Yellow Shed

[AdventuringChameleon]

Hello All,
I decided to put this thread in general discussion because I don't think it is a health problem. Feel free to let me know if it is, though! We just thought it was interesting and wondered if anyone had any insight into why it happened. During Mowgli's last shed he pulled off a big piece from his mouth that was tinted yellow. It was mostly colored where the corner of his mouth was and the shed looked identical on both sides. Any idea why this happened?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/106594926@N05/13927966137/

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

That is funky looking. Never seen anything like that. I know that some locales get yellow in the corners of the mouth but never seen a shed that yellow.

 

[AdventuringChameleon]

Yeah, it was strange. The shed was totally normal. We were a little worried because it was slower than his usual sheds, but he's about 11 months not so they're bound to slow up. He shed his tail over about a week and then his upper half a day later. That piece is weird too because it looks like it was going into his mouth.

 

[carol5208]

My two chameleons always shed yellow like that from the corners of their mouths. They have yellow corners and the shed comes off yellow just like that.

 

[AdventuringChameleon]

So peculiar! Mowgli's mouth is pretty solid white, which is why the yellow is so weird

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

That is discharge from the temporal gland at the corner of the mouth at both sides. It is a yellow waxy substance that builds up in the corner a little so it discolors the shed. Totally normal.

 

[ataraxia]

Agreed, this is normal.

Ferret, do you know what the waxy secretion consists of? Do you know what would influence production?

 

[carol5208]

Ah interesting! Yeah, I guess now that I look, my chameleons mouths are/were not really yellow in the corners but the shed sure is when it comes off! So that explains it!

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Agreed, this is normal.

Ferret, do you know what the waxy secretion consists of? Do you know what would influence production?

I don't. There is not much literature on the specifics of the gland or it's discharge.

 

[werecat]

Very interesting! I have seen this on the sheds from my Nosy Be, but the shed around his lips and cheeks (where he is yellow) also sheds off as yellow so I thought it was part of that. I have always found it strange that the yellow comes off on the shed, but not the other colors.

 

[AdventuringChameleon]

That's interesting. So is the purpose of the gland well-known?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Not really. It is known for getting infected in Jackson's but doesn't seem to cause problems much in other species. There is speculation it may be used for territorial scent marking since they've been seen rubbing the corner of their mouths on branches, but it's not well studied.

 

[AdventuringChameleon]

Chameleons are so cool! On page 156, this book suggests the gland leaves an odorous discharge that attracts prey for hunting.

http://books.google.com/books?id=1h...e&q=temporal gland chameleon function&f=false

 

[Trace]

And here I thought they had just gotten into the mustard jar when I wasn’t looking.