Stuck-on shedding turn brown / black?

nightcrawler

Avid Member
Can stuck on shedding turn a brown / black?

It seems to me that my chameleon has black knee caps. The back two legs especially. I noticed it when I took him out of his cage today to put him in my huge ficus so I can put in some new plants. It looks like there is a layer or two of shed still on him in the spots that are brown and blackish. I just finished taking pictures of him and it doesn't seem to be there any more. When I took him out he was very angry, and I don't know if that has something to do with it or not. Also it could be a burn. I checked the temps and they were at 87-91 on the branch that is in the basking area. I put my hand up to where the top of his back would be when sitting there and I could hold it there without even feeling very very warm. The dark brown vine is 91, and the other light brown one is only like 87.

Any ideas?

Ill try to take a picture of him later on, I gave him a nice shower in his cage so he is all wet and im going to let him rest for a while and heat up and get used to his new surroundings. Plus I have to go to the store to buy my turtles a stock tank and set that up. I should have pics up tomorrow if not tonight.

Also added a 6500k light, and wow it sure lights up the place.

Thanks folks. I haven't had a problem in a long time so I guess im due.

-Matt
 
A burn's coloration wouldn't change with the rest of the color, and it wouldn't disappear that quickly. Stuck shed build-ups can create infections underneath, but you would probably see signs of swelling and inflammation around the edges of the dark patch.

So, if the dark spots come and go, most likely a unique coloration for this particular cham.
 
I was investigating it more today, but was in the means of building my stock tank / land zone for my aquatic turtles (which ill post some pictures of it tomorrow) and wanted to just leave him alone.

To me it seems like a minor burn. Its on both knees and one elbow. I don't know if they are all knees or what but you get the idea. Its in a spot to where if he is basking it would be exposed.

I changed the watt bulb from 100 to 75.

What I believe happened is that he got wet and sat under the light and waited till he was completely dry. This taking longer because its winter in Chicago, and him being wet. Also the small amount of tissue in his elbow and knees heated up too much and got a little cooked. But then again it looks like shed because you can see scales underneath it.

As with the color changing its pretty weird. When he is sleeping its pretty a apparent, but when he is in his darker shades, its hardly visible. I have some pictures, but it seems that these pictures make it look a lot worse then it is because it makes them look pussy, and wet, but that is only because of he was wet when I took them, and I put some neosporin on it.

Here are the pics. Tell me what you think.

reptiles004.jpg

reptiles006.jpg
 
It looks like a blister to me (and so, a 2nd degree burn), but that's from a human perspective...I don't know that chameleon skin has the same symptoms of problems.
 
that looked like some sort of burn or infection of some sort.
Do you have sylvadene handy? It doesn't hurt to apply some on the blister.
That is no way a coloration pattern or an unfinished shed.
 
that looked like some sort of burn or infection of some sort.
Do you have sylvadene handy? It doesn't hurt to apply some on the blister.
That is no way a coloration pattern or an unfinished shed.

Yep, I'd suspect a burn. Silvadene will work.
 
I do not have any sylvadene cream on hand. Can you get it with out a prescription? Is there anything that I can go out and get today at a store?
Thanks you guys.
 
I do not have any sylvadene cream on hand. Can you get it with out a prescription? Is there anything that I can go out and get today at a store?
Thanks you guys.

Call your vet and tell them your cham got burned on basking light and can you pick some up. I don't think you can get it over the counter and IMO is the best stuff to use.
 
Call your vet and tell them your cham got burned on basking light and can you pick some up. I don't think you can get it over the counter and IMO is the best stuff to use.

I did this and got some cream. Thanks for the idea. Although my herp vet no longer works there so that is a down side to the trip.
 
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