possible eye problem?

[jvpiccione66]

I recently went to a reptile expo and got myself a new baby veiled! however, while leaving, i noticed that his left eye was kinda closed but not fully closed. i went back to the breeders table and asked about his health. She told me that it was due to the fact that he was in the middle of shedding and could be a little dehydrated. So I brought him home, set him up in his new cage, and misted away.

he has been with me for a few days now and is obviously done shedding, yet he still seems to be having problems in his left eye. it doesn't look irritated or swollen. Ive researched a little on eye/sinus infections and other eye related problems with chams, but it seems as though he may be blind or part blind at least in his left eye.

ive come to this conclusion due to the fact that when i have handled him, he is still somewhat scared of humans. if you move you hand near his right eye, he crawls away to the other side of my hand, however if i move around to his left eye, he rarely notices anything. but sometimes he does! he also sometimes runs into things on his left side or tries to reach his left foot out and there is nothing there. this has me quite confused. he seems to be eating regularly, although ive never witnessed him eating or drinking. but ive only had him for 3 days. also, when i first get him out of the cage, and he gets darker cuz hes nervous, he is two tone. like, he gets darker on his right side compared to his left. does he have perception problems? maybe color blind in one eye? i just dont want him to not b able to catch his food and not eat please help!

will post pix asap

any other general veiled cham tips would be useful as well. like i said i just bought him a few days ago, i did some research on them, and asked plenty of questions about veileds at the show but i still learn 50 new things about him every day haha


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Veiled, Male, very young, have had him for 3 days
* Handling - about 1-2 times a day
* Feeding - Crickets, 5-8 per day, not currently gutloading? i fed them potatoes though
* Supplements - using reptivite vitamins w/o D3 and repticalcium w/ D3, only done this once
* Watering - Have a little dripper, and a water bottle. i mist about 4-5 times a day but i only have been misting down the tank untill all the plants r dripping, bout a min i guess, but i have never seen him drink, he hates getting misted
* Fecal Description - seems fine, dark feces
* History - he is recently purchased from a reptile show and i quite small, but seems to be old enough for me to be in care of him, he is about the same size as the babies i seen at local pet shops


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - 29 tall all screen repti cage
* Lighting - 12 hrs with 2 diff lights, i accidentally threw away the boxes so im not sure what the lights are >.<
* Temperature - seems to be aroun 75-77 at night and 83-87 during the day but his basking point is about 90-95
* Humidity - im actually having an issue with this as well, i cant seem to keep my humidiy above 50% very well, its usually around 40 unless i just misted, any tips?
* Plants - no but im trying to find a pothos or ficus, but its the winter >.<
* Placement - its on my computer desk in the corner of my room
* Location - Indiana

 

[tkilgour]

To begin helping here:

First post a picture.

Everyone will ask what type of lighting. This is very important when trying to figure out an eye problem. You need to be using a uvb 5.0 made by zoomed called a Reptisun. Then you need a basking bulb, most likely a 40watt house bulb. The wattage on the house bulb will depend on the temps. the light provides you with. Make sure your not using any type of coil bulb as these cause blindness.

Next you probably want to find a Vet. near by who can see your chameleon. They can give you an ointment to apply that may help along with any other medicines the cham. may need.

Good luck.

 

[AReptile]

Also I'm new to chameleons myself but I know what other members are probably gonna say about this but it sounds like you're handling the chameleon too much. On top of that you let your temperature get too high for a baby when it goes to 90-95. Highest you should let it get to is around 83. I have no idea if that is related to the cham's eye problem though, perhaps a more experienced member can respond here for you.

 

[jelg2000]

Also maybe try to re position the lights, especially the heat lamp, a couple inches away from the top so the heat is not directly resting on the cage and is not right next to the chameleon.
I had the kinda the same issue with my veiled a couple months ago- he kept his eye closed a lot after he was done shedding and I moved up the lights and misted him a little more and his eye was fine after that. And the humidity sounds fine- 40% is ok for a veiled, they aren't rainforest chams.

If he rubs it, or if it looks infected, or just to be on the safe side I might have it checked out.

