My chameleon has open tail wounds and is laying eggs. What do I do?

Without an image or physical exam, it is difficult determine what is happening to Tye's tail. Serious rot (bacterial infection) or fungal infection should be addressed by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. Clean and sanitize the cage and change out the bedding. Use paper towels or plain butcher paper to make cleaning easy. You can gently clean the affected area using a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution but he may need systemic treatment to recover.

It appears she has suffered injury to the nail or to the toe itself. If that is nail you're seeing, it may or may not grow back. If it doesn't, there really is no cause for concern. If that is bone that is exposed, then she needs to be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. The tip or the toe may need to be amputated and sutured closed to allow for healing. In the meantime, keep the area clean and dry. Use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine solution to gently clean it. A dab of triple antibiotic ointment can be used as well. Have her seen sooner rather than later since a potential bone infection can be life threatening.

Monitor her for lethargy or difficulty walking for the next day or two. If she's moving slower or not at all, have her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. Gently clean the abrasions/wounds with diluted betadine or chlorhexidine solution. Keep her on slate, paper towels or reptile carpet until she heals. You don't want any substrate contaminating the wounds and introducing infection. In the future, take Wanda out of her enclosure to feed her or simply work around the hide and other furniture to avoid accidents.

Hello, I'm so sorry to see this about your gecko. I am concerned by what appears to be exposed pink internal tissue. Geckos can commonly prolapse one of their major organ systems that leads to their cloaca (large intestine, urinary, reproductive tracts), and I am concerned this may be a different type of problem. In any case, this kind of tissue exposure is serious and will eventually lead to sepsis and death. I would recommend keeping the tissue moist with saline solution and a gentle lubricant gel until he can see a doctor. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, I’m so sorry to hear about your chameleon. What you are describing sounds very serious. Without doing an exam, I really can’t determine what could be going on, but I worry she could have a serious infection, retained eggs, or some other problem. Unfortunately, she may be in terminal stages of a disease. Given how serious this sounds, I honestly don’t think there is anything you can do at home without the help of a veterinarian (besides keeping her warm and hydrated). Any antibiotic that would be effective in a reptile her size would need to be prescribed by a veterinarian. If you believe she is dying, then euthanasia may be an option to ease her suffering, and this is typically a reasonably priced service. I’m very sorry she is so ill. If you’d like more detailed advice, don’t hesitate to request a consult. Also, arav.org has reptile veterinarians listed by state. Good luck.

He should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. If there is infection, antibiotics will be required for treatment. Gently clean the area daily with a cotton swab and some diluted betadine or Chlorhexidine (Hibiclens). Use paper towels as substrate and change daily to prevent contamination. Provide a moist hide (at least 60% humidity) for him within his enclosure as well. Consider increasing temps slightly to aid in recovery

Thanks for reaching out about Pants and including a photo. Are you sure this is from a poor shed or could it be a thermal burn? Check proximity to the heating element. At first, it is recommended to remove all substrate that could stick to the wound, and replace with clean cloth or ReptiCarpet. Applying topical antibiotics are good but adding a systemic antibiotics and analgesia might improve healing. A veterinary visit is needed to prescribe these. Good luck.