kinyonga]

Oustalet's chameleons are wild in Florida too...
https://www.evergladescisma.org/the-dirty-dozen/chameleons/

 

[kinyonga]

I am not a vet...but it looks more like a fungal infection than a bruise...except that it would make more sense in some ways for it to be a bruise since its on both sides. Wish I could give you an answer. If it was mine I'd have a good chameleon vet check it out.

Looking at the photo that starts 6BA I would say she's gravid.

 

[scags]

I am not a vet...but it looks more like a fungal infection than a bruise...except that it would make more sense in some ways for it to be a bruise since its on both sides. Wish I could give you an answer. If it was mine I'd have a good chameleon vet check it out.

Looking at the photo that starts 6BA I would say she's gravid.

Thanks Kinyonga! I think you are right- the consensus is calling for a vet visit.
I wondered fungal too- but year, seems weird it’s on both sides.

Hopefully she is gravid and there is no damage to the eggs inside.

 

[kinyonga]

It would be good if at least one of the females is carrying eggs. If you could get a male from her eggs you could breed it with the other female if she's young enough and then you would likely have two clear lines.

 

[scags]

Oustalet's chameleons are wild in Florida too...
https://www.evergladescisma.org/the-dirty-dozen/chameleons/

Yup! They’re found in an avocado grove near homestead Florida. I’ve been to the location with a biologist and wildlife rescue organization. We came up empty handed the last 2 times we went there. The rumors are that the population has been extirpated. Likely due to over collection from chameleon hunters- who collect for profit.
It’s possible there is another population down there- but if you search on Instagram you’ll find the last posts of Florida wild caughts in situ are from 2018.
Also the fact that they aren’t showing up for sale as often online makes me think chameleon hunters who sell to reptile dealers aren’t finding any either.

It’s a weird situation. I’m against the hunting for profit. It’s a shady business and full of sketchy people who do not care about the chameleons at all, only the money they’ll make from selling on craigslist or elsewhere.
But I digress....haha.

thank you for stepping and giving me your opinion and advice! Much appreciated!

 

[Tige21v]

I’ve kept oustalets in the past. They’re great chameleons. They have huge appetites, get super big, and have a calm,docile demeanor...

They are very cool!!
One I would definitely like to have one day.
Maybe you'll have a nice clutch sometime soon and be posting babies for sale down the road....

 

[scags]

They are very cool!!
One I would definitely like to have one day.
Maybe you'll have a nice clutch sometime soon and be posting babies for sale down the road....

I’ll definitely try to find good homes for any babies I end up having.
the incubation period for them is a little long- 10-12 months from what I read. So maybe in a year I’ll have some babies that will need to branches? Lol

 

[kinyonga]

This might be of interest to you...
https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/oustalets-chameleon-care-and-breeding/

 

[kinyonga]

Hatching...
https://becomingcliche.wordpress.com/tag/oustalets-chameleon/

 

[scags]

Hatching...
https://becomingcliche.wordpress.com/tag/oustalets-chameleon/

Thanks! This was a great article/blog. I wonder where all those babies ended up?

 

[nightanole]

Its a girl.

Its a heat lamp burn.

Vote for the oust for pic of the month

2010 they were only like $75 a pop.

 

[scags]

Just wanted to give an update on my female oustalet’s status.

I ended up taking her to the vet this past week. They confirmed it is a fungal infection- they prescribed oral Terbinafine, as well as doing silvadene for topical.

They could not tell for sure if she is gravid- they think she is, but the vet isn’t familiar with Oustalets chameleons, and wasn’t sure if her colors were gravid or not (she was highly stressed being taken to a vet clinic).

I am worried about her eggs. I purchased her at the end of March and was told she was gravid. When she arrived she was- and still seems to be showing gravid coloration. Her stomach is also much bigger than her sister I also purchased. However- she has now been gravid for at least 47 days. This seems prolonged.

I palpated her stomach and can feel lumps. So I think she is carrying eggs. But by the online literature they usually lay between 30-45 days.
She has an appropriate egg laying bin- 2 actually. A bucket and a plastic bin. She has shown no interest- and doesn’t spend much time in the lower half of the enclosure.

not sure what to do. I guess sit and wait.