 

[Carlton]

he still seems to be having problems in his left eye. it doesn't look irritated or swollen. if you move you hand near his right eye, he crawls away to the other side of my hand, however if i move around to his left eye, he rarely notices anything. tries to reach his left foot out and there is nothing there. like, he gets darker on his right side compared to his left. does he have perception problems? maybe color blind in one eye? i just dont want him to not b able to catch his food and not eat please help!
* Lighting - 12 hrs with 2 diff lights, i accidentally threw away the boxes so im not sure what the lights are >.<
* Temperature - seems to be aroun 75-77 at night and 83-87 during the day but his basking point is about 90-95
* Humidity - im actually having an issue with this as well, i cant seem to keep my humidiy above 50% very well, its usually around 40 unless i just misted, any tips?
* Plants - no but im trying to find a pothos or ficus, but its the winter >.<
* Placement - its on my computer desk in the corner of my room
* Location - Indiana

First, chams can scratch the surface of an eye by accident or get bits of skin stuck under their eyelids. If the eye isn't swollen, discolored, or sunken it is very hard for anyone to be sure without a scope. Is there any discharge along the lid? Is his eye stuck shut in the mornings? If not, maybe nothing wrong. Mist him gently longer with warm water. If he runs from the mist, spray the foliage around him to keep the cage more humid and let him clean his eyes on his own. You can help him clean his eye by squirting some sterile saline solution (contact lense rinse without preservatives...it will sting less than plain water) at it and very gently rolling a wet Q tip across the lid to pick up debris that might be stuck.

Gutloading with potato isn't great nutrition. Feed your insects well, including fresh dark leafy greens, fruit chunks, as well as fortified cereal grains. I like to add bee pollen too.

Chams can change color on each side independently in response to temperature or light changes, so I'm not sure his two tone color is a concern.

Chams often reach a foot out into the air...as if testing for something before they commit to taking a step and giving themselves away by moving.

Check the linear tube light especially. The brand and type should be printed on the bulb near the ends. A ReptiSun 5.0 is a safe type for chams. I think your temps are a bit too high. Move the basking spot farther away or use a smaller watt bulb. This will slow how fast the cage dries out too.

Low humidity can irritate eyes (especially little guys) and sounds as if you may have trouble with this too. Even if you have to use fake plants, the more foliage in his cage the higher the humidity will stay because there is more surface to hold water droplets and evaporation. Hang some plastic sheeting or a shower curtain in the cage back and/or sides to help hold in moisture.

 

[jvpiccione66]

ok so here are the pix!

my new baby! left side pic

closeup of left eye

here are the supplements i have from left to right:
Fluker's [High Calcium] Cricket diet, Zilla Humidifying Spray: Tropical Mist w/ Aloe, Zoo Med's REPTIVITE: reptile vitamins w/o D3, Zoo Med's REPTI CALCIUM w/ D3

i just bought that cricket gutload today is it good? and are these good things to have or should i buy different dusters? and how frequent should i dust?

 

[jvpiccione66]

also here is a pic of the tank and i figured out my lights

I have a Reptisun 5.0 UVB light on the left and a 75 watt soft white light on the right

and here is a pic of his right side

and like i said before, i cant see anything wrong with his left eye, he is just non responsive to movement on the left side of him and he reaches out for something to grab on his left side when nothing is there, just air. i hope he isnt blind in his left eye but if he is will this become a feeding problem?

 

[tkilgour]

http://www.petmountain.com/product/...lbs/504985/zoo-med-reptisun-5.0-uvb-bulb.html

Your light should be like the light in the link above. No coil bulbs and for a juvenile you may want to bring the temps. down. Possibly reducing the wattage on the basking bulb. As for the gutload, use the search function and find out what others are using like oranges, apples, etc. Then use the gutload you bought in conjuction with the other foods for your feeders. I hope his eye gets better. The eye could be dut to anything from a vitamin def. to lighting issues. Best of luck.

 

[jvpiccione66]

here is the light i have it is a reptisun 5.0 uvb

 

[pssh]

I would recommend you get a retpisun 5.0 in either the 18 or 24 inches.

Take the cham to a vet, whatever is up with his eye might be solved by a chameleon experienced vet! If he is blind in that eye, as you say he is, and he wont eat out of your hand it will indeed become a very big problem.

