Humphrey might be blind and is not eating

[MollyDora]

Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Male, we've had him since May 2011 and bought him from a local pet store when he was a baby

Handling - never. He does not like to be handled so I dont

Feeding - mostly Crickets, gut loaded with flukers Orange cubes and cricket crack. When he as better he got about 5-10 crickets a day (if his feeding cup was not empty we waited) and once a week we gave him a superworm or two

Supplements - Calcium with every feeding, Calcium with D on the 1st of the month and Multivitamin on the 15th

Watering - I misted him every day once with warm water with a handheld mister for about 5 minutes and I did see him drinking

the first picture is the one of the eye I think is lost and the second is of the eye that has been just shut for a while.
the next two pictures I attached because I don't know if it means something, but the side the eye that I think is lost is on, is much darker.
The side the eye is on that's just shut seems more green.
Fecal Description - they seemed fine, it's hard to tell for me since he has a plant right below him where most of the droppings fall in, I take it out weekly to get the droppings out. He has not been tested for parasites

History - never had any problems with Humphrey when it came to his health.


Cage Info:


Cage Type - I have an exo terra glass cage 18x18x24 I was going to order a new bigger screen cage with all the new stuff when I get my bonus this month

Lighting - lights turn on from 9am till 10pm I have UVB bulbs and UVA Bulb that warms up his basking spot

Temperature - It's 85 at his basking spot,

Humidity - I just got done misting and the humidity is 70

Plants - I have two live pothos in there that I rotated once if he eats on them too much

Placement - the cage sits on a cabinet which brings the top of the cage to 6.5' it's in a low traffic room away from fans or anything like that

Location - Missouri


Current Problem - I'm worried Humphrey might be blinding. We were on vacation and I had friends of mine take care of Humphrey... well I'm thinking that they did not really mist him at all... we were gone for two weeks. I have been back for a while now and have been trying everything I can ... I've upped the misting to 5 times a day and my vet (which won't see me but was nice enough to talk to me on the phone....) told me to get a saline solution and drop it in his eyes.
The problem is he won't open them and they seem crusty. 2 days ago he had one eye open and I could see how swollen and red it was, but it seemed he could not keep it open for very long. that eye now seems lost, I'm not sure but it almost seems milky and weird. the other eye is just closed and he won't open it. so he also won't eat.
At this point he has not eaten in at least 10 days.
I'm at my wits end. I live in the middle of nowhere, and called several vets and as soon as I say Chameleon they say" nope we dont do those....

What can I do????
I tried forcefeeding him, but since he does not exactly like beeing touched he freaks when I try to pry open his mouth and spits everything out I put inthere...

also I'm sure he can't see since he's now walking onto my hand, and I'm sure he does not know it's there. I just took some more pictures of him and I could just pick him up. Usually he hisses and lounges at me trying to bite...

Please help me folks I know you guys really know what you are talking about and I just feel terrible about how he feels. I feel it's my fault!

 

[Kushcham]

You can place him on a plant inside your shower with the water aimed at the wall. The water will splash onto him. But I do think it may take much more than that to bring him back to good health. Hopefully some other members can help further because thats very sad to see

 

[carol5208]

tell us where you live and we will see if we can find you a vet. You may have to drive far but I think your chameleon needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible. I do not believe two weeks of not being misted caused the eye problems. What kind of uvb lighting do you use and how often are you changing out the bulbs?

 

[christinecollins87]

I would get him to a reptile veterinarian do you think he may be dehidrated?

 

[MollyDora]

at this point he can't be dehydrated anymore since I have been misting him 5 times a day for 5 days now.

I live in Waynesville MO. There is a vet in Rolla, MO, but he was the one that reccomended the Saline Solution.

Unfortunately I just have the curly UVB bulbs, ReptiGlo... I'm really waiting on that Bonus from work, because I want to buy a screen cage and get new lighting and all...

I ususally change them every 6 month, but I did change them 2 days ago, because I'm so frustrated that I really just wanted to try everything.
I wanted to get the reptisun 5.0 at the store with a new light fixture that would hold it but they did not have it!

I just went to Coastal worms online thinking about trying some silkworms when I saw Reptaid. Is that any good?

 

[carol5208]

I have never used Reptaid so cannot comment. if your chameleon has an eye infection(you say there is crust, so that is probably the case) saline is probably not going to cure it. You probably need some sort of antibiotic ointment. I would do my best to get to a vet even if it means you have to drive hours. It may be difference between him losing his sight permanently and being able to see again. As far as the lights, alot of people use the coils without issue so that is probably not the cause of the eye problems.

 

[Elizadolots]

I completely agree with seeing the vet. Washing the eye out with saline was certainly worth a try so I wouldn't discount the vet simply because that didn't work. It's always best to try the least expensive, least invasive thing first.

As you do not live in California, you can buy Terramycin which is an antibiotic eye ointment. Here's a link to it on board sponsor LLL's website:http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...prays-and-cleaners/-/terramycin-eye-ointment/ However, you can probably find it locally. I would call around. While waiting to get into the vet, you might want to try dabbing a dot on the infected eye lid.

 

[mindowzzz]

I am not an expert, but I would say it looks like an infections, definitely get some antibiotic eye ointment. It looks like it might take a really long while to heal at this point. Be patient.

 

[MollyDora]

Terramycin! I will get that.

Should I continue with the misting like I've been doing? I don't want to irritate his eye.

It's 530 am now and too early to call a vet, so I have to do that at when I get back home at 430..

Now IF I find a vet, how should I transport him? I have never transportet him for a long distance drive and I don't want to stress him out more then I have too.

I have on of those Plastic carrying cases, but he just slides around in it. How do you guys do it?

Thank you so much for your help thus far.

 

[carol5208]

I have a small travel cage as I call it, with a plant and a few vines in it I use. Some people use a box and put a stick in it for them to hang onto and have it dark so they cannot see. You could also use a potted plant, providing you do not think he will wander while you are driving.

 

[Elizadolots]

I would just assume he will wander. Maybe you could put a 5 gallon bucket or a trash can on the seat, buckle it in (pull the belt all the way out and then let it go back...that way it will hold the container in place) and put the plant in the container.

I would mist as much as you can until you get to see the vet. He might look annoyed, but it gives him the chance to clean his eye if he can.

 

[MollyDora]

ok, sounds great. i will do that.

I already ordered the Terramycin in case I get that before I get to go to the vet.

I will call my list of vets right now and then we'll see.

Thank you all very much for your support and help, I really need it.

 

[MollyDora]

what are the odds, it's Labor day and all vets seem closed. i will try again tomorrow. Until then I will mist mist and mist

 

[MollyDora]

I took Humph to the vet today and he said that his one eye is gone for good.

he kept him there since he needs intensive care and i work 9 hours a day. He said they have a group of people that care for Reptiles and are very knowledgeable with Chameleons.

so keep your fingers crossed. He will be force fed and all that good stuff, so hopefully they can fix him.

 

[Elizadolots]

I'm glad he's in trained hands. I hope you will keep us informed.

 

[lisagr07]

I'm glad he's in trained hands. I hope you will keep us informed.

yes!!!!!!! soooo glad you are getting him some help!!!!!!!

 

[MollyDora]

I will keep you informed! Thank you all for your help. I glad to know I have this forum to fall back on!