baby chameleon closed both eyes please help!!!

[sennaxqz]

Hii! im a new chameleon owner and im trying my hardest to give my baby the best care.
moving forward as to why i need help asap!! he didnt eat a lot the first few days we had him, its now been 2 weeks since weve got him and hes eating better now, he eats around 6-10 crickets.
but since 2 days one of his eyes has been closed and he opens it rarely, mostly just to look for the crickets.
since today i noticed that both his eyes were closed, even while trying to get crickets or climb, did i do something wrong? do i take him to a vet?
pictures are from yesterday when his eyes opened for a few minutes

 

[sennaxqz]

heres a picture of his eye closed!

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. Can you post some pics of your baby’s entire enclosure please? Also, what are you using for supplements? What are your temps and humidity levels?

 

[sennaxqz]

Hi. Can you post some pics of your baby’s entire enclosure please? Also, what are you using for supplements? What are your temps and humidity levels?

this is his enclosure at the moment, i had the lamp outside of the mesh but got told that can be dangerous since the heat might melt it.
UVB lamp sits on top since that doesnt get very hot, the plant is a monstera
temp is around 30-33 in the day and at night its 20-24, humidity is between 60-70%

 

[sennaxqz]

Hi. Can you post some pics of your baby’s entire enclosure please? Also, what are you using for supplements? What are your temps and humidity levels?

and i got given a reptile calcium powder i have to sprinkle over his bugs

 

[kinyonga]

So the calcium powder is all you use to dust on the insects? If you’ve only had the chameleon for a couple of weeks, the supplements you’ve been using, shouldn’t have anything to do with the eyes…but I think you should let us do a husbandry review…
Here’s the link to it…just answer the questions with as much detail as possible please.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[sennaxqz]

So the calcium powder is all you use to dust on the insects? If you’ve only had the chameleon for a couple of weeks, the supplements you’ve been using, shouldn’t have anything to do with the eyes…but I think you should let us do a husbandry review…
Here’s the link to it…just answer the questions with as much detail as possible please.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

yep only used calcium powder, on all of his bugs hes eaten tho, isnt that to much???

 

[MissSkittles]

Here are the help questions that @kinyonga asked you to answer. It will give more complete information so we don’t have to keep going back and forth.
Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[sennaxqz]

So the calcium powder is all you use to dust on the insects? If you’ve only had the chameleon for a couple of weeks, the supplements you’ve been using, shouldn’t have anything to do with the eyes…but I think you should let us do a husbandry review…
Here’s the link to it…just answer the questions with as much detail as possible please.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Rambo is a yemen chameleon, i didnt get told how old he was but i think around 2 months? got told hes a male and ive had him for around 2 weeks now.
• Handling - each day to feed, i let him climb onto my hand tho, i dont grab him or force my finger under him.
• Feeding - crickets size S, dubia roaches size S but he eats mostly crickets. He eats around 6-8 crickets and i try to offer him 3-4 times a day but he mostly only eats twice, i feed the crickets and roaches veggies and i put a small bottle cap with water in their container.
• Supplements - the only thing i use is arcadia earth pro calcium and i just dust them before feeding him.
• Watering - i have a dripper system. i mist around 4 times a day and for about 20 seconds? i have never seen him drink.
• Fecal Description - His poops are white of color and some are a lightish yellow

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - mesh cage, 76x42x122 cm
• Lighting - i use a arcadia pro uvb lamp i believe its 6%? i also use a heating lamp, i put them both on when i wake up at 6 in the morning and i put thdm off around 9 when im going to sleep.
• Temperature - basking temp is around 30-35 and bottom of the cage is 22-25 and at night it gets no lower than 18.
• Humidity - between 60-70%
• Plants - i have a live monstera plant.
• Placement - my cage is on my floor in my room next to my desk and window, during the day the sunlight gets in.
• Location - netherlands

Current Problem - he closed one of his eyes a few days ago ago and since today hes closed both of them, he walks and climbs around normally but with his eyes closed, same thing while feeding, he only opens one.

 

[MissSkittles]

Give me a bit to go thru everything.

