he won't open his eyes!

ludafiveforty

New Member
he walks around the limbs and everywhere and reaches out for things that arent even there! he won't open his eyes for ANYTHING!!!!!! im nervous. hes been this way for about more than a week now. he will open open one eye and eat and it will close back. he falls off limbs cause of it also but not far from the ground and he rubs the side of his face on my girlfriends shirt......HELP please:(:confused:
 
Sorry to hear you Cham is not doing so well. lets start with this and see if we can get to the bottom of it.

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Location - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

Pictures are helpful
 
As well as filling out the info it would be great if you could include a photo as well. The more infor we have the better chances are that we can help you. But in the meantime i would call a vet and make an appointment for him. I'm sure you know that it is never a good thing for his eyes to be closed and with it going on 1 week i wouldn't wait any longer. That is always a sign something is very wrong. It is a good thing to hear that he is still eating though. Is he still drinking?

Debby

Debby
 
Yeah... Fill out the questions that Ryan posted... But if I were you I would start finding a Vet right now. Sounds like he is going to need one. Daytime eye closing can be such a wide range of issues... and none of them are the kind that you want to let go untreated. I would consult a reliable vet with Cham experience and go from there. The longer you wait, the harder it is going ot be to fix.
 
I agree. Get a vet appointment now. If you don't have a vet maybe this site will help: http://www.herpvetconnection.com/

You are close enough that I would recommend you contact Dr. Greek for an appointment. He is about the best you could hope for when it comes to Chameleons. From La Puente he is a very short trip. I am in Diamond Bar and live on Golden Springs as close as I could probably get to that address. I hear he has either moved or is moving to Yorba Linda but still very close.

Tom Greek, DVM
Village Animal Hospital
23379 Golden Springs Dr.
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Tel: (909) 861-7463
 
i had a male do this too. i read on a thread to supplement more vitamin A so i did and after about a week he started to open his eyes. Just my experience dont take my word that this will be a sure shot cure, just an idea.
 
Preformed Vitamin A cannot be used as medicine, but instead is something that you should give in very small amounts as a regular supplement if your chameleon has no other source of preformed vit a and/or is found to need more through blood work.

*Are you using a compact uv bulb? Chameleons can sustain grievous eye injuries as a result of compact uv bulb use.
 
i had a male do this too. i read on a thread to supplement more vitamin A so i did and after about a week he started to open his eyes. Just my experience dont take my word that this will be a sure shot cure, just an idea.

The same thing happened here. My vet told me to give him more vitamin A. It did the trick.
 
I have that problem as well as i stated earlier. And the vet also told me to use Vit A. It DID NOT solve the problem and now he is going in again tomorrow for more blood work. But please remember Vit A has to be used with caution. Too much Vit A; can and is fatal. So please, make and keep the vet appointment. To chams a closed eye is the same as us with temps. We can take Tylenol to cure the temp but it doesn't necessarily cure the PROBLEM. Good luck and please keep us informed.

Also, if i remember correctly someone asked what kind of UVB bulb you are using. What kind are you using? Is it the coiled type? You do know that they have been linked to alot of eye problems? I would give you the link but i don't have it. Maybe someone else can chime in and give it to you.

Another thing i might check first is your humidity levels and if that is really off then that could be your culprit.

Debby
 
what would be vitamin A for a chameleon.. its kinda hard to give him anything cause hes not opening his eyes at all.. i had to force his mouth open to give him food today.. im kinda scared!! i havent had time to fill out the thingy but ill do it when i have more time on the pc
 
Chameleons won't wait very long before they die when there is something like this is wrong with them as a rule. IMHO you need to get him to a vet and not waste time.

Also, you are not giving us enough information to even look at any possibilities of what is wrong with him. The question about the UVB light being a compact or not could have a lot to do with the problem...but you don't bother answering when asked.

He may or may not need vitamin A. It may or may not be the reason he is shutting his eyes. A vet is the only one who can tell you this by doing tests and observing the chameleon's symptoms.

As for your question..."what would be vitamin A for a chameleon"...preformed vitamin A (which is what is being referred to) can be bought as a liquid in gel caps...but its very easy to overdose it....and its life threatening to your chameleon if you do.
 
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