Baby chameleons won't open their eyes

[chameleongalore]

I just had a batch of 29 veileds hatch. It was a 100% hatching rate and the eggs were huge andd very beautiful. All the babies hatched with no problem and were big and strong except they won't open their eyes. I put them in the natural sun light because it does miracles for them and that worked before but only a couple opened their eyes for a second. It brakes my heart because I don't know what to do and I know they will die. I always thought that it was because babies are premature but these guys incubated for 8 months and they are huge and moving around and just gorgeous. I'm guessing its a genetic thing or maybe they are lacking something in nutrition but both the parents were taken care of properly and had all their calcium, D3, vit A. I take good care of my chameleons as a breeder, with 50 adult breeders and over 800 eggs I would really like to learn what caused this problem and help these little cuties. If anyone has any advice, it would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

[ReptileLove18]

hi, i read your thread and im a pretty inexperienced cham owner myself but i messaged several of the moderators of the forum asking if they could look at this thread and give any advice they have for you! i hope that they are able to help you out some and that your little ones open up their eyes soon! im gonna keep looking for moderators and messaging them, hopefully they will reply soon!!!

 

[Olimpia]

I'm sorry you're having issues with your new hatchlings!

How long ago did they hatch?

 

[sandrachameleon]

how long ago did they hatch?
If its been more than a day or two and they still are not opening their eyes, then unfortunately they likely wont make it. In which case I'd guess the female didnt have all that she needed (prior to conception matters too, not just after mating). Or as you say it could just be a genetic misfortune - has that same pair produced good offspring before?

 

[kinyonga]

Are the eyes open when they are in the incubation container?
What lights are you using on the baby cages?

 

[fluxlizard]

How often are you using vit a for the mother? That would be my first guess as to the problem.

If you can lightly mist the babies and get some to open their eyes for a few minutes afterward, you can immediately feed them dusting with reptivite for that feeding. If vit a is the problem and you can get them to feed like this, you should see some improvement after a couple of meals and then you can go to whatever "normal" supplement schedule you prefer.

 

[laurie]

How often are you using vit a for the mother? That would be my first guess as to the problem.

If you can lightly mist the babies and get some to open their eyes for a few minutes afterward, you can immediately feed them dusting with reptivite for that feeding. If vit a is the problem and you can get them to feed like this, you should see some improvement after a couple of meals and then you can go to whatever "normal" supplement schedule you prefer.

If these were my babies this is the advice I would follow. let us know how it goes.

 

[mcleodschams]

How often are you using vit a for the mother? That would be my first guess as to the problem.

If you can lightly mist the babies and get some to open their eyes for a few minutes afterward, you can immediately feed them dusting with reptivite for that feeding. If vit a is the problem and you can get them to feed like this, you should see some improvement after a couple of meals and then you can go to whatever "normal" supplement schedule you prefer.

I to would follow this advice. I have a clutch of veileds also hatching right now 10 of 38 so far have hatched I had two that di not open their eyes for a whole day but as soon as I misted within minutes one of them opened both eyes and the other only one but they other eye opened after I let him massage his eye on my finger. I was kinda scary I can't imagine a whole clutch I really hope they come through and open their eyes keep us posted for sure my we will be praying for your little ones.

 

[chameleongalore]

hi, i read your thread and im a pretty inexperienced cham owner myself but i messaged several of the moderators of the forum asking if they could look at this thread and give any advice they have for you! i hope that they are able to help you out some and that your little ones open up their eyes soon! im gonna keep looking for moderators and messaging them, hopefully they will reply soon!!!

Thank you so much for all your help Reptile love, I appreciate it.

 

[chameleongalore]

how long ago did they hatch?
If its been more than a day or two and they still are not opening their eyes, then unfortunately they likely wont make it. In which case I'd guess the female didnt have all that she needed (prior to conception matters too, not just after mating). Or as you say it could just be a genetic misfortune - has that same pair produced good offspring before?

Thank you Sandra, I'm still hoping. The female layed eggs 3 months before that hatched and all babies made it and are doing great. The sire of all those babies mated other females and no issues there. So strange, I really don't have a clue. I ment to Email you, we are moving to Vancouver Island in the next couple months, possibly Victoria but not sure yet. Very excited, going to run my breeding business there and hired someone to do it in Calgary as well.

 

[chameleongalore]

Are the eyes open when they are in the incubation container?
What lights are you using on the baby cages?

No they were not open in the incubation, thats why I think it was either the female lacking something or genetic. I use the flourescent bulbs so I don't think thats the problem. I found the coil ones are harmful to my veiled babies.

 

[chameleongalore]

How often are you using vit a for the mother? That would be my first guess as to the problem.

If you can lightly mist the babies and get some to open their eyes for a few minutes afterward, you can immediately feed them dusting with reptivite for that feeding. If vit a is the problem and you can get them to feed like this, you should see some improvement after a couple of meals and then you can go to whatever "normal" supplement schedule you prefer.

I dust vitamins once a week and I gutload crickets which I feed twice a week with reptivite. They eat mostly silk worms which are very healthy for them, horn worms and butter worms. I have over 50 adults and they eat better than I do. lol

 

[chameleongalore]

If these were my babies this is the advice I would follow. let us know how it goes.

Im forsure going to follow the advice, I actually have vitamin liquid of so when they open their mouth I can give them a nice drink of healthy water and electrolights.

 

[chameleongalore]

I to would follow this advice. I have a clutch of veileds also hatching right now 10 of 38 so far have hatched I had two that di not open their eyes for a whole day but as soon as I misted within minutes one of them opened both eyes and the other only one but they other eye opened after I let him massage his eye on my finger. I was kinda scary I can't imagine a whole clutch I really hope they come through and open their eyes keep us posted for sure my we will be praying for your little ones.

thank you for your prayer. God Bless

 

[fluxlizard]

you said reptivite 2x per week and vitamin 1x per week. Reptivite is a vitamin. It has d3 and a. It has a yellow label with a jacksons chameleon on it. Make sure you are using this product and not something else. herptivite for example has no vit a.

Good luck to you.

 

[fluxlizard]

oh and it's made by zoo med.

 

[djfishygillz]

Coil bulbs often are to strong for babies and even some adults. I would you the regular tube uvb bulbs and regular house bulbs for the babies. I have had the eye problems before with the other lighting.

Good luck!

 

[ReptileLove18]

Thank you so much for all your help Reptile love, I appreciate it.

you are welcome! thats what this forum is all about, learning from each other and helping as much as we can! i hope that the babies get better, please keep us updated

 

[chameleongalore]

you said reptivite 2x per week and vitamin 1x per week. Reptivite is a vitamin. It has d3 and a. It has a yellow label with a jacksons chameleon on it. Make sure you are using this product and not something else. herptivite for example has no vit a.

Good luck to you.

I only use Vit D3 which is in my vitamin reptivite, my calcium is without vitamin D3. My vet told me not to use D3 more than once a week because its toxic to their organs. My feeders such as silk worms carry alot of vitamins already but maybe I should switch to dusting the vitamins twice to three times a week.

 

[chameleongalore]

Coil bulbs often are to strong for babies and even some adults. I would you the regular tube uvb bulbs and regular house bulbs for the babies. I have had the eye problems before with the other lighting.

Good luck!

Me too, I've learned from that mistake so now I only use tube for the babies and most of my adults.