Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I noticed my chameleon's kink was more severe then usual two days ago. There was some off coloration and we (my vet, myself, and the wonderful people here in the forum )deduced that it was trauma. Well this morning I'm not sure if signs are improving. On one side of his body (looking at him from the tip of his nose it would be the left side) the part of his tail looks offcolored, while the other side looks compeltely normal. As a matter of fact, the whole tail itself is offcolored (not just past the kink like it was before). It looks like burnt skin (all signs point to that but I assure you that is not possible with basking temps of 90 and NO heat source that he could get to). Is it a bruise? Why is it only on one side?

Sorry, I've been checking for the past 36 hours every like 30 minutes for replies. LOL.

Jeffrey - I think posting some clear pics from different views would be a lot more helpful. Think about it from our point of view in that we only have descriptions with no visuals...makes it tough to take guesses. Also, remember that this forum all but dies on the weekend

If there is absolutely no chance of burning then it probably is not a burn. Have you replayed his recent fall(s) in your mind to determine if he could have landed funny and ben/bruised his tail? I am only speculating as it is just too hard to know. If your vet thinks it is trauma what does s/he suggest doing about it?

My only input is that if it is bruising it will probably take some time to look normal. When the vet took blood from Luna's tail it turned black and it took over 3 weeks to look normal. You might want to see if you can give him soaks in warm water for a little while each day. Just in a low pan with enough hot water (w/o burning him - lol!) to cover his tail. My thinking is that warmth will increase blood flow, therefore promoting healing. Other than this I don't know what to tell you...

lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (no name yet)
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

I dont have a digital camera, but today I'm going to buy a disposable one (lol yea they exist) to show you guys. I dont think this has to do with the fall, as that ocured like 2 weeks ago and he was fine since a few days ago. Ill try go et some pics ASAP.

P.S. my vet told me there is nothing either of us can really do but just wait and make sure the tail is still active. Ill ask her about the warm water thing.

20 min ago I took my cham out of his cage with the whole plant and placed him next to my desk (hence the setting). I tried to get the perfect lighting as these disposable digital cameras SUCK. My lamp light just made things worse. Sorry for the bad quality, any thoughts on what it is? I circled it in red.

n/p

Hi, thanks for the pic. Just wondering can he move the tail at all, or is it always in one position? Has he shed yet after this trauma...was it still black like before with no shedding in this area?
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Experience and appreciate nature's creation.

www.zenexotics.com

He can move it and wrap around branches but not tightly. And he hasn't shed either.

Thanks

That's good..at least his tail functions properly..it is probably just trauma to the skin like your vet and everyone else has said. I would just let nature take its course and see how it looks after he sheds. It might take some time to heal so that area might not shed properly. But if he's eating and drinking fine then it should be able to heal correctly. Did your vet recommend any topical agent?
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Experience and appreciate nature's creation.

www.zenexotics.com

No, she prescribed nothing but time ;P. I was consdiering LeLe's suggestion with the warm water, but I this would stress him out and maybe do more harm?

OOPs..sorry I keep thinking that its a burn because it looks like it, but you said it was a bruise, so that wouldn't help!
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Experience and appreciate nature's creation.

www.zenexotics.com

The more I look at it the more I think its a burn, but I really don't see how that is possible! Sigh, chams and their misteries. I think i'm stressing myself out more than he his about the injury.

I know how you feel! I don't know about the warm water method. I'm not a vet, but maybe you should check back with he/she to see what he/she recommends. Keep us posted!
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Experience and appreciate nature's creation.

www.zenexotics.com

I am confused. Is this the carpet chameleon that took a fall some weeks ago or is this the new Sambava and did this one take a fall also? Lastly...it seems to me that it should just be left alone (no picking up, no nothing) and just let it heal. Apparently that is also what your vet is saying. Remember bruisies look worse as they heal. That does not resemble a burn. Just give your chameleon time and PEACE to heal.....

It looks to me that one section of the tail bone was somehow fractured and causing darker color of the tail.

The reason I know because my previous panther display the same symptom and you can really tell by looking at the fracture point where tail curl was in-uniform. However, don't worry to much if your cham eat well (with no sign of side impact) and the tail should heal by itself later.