My Chameleons eye

[Voldragon]

Hello everyone,

I bought a Veiled Chameleon about a week ago, hes around 3 months old, so he is still a baby. He is really concerning me. When I put him into his cage initially he hissed at me and then fell off the leaf he was on. For the next day his left eye was shut, with the help of my sister, we carefully washed his eye, and he was able to open it somewhat. However, his eye has gone back to being shut again (he has opened it, but he is keeping it shut). Which is worrying because he keeps trying to climb up something on that side but he can't see what he is trying to grip onto. I will add, he is shedding his skin atm, but this has been a problem from before he started.

He is eating ok, I come to the cage and there aren't as many hoppers in there, I would say he's eaten 4-5 hoppers today. As for the drinking, I don't see him drink alot, I have seen him in the last few days, but I keep the leaves watered a few times a day, as well as spraying the enclosure (I don't spray him).

He is currently in a 65 gallon flexarium, with a 15" Iguana light 5.0 UVB (which is sat on top of the flexarium), an inside clamp light with 60 watt bulb. the temperature is usually around 30 degrees centigrade in his basking spot, and it drops to around 20-23C at night. I have a fiscus as his live plant in there with some logs and artificial plants too. The Flexarium itself is situated high up in my room, facing the window but at least 6 feet away from it (he has places in his tank to hide from the window should he need to). As I say I'm feeding him small locusts atm, which Im coating in chameleon dust, and I gutload them by dropping fruit and veggies in there box. For water, I have a spray bottle which I spray the leaves with, and I also use it to spray the air in the enclosure.

If you need to know anything else, I will answer as best I can. I can't get any pictures at the minute, but I have tried to describe what I see as best I can. I will be taking him to the shop I bought him from tommorow, but if anyone can give me some advice as soon as possible, I will owe you greatly, I am a really worried Cham owner atm.

P.S if you think I am doing anything wrong in how I maintain his habitat please let me know, this is my first Chameleon and I did as much research as possible. But I don't want to continue doing anything wrong.

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."inside clamp light with 60 watt bulb"...be sure that the chameleon can not reach the bulb, etc. if its inside the cage. I would worry about the chameleon getting burned if it is inside. The UVB should have no glass or plastic over it.

You could use a dripper on the cage as well as misting it.

You said..."Im coating in chameleon dust, and I gutload them by dropping fruit and veggies in there box"...I'm not familiar with "Chameleon dust". What does it contain in the way of D3, vitamin A, phosphorous and calcium...and how often do you use it? You could also be using greens (dandelion, kale, collards, mustard greens, endive, escarole, etc.) to gutload your crickets.

As for the eye...if its not staying open soon, I would take it to the vets.

 

[Voldragon]

You said..."inside clamp light with 60 watt bulb"...be sure that the chameleon can not reach the bulb, etc. if its inside the cage. I would worry about the chameleon getting burned if it is inside. The UVB should have no glass or plastic over it.

You could use a dripper on the cage as well as misting it.

You said..."Im coating in chameleon dust, and I gutload them by dropping fruit and veggies in there box"...I'm not familiar with "Chameleon dust". What does it contain in the way of D3, vitamin A, phosphorous and calcium...and how often do you use it? You could also be using greens (dandelion, kale, collards, mustard greens, endive, escarole, etc.) to gutload your crickets.

As for the eye...if its not staying open soon, I would take it to the vets.

Thanks for the reply. I have an appointment to see the vet.

He can't climb into the light, he has sat on the fixing before, but that isn't hot at all, so that is safe, the top of the bulb isn't hot either, its just the inside which he can't get into. The UVB light is sat on top of the flexarium, Im not covering it with anything, the only thing that is there is the flexarium mesh underneath it.

