PunkAndRun
New Member
This is my first post and I'd like to start by thanking everyone on chamforums for all the help I've gleaned from all of you over the years without contributing myself... this community is without question an AMAZING resource for cham (and really ANY reptile) owners who need sound advice.
I'd like everyone to meet Petey, my 2.5-ish year-old veiled chameleon. Until recently, he's been a happy, mostly grumpy but welcome addition to our family. About 3 months ago, we moved a few hours away (no significant environmental changes except slightly higher humidity) and shortly thereafter he went on hunger strike. Thinking he was just adjusting to the new scenery, I moved his cricket bin and veggie/fruit dish around often to try to find where he wanted it placed.
When he finally began eating again, it was piecemeal compared to his "regular" eating patterns and has been now for about 2 months. He still eats and drinks readily and I watch him to make sure he's doing both, however now he's developed some skin problems that appear to be pretty severe (photos attached). I've moved his lamp a few inches further away (a temp probe placed as close as he can physically get to the light reads 100.6 F [38.1 C], before I moved it further away it was 108.7 F [42.6 C]), out of fear that he may have been burned, but I don't think this is the case.
I'm wondering if anyone has seen anything like this and has any advice on what I can do to help him until he gets to his vet appointment (1 week from today but he's got 24 hours to improve or I'm taking him to urgent care which has assured me they always have an exotic vet on staff). I've had many reptiles over the years and haven't had any real issues like this yet and I'm very worried for my little buddy!
The first pic is meant to be of his dorsal ridge; the second is his right-hand lateral side... there are two different color changes, one dark and seemingly burned / infected (ridge) and the other lighter, blotchy and less dramatic, albeit very concerning (right side).
Aside from the abnormal colors, his behavior is 100% normal; he's eating, drinking and moving normally.
The third photo is his 4.5-foot-tall enclosure before I moved the light further away, though it's only about 2" higher up now and he's ALWAYS under it because I think the new temp is too low. Also, there's a shrub in the bottom normally, I just took it out because he hasn't climbed on it since we moved and it prefers more light and was looking cruddy.
I'd like everyone to meet Petey, my 2.5-ish year-old veiled chameleon. Until recently, he's been a happy, mostly grumpy but welcome addition to our family. About 3 months ago, we moved a few hours away (no significant environmental changes except slightly higher humidity) and shortly thereafter he went on hunger strike. Thinking he was just adjusting to the new scenery, I moved his cricket bin and veggie/fruit dish around often to try to find where he wanted it placed.
When he finally began eating again, it was piecemeal compared to his "regular" eating patterns and has been now for about 2 months. He still eats and drinks readily and I watch him to make sure he's doing both, however now he's developed some skin problems that appear to be pretty severe (photos attached). I've moved his lamp a few inches further away (a temp probe placed as close as he can physically get to the light reads 100.6 F [38.1 C], before I moved it further away it was 108.7 F [42.6 C]), out of fear that he may have been burned, but I don't think this is the case.
I'm wondering if anyone has seen anything like this and has any advice on what I can do to help him until he gets to his vet appointment (1 week from today but he's got 24 hours to improve or I'm taking him to urgent care which has assured me they always have an exotic vet on staff). I've had many reptiles over the years and haven't had any real issues like this yet and I'm very worried for my little buddy!
The first pic is meant to be of his dorsal ridge; the second is his right-hand lateral side... there are two different color changes, one dark and seemingly burned / infected (ridge) and the other lighter, blotchy and less dramatic, albeit very concerning (right side).
Aside from the abnormal colors, his behavior is 100% normal; he's eating, drinking and moving normally.
The third photo is his 4.5-foot-tall enclosure before I moved the light further away, though it's only about 2" higher up now and he's ALWAYS under it because I think the new temp is too low. Also, there's a shrub in the bottom normally, I just took it out because he hasn't climbed on it since we moved and it prefers more light and was looking cruddy.
