cham's eye doesn't want to open. ?

I'm taking it to the vet either tom or day after. Setting up the appointment for either those days. I went to PR and when I came back one of her eyes was closed. after watching her she would open it but then its start closing often. not sure what it could be if any one knows any thing i can put mean while. Thanks for thread and not the kind i wanted to put but i guess thats how it goes. she 2 or 3 months old. i hand feed her and water as well. she has a large enough cage but not to large that she can't hunt for her self. supplements every 2 days crikets with calcium.

Here's a possibility

Possible Vitamin A Deficiency in Chameleons, Symptoms and Solutions

By The Chameleon Company, LLC


Vitamin A deficiency is a common malady in LTC chameleons, either with WC or CB origins. This stems from the chameleons inability to synthesize real Vitamin A from common precursors, such as beta-carotene. This can be confusing when evaluating supplementations, as many dry supplements list Vitamin A benefits, but only as the precursor, beta-carotene, and not as “pre-formed”, "pro-formed", or in essence, real Vitamin A.

While lack of Vitamin A effects many aspects of chameleon health, the usual first observed symptom is the appearance of an unexplained eye irritation, manifested in difficulties in keeping first one eye open, and after a few days, both eyes are affected. The eyes will not appear sunken, or in any other way mis-shaped initially, although secondary problems, such as an infection, can follow. The initial observationis that it is causing irritation to the chameleon, and that it can't keep the eye open as normal. It occurs more often in larger animals, but sometimes occurs in larger juveniles. Successfully hatched chameleons seem to be born with a supply of Vitamin A, an essential ingredient for successful embryonic development, and fresh WC’s seem to be imported with a supply. Mother Nature seems able to provide this vitamin without problem. Without some real vitamin A in their diet, these stores will deplete. It is a difficult vitamin for the hobbyist to gut-load via crickets and insects though, and such attempts are usually ineffective.

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, as is Vitamin E. It is most commonly sold in gel caps, with each gel cap containing approximately three drops of an oil solvent. It is available on-line from many suppliers, or is sold in most vitamin and health stores. The most common, and consensus most effective, form of vitamin A is a compound known as retinal palmitate. It is a common human food supplement as well. Depending on manufacturer, gel caps may contain 2000-15,000 iu’s (intravenous units) per gel cap. Read the label to insure you are buying a product with retinal palmitate as the Vitamin A. The solvent may be fish oil, which outside of its odor, is OK.

Vitamin A is toxic in large quantities. As you are dealing with an oil, a strong word of caution as well. Chameleons have an extreme dislike for almost any measurable quantity of oil introduced into their mouth. While inexact, usually a negative reaction starts to become likely to occur if a quantity of oil ½ drop or greater is introduced into an adult chameleon’s mouth, and is virtually guaranteed with 2 or more drops. This can induce vomiting and inhalation of the oil, possibly death. Fortunately, the amount of oil (and vitamin A) needed to effectively dose a chameleon is usually less than 1/20th of a drop. Again, an inexact science, but depending upon the concentration of the Vitamin A in the oil, your goal is to deliver a dose that contains approximately 100 iu’s per 50g of chameleon. An exceedingly rough estimate would be 1/20th of a drop of the oil in an average adult female panther chameleon. There is a reasonable margin for error. This can administered by puncturing one or more gel caps, and wetting a Q-tip with the oil, so that is is wet, but not dripping. You can then grab the chameleon behind the head, and when it says “Ahhhh”, touch the Q-tip to its inner gum, etc. It will likely chomp down, then let go of the Q-tip once released itself. Or, if you are able to hand-feed, swab the back of a cricket or such with a smear of the oil, and then coax your chameleon into eating it.

As a rule, we recommend this treatment to all adult chameleons once every two weeks. If an animal is showing symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency, such as eye closing with no other apparent malady, we recommend the dose daily for five days, then once every two weeks. In such cases where Vitamin A deficiency is the problem, the eyes usually improve on the third or fourth day. Good luck.

Jim Flaherty
The Chameleon Company, LLC

Hope that your cham recovers. I have a question for the people here. Could I add x number of vitamin A drops to the water I mist with? When the cham drinks it should get some, I would think. From reading the post the amount required seems minimal.

I don't think it would be a very good idea to pollute the water with any kind of supplementation.
I have found it very easy to dose a drop of Vitamin A by smearing it onto a silk or super worm.

-Brad

Then what about those powdered vitamin supplements you sprinkle on the food. Suppose to have all different vitamins and supplements. Are those any good?

Here is my schedule:

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/supplements.html

-Brad

As noted ...

Most powdered products do not contain a pro-formed Vitamin A. The exception is Reptivite, by Zoo Med. If you also note, the retinal palmitate, which is the preferred A source, is oil based. Not that you couldn't mix it with water, but you would need a bi-polar solvent, such as glycerine (sticky) or propylene glycol, to cut it with. In the preparation of liquid vitamins here, we do use those solvents, but we still dose orally. As Brad mentioned, it is not advised. It would be hard to regulate and messy, and may create issues we are not aware of yet. Putting some on the back of a feeder bug, when you have the time to hand feed, is very easy and effective.

Thanks for the advice.

thanx guys. . its going 2 be quit the bill talking 2 the secretary. . but hopefully it pays off. .