Chameleon burn

My female chameleon didn't seem interested in laying in the laying box we provided for her, so after a lot of research, I 3/4 filled a large fish tank with damp sand and put her in it for her to lay. I had a heat bulb with a cage around it fixed to the roof of the tank, but somehow she's managed to burn the top of her casque :( It doesn't seem to bother her at all, but obviously I want to treat it ASAP. I'm working crappy hours this week, as is the gf, so won't get a chance to get her to a vet yet (until I can get a shift swapped or something) and I was wondering if anyone could recommend anything for treating burns. I've heard Iodine mentioned before and betadine (think this is iodine mixed with something else), but was hoping you could point me in the right direction. The gf works in a chiropodist's clinic, so can get iodine from work if that would help.

Cheers.

Betadine is a mix of iodine but the percentage is low to the best of my knowledge. It would be used to stave off infection. You can also get a betadine ointment which you would apply after cleaning daily but unsure if this is over the counter, it probably isnt. If you use Iodine you need to dilute this with saline till the mix looks like weak tea and apply to the area. She needs to get to a vet asap as the biggest risk after the burn is bacterial infection but as you cannot get her there right away just keep the viv spotless and burn sight clean.

Remember your rep cannot show you pain in the same way we display it as in cry, grimace etc...but she will have felt it. I would treat her wound daily with an iodine solution until she can get to a vet and best of luck, let us know how she gets on.

Guys at the risk of teaching everyone to suck eggs... for which I apologise in advance....

If the bulb or ceramic heating element is too close to the grilled protection, it's going to heat up as hot as the element, especially if you don't use a thermostat...

Ensure you have a decent amount of space between the heating element and protective grill and do use a thermostat...

Cheers Tony, that was the 1st thing I did - to move the bulb and grill to eliminate the risk of the same thing happening again.

Thanks for the advice about the iodine Tan. What's the best way to clean the wound before applying the weak iodine solution every day?

I'm unsure what you mean as the iodine would 'clean' the wound. I'd use the Iodine and nothing else at the moment, as in I wouldn't remove anything or attempt to as any necrotic tissue will need to be cut away by the vet as there is nothing that can be done to save it, it's dead.

You know you can always give a vet a quick ring for a telephone consult and get very basic fist aid from them until you can make the visit. The information I have given is just what I would do but then I'm not a qualified vet so if in doubt make the call. Actually I haven't read up on burn care in a good while so there could be advances or discoveries which now make things we knew to be out of date or sometimes as we see in our own medical advances, just dangerous.

Ah right... In your first post you said about treating with betadine after cleaning daily. That's why I asked what way you would clean it before using the iodine solution lol.

Cheers for the replies.

You can also get a betadine ointment which you would apply after cleaning daily but unsure if this is over the counter, it probably isnt

.

No sorry you misread, I said Betadine ointment after cleaning. Ointment as in cream and not liquid solution like iodine/saline.

You would apply the ointment after using a liquid solution.

Ah I see. No probs. Cheers :)