As for the Chameleon dust, it is a product that I bought under direction from the reptile centre I bought him from. Its made by a company called T-Rex. It has all the things that you have just said. I shake and bake the locusts everytime I put them in the tank with the Chameleon dust. I will also use some of the things you suggested for gutloading too. Im assuming that simply putting things like that in the tub is enough, I leave the locusts to take what they need.

I really appreciate your reply. As I say, this is my first Cham, and although I did alot of reading about them, it doesn't make up for experience and such.

 

[PardalisGirl]

It sounds like the vet will be able to figure the eye problem out. I don't understand the heat bulb in the cage business yet. There really should not be any heat element of any kind in the cage. You would be surprised what a chameleon can do. They are little acrobats. As they grow their reach grows too. A burn is one of the worst things that can happen. Can you put the heat fixture on top of the cage? Maybe a picture of the set up will clarify the situation better. Does your baby have a name yet?

 

[stevereecy]

Thanks for the reply. I have an appointment to see the vet.

He can't climb into the light, he has sat on the fixing before, but that isn't hot at all, so that is safe, the top of the bulb isn't hot either, its just the inside which he can't get into. The UVB light is sat on top of the flexarium, Im not covering it with anything, the only thing that is there is the flexarium mesh underneath it.

As for the Chameleon dust, it is a product that I bought under direction from the reptile centre I bought him from. Its made by a company called T-Rex. It has all the things that you have just said. I shake and bake the locusts everytime I put them in the tank with the Chameleon dust. I will also use some of the things you suggested for gutloading too. Im assuming that simply putting things like that in the tub is enough, I leave the locusts to take what they need.

I really appreciate your reply. As I say, this is my first Cham, and although I did alot of reading about them, it doesn't make up for experience and such.

Before you take him to the vet, be sure and try giving him a shower. Just put him on a plant, and put him inside a warm (but not hot) shower stall. Perhaps locate him where the water bounces off the shower wall first. It will be like he's in a rainstorm. Sometimes chams can get debris in their eyes that will wash out. Other times, they get dehydrated in their eyes because they don't get "rained on" enough and it will do the same thing. Often, repeated showers will cure the problem. Bring him to the vet if you see no improvement after the first or second shower.

Steve

 

[Voldragon]

Thanks for the replies, we have tried washing the eye, but nothing seems to be working. Im hoping that the vet will show me a few ways of doing it. As regards the bulb, I know its not ideal, but thats the best I can get at this point in time. I have secured it in a very safe position, and made sure that he can't get to the bulb, the surround of it isn't very hot at all, and also helps prevent him from going near it. I will "upgrade" it soon enough, it is just a temporary measure.

Thanks again for the replies, I really do appreciate it. Im learning alot from this site, I'm really glad I found it.

 

[kinyonga]

The vitamin A, vitamin D3, phosphorous and calcium are the main players in good bone health (and play a part in other things too)...which is why I wondered if the dust you use has any of these in it. These 4 things need to be in balance.

Exposure to UVB either from direct sunlight or UVB tube lights allows the chameleon to produce vitamin D3 and that allows it to use its calcium. If its felt that the chameleon doesn't get enough exposure to UVB and thus can't make enough, a supplement containing D3 can be given....but D3 from supplements can build up in the system and cause problems too...so the problem comes in knowing how much to supplement it.

Calcium, when there is enough D3, will be used by the chameleon for bones and other functions. Most of the insects we use as feeders have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous, so dusting with a phosphorous-free calcium powder helps to make up for this.

Vitamin A from a beta carotene source won't build up in the system, so its quite safe to give to the chameleon...however, there is controversy as to whether chams. can convert it to vitamin A or not...so some people give a little preformed vitamin A once in a while. Preformed vitamin A can build up in the system though...and excess preformed can prevent the D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD...so again, the problem is knowing how much should be given.

Phosphorous seems to be abundant in a chameleon's diet, so its not given to them.

In addition to this, appropriate temperature allows for proper digestion and thus plays a part in nutrient absorption.

Hope the vet can help with the eye problem!