Right Eye Closed

Hi Everyone, I'm brand new to the site and also a Proud new Veiled Owner. I've only had my cham for just over a week now, and this problem has been taking place for the past few days. He will just randomly shut his right eye for extended periods of time. It seems he may be trying to clean it (I can see it moving under the eyelid) I thought he may be getting dehydrated, so I've given him several showers and constant opportunities to drink, to no avail. He's eating fine and still active despite having one eye shut. I live in Miami, where it's nice and hot and humid out already. So i took him outside to bask for a few hours. He seemed really relaxed and just chilled out on a small tree.(Under my supervision of course) During this time both eyes where open and alert. I'm concerned that this could be something more serious than just an eye irritation. Any advice/input would be greatly appreciated.
I'll try my best to answer the questionnaire, but I'm still a rookie so bare with me.
Cage Info:
All Aluminum Mesh Enclosure 2'x2'x4'
Lighting:
Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp 75w on from 9am till 8pm
I am using live plants with a Ficus and a Fern.
I'm not entirely sure of the humidity levels. During the day it is quite humid though, There is a fan overhead that keeps the air moving.
Chameleon Info:
Male Juvenile Veiled approx. 6 months
Only handled to place in the shower or take outside (3 times total)
Feeding: Medium Crickets and Superworms with dusting every other day of REp-Cal Herptivite and Calcium with D3
Watering: Three times per day for ten minutes at a time, with a warm fine mist on all plants and Chameleon, haven't seen him drink too much though.
Fecal: Only observed twice, seemed to be a pale yellowish white slightly watery.

The first few days he seemed to be a voracious eater (hunting the crickets in his cage) now he seems to not like crickets and is only eating superworms in my presence(handfed via container) I have left a few crickets in the cage with him and from what i can see, they are slowly disappearing, so I think he's eaten them when I'm not around.

I'm thinking the fan is drying out the cage a bit? What UVB light do you have? I don't see

You have a UVB light, right?

I have seen this kind of thing happen right before a shed. But if that isn't the case with your chameleon, you may want to see if your vet can prescribe eye drops for him.

Giving him extra long misting sessions will let him wash his eye out.

I hope it resolves quickly.

Take care.

No I don't have a UVB light, I thought the natural light through the window would be enough...I'll pick one up tomorrow, any suggestions on what to get for my size enclosure? (24"x24"x48")

Well. There would be why the right eye is closed, and that would be the reason why he opened them in the sun.

Natural light is almost 100% filtered through glass, hun. It is MANDATORY that you get a UVB light, and not just any. Get the zoomed 5.0 LINEAR tube. Not the compact.

Goodluck!

He shed just after I got him (1 week ago) and then his eye problem started.

leid said:

Well. There would be why the right eye is closed, and that would be the reason why he opened them in the sun.

Natural light is almost 100% filtered through glass, hun. It is MANDATORY that you get a UVB light, and not just any. Get the zoomed 5.0 LINEAR tube. Not the compact.

Goodluck!

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Thanks so much for your advice Leid, I'll definately get one ASAP, I've waited so long to get a chameleon, and I want the best for him!

shedding takes a lot out of chams. I'm not exactly sure if the absence of uvb for a week would have significant effects, but I know they expend more energy and vitamins when they shed. Perhaps without the UVB light his body can't replenish. the UVB light helps digest and absorb calcium more efficiently. I'd get him that UVB light pronto and see what happens.

bufoalvarius said:

No I don't have a UVB light, I thought the natural light through the window would be enough...I'll pick one up tomorrow, any suggestions on what to get for my size enclosure? (24"x24"x48")

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im going to the vet tomorrow for something thats seems to be the same he started this right after a shed, and he keeps popping his eye in/out like its itchy. so my question 1 eye, or both? mine started with 1 eye then to 2, and now a day after that im going to the vet this has been something that has carried over 4 days now. ill let you know what my vet says. i have heard of complications caused by shedding to do with the eyes, but dont remember what it does, or how to fix it. i saw it on another website.

No problemo. I hope he gets better!

Docility.

Ask for vit A and B injection. I got one for Fred, and his eyes opened several days later. No problems since.

I hope no damage has been done, I'm glad that there are educated people like you out there to help.(Leid) Weird that no-one told me this here in Miami though, and even weirder that I somehow missed the importance of UVB in my researching Chameleon care.

leid said:

Docility.

Ask for vit A and B injection. I got one for Fred, and his eyes opened several days later. No problems since.

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really days later? so that 5000 iu of A i gave him maybe whats affecting his better behavior today?

was your cham also rubbing his eyes on stuff like they were itchy, or bobbing them inside the lids?

Ben --

No. Well. I don't know. Not to my knowledge. First his left eye closed, and then a couple days later his right eye closed. Then he'd only open his eyes to move around. This was only a week after I got him, and the vet gave him a vit a/b shot. Four days later his eyes were open and he was perfectly fine.

Since you gave him that much vit A, then nevermind. Don't get that shot. You don't want to overdose vit A. I'm assuming your husbandry is fine. What I suggest is getting a fecal or bloodwork done at the vet. That will really tell you what's going on.

Edit: Yes, he was definitely bobbing them inside his lids. I just don't know if he was scratching them.

Hope the UVB light will prevent me from needing injections...My cham is rubbing his one closed eye on anything that seems to give it a good scratch.
Side note: He seems kind of skittish when I mist or shower him and tries to escape the path of water, is that normal behavior or maybe linked to the eye problem?

That's normal behavior. Mine does that too, without the eye problems!

Injections are VERY stressful for chameleons...

its normal for most to run since its kinda scary, but once they figure out its mist they will come out and drink it (sometimes) mine doesnt shoot his tung he just opens his mouth, and licks his lips for lack of better words.

Leid-

sounds like something the same thing. lets hope what they told me to do will work. i wonder if all 5000 iu's got absorbed like the injection.

Injections are VERY stressful for chameleons...

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Well in my case, it was BE VERY STRESSED or die of vit deficiency.

Ben --

ask your vet. I don't know the answer to that question. You're going to an exotics herp vet right?