Baby Veiled with closed eye, help?

[meaghan]

Hey everyone,
I just picked up a female 2 month old Veiled chameleon and both eyes were bright and perky when I got her. I just noticed yesterday that she is keeping her right eye closed most of the time. I know this will effect her eating because she won't be able to accurately locate her prey.
I read that if i drop some warm water on her eye it may flush out whatever is causing the blockage. Some advice would be great.

I will post a picture also for everyone's convenience.

 

[veiledchamguy]

Hey everyone,
I just picked up a female 2 month old Veiled chameleon and both eyes were bright and perky when I got her. I just noticed yesterday that she is keeping her right eye closed most of the time. I know this will effect her eating because she won't be able to accurately locate her prey.
I read that if i drop some warm water on her eye it may flush out whatever is causing the blockage. Some advice would be great.

I will post a picture also for everyone's convenience.

Hi

What kind of lighting do you have for her? I wouldnt suggest doing anything yet until we get some pictures and more info on your husbandry.

 

[meaghan]

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 38 gallon flexarium (all screen)
Lighting - 8:00am-8:0pm, Reptisun 5.0, exo-terra 75W daylight spot
Humidity - 40-60
Plants - silk plants
Placement - In my room, low traffic, low volume area. Ontop of a TV stand, highest point of enclosure sits relatively high in room
Location - Alberta, Canada

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled Chamelon, female, 2 months, been in my care for 4 days
Handling - I have handled her once since taking her home, I am letting her get used to her new place without stressing her too much.
Feeding - So far I have been feeding her eight 2 week old crickets a day, i gut load them with fresh lettuce, carrots and potatoe, i also dust them with calcium( without D3) and a multi vitamin
Watering - I mist 3-4 times a day right now, I always see her drinking right when I mist, she loves it
Fecal Description - Brown, not runny
Current Problem -She has been keeping her right eye closed alot the past couple days

 

[meaghan]

I took her outside for 20 minutes and she opened her eyes and was very active, then when I took her back inside she shut her eye again...

 

[jannb]

Your UV blub; is it coil or tube style?

Only use vit. dust once or twice a month.

What her hottest temps under the