baby panther humidity/eye related issue

[distortionz]

Your Chameleon*- The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 2 month ambilobes
Handling*- How often do you handle your chameleon? cleaning and feeding.. I never really hold them
Feeding*- What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? hydeis, bean beetles, small crickets, Phoenix worms, a few eat really small dubia nymphs.. crickets and dubia given a mix of mustard green, escarole, dandelion, Apple, carrot. They are fed every morning and if the supply if the cage is low at night also.. I try to make sure there is always fruit flies available
Supplements*- What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? calcium with no d3 every feeding, d3 and multivitamin twice a month
Watering*- What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? mist king has 8 times a day and when I'm home a few extra usually.. timers range from 2-5 minutes also a small dripper 1-2 times daily
Fecal Description*- Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? the babies have never been tested. The poop is brown with a white urate, occasionally a little orange in some. I was fighting dehydration since they hatched and seem to have remedied it for the most part
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? combo screen front and top, plexiglass sides, pvc backwall.. 20w x 15d x 24h, vines and umbrella tree
Lighting*- What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? 24" reptisun 5.0 t5ho and 6500k bulb, 30 watt flood bulb.. lights on at 8 am off at 8 pm
Temperature*- What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking 86, cage floor 74, measured with indoor outdoor digital thermometer with probes
Humidity*- What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? up and down in between mists 30-80, maintaining with mister and plants. Measured with digital hygrometer and zoomed dial hygrometers
Plants*- Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? small umbrella tree
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? in spare room, top of the cage is about 4ft off ground, low traffic no vents unfortunately heater running
Location*- Where are you geographically located? OH.....IO..

Current problem- winter. In between mistings I notice some dry eyes, they seem well hydrated I've actually seen them drinking now. Full eye turrets, plump pads on head as I said I will occasionally find a poo with a little orange but I think I have the hydration under control now. The eyes will shut and it almost seems as if they won't open them even when they try to. There is some dry white around the eye, I don't believe it to be leftover shed unless they shed so fast that I never seen it. It's not like gunked up around the eye just dry. As soon as the mist hits them they can open up and they eyes are fully functional until they start to get dried out again. The room I keep my chameleons in was only getting up to 60 even with the furnace set for 74, so I had to put a heater in there. It's a forced air heater. Now unfortunately it's drying out the air making it harder to maintain humidity levels but I have the room temperature up to 74-76. Win one fight lose another. I'm thinking this would be my cause for the dry eyes can anyone else chime in? What can I do to remedy this? I don't want to put more plants in because they are still pretty small and I want the food easy to find as they won't cup feed. I'm maxed out using all my timers on my mist king. im probably going to go tomorrow and buy a humidifier to run to the cage. I have two other cages that could use it to is there a good way I can split one humidifier between 3 cages?

 

[Carlton]

Your Chameleon*- The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 2 month ambilobes
Handling*- How often do you handle your chameleon? cleaning and feeding.. I never really hold them
Feeding*- What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? hydeis, bean beetles, small crickets, Phoenix worms, a few eat really small dubia nymphs.. crickets and dubia given a mix of mustard green, escarole, dandelion, Apple, carrot. They are fed every morning and if the supply if the cage is low at night also.. I try to make sure there is always fruit flies available
Supplements*- What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? calcium with no d3 every feeding, d3 and multivitamin twice a month
Watering*- What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? mist king has 8 times a day and when I'm home a few extra usually.. timers range from 2-5 minutes also a small dripper 1-2 times daily
Fecal Description*- Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? the babies have never been tested. The poop is brown with a white urate, occasionally a little orange in some. I was fighting dehydration since they hatched and seem to have remedied it for the most part
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? combo screen front and top, plexiglass sides, pvc backwall.. 20w x 15d x 24h, vines and umbrella tree
Lighting*- What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? 24" reptisun 5.0 t5ho and 6500k bulb, 30 watt flood bulb.. lights on at 8 am off at 8 pm
Temperature*- What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking 86, cage floor 74, measured with indoor outdoor digital thermometer with probes
Humidity*- What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? up and down in between mists 30-80, maintaining with mister and plants. Measured with digital hygrometer and zoomed dial hygrometers
Plants*- Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? small umbrella tree
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? in spare room, top of the cage is about 4ft off ground, low traffic no vents unfortunately heater running
Location*- Where are you geographically located? OH.....IO..

Current problem- winter. In between mistings I notice some dry eyes, they seem well hydrated I've actually seen them drinking now. Full eye turrets, plump pads on head as I said I will occasionally find a poo with a little orange but I think I have the hydration under control now. The eyes will shut and it almost seems as if they won't open them even when they try to. There is some dry white around the eye, I don't believe it to be leftover shed unless they shed so fast that I never seen it. It's not like gunked up around the eye just dry. As soon as the mist hits them they can open up and they eyes are fully functional until they start to get dried out again. The room I keep my chameleons in was only getting up to 60 even with the furnace set for 74, so I had to put a heater in there. It's a forced air heater. Now unfortunately it's drying out the air making it harder to maintain humidity levels but I have the room temperature up to 74-76. Win one fight lose another. I'm thinking this would be my cause for the dry eyes can anyone else chime in? What can I do to remedy this? I don't want to put more plants in because they are still pretty small and I want the food easy to find as they won't cup feed. I'm maxed out using all my timers on my mist king. im probably going to go tomorrow and buy a humidifier to run to the cage. I have two other cages that could use it to is there a good way I can split one humidifier between 3 cages?