 

[MissSkittles]

• Your Chameleon - Rambo is a yemen chameleon, i didnt get told how old he was but i think around 2 months? got told hes a male and ive had him for around 2 weeks now. From the size of him and his casque, I’m not so sure he’s as old as 2 months. To verify his gender, look at his back feet. Males have pronounced nubs, called tarsal spurs.
• Handling - each day to feed, i let him climb onto my hand tho, i dont grab him or force my finger under him. Are you holding him while he’s eating? It’s best not to do that and just put his food in his enclosure and let him eat in a more relaxed manner. You do want to minimize handling at this age. Let him fully adjust and grow a bit more.
• Feeding - crickets size S, dubia roaches size S but he eats mostly crickets. He eats around 6-8 crickets and i try to offer him 3-4 times a day but he mostly only eats twice, i feed the crickets and roaches veggies and i put a small bottle cap with water in their container. The size of his feeders is very important. I would think he’s so tiny that he might be needing extra small feeders…maybe even as small as fruit flies or the next size up from pinhead crickets. Anything larger than the space between his eyes is too big. For his age, he should be eating as much as he wants and can within about a 15 minute period, and twice a day. He needs all the nutrition he can get. Yemen, or veiled chameleons grow very fast. If he is not wanting to eat more than 6-8 feeders, then you need to look for a reason why. Are they too big? Do they look like powdered donuts with too much calcium powder on them? Is he able to find and catch them? Maybe he has an intestinal parasite?
• Supplements - the only thing i use is arcadia earth pro calcium and i just dust them before feeding him. Your little man is also needing a multivitamin and vitamin D3. The easiest way to add these are with a combination product. I suggest Repashy Calcium Plus LoD or ReptiVite with D3. You’ll lightly dust every feeding with the plain calcium except for one feeding every other week(or twice per month if you prefer) you’ll use the multivitamin D3 combo.
• Watering - i have a dripper system. i mist around 4 times a day and for about 20 seconds? i have never seen him drink. It’s not at all unusual to never see him drink. They are secretive about it. It would be better to mist for about 2 minutes, right before lights go on and off. You can use the dripper for about 15-20 minutes during the day if his urates look orange.
• Fecal Description - His poops are white of color and some are a lightish yellow The white or yellow part is the urate, or urine. He should be passing some solid little brown turd logs with it. I do strongly suggest collecting a fresh one and having it tested for parasites by a vet. Usually you will need a wellness visit in order for the vet to test and treat for parasites.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - mesh cage, 76x42x122 cm Unusual size
• Lighting - i use an arcadia pro uvb lamp i believe it’s 6%? Perfect. Your uvb should be about 20-22 cm above his basking branch. His heat light really needs to be placed outside of his enclosure, preferably a few cm above the screen top. Little chameleons are very curious and climb everywhere. He is at a very high risk for getting burned. i also use a heating lamp, i put them both on when i wake up at 6 in the morning and i put thdm off around 9 when im going to sleep. Ok. A 12 hour schedule would be ideal, if you can manage that.
• Temperature - basking temp is around 30-35 This is much too hot for a baby! His basking temp shouldn’t get any higher than around 25-26c. Adult males basking temps are best kept around 29. and bottom of the cage is 22-25 and at night it gets no lower than 18. Wonderful cool night.
• Humidity - between 60-70% This is also too high for daytime and can increase risks for respiratory infection. Ideal humidity should be between 30-50%. It should come down quite a bit if you reduce the unnecessary mistings. With the screen front, your ventilation is great, which makes a huge difference too.
• Plants - i have a live monstera plant. If you have any artificial plants, you should replace them with safe live ones. Our friends from Yemen like to nibble their plants and so fake ones can be a risk for bowel obstruction. Pothos is one of the best plants for chameleons and is super easy to find and grow.
• Placement - my cage is on my floor in my room next to my desk and window, during the day the sunlight gets in. If possible, I would suggest placing it up on something. For chameleons, height is safety. Do be careful about the sunlight overheating him during the day.
• Location - netherlands

Current Problem - he closed one of his eyes a few days ago ago and since today hes closed both of them, he walks and climbs around normally but with his eyes closed, same thing while feeding, he only opens one. Your husbandry needs some changes and it’s very hard to determine if any of them could be responsible for him not feeling good. It’s very difficult with tiny chameleons. They can be very fragile and have zero reserves to fall back upon if something isn’t right. Usually it’s best that they aren’t sent to their new homes until they are at least 3-4 months old. Not only does it give them time to grow bigger and stronger, but sadly there are some that for unknown reasons just don’t survive.
Make the changes in your husbandry as soon as you can and make a vet visit to get his poo tested for parasites. I would also suggest removing the bark on the floor of your enclosure. If not bioactive, then an empty floor is easiest to keep clean and hygienic.
@kinyonga has a wealth of knowledge and experience well beyond my own and may have a clearer answer for you.