Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently noticed a hard lump on what would be the shoulder/back area of my 6 month old male veiled. I have never seen this before. I am worried that they may be getting or will get bigger. Please take a look at the pictures I have provided. I welcome any advise or suggestions.

you just noticed them? They look rather large already - and you said they are hard? I would definitely opt for a vet visit. Do you have one who knows chameleons?

In the meantime, go to link below and copy/paste the Questions sections and answer so that we can see if there are any problem s with your setup and/or feeding regimen.

lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

My cage is a custom built screen enclosure that measures 4x5x6. It houses a ficus and a pothos (that he never eats much to my dismay). I have a UVB 5.0 that is made by Repti-glo that I change every four months. Charlie eats about a dozen crickets every other day that is sprinkled with calcuim powder. (I can't think of the brand name right now) the crickets a fed a manufactured gut load. Charlie also gets 4-6 butterworms on the days he does not get crickets. I am trying to get him to eat plants but he won't for some reason. He readily drinks from a waterfall with fresh water daily. I have a mister set up on a timer. My humidity is between 70 Fresh sprayed - 40-50 waiting to be sprayed. The UVB light is on 8 hours during the winter and spring to 10.5 hours a day in the summer and fall. Daytime temp is usually 80-85 degrees down to about 70 at night. I handle him rarely, but when I do he doesn't seem to mind. If there is anything else please let me know.

The only thing I noticed was dusting...he's old enough that you don't need to be dusting every day. Twice a week should be OK. I would have a vet check this. I've never seen anything like it. Possibilities include cysts (the vet may be able to aspirate fluid from one if they are liquid filled), abscesses (they may feel firm as they may be filled with pus, which in chams is more like cheese rather than liquid). Really strange!

See, that's just it. There really isn't a reptile vet in my area or at least four hours radius. Aside from the dusting, is there anything else I could try? I appreciate your coments. Thank you!

renee - I am sure Carlton would agree that giving you other suggestions may or may not be helpful. This is some sort of abnormal growth that really needs to be properly diagnosed - it cannot be done on a fourm, even by a vet. I made some other suggestions to you in your additional post above.

Whether it is supplementation or some organ dysfunctiuon chameleons do not heal quickly nor do they show symptoms quickly. Point being that something has been going on for a while in order for these to be so large now and will need proper treatment.

I know you say you do not have a vet - where do you live? Did you look at the link I gave you above for vet resources? In a previous post you said you are well read in their care, well that should include having an accecssible herp vet. I am not reprimanding you I guess I am always surprised when people take on an animal (any) without having a vet lined up before purchasing.

Hope all goes well with him, not sure what else to tell you.

lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

I know in many species of geckos that when they receive excess amounts of calcium they begin to store it behind their head/ base of neck region, very similar to the position on your Veiled's. Even if your animal vet may not be very experienced with chams, you should still have them look at it, as it may be something they can identify.

The pus in reptiles can be quite hard. If it is an abcess it is weird that it is on both sides like that. I would take him to a vet. If it was soft I would think edema. I think they can get cancer too. Look up www.mythicalchameleons.com and look at their vet articles. They may have one on abcesses.
Also I would see if their is a contact me section and send a picture to Dr. Alfonso. Maybe he could give you some input by looking at that picture but taking him to a vet where they can feel that lump in person would be best. Plus maybe they can look down his throat and see if they see signs of infection inside his throat or mouth too.
I only give adult males chams calcium once a week or sometimes twice and vitamins only once a month.