Veiled chameleon eye closed???
- Thread starter Bmaggio
- Start date
phantomchameleon
Established Member
I agree, his eye looks really sunken in. Correct me if im wrong but that's usually a sign of dehydration? Or something could have gotten in his eye? Fill out the 'How to ask for help' sheet. It should be pinned on the health clinic forum.
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
Actually a sunken eye especially if it's regularly closed could mean a lot of things. It could mean irritation both from the wrong uvb light, or basking light, it could also mean something is in it, rarely does a closed eye with drawing back of turrets at the same time mean dehydration but it can. The wrong supplementation can cause huge eye problems. Some sort of sickness can cause problems like that.
phantomchameleon
Established Member
Yeah you're right. Maybe the OP should try flushing the eye out with water first before doing anything else
Bmaggio
New Member
- My Chameleon - I have a possibly 5 month old female veiled chameleon, she is bout 3inches long (not counting her tail) i got her form work (petco) on 11/06/16
- Handling - my husband and i handle her everyday, never have a problem, she doesn't acted stressed
- Feeding - right now she only eats mealworms, we have tried crickets but she won't eat them.
- Supplements - i dust the crickets with repti-calcium with D3 and i have Reptivite Vitamins, used a couple times a week
- Watering - we have a fogger that we turn on for a couple minutes 2x daily, and we have a spray bottle we use to spray the leaves. i have yet to see her drink.
- Fecal Description - now darker in color, brownish, has not been tested for parasites
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - all screen cage, 16"x16"x30"
- Lighting - we have a double dome fixture, one is zoo med reptisun 5.0 UVB 13 watt tropical, the other is zoo med daylight blue, 100 w. her lights are automatically turned on at 7am and turn off at 7pm
- Temperature - i have an electronic thermometer&humidity gauge that is in the middle of the cage. normal readsWhat temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
- Humidity - we mist her cage at 2-3 times when we are working, if we are off we mist throughout the day if the humidity level is low. we have a fogger i use about 3 times a day, and run it for a couple minutes at a time, i also have a spray bottle to mist the leaves.
- Plants - no live plants right now, will be getting some pothos plants soon
- Placement - my cage is in my closet, its 8ft x 8ft, I've got her right in the middle against the wall, there is an even space between the floor and ceiling.
- Location - We live in rock springs, WY
I went to get her crickets from another pet store and they told me to get this water treatment, and let her soak in it once a week. I've only done it once.. last night is when i noticed her eye, she keeps it closed until something distracts her, then when she opens it, it looks fine. she doesn't act like it bothers her... when she is comfortable and just hanging out is when she closes that eye.
phantomchameleon
Established Member
Hmmm... For one i suggest trying to get her into some other worms like silk worms, horn worms, ect. I made the same mistake with my cham and too many mealworms or hard shelled worms in general makes them constipated and they wont poop regularly. There may be irritation from the uvb and/or basking light like @Andee said but I'm not too experienced with light fixtures and wattage's.
Bmaggio
New Member
I've finally got her to eat crickets... i just forgot to fix that part... i copied and pasted from my last one i did.. she eats 6-8 crickets a day
phantomchameleon
Established Member
I still would recommend silk worms and hornworms. Chams eat those usually with no problem! Is there any swelling or discharge from the eye? Or is it just closed?
Bmaggio
New Member
its like she just closes it.. no swelling or discharge. and when she is active its open and is fine. its just when she is sitting and relaxing is when her right eye closes, the other stays open and she looks around
Bmaggio
New Member
this is left and right sides of her taken an hour ago
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Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
What water treatment? Most chameleons don't do well with soaking and it doesn't help with hydrating them. How long do you mist for each time? Does the water you use come out cold or warm? What does normal reads mean? 100 watts are rather high for a baby especially a female. What is low humidity? Humidity is best when there are spikes, with veileds it can safely go as low as 40% during no most periods, and during mistings you want to hit for 80%. Your supplements are off. I recommend, gutloading, and a all in one vitamin/mineral supplement that you can safely use 3 times a week and cut it with plain calcium other feedings. Temps at night shoule be determined by the temp in the house because no lights should be on at night. You need to expand her feeder range a lot, get rid of the mealworms completely and get her into crickets and at least 3 other regular feeders.
phantomchameleon
Established Member
Then maybe there's some irritation with the UVB or Basking. All i can really recommend is trying to flush out the eye with water if it really is irritated by something in it. Here's a thread with some similar questions in the comments and some helpful things https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/flushing-an-eye.40271/ Sorry but that's as much as I can attempt to help.
@Decadancin @Nursemaia @jannb
phantomchameleon
Established Member
Also you have a really cute baby girl tell her that i love her
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
In my opinion she doesn't look dehydrated at all. Of it is caused by the basking light or uvb light flushing it will not help. It means you need to get a lower strength or older uvb bulb. If it's your basking light then get a lower wattage for sure. I have dealt with a chameleon who has reacted badly to artificial lighting, he actually ended up burning his cornea? and needed no artificial lighting for a few months. Every day I took him outside for a few hours of morning light when the sun was less strong. I don't think she is as bad as he was.
Bmaggio
New Member
the water treatment is called reptisafe from zoo med, normals readings are about 75-85. humidity gets down to 19% when we are at work... when i get home i mist immediately and turn the fogger on. the fogger produces a warm heat. the mister is just room temperature. I've gotten rid of meal worms, and she is eating small crickets now 6-8 of them a day.
Bmaggio
New Member
i love her also! she is sweet and i think she enjoys hanging out with me when I'm home. she doesn't get stressed!
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
In my opinion someone without a lot of chameleon experience should not flush their chameleons eyes until they learn it directly from a vet. If done incorrectly you can cause seriously damage to the eye. In my opinion most chameleons are more likely to drink from a mister if you put hot water in it so when it comes out in a mist it is warm to the touch. Then i usually mist for about 2-3 minutes depending on the chameleon.
Bmaggio
New Member
okay thank you! ill see if i can get her to drink with warm water
