Baby Flap-necked

C

Carnae

New Member
My Flap-necked is about 10 weeks old now. In the last week she seems to have been spending lots of her time with her eyes closed. To the point that she often wanders around with them closed. Until about 4 days ago i was confident that she was eating and drinking properly, but I can't seem to get her to open her eyes so she'll feed. She's starting to look a bit skinny, so I'm getting worried. Even when I take her out of her tank she doesn't seem to notice me and keeps her eyes closed.
I would really appreciate any help.
 
Eyes closed often can mean dehydration. Can you give us the run down by answering these questions using brand names and pictures are really hepful!
Cage Info:
Cage Type - What kind of cage are you using? What is the size?
Lighting - What kind of lighting are you using? How long do you keep the lights on during the day?
Temperature - What temperature range have you created? Basking spot temp? What is the temperature at night?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Location - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas?

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What kind of schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What are you dusting your feeders with and what kind of schedule do you use?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.
 
Cage Info:
Cage Type - It's a tank - am in the UK and can't maintain the correct temperature otherwise; 4" by 3" by 2"
Lighting - 10.0 desert sun, not sure about the heat bulb brand, from 10 in the morning til 6 at night (both recommended by the breeder)
Temperature - range of about 85-75, basking spot temp at just over 85, drops about 10 degrees at night
Humidity - about 70 -80%, currently by misting, shortly getting a dripper
Plants - plastic plants
Location - in a quiet corner of the room, no fans, air vents etc

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Flap-necked, presumed female, about 10 weeks
Feeding - micro-crickets, letting them loose in the tank (thats how she was brought up previous to me getting her) keeping them topped up, gut loading on a mixture of carrots and romain lettuce
Supplements - dusting with nutrobal about once every 2 days (crickets in a feeding cup, always get eaten)
Watering - watering by misting, changing to dripper, yes
Fecal Description - dark black, with white 'tail' look wet, but stay in a shape
History - no known history
Current Problem - keeping her eyes closed, lack of feeding and lack of energy
 
I am hoping that is feet and not inches????
Do you have a compact (coil)flourescent bulb? They are know to cause eye issues?
Is there a white (urates) part to the fecal matter?
How long are you misting?
Humidity sustained at those levels will cause issues.
 
Yeah feet not inches! Get my markings muddled up.
Really don't know about the bulb, looks like a fairly regular one, but red.
Yeah there is a white bit.
Misting for about 4 mins at a time.
And does that mean its too high or too low?
 
Not sure what is causing your chameleon to keep its eyes shut...but if it continues I would recommend taking it to a vet.

What form of vitamin A is in Nutrobal?
I see that it also has vitamin D3...I only use a powder with D3 in it twice a month.

I use a wide variety of greens (dandelion, kale, collards, curly endive, escarole, mustard greens) and veggies (carrots, sweet potato, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, celery leaves, etc.) to gutload the crickets with.
 
Doesn't say, just says vitamin A, so should I get something that has D3 seperate in it?
I'm taking her to the vets tomorrow, just booked an appointment today. Will keep you updated.
 
Maybe I am wrong... But wouldn't a 10.0 Desert Sun be to intense for the Cham? Maybe try a 5.0 UVB tube. I have a feeling this is a lighting issue.
 
I'm not saying that this is the best way or the only way....but this is what I do and the reasoning behind it...

I dust at most feedings with a phosphorous-free calcium powder. Most of the feeder insects we use have a poor ratio of calcium to phos. so this helps to make up for it.

I dust twice a month with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene source of vitamin A. Beta carotene will not build up in the system. There is controversy as to whether all chameleons can convert beta carotene or not so some people give a little preformed vitamin A once in a while just to ensure that they get some. Preformed vitamin A can build up in the system though and excess can prevent the D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD...so be careful!

I dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder. My chameleons only get UVB from tube lights (no sunlight) so I do this to ensure that they get enough D3. D3 can also build up in the system...so I dust lightly.

Vitamin A, D3, calcium and phos. are the four main players in bone health and need to be in balance...so look at your supplements, what you feed to the insects and what you feed to the chameleon when trying to attain a balance.

Appropriate temperatures allow for good digestion so that plays a part in the chameleon's health too.

I gutload the crickets with an assortment of greens (dandelion, kale, collards, curly endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (squash, carrot, zucchini, sweet red peppers, sweet potato, etc.)

Doing things the way I have explained above seems to keep things in balance.

UVB, whether from the sun or tube lights should not pass through glass or plastic.

I still have no idea what's going on with your chameleon's eyes. Is your UVB light a tube light or a compact?
 
Bad news I'm afraid. My poor little Chameleon had to be put to sleep. The vet thought it was a virus that she'd had since before I'd had her, but she'd only just started showing the signs. I dropped her off in the morning for the specialist to look at her later in the day, when he phoned me he said hed taken her out of their viv and shed flopped onto her side, started panting and turned black. It seemed the kindest thing to do. She was too small for the vet to really do anything for her, and she definatly wasn't going to get better after something like that....so now I have an empty tank in my room....I miss her....
 
So sorry for your loss :(

There was nothing you could do or did so give it sometime and get yourself another one.

I would look for a different breeder next time.
 
This is going to sound really bizzare, but I'm bringing my baby home today. Seems when the vet was talking to me I was too upset to really listen. He didn't put her down, just kept her over the weekend. She's by no means well, but she's alot better. He chose not to force feed or orally administer antibiotics (she's too small for IV) because of how stressed shes getting at being handled, which is unusual because normally she tries to gt me to handle her. Anyway, I'm going out later on to buy a 5.0 and a 65 watt bulb, to replace the fittings I've currently got, I've added some extra ventilation and I was wondering if there was anything else you'd recommened me to do/change?
 
The light always was a tube one, and she's doing much better now.
She's returned to a normal colour, and she's eating and drinking properly, just getting her back to a healthy weight, and hoping she keeps getting better!
 
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