Veiled Chameleon Skin Problem

redlupin

redlupin

New Member
Ok as some of you know my youngest Veiled Chameleon is having some skin/shedding problems. Her back looks dark and brownish while the rest of her skin is light green. Here are some pics so you guys know what I am talking about.
IMG_4166.jpg

IMG_4163.jpg


I took her to the Vet yesterday to see what could be wrong and the Vet said that it looks like it could be a burn that she received from the heat lamp and that it had got infected and thats why she isn't as big as she should be for a 3 month old. He gave me some antibiotics to give to her mixed with some cherry syrup so she will swallow it down.
I have moved the heat lamp so it is now at least...3in-4in away from the cage so this wont happen again.
 
Pick up a good thermometer as those strip things...well, they suck! You really need an accurite basking temp reading... You can pick up an "Acurite" digital thermometer with probe from Wal-mart for around $12. I am currently using about 15 of them and when tested against my temp gun, they only differ by a degree or two... good investment IMHO.
 
I agree , Those temp strips are really designed for taking the reading of temp of a "Glass" enclosure. It reads the temp of the tank glass and are not affective for a screened enclosure.
 
I realize you are taking the cage temps but what are his basking temps? Pick up a better temp gauge, it is alot cheaper than a vet visit and alot easier on your little guy.
Good luck

Debby
 
I would also get an infrared temperature gun they sell for like $25 dollars and tell you the instant temperature of anything. Maybe somebody can give you a link. i love my gun i have the model with laser sight its $50 but i would recommend it if finances wil allow

Sean

PS i have that temp stip you used and according to my gun and other thermometer it is neither precise nor accurate
 
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Why do you have two heat sources? You really only need one basking spot. That helps to create a gradient of temperatures throughout the cage. If you put too much heat in there, the cham has no way to escape it and this undermines their thermal regulation behaviour.

As for the thermometer, I like using digital thermometers that have an 'outdoor' probe on them. You can place the probe at your basking spot, and the actual thermometer lower down to get an ambient temp reading. The ones with minimum/maximum recall function are handy too, so that you can see how your lighting set up and prevailing seasonal conditions are affecting things in the cage.
And most of the digital ones even have built in hygrometers, so you can monitor the humidity levels in the cage too.

I'm currently using ones like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/INDOOR-OUTDOOR-LCD-THERMOMETER-HYGROMETER-HUMIDITY-NEW_W0QQitemZ300229811587QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300229811587&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
 
I am using 1 heat source during the day, and then one heat source during the night. The first heat source is the basking light and is at a steady 90*F and the other light I only have on during the night so that way there is some heat for them if my room gets to cold, and that one is at 80-85*F.

I also did buy the temp gauge and also a humidity gauge, but I am not sure where to place the humidity gauge :p
 
redlupin said:
I am using 1 heat source during the day, and then one heat source during the night. The first heat source is the basking light and is at a steady 90*F and the other light I only have on during the night so that way there is some heat for them if my room gets to cold, and that one is at 80-85*F.

I also did buy the temp gauge and also a humidity gauge, but I am not sure where to place the humidity gauge :p
Click to expand...

You don't need temps of 80-85 at night. Chams need a cooling down period so they can fall into a very deep sleep. Temps as low as the mid 60s are not too cold for a cham. PLEASE do not heat the cham at night. You could kill it. Plain and simple.

Placing the humidity gauge anywhere in the enclosure, except where it will actually get wet or get cooked by the light source, should be fine.
 
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Alright so I will turn all the lights off at night and would it be alright to put the humidity gauge on the door of the cage? I will post a pic of how the set up looks once I get home from work.
 
redlupin said:
Alright so I will turn all the lights off at night and would it be alright to put the humidity gauge on the door of the cage? I will post a pic of how the set up looks once I get home from work.
Click to expand...

Put it on the inside of the door. Because of the screening, the humidity on this side of the screen and that side of the screen may be very different indeed.
 
Alright here's a pic of how the cage is set up, the stuff at the bottom is moss so it sucks up any excess water from the plant.
IMG_4181.jpg
 
I see 2 on the sides, and 2 on the top (one is blue)?

Is that bluish one a coil bulb?
 
Ahahaha.. sorry it's pretty late.. I gotta wake up at 5 am.

I would get rid of the coil, get digital thermometers, etc.. but I would rather answer tomorrow since I'm too sleepy to explain why. :D

Maybe someone else can chime in tonight :)
 
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