You can still help them find food in denser plants even if they are reluctant to "cup feed". Try a larger plastic bin wedged into the foliage right below a favorite perch, and position a branch so it lets the cham climb down close enough to shoot. They can watch the feeders moving around more, climb down to the rim of the bin or the attached twig, and shoot. Sometimes this works better than a smaller cup type container as more movement attracts their attention, they can shoot while screened from view (many little chams prefer privacy as they feel vulnerable to predators), and they don't have to worry about hitting their tongue tips on the container as often.

I'm not sure if you can stretch the fog from one humidifier over 3 cages unless you make some sort of tent around all 3 and set the humidifier somewhere in the center.

 

[distortionz]

You can still help them find food in denser plants even if they are reluctant to "cup feed". Try a larger plastic bin wedged into the foliage right below a favorite perch, and position a branch so it lets the cham climb down close enough to shoot. They can watch the feeders moving around more, climb down to the rim of the bin or the attached twig, and shoot. Sometimes this works better than a smaller cup type container as more movement attracts their attention, they can shoot while screened from view (many little chams prefer privacy as they feel vulnerable to predators), and they don't have to worry about hitting their tongue tips on the container as often.

I'm not sure if you can stretch the fog from one humidifier over 3 cages unless you make some sort of tent around all 3 and set the humidifier somewhere in the center.

Im not sure I fully understand what kind of plastic bin you are talking about. If I could successfully get them to feed other than free range I'd be ecstatic. And I have another little umbrella tree that should still fit in the cage with the one already in.. I'll put it in there tomorrow. But if you could elaborate on what type of bin you would use for this, that would be great.

As for the humidifier I remember seeing a set up where someone had pvc pipe with holes drilled in it with a humidifier hooked to it. I was thinking that might be possible to give all the cages a humidity source

 

[Carlton]

Im not sure I fully understand what kind of plastic bin you are talking about. If I could successfully get them to feed other than free range I'd be ecstatic. And I have another little umbrella tree that should still fit in the cage with the one already in.. I'll put it in there tomorrow. But if you could elaborate on what type of bin you would use for this, that would be great.

As for the humidifier I remember seeing a set up where someone had pvc pipe with holes drilled in it with a humidifier hooked to it. I was thinking that might be possible to give all the cages a humidity source

I've used various things...Critter Keeper plastic boxes, plastic storage boxes (deep enough to discourage jumping crix...at least most of them!). The point is, they are bigger than the usual cup, but confine the feeders more than the cage does. I also put a bit of fruit or gutload in the bin to help persuade the feeders to stay put.

Yes, depending on the model humidifier you get, some have removable directional spouts where the fog pours out. Attach some pvc pipe or even vinyl pool tubing to the spout with a plumbing connector and push the other end through a slit in the cage mesh. I know, I know, hate to cut holes in a nice cage, but if you don't, most of the moisture tends to bead up on the mesh and drip down the outside. I just don't know if the humidifier fan will have enough force to push fog far enough to reach 3 cages.

 

[distortionz]

Thanks for clarifying I will do that tomorrow.. and as for the humidifier I'm doubtful it will have enough umph for the the cages myself I may just have to buy a few cheap humidifiers. But as for cutting holes in the screen all my cages are diy anyways i can always rescreen them

 

[Carlton]

Thanks for clarifying I will do that tomorrow.. and as for the humidifier I'm doubtful it will have enough umph for the the cages myself I may just have to buy a few cheap humidifiers. But as for cutting holes in the screen all my cages are diy anyways i can always rescreen them

I've used gaskets to create a nicer "finished" looking hole in the mesh. Also keeps the mesh from fraying when you have to remove or replace the pipe, and if you end up not using the existing hole, a screen patch looks better too. Embrace the hole!

 

[distortionz]

So I added the humidifier 3 days ago.. to of the cage is staying at 50% now and the bottom at 80%. I had two that seemed to be having the dry eye problem and trouble opening them without being misted.. the one is fine now however she stays right under the humidifier most of the time lol. As for the other he still seems to be having issues. As soon as the mist hits him though fine. I was doing more reading and could it possibly be a vitamin A deficiency? And if so is there a way I could remedy this for babies of only 2 months I have seen others say to get vitamin a gel caps and put a drop on a feeder. But my concern is with these guys still being very small if that would be too much? One problem I know is they tend not to eat the food right when I put it in with them so a lot of the time the dust is misted off by the time they actually get it. And two they still seem to mostly only want to eat the fruit flies which obviously are not the best source of nutrition or gutloaded properly like the other feeders. Help please


Shaun

 

[kplatvoet]

When my jackson was eating fruit flies I put a piece of fruit on a branch to lure the fruit flies so they were easier to catch- I also used stable flies that are smaller than blue bottles and bigger than fruit flies- and easier to dust.
http://mantisplace.com/
Be careful with vit A it can be over done -

 

[distortionz]

Still worried I snapped a pic today.. they are still eating and drinking... And the eyes open when missed.. I'm thinking I might make a vet visit tomorrow.. I just don't know if there could be any medicine when they are still this small..

First pic is the eye in question, second pic shows the other eye looks great, third pic is when the 2 having this issue were sleeping it almost looks as if there is black right around the eye lid

 

[distortionz]

Uppppin.. Anyone?