THERMAL BURNS

Unfortunately it is very common for chameleons to burn themselves. Unlike humans or other animals, chameleons are unable to recognize when they are being burned and that the heat bulb they are cooking under is the cause and move out of the way. The good news is, that if you take the necessary precautions, thermal burns are 100% preventable. 

How to prevent your chameleon from getting a burn

  1. Make sure your basking temperature is correct. Every reptile keeper should have a thermometer to be able to measure the exact temperature of their enclosure. The basking area is the area directly under the heat bulb and is the hottest area of the enclosure. Most male chameleons should have a basking temperature of 85F with females being kept at 80F to help prevent them from laying eggs frequently. A common mistake is that people will have their temperatures be too warm or they will forget to take into account the height of their chameleon. If the temperature of your basking branch is 85F then on the top of your chameleon’s back a few inches above the branch, will likely be around 90F which would be too hot. So aim to have your basking branch temperature be closer to 75-80F. Use a lower wattage heat bulb if your temperatures are too hot.

  2. Raise your heat bulb up above the enclosure. Baby chameleons are known the climb the screen and will sometimes climb underneath the heat bulb. This puts them at risk for burning their bellies so make sure you raise the heat bulb up off of the enclosure to prevent this from happening.

  3. Make sure your basking branch is far enough away. We talked about basking temperatures but you also need to make sure your branch is far enough away especially as your chameleon gets older and bigger. Veileds are well-known for their large casques but you’ll want to make sure they can’t get too close to their heat bulb and burn themselves.

How to treat a burn

  1. Treating a minor burn: A minor burn can heal over time if you apply Neosporin to the burnt area. You’ll want to make sure you use the original formula and make sure it does NOT have "pain relief” in it. If you have a defensive chameleon that makes it hard to apply the ointment, try using a Q-tip on the area at nighttime when they are sleeping.

  2. Treating a serious burn: If the burn is more serious you will need to take your chameleon to the vet to get a burn cream prescription and potentially antibiotics to help with any infection.

  3. The healing process with vary but you can expect there to be permanent scarring, discoloration of the area, difficult shedding of the burned area, dorsal spikes falling off, and in worst case scenarios: necrotic flesh.