Self harming Yemen chameleon.

[Amandathund]

I have been keeping chameleons for almost two years now abut with my latest addition I am somewhat puzzled?

I bought a young female vailed at a reptile show about a month ago she seemed healthy and bright (still does) The problem is that she keep catching her back legs on her sides and cutting herself. She "clamps" her back legs to her sides (sometimes her neck) and seems to get them stuck. Then she tears them off leaving scratch marks all down her sides.

I am very worried as I have never heard of them doing this before. She doesnt seem to have any problems using her legs and her bones look perfectly normal.

 

[fowlers]

do you have live plants in with her? they may be irritating her if they are plants that are not safe, i.e toxic

also does she have black or grey patches on her? which would mean a fungal skin infection and a trip to the vets. how many times a day does her viv get sprayed? does it dry out fully between mistings?

maybe take a pic of your set up and post it on here to see if any one else can help.

good luck
rob

 

[Amandathund]

do you have live plants in with her? they may be irritating her if they are plants that are not safe, i.e toxic

also does she have black or grey patches on her? which would mean a fungal skin infection and a trip to the vets. how many times a day does her viv get sprayed? does it dry out fully between mistings?

maybe take a pic of your set up and post it on here to see if any one else can help.

good luck
rob

Thanks for the reply, all her plants are fake, she gets misted 3 times a day and it does fully dry each time. There are no patches on her skin just stratches. She doesnt do it throught an irratation, she walks and gets her legs stuck as she does so Usually if she is chasing food / running fast.
She is kept in a medium flexaruim she has a 5.0 uvb tube and 60w heat lamp.
Sorry no pictures on the computer im using.
However I do have pictures of her.

picture of the cuts (they only last a couple of minutes then dissapear)

then this picture taken about 7 days ago.

 

[kinyonga]

What species of chameleons have you kept for the last 2 years??

What supplements are you using and how often for each? Please be specific.
Does the UVB light pass through glass or plastic?

 

[Amandathund]

yemens supplimented every other day, nutrobol 2 times a week and calcium for 3 times.
uv is in the enclosure.

Also I was a little worried about one of her front legs when I first got her, my sister noticed a slight bend but as she has grown it has gone.

I also own leopard geckos, boas, crested gecko and bosc lizards so im not a noob

 

[kinyonga]

Sometimes these grasping motions with the back legs can indicate a calcium issue...but I have heard of the odd case that wasn't. It was never really determined what was the cause in the cases that weren't calcium related though. I also thought I noticed a little "bump" on the knee.

The only other thing I can think of is mites...but I've never heard of a chameleon having them. Have you looked closely at her where she grabs her back?

 

[Amandathund]

Sometimes these grasping motions with the back legs can indicate a calcium issue...but I have heard of the odd case that wasn't. It was never really determined what was the cause in the cases that weren't calcium related though. I also thought I noticed a little "bump" on the knee.

The only other thing I can think of is mites...but I've never heard of a chameleon having them. Have you looked closely at her where she grabs her back?

Oh I see the bump, thanks for pointing that out. Any idea what it is? MDB? I have looked but I couldnt see anything, then again I wouldnt if i didnt know what I was looking for so I shall check tomorrow morning when she is awake and update you.

Thanks for the help I appreciate it.

 

[Eric Adrignola]

female? get a close up of the back of her rear feet. She has VERY male coloration for such a young female. Not impossible, but not common.

 

[Amandathund]

I cant see any mites I checked a number of times.

she doent have any spurs

 

[Amandathund]

if it is a fungal infection what treatments should she be given by a vet?

 

[kinyonga]

Any fungal infection I've ever seen has lesions or pox-like marks on the chameleon.

 

[Amandathund]

Any fungal infection I've ever seen has lesions or pox-like marks on the chameleon.

ah she doesnt have any of those.

 

[PedroANDAshley]

The only thing I can think of is a calcium defficency.what is this nutrbol supplement you use? You should be dusting with calcium with out d3 or phosphorus about every feeding and calcium with d3 once every other week

 

[Elizadolots]

Has she done a full body shed since you've had her? Also, it's been a couple of days, what's the situation now?

 

[Amandathund]

Has she done a full body shed since you've had her? Also, it's been a couple of days, what's the situation now?

yes she has shed twice. Today and yestarday she was fine, she only does it now and again.

Nutabol is a veterinary developed vitamin/ mineral supplement specifically formulated as a high calcium "balancer " for insectivorous reptiles and birds, to assist in correcting the inadequate levels of calcium present in live insectivorous foods such as crickets and mealworms.