Chameleon keeps closing eye for a second or two then reopens it.

Ysljosh

Ysljosh

New Member
Hi I had my chameleon for about a month probably it’s a baby chameleon not sure if it’s a boy or girl but I’m getting worried cause it’s my first chameleon and everything I looked up about chameleons closing their eye has a bad meaning and I wanna if something is wrong with my chameleon I just noticed cause I keep tank close to my bed but I keep looking at it and the chameleon keeps closing its eyes for a second or two then reopens it happened about 3 times now in about 2 minutes I was thinking maybe I didn’t let it get enough sleep so I turned it’s lights of but I’m getting scared cause I’ve never really seen my chameleon do it before but I don’t really watch my chameleon a lot I just let it do it’s own thing any explanations? I tried looking it up on the web can’t really find my problem I’m having with my chameleon but stuff saying chameleons should close their eyes during the day but it’s not for a long period of time it’s like a second or two can someone help me out?
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon. Not sure of the sex. Probably 4-6 months old. I’ve been taking care of it For about a month now.
  • Handling - I’ve never handled it yet
  • Feeding - crickets usually 5-10 I gave my chameleon 2 horn worms for a week and I gave the chameleon mealworms for about 3-4 days and I was giving the chameleon 5. I usually feed the chameleon around 2-3pm I’ve never got loaded them
  • Supplements - I have zoo-med repti calcium and usually just a tiny tiny pinch every 2 days I don’t wanna stuff it with to much calcium.
  • Watering - I have a repti fogger that’s what I usually and it goes by it and absorbs the water itself I was misting it every 3 hours before I got it and I’ve never seen the chameleon drink water but I don’t really watch my chameleon I just let it do it’s own thing.
  • Fecal Description - usually brown or white poop I’ve seen meal worms come out in it’s poop once so I stop feeding them to it cause I read it was hard for them to digest them
  • History - I don’t really know the history I bought it from a local pet store.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - it’s a all mesh cage it’s also 16x16x30
  • Lighting - uvb 5.0 I think I got it from another chameleon owner and a regular colored basking lamp all zoo med. The lighting schedule is light on from 11am sometimes 12pm to 10-11pm
  • Temperature - it’s usually anywhere from 80-85° with the basking lamp on at night it gets about 70-75° and I keep track of these with a zoomed temp reader.
  • Humidity - humidity levels are usually 70-80 percent and I also track this with a zoo med hygrometer
  • Plants - no live plants I wanna get some for my chameleon but don’t know what kind or where to get them and how to keep them alive
  • Placement - it’s on the floor I want to get a little table for it. No vents or anything. And about 30inches from the floor.
  • Location - I’m located in Chicago Illinois.

Current Problem - My chameleon keeps closing its eyes at first it was just for a second or two now it’s going on for a minute and then it reopens it, it also bobs it’s head up really quick just started doing this as I’m typing this out and I’m really concerned.
FBACCB8A-17F9-46E7-97AD-DA75BD13ABFE.jpeg


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Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
SteveH said:
A picture would be a plus, daytime sleeping could be caused several different things and an exotics pet vet visit is recommended. Is he/she doing any star gazing or gaping of the mouth ?
Click to expand...
What exactly do you mean by star gazing and no gaping of the mouth at all I just put some more crickets in the cage and it got down from its basking spot and was very accurate at grabbing the crickets.
 
I think that he means tilting his head in the air and gaping as those are signs of respiratory problems. Try to take a deep breath, I got/get very overwhelmed as well, they are new and once you start learning their behaviours it will get easier.
 
