Veiled Chameleon Closed Eye and rubbing on branches

[bletulle91]

Hi we are new to chameleons but not reptiles. We got a young veiled Chameleon about 3 weeks ago. For the last 5-7 days he's been closing his left eye and will sometimes rub it on the branches in his cage. I say he, we don't know. Lol

We have him in a Thrive 19.1 L x 16.6 W x 22.4 H glass hexagonal terrarium. We are using ZooMed 60 watt daylight bulb and a mini 5.0 reptisun in a dual fixture. He will get an upgrade but I had read somewhere to start them in a smaller one and move up. We have a rubber plant, a croton and a dracaena planted in the terrarium. Substrate is a mixture of coco coir and reptibark. We have grape vines for him to crawl on

Humidity is kept around 50-55% and the baking area is 80-83⁰. The terrarium is misted once or twice a day.

He eats 3-5 small crickets that are dusted with calcium (no d3) twice a day. We give calcium with d3 once every 2 weeks. We tried dubias but he doesn't seem to be a fan. We have a dripper going for water.

Please let me know if you need any other information. We're trying to do best for the little guy, but he's got me worried.

 

[Gloriawood]

Hello and welcome!! Give me a few minutes and I’ll review all your information. I believe I see what could be the issue. If you post a pic of the back of the rear feet, we can confirm gender for you.

 

[Gloriawood]

See my responses in red.



We have him in a Thrive 19.1 L x 16.6 W x 22.4 H glass hexagonal terrarium. the minimum size for an adult is 2x2x4. Depending on your location, typically screen enclosures are best. Glass enclosures do not usually provide enough ventelation. We are using ZooMed 60 watt daylight bulb and a mini 5.0 reptisun in a dual fixture. this could be part of your issue. The UVB needs to be a T5 linear bulb. The long skinny ones not the corkscrew ones. Incorrect UVB can cause eye issues. He will get an upgrade but I had read somewhere to start them in a smaller one and move up. good. We have a rubber plant, a croton and a dracaena planted in the terrarium. Substrate is a mixture of coco coir and reptibark. We have grape vines for him to crawl on unless you have a bio active enclosure, I reccomend a bare bottom. Is can be an impaction rust if the Cham tries to eat it. Veiled chams are notorious for eating things they should not.

Humidity is kept around 50-55% and the baking area is 80-83⁰. The terrarium is misted once or twice a day. basking temp is great. Humidity is a tad high. Shoot for 40-45. 50 should be the absolute max.

He eats 3-5 small crickets he looks awfully young and little ones should be eating much more than that. @MissSkittles how much would you say for this little one? that are dusted with calcium (no d3) twice a day. We give calcium with d3 once every 2 weeks. We tried dubias but he doesn't seem to be a fan. We have a dripper going for water. ok here is where I see the other potential issue. All feedings get calcium without D3 (which you have correct) EXCEPT twice a month. In addition to the calcium WITH D3 you need a multivitamin. I suggest repashy loD (the one with the Jackson’s chameleon on it). This is a combo calcium and multivitamin. The lack of vitamin a could be contributing to your guys eye issue.

As far as dubia, chams can be like kids and take a few tries to come around to different bugs. Give them another go and see what he thinks.

Please let me know if you need any other information. We're trying to do best for the little guy, but he's got me worried.

correct the lighting and the vitamins and I think this will help. Just so you know, if this is the issue, it can take a couple weeks to see a difference. Both of these have to be fixed. Little one can develop MBD without them. I am also attaching a safe plant list. Make sure to chose the ones marked ‘veiled safe’ incase he tries to munch on them. Welcome to the chamily!!!

 

[bletulle91]

@Gloriawood do you have a bulb/fixture you recommend? For his current terrarium it would need to be a mini

 

[Gloriawood]

@Gloriawood do you have a bulb/fixture you recommend? For his current terrarium it would need to be a mini

Arcadia is the best. The bulbs are good for 1 year. Reptisun is the only other brand tested to put out the correct UVB. They are a bit cheaper but the bulbs need replaced every 6 months. I would go ahead and order the 24 watt as that is what you will need for the full size enclosure. You can always raise the light higher above the terrarium so you aren’t blasting him with too much UVB. Let me get you some links.

