9 month old veiled isn't opening his eyes.

[Johnny5958]

Hi everyone,
I am getting rather concerned. My veiled has not opened his eyes in about 4 days now (since his last shed). Any ideas what this could be from??? I am really starting to worry. He is usually pretty aggressive, and since this began he is really calm and let's me pick him up and touch him anywhere without any puffing up or hissing.

 

[Johnny5958]

When googling this, it came up with entophthalmia???

 

[NosyBe15]

Have you tried long shower treatments to help him flush out his eyes? I would try that along with extra mistings. Hopefully it helps him get out whatever is bothering him.

Do you see any lumps in his eye turrets?

 

[Johnny5958]

Have you tried long shower treatments to help him flush out his eyes? I would try that along with extra mistings. Hopefully it helps him get out whatever is bothering him.

Do you see any lumps in his eye turrets?

I don't see any lumps. I will try even more misting's. shower treatment?

 

[Lovereps]

Eyes closed for 4 days is very bad.
As to the cause, he is either very sick, dehydrated or both.

Your best bet is to get him to a reptile-knowledgeable vet without delay.
Hopefully one of these is reasonably close to you:
http://www.arav.org/find-a-vet/#Canada

The showering can help rehydrate him but the cause of the dehydration needs to be found and fixed.
Parasites, infections, oversupplementing, too little water, too high temps, kidney problems, etc. are among the possible causes.

 

[Johnny5958]

Well he has opened his eyes a few times today but not for long periods of time. Taking him to the vet tomorrow.

 

[Johnny5958]

unfortunately as a result of getting sick Spazz has lost the ability to shoot his tongue to catch is food and we have had to catch his crickets and feed him with tongs. I am curios if there is anyone knows what causes this or if it can be "fixed" or if there is a chance that it can go back to normal??????

 

[jannb]

unfortunately as a result of getting sick Spazz has lost the ability to shoot his tongue to catch is food and we have had to catch his crickets and feed him with tongs. I am curios if there is anyone knows what causes this or if it can be "fixed" or if there is a chance that it can go back to normal??????

Poor little guy. It may very well be something in your husbandry. Please fill out the Ask For Help form and give as much detail as possible (brand, watt and so forth).
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Johnny5958]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male veiled, will be a year old in November(according to the pet store), bought him and brought him home the end of December.
Handling - Handle him once or twice a week, for about 10 - 15 min max (usually a result of giving medicine or cleaning his enclosure.
Feeding - Spazz is offered crickets daily (refuses all worms or other available insects). Crickets are kept in a large cricket keeper and food/water gel is given and changed every two days. He is given liquid calcium carb monthly (from the vet) and other supplement powder without calcium monthly. Misted three times a day, showered every two days, and there is a drip set up as well. Drinks as he is misted and takes from leaves and rarely takes from the drip.
Fecal Description - some has light areas (white/yellow), other is brownish grey. No mucousy consistency at all.
History - up until the issue with vitamin A deficiency there were no other issues other than he refuses all food offered except crickets.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Exo-terra 18X18X24, two feet off the ground no vents near, in a seperate bed room (has his own room), moving to a flexarium in the next two weeks.
Lighting - two bulb canopy, two 26 watt coil bulbs (1 - uvb, 1 - day light) on a timer. Lights are off from 9pm - 7am.
Temperature - Temp rang 76 - 79 degrees in basking area, 69 - 72 degrees in lower area of enclosure. Over night temp is roughly same as lower enclosure day temps. I have a "stick on" thermometer and hygrometer lower level, and a battery operated duo for the upper basking area.
Humidity - Humidity levels remain between 68% to 88 % depending on if it is freshly sprayed or has gone down during the time I am at work. See above for type of device used to measure humidity and temp.
Plants - No live plants.
Placement - No fans or vents near enclosure, located near a window but not in direct sun light for long, but does get some sun light into the enclosure for a short period of time.
Location - Live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Current Problem - Has lost the ability to shoot his tongue to catch his food. We have to catch his crickets and use tongs to offer to him.


Have not been able to get a picture of his tongue out as of yet.

 

[Video Master]

You need to change your husbandry and fast. Chams need calcium without D3 DAILY! Calcium with D3 2 times a month. Multivitamin 2 times a month.

Please read the care sheets which I have linked here for all basic husbandry needs. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

How old us your UVB bulb? What brand is it?

You need to get a bigger cage as well. See the care sheet for the correct size.

Your temperatures are WAY off. See the care sheet for the correct temps.

Your humidity is too high, you need to let it come down more than it is. See the care sheet for the correct humidity range.

 

[Johnny5958]

You need to change your husbandry and fast. Chams need calcium without D3 DAILY! Calcium with D3 2 times a month. Multivitamin 2 times a month.

The amount that I have been giving him is the amount that the vet advised.

Please read the care sheets which I have linked here for all basic husbandry needs. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

How old us your UVB bulb? What brand is it?

They are the exo-terra bulbs and they are just over a month old. Bulbs are changes every three months.

You need to get a bigger cage as well. See the care sheet for the correct size.

The flexarium has been ordered. Have to wait for it to get here. No shops here sell them.

Your temperatures are WAY off. See the care sheet for the correct temps.

I will adjust the temps now.

Your humidity is too high, you need to let it come down more than it is. See the care sheet for the correct humidity range.

i will adjust the humidity now as well

I have replied in the quote above.

 

[lancaster0861]

Yea it could be a number of things at this point, I would still get him to a vet as quick as possible. You said he is deficient with Vitamin A? I noticed you are using basically flukers gel as a gutload to your crickets. It goes a long way towards keeping a healthy chameleon if you are able to provide a good gutload for the feeders ( leafy greens). His eyes being closed could be a result of poor nutrition even though you are doing what you know how to up to this point ( I know vitamin A deficiency can cause eye issues). His temperatures need to be adjusted as he needs proper temperatures to metabolize and digest his food, otherwise it may be very hard to digest anything at all let alone soak up all the nutrition. He needs around 90 degrees for his basking site and basically 75-80 degrees for ambient temps. There are a couple of really good husbandry care sheets on here that if are followed go a long way to keeping a healthy lizard. His tongue not working could very well be a result of insufficient calcium intake. Chameleons, especially when they are babies need a decent amount of calcium to grow and be a healthy animal. When they are young they need calcium w/no D3 dusted on their feeders at every feeding and calcium dusted with no D3 twice a month. As well as a multivitamin twice a month. This should be able to prevent any deficiencies with Vitamin A or any other deficiencies. A good start would be to check out the basic husbandry sheet and fix all the things that need to be addressed also, he is gonna need a bigger cage pretty soon if not now. Good luck and hope everything works out best for your little one!

 

[Video Master]

I have replied in the quote above.

The vet may have told you that, but that vet is wrong. You need to follow the care sheet which is what I quoted in my previous post. If your vet is telling you otherwise, it is time to find a new vet as they probably don't know much about chameleons at all.

 

[lancaster0861]

I just read your other post and it looks like your vet has u on a pretty skewed supplement schedule. Unless there is a special situation your guy needs that requires less calcium than your vet has ur guy on to little calcium. I definatly think he needs more calcium and most if not all these symptoms are from or made worse by the lack of sufficient calcium. I think if u get the supplements right and raise your temps aso look into a new vet you will be well on your way to a healthy cham