Beppo said:
I think that he means tilting his head in the air and gaping as those are signs of respiratory problems. Try to take a deep breath, I got/get very overwhelmed as well, they are new and once you start learning their behaviours it will get easier.
Click to expand...
No I have been watching the chameleon ever since I noticed this I haven’t seen anything like that the chameleon just sucks it’s eyes In kinda I don’t know how to explain it and when the chameleon brings them back to normal it just keeps its eye closed for a little while.
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon. Not sure of the sex. Probably 4-6 months old. I’ve been taking care of it For about a month now.
  • Handling - I’ve never handled it yet
  • CHECK THE HEELS FOR SPURS…MALE VEILEDS HAVE THEM…FEMALES DON’T.
  • Feeding - crickets usually 5-10 I gave my chameleon 2 horn worms for a week and I gave the chameleon mealworms for about 3-4 days and I was giving the chameleon 5. I usually feed the chameleon around 2-3pm I’ve never got loaded them
  • I WOULD RECOMMEND FEEDING EARLIER IN THE DAY. CRICKETS, ROACHES, BSFL, SILKWORMS ALL ARE GOOD FEEDERS. MEALWORMS, WAXWORMS, SUPERWORKPMS, HORNWORMS CAN BE OFFERED ONCE IN A WHILE AS TREATS. YOU REALLY NEED TO BE GUTLOADING CRICKETS, ROACHES, ETC WITH GREENS SUCH AS COLLARDS, DANDELIONS, KALE, ENDIVE, ETC AND VEGGIES SUCH AS SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, SWEET POTATOES, SWEET RED PEPPERS, CARROTS, ETC. AND A TINY BIT OF FRUIT SUCH AS APPLE, PEAR, MELON, BERRIES, ETC.
  • Supplements - I have zoo-med repti calcium and usually just a tiny tiny pinch every 2 days I don’t wanna stuff it with to much calcium.
  • FOR SUPPLEMENTS ITS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU USE A PHOS FREE CALCIUM POWDER AT ALL FEEDINGS BUT TWO A MONTH AND THEN ON THOSE TWO FREDINGS DUST WITH A VITAMIN POWDER WITH D3 AND A PREFORMED SOURCE OF VITAMIN A. ALL DUSTINGS SHOULD BE LIGHTLY DONE.
  • Watering - I have a repti fogger that’s what I usually and it goes by it and absorbs the water itself I was misting it every 3 hours before I got it and I’ve never seen the chameleon drink water but I don’t really watch my chameleon I just let it do it’s own thing.
  • YOU CAN ALSO ADD A DRIPPER.
  • Fecal Description - usually brown or white poop I’ve seen meal worms come out in it’s poop once so I stop feeding them to it cause I read it was hard for them to digest them
  • History - I don’t really know the history I bought it from a local pet store.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - it’s a all mesh cage it’s also 16x16x30
  • Lighting - uvb 5.0 I think I got it from another chameleon owner and a regular colored basking lamp all zoo med. The lighting schedule is light on from 11am sometimes 12pm to 10-11pm
  • IM TAGGING @Beman TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE LIGHTING.
  • Temperature - it’s usually anywhere from 80-85° with the basking lamp on at night it gets about 70-75° and I keep track of these with a zoomed temp reader. NO LIHTS ON AT NIGHT…RIGHT? IF ITS A FEMALE YOU WILL WANT TO KEEP THR BASKING TEMPERATURE AT 80F.
  • Humidity - humidity levels are usually 70-80 percent and I also track this with a zoo med hygrometer IS THIS ONLY DAYTIME?
  • Plants - no live plants I wanna get some for my chameleon but don’t know what kind or where to get them and how to keep them alive
  • LIVE PLANTS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR VEILED CHAMELEONS BECAUSE THEY WILL EAT THE LEAVE…AND FAKE LEAVES IF EATEN CAN CAUSE IMPACTION. THEY SHOULD BE WELL WASHED, BOTH SIDES OF THR LEAVES AND NONTOXIC.
  • Placement - it’s on the floor I want to get a little table for it. No vents or anything. And about 30inches from the floor.
  • DEFINITELY RAISE IT OFF THE FLOOR.
  • Location - I’m located in Chicago Illinois.

Current Problem - My chameleon keeps closing its eyes at first it was just for a second or two now it’s going on for a minute and then it reopens it, it also bobs it’s head up really quick just started doing this as I’m typing this out and I’m really concerned.
THE HEAD RAISING…IS IT DONE WHILE THE CHAMELEON IS UNDER THE BASKING LIGHT? IS THE MOUTH OPEN OR SHUT WHEN IT DOES IT?
IS IT AFTER DRINKING?
 
It sounds like you will need a vet visit for sure. Closing eyes during the day is one of the only signs we get that a chameleon is not doing well. But I did notice you are not offering any multivitamin 2x a month. Sometimes closing of the eyes is a lack in nutrients, specifically a vitamin A deficiency (which help the eyes & tongue). I recommend adding Replashy Calcium Plus LOD to your supplement routine once every 2 weeks. You can easily find this at the major pet stores or online. Also, I suggest getting the enclosure off the floor asap! Chameleons prefer to be up high, just like in the wild, they are up in trees and bushes, not on the ground. So this will help his stress levels go down some & ultimately help keep the immune system going strong. A good rule of thumb is to have the basking branch around your forehead or at least eye level. Next, I’m not sure if this was a typo but make sure to have complete darkness at night so make sure to turn the basking light off at night. About 12 hours of light & 12 hours of complete darkness (they need this to reach a deep healthy sleep every night) & no extra heat! Your normal house temperature is fine for nighttime temps. Also, live plants would help too. Make sure your chameleon has the opportunity to completely immerse him/herself into the foliage, where you can not see them. Usually chameleons will not hide in plastic plants, probably because they are to hard & sharp. Pothos plants are excellent for cham enclosures. Lastly, make sure your 80% humidity is at night and not during the day. You want it around 40% (give or take) during the day…this will help everything thoroughly dry out properly during the day too. So make sure to fog at night only & in addition, have misting sessions around the time lights come on & also when the go off. You want to give your chameleon every opportunity for hydration. You can add a dripper for an hour or so in the late afternoon to check if your chameleon is still a little thirsty. Hope this was helpful🫶🤙
 
Tell me is your UVB lighting a screw in bulb or a long linear fixture and bulb? Please post pics of the entire enclosure including the lighting on top.
 
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