 

[Gloriawood]

Light your reptiles is a forum sponsor. They are currently out of stock of the Arcadia, but this is the link. You want the 6% bulb.

https://www.lightyourreptiles.com/arcadia-pro-t5-fixture-6-bulb-22-5-sale-now-only-69-99/


A good option for you might be the chameleon kit from Neptune the chameleon. With this, you would get the fixture, bulb and the adult size enclosure along with other essentials.

https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...sca_ref=2120335.Dn9y03RxpN&sca_source=website


These are just two of our sponsors, but most pet stores should carry them. I’ll include an image of both acceptable bulbs so you know exactly what to look for.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi! You’ve gotten some great info already. Your little one looks to be quite young (I guess maybe around 2 months old), so should be getting fed as much as he/she can eat in a 15-20 minute period, twice a day. When around 3 months old, you can drop it down to feeding just once daily in the morning and start limiting feeders to around 15-20. By 4 months old you’ll again reduce the feeder amount to 12-15. Having the correct size feeders is essential for baby to be able to eat. Anything larger than the space between the eyes is too big. Right now I’d guess a good size for crickets would be 1/8”. I can only guess though, so here’s a size chart that should help you. https://www.ghann.com/Live-Crickets-C2.aspx Ghann’s is a great place for crickets too btw. For online vendors of feeders, check the forum sponsors also. Roaches seem to be more of an acquired taste for some, but do offer them again when he/she is just a bit older.
The small enclosure is ok right now, but most definitely you’ll be needing to upgrade to much larger. I do suggest the kit that has been put together by Neptune as the price really can’t be beat for all that you get. Most of us have spent hundreds, (if not more) on buying everything separately. Plus then there’s trying to find it all and having to buy from different sources, shipping costs for each, etc. Anyhow, I do advise putting in more little branches or vine for little one to climb. Chams usually don’t spend much if any time walking on the ground and instead travel on branches. Other concerns with glass tanks is managing the excess water drainage without having humidity be too high and also heat getting trapped and baking your animal. I would say your little one is young enough that you could probably get away without using any basking bulb or at least one that doesn’t exceed temps of a max of 78. Too much heat can cause babies to dehydrate very quickly. Get the correct uvb asap and I’d get the 24” one rather than getting a small one now and having to upgrade later. Unless later you use that size tank for a different smaller reptile, like a small arboreal gecko, which you’d need uvb for. Also, I just want to clarify that the Repashy calcium Plus LoD and the ReptiVite with D3 are combination products which provide both the multivitamins and D3 and afaik, are the only like products that also contain preformed vitamin A, which we know chameleons can use and is for their eye health.

 

[bletulle91]

Thank y'all so much for your input! I went out today and got a ReptiSun T5 bulb and fixture, got the 24". I really thought about just going ahead and getting the kit from Neptune, but I didn't want to wait on getting the bulb transferred to the proper one. I may order it in a couple of months and then I'll have a back up fixture and bulb. I ordered the Repashy today and it's supposed to be here tomorrow. To clarify, the Repashy only needs to be given every 2 weeks, and it has both Vitamin A and D3?

I'm not sure if he (we looked today and I think it is a boy! But I will try to get pictures later) is eating so little because of the eye issue, but he used to eat more maybe 10 crickets. Some of the "small" crickets are a little bigger than the space between his eyes, but he seems to be able to eat them with no problems. Maybe that's also why he's eating fewer. We've just been purchasing from PetSmart/Petco. But I will look into the link provided!

 

[MissSkittles]

To clarify, the Repashy only needs to be given every 2 weeks, and it has both Vitamin A and D3?

Yes, you got it! Dust lightly with phosphorus free calcium without D3 at every feeding and then the Repashy LoD one feeding every two weeks.