PivotThePanther
New Member
I just bought a 3-4 month old panther chameleon 4 days ago, and he seemed okay and in good health when I got him. The day after I got him, I noticed he started to rub his eyes a lot and spend most of the day a dark color. He very aggressively rubs both eyes on branches, plants, and grabbing with his feet at his eye. He typically will close one eye at a time as well, sometimes (not as often) both. His eyes are very irritated, the skin looks raw and swollen around the bases, like darker rings. I have tried misting him more frequently, and less frequently for longer periods of time. Either way, he tries to clean his eyes himself but clearly it provides no relief for the little guy. I feel so terrible, not sure what to do watching him be so uncomfortable all the time (I get super itchy eyes during hayfever season, he looks like it could be allergies??). I keep looking up solutions itchy/rubbing of eyes, and I have done all that I can think of without causing too much stress or doing anything that could potentially hurt him more. I went back to the place I got him and asked, and the guy said to do a shower and give him a drop of liquid vitamin (since he wasn't sure he got much vitamins at the shop), so i did, with little relief. I thought maybe the UVB was too strong because it is a new bulb and took it off for a day to then put it back elevated so he's not so close to it. Didn't seem to help either. He shows no signs of flakes or shedding on his eyes, he seems to be just starting to shed with few flakes on his head and back. The amount he has rubbed his eyes the last three days does not seem normal for shedding. The actual eye and pupil seem clear, no pus or discharge, no visible physical damage. He just keeps closing and rubbing so harshly. He ate black soldier fly larvae, a superworm, and a cricket the day after I got him (dusted with calcium), and only has eaten 2 crickets since (in the last 3 days). I've seen him drinking water, and he remains somewhat still active, climbing and moving, often to use a new spot to rub his eyes though. I have no idea what else to do than to take him to a vet, but I JUST got him, and I have talked to two separate, experienced panther chameleon owners who say all my husbandry and equipment is correct, so that whatever he has is probably from the seller. But I still don't know how to help him! please help! ive read i could do a saline wash, but ive also read that can make it worse. My humidity is lowest at 40%, but maintains usually at 50, at nights and mornings it is about 60-70. Ambient room temp is usually 80, basking is 95-100 (a little hot for his size, looking into getting a new bulb). Could it be i didnt scrub the stuff in his cage enough? Is misting him drying out his eyes? I handled him once to bring him outside to get natural sunlight, and then the second time was for the shower, so ive only handled him twice but he did fall off the plant in the shower so that probably stressed him more. It's so stressful to not be able to give him any relief.
