Reptile & Amphibian Forums

when i had me girl out taoday i notied two of her toes are black, doesn look like dirt, but cant seem to get her stopmoving long enuff to tell, the other foot has it as well,, i'm think infection, im gonna try to find a reptile vet

I have some keflex anti-biotics, could i dust the cricks and silky's with this?

>>when i had me girl out taoday i notied two of her toes are black, doesn look like dirt, but cant seem to get her stopmoving long enuff to tell, the other foot has it as well,, i'm think infection, im gonna try to find a reptile vet

Hi there,
When chameleons get a bruise or an abrasion, the skin turns black. Is it possible that she was climbing screen and scraped or bruised her toes? Is there swelling?

About the Keflex.... NO - do not add powdered antibiotics with her feeders - not without a vet to tell you how much and what kind - and Keflex is used for parasites anyways.

The best thing right now is to use a triple antibiotic ointment and rub it onto her toes. This can be purchased at any drug store, inexpensively. This is a safe way to treat small abrasions on chams. The discoloration should go away with a future shed or sooner.

If you could get a picture of the toes, it would help - but please don't panick yet.
Hope this helps some,
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Ok, i took my lizard to the vet this morning. (that's a whole nother post in itself) Future Note: dont use a cat carrying box to take cham to vet. It would apear the black marks, were scabs. Im looking for the cause when I go home, im at work now(chams at home), but he doctor gave me some betadine and told me to "scrub" or clean them daily. So i will see how it goes. hehe she bit me today several times, for obvious resaons, gtg

*LOL* I got a visual on the "cat carrier" experience...
Houdini comes to mind.

We use Sterilite "Show Offs". They are found at WalMart in the rubber tub/storage isle - they are for CD's and stuff. I use a soldering iron to melt some holes in the side (drill can crack the plastic). The lids go on easy and have handles (they stack too!). Also, you could use a "Critter Keepers". We put a barely moist paper towel in the bottom - id it is a shy cham, we use a old small towel.

Yup... abrasions.
Yes, betadine is the best cleaner - but don't "scrub". Use a cotton ball and wipe the betadine over the feet. Be prepared for orange skin too.....

Once it dries, apply some Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment. It will keep the skin soft and moist so that it will heal nicer. (Sorry, but most vets don't think "scars"

Take good care...
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Ok, Now im home from work, i can tell my tale. As i said i grab the cat carrier, thinking the holes are too small for the cham to escape.Well i arrived at the vet a little early, waited a few minutes, then proceeded inside. When i was greeted by the recptionist i set the box on the counter, and too my dismay and shock, my cham had it's two front legs and it's head stuck thru the hole, it didnt look too comfortable and looke dlike she was gasping for air. so i carefully ripped the box down to the hole and removed her, and man she was pissed!(but can u blame her?) well i puut her back in the box to try and calm her down, the recptionist came back with another box, but in that time she got herself stuck in ANOTHER hole. ANYWAY, she is fine, but oof what a way to start the day. i will be getting a "tuperware' type container tomorow, dave

Dave.....
Almost just as I pictured it....
Too funny... afterwards, but not during.

Truly, the plastic carriers are the only way to go. We have a dozen or so on hand always. We even give them to cham customers so they will have a "cham carrier". We prefer the Sterilite ones with the holes in the sides - they are like $2 at WalMart.

At our recent herp show, we gave "critter keepers" free with purchase of a cham - other folks thought we were nuts. But they double as a feeder carrier or cham tote.

...much better than a cat box.
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Yeah definatley, Thanks for your input, Dave