Shedding

[Starbuck83]

I've read other posts but of course every case is different!

I bought two pygmy chameleons a month ago having kept leopard geckos and bearded dragons for years very successfully, but new to cham's.

The female (I'm guessing she is) has started to shed but it's been a week now and she actually *looks* depressed. Bright and alert before, she now just sits in one place and has gone totally white with some bits having come off but majority of body white from the dead skin.

I have sprayed and misted and let larger drops fall on her directly to try and moisten up the skin and let it slip off but to no avail.

Any tips, help, comfort please?


Also makes me think about sexing, she is more hump backed and larger and greyer. He is smaller, thinner, less humped and brown. Have I got the sexes right do you think?

 

[SageZA]

Does she get any natural sunlight? I find my panther sheds quicker when he is outside all warmed up moving around with lots of humidity.

 

[Starbuck83]

They have lots of humidity - I have two meters in there at different ends to check.

But the house is naturally quite dark (east-west facing) , though they do have one of those Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 UVB Bulbs to give lots of light.

 

[Itwas]

a 10% bulb seems pretty strong, they mostly live in shady parts so maybe you lighting is too bright? What type of pygmies are they, what type of setup are they in, can you post any pics?

 

[Starbuck83]

Hmm perhaps...

Though in the few weeks pre-shed, they were walking around fine, drinking from the misting, and eating very well - so I certainly wouldn't say she was "going down" until the shedding hit her and now she's just glum.

Anyway, it is an ExoTerra 45x45x60 vivarium with the 10 strip light tube along the top, it does have a ceramic heater but this is thermo-controlled and barely gives out anything. The house is a bit colder than it should be some times due to the positioning and being in the UK, so this just tops it up to 75F (two thermometers to check).

They also have a waterfall, large and smaller logs and things and plastic giant leaves that provide lots of cover and walking stems. Lots of little nooks and crannies to walk around in and hide under if they so wish.

 

[Starbuck83]

Major development

OMG!!!

Crisis, absolute crisis!

I just got home from work and she is DEAD.

Completely white.. it's like something from a movie - horrible.

I'm obviously very concerned now about the male. Just how the female was before, he is showing no signs of any problems in terms of activity, eating, drinking, size, etc.

He is not shedding right now but I'm terrified what will happen if it starts?! It has been five weeks since I received them from www.exotic-pets.co.uk

Pictures

 

[yokman]

Sorry to hear of your lose I would get that light outta the tank for sure though.

 

[Starbuck83]

Bulb removed... shame as I can't see him as clearly - being a brown chameleon on brown substrate!

Any advice please? Leopard geckos that I have shed periodically with no problems, this one does it for the first time and dies!

 

[Mario22]

Okayfirst remove the substrate since that could have caused impaction on the female . (ingesting it and clogging up intestines) also waterfalls build up alot of harmful bacteria so I would remove that too

 

[Mario22]

Also I really dont think the bulb is a problem, I use reptisun 10.0 with no problems