 

[PardalisGirl]

Your boy....

Hi there...your little guy is cute. Get rid of that compact bulb. They do cause eye issues. Get the Reptisun 5.0 as others have suggested. You also need to reduce his temperatures. The very top of the cage where the screen is should be about 90 degrees at the most. The basking area six inches below should not be higher than 85 degrees. Then the temperatures should drop down as you get closer to the bottom. While acclimating the bottom and nightime temperatures should be about 72 degrees. After he is acclimated and you know he is healthy these temperatures can drop into mid to upper 60 degree range.

I'm not sure what that misting product is. You don't need it though. It may be causing the eye issue. Distilled or purified tap water (run through a faucet PUR style filter) is the only thing you need to mist with. There does appear to be some sort of bump on the eye turret. I would recommend a vet visit for that. I would also reduce handling until he is acclimated. I am however going to suggest handling once more for two more pictures. One from the top showing how how all four legs come out from the body. There is something about the picture you have of his right side that bugs me. I want to see what the shape of his limbs look like from above. A second close up of the eye with the problem. Try to get one clearly focused so we can see the area on the eye turret that appears bumpy. Other than these additional pictures stop handling him other than to take him to a vet for the eye.

Is the person you bought him from a person with an internet site that can be contacted again? They told you the eye was not a problem and now it appears that it was. If the breeder is reputable they will do something to make the situation right for you. His color looks good. Very normal for a young male.

 

[jvpiccione66]

well that is a reptisun 5.0 uvb... isnt it? it says it on the light

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Rduce the basking light to a 40 watt and get a repti sun 5.0 tube bulb. And mist the cage 4-5 time a day min until the eye looks better. Get rid of that tropical mist crap. Its not worth using something with added ingredients if pure water works fine. If no improvement in 2 days meke vet appt.

 

[jvpiccione66]

ok here are a few pix, i couldnt get him to stop runnign from the camera or let me take a good pic of his left eye really but here is what i got.

also i have his basking spot to 80 by moving the lights, and humidity to 55-60% all the time, except for maybe in the morning but it only drops to about 40%, should i still change the 75 watt house light? i dont think ill be able to keep it at 80 with anything lower

im sorry ive been confused with the reptisun light, a guy at the reptile show told me this was the best one for chams, and its called a reptisun 5.0 uvb, i now understand you guys were telling me to change to the tubes, any suggestions on a good light housing for that 18"?

 

[nick barta]

Solving this eye problem may be quick and easy, or not. I would agree with Catherine, that the seller should be contacted and an exchange or refund given. Just finding out what the problem is will probably cost you considerable money.
Good luck,

Nick

 

[jvpiccione66]

the vendor seems good, she told me she would refund money or exchange, but im nervous about her shipping him in the mail, would a new baby survive ups lol?

 

[xanthoman]

not all reptisun 5.0 are created equal

well that is a reptisun 5.0 uvb... isnt it? it says it on the light

yes, but not all reptisun 5.0 are created equal, older reptisun 5.0 "cfl" have been attributed to eye problems as well as other issues. zoo med has supposedly fixed the issues with their cfl versions, but the jury is still out. regardless of the spectral output, many (probably most) experienced keepers recomend "linear" (long straight tube) reptisun 5.0. because of the concentrated output of the "cfls", just because the bulb was purchased recently does not neccessarly mean it is one of the "new and improved" ones. if you cannot confirm that it is one of the new and improved cfls, it would be probably prudent to replace it with a "linear" reptisun 5.0, if you can afford to. here is a previous thread explaining the issue and how to tell the difference https://www.chameleonforums.com/updated-info-cf-uvb-lamps-29318/

 

[jvpiccione66]

im heading to the petstore today to pick up another nice little list, including a new light.

but after these few days he seems pretty healthy, ive seen him eat and drink now, and he comes out on his vines in the open a lot more and he is a nice light green color. he also doesnt mind getting misted as much anymore. i think it orignally just made him nervous because he is so small and new to everything. he still seems a little short of sight on his left side, but he all his crickets every day. and his tank is in a lot better condition now after reading all these posts! thx guys for all the help!