I have a 8 month old male translucent veiled cham. It has stopped eating this week and just noticed that its right is closed and won't open. I tried the saline drops I read on this forum. I was wondering if I could use Zoo Med turtle drops. I have it an open air cage about 10"w and 22" tall and 15" long. I have a dripper and mist 1 or 2 times a day. I have one large live plant and fake vines. I think the problem was that I didn't dust the food the last 2x and my bulb went out a month ago. The replacement bulb wasn't UV as I just found out and bought a new one. Any help will be appreciated.
Veiled eye closed
- Thread starter mavl666
- Start date
Lancecham
New Member
I doubt that the eye issue is related to not being dusted for 2X. When you say his eye won't open, is that because he chooses not to open it, or does it seem to be crusty material around the eye preventing the eye from opening.
Most eye issues are not actually eye problems, but a secondary response to another problem. If the eye is crusty or discharge coming from it, then there may be a true eye problem. Otherwise look elsewhere for the real cuprit.
I would enlist the help of a vet as he could examine the cham, and fugure out what is wrong.
Most eye issues are not actually eye problems, but a secondary response to another problem. If the eye is crusty or discharge coming from it, then there may be a true eye problem. Otherwise look elsewhere for the real cuprit.
I would enlist the help of a vet as he could examine the cham, and fugure out what is wrong.
chameleonman57
New Member
I'm not really sure about the Zoo Med Repti Turtle Eye Drops but I'm thinking it's only meant for turtles and I don't think they make anything for chameleon eyes. Read this and then see if chameleon has same sysptoms and then treat it.
Sunken Eyes
Causes: Dehydration; attributed to by improper humidity level and accessibility
of drinking water.
Symptoms: Eyes will be sunken, as opposed to full and round. Other signs of
dehydration are lateral folds of skin along the sides of the
chameleons.
Treatment: Increased accessibility to water and increased humidity. For
immediate treatment, soak in pedialite solution (found in the baby
section of any drug store) and administer orally as well. You can also
offer your chameleon plants (hibiscus) and fruit/vegetable baby foods
via an eyedropper!
Prevention: Proper humidity level, accessible water to drink
Sunken Eyes
Causes: Dehydration; attributed to by improper humidity level and accessibility
of drinking water.
Symptoms: Eyes will be sunken, as opposed to full and round. Other signs of
dehydration are lateral folds of skin along the sides of the
chameleons.
Treatment: Increased accessibility to water and increased humidity. For
immediate treatment, soak in pedialite solution (found in the baby
section of any drug store) and administer orally as well. You can also
offer your chameleon plants (hibiscus) and fruit/vegetable baby foods
via an eyedropper!
Prevention: Proper humidity level, accessible water to drink
Thanks for the responses. I do not see any crusty stuff or discharge. The eye looks normal except its closed. Should I mist more often? I was thinking of running the shower hot to get some humidity and place the cage in the bathroom for a few hours. The cham does deem thirsty and will drink drops. The only thing different is I changed the dripper a last week. It was homemade and I altered it so the drip line was more vertical.
chameleonman57
New Member
I would put him in the shower for a couple of hours but keep a close eye on him and make sure the water is warm to hot he'll get burns real fast and angle the shower head on the wall and let small drips reach him and put him in a ficus tree or hibiscus to give him more cover.
Dez
Chamalot Chameleons
I agree with Lancecham.
Shut eyes are usually an indication of another problem.. not necessarily an eye problem.
I had a cham who has a mouth infection and the first symptoms where the one shut eye.
Also a vit A deficiency can cause the eye to shut. My vet suggested feed the cham crickets gutloaded in fish food (high in vit A) once in a while. You can also try a dose of preformed vit A directly.
If things do not improve then you may want to consult a vet
BocaJan
New Member
I have a little girl in recovery from this. She wasn't eating and couldn't shoot at crickets with only one eye opened. I gave her a couple of supers every day in a little plastic cup and dripped some preformed Vit A on them. She is greatly improved and I will continue this treatment for another week and then once a week after untiil I can count on her being better. I don't know the whys because all my chams are treated the same, but this seems to be working for her.
The eye opened up some yesterday after several heavy mistings. Today it is closed up but not as bad. I replaced the bulb with a UVA. I forget to mention that the Cham has become very vocal the past week but didn't think much of it to now. I believe it ate 1 cricket yesterday. I put a few more in the feeding cup today; I gut loaded and dusted them. Can I put vitamin A in its dripper or sprayer?
Vampire.queen
New Member
Slow down with adding vitamin A into everything! You can easily overdose your chameleon!
You said you just bought a new UVB bulb then you said..."I replaced the bulb with a UVA."...do you mean that you replaced the UVB with a UVA?? What brand and type (spiral, compact, long linear, etc.) UVB bulb do you have on the cage now?
You said..."the Cham has become very vocal the past week"...do you mean hissing or wheezing?
You said..."the Cham has become very vocal the past week"...do you mean hissing or wheezing?
Your chameleon needs a UVB light as well as a basking light. The most recommended UVB light is the Repti-sun 5.0 long linear fluorescent tube light and for basking you can use a regular household incandescent bulb of a wattage that provides the appropriate temperature in the basking area.
Exposure to UVB from either the bulb or direct sunlight allows the chameleon to produce D3 which allows it to use the calcium in its system to produce good bones, etc. The UVB from the sun or the light should not pass through glass or plastic.
Exposure to UVB from either the bulb or direct sunlight allows the chameleon to produce D3 which allows it to use the calcium in its system to produce good bones, etc. The UVB from the sun or the light should not pass through glass or plastic.
Called several vets and the cost is way to high for me. They suggested higher humidity in the cage, UVB light, and more misting. The vocalization could be a respiratory infection. Is there anything I can do cure it? I was going to try and force feed it, vet suggested. As it doesn't seem to be drinking I wil try and use an eye dropper. The vet doesn't think pedialyte will help. I read that some where. Anymore suggestions or is it doomed?
i read sumwher about upper and lower respitpry infections. maybe u shud reseach to see if the syntoms are the same.
when my cham got a URI the vet prescibed a daily does of 'baytril'....an antibiotic. for 1 week
altho it was hard to give him orally...sumtimes he took it...did that every day for a week..and occasioanlly..twice day in case he didnt have proper drop..
and i have seen a VAST improvement...and hes alot better now..thank go..
hope urs will get better soon.
when my cham got a URI the vet prescibed a daily does of 'baytril'....an antibiotic. for 1 week
altho it was hard to give him orally...sumtimes he took it...did that every day for a week..and occasioanlly..twice day in case he didnt have proper drop..
and i have seen a VAST improvement...and hes alot better now..thank go..
hope urs will get better soon.
Well things turned bad quick. Its at the bottom of the cage and won't move, barely breathing. Don't think it will last much longer. I tried force feeding and drinking last night but no good. Won't open its mouth and am afraid to pry any more. I saw the Baytril but unable to obtain without a prescription.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Did you take him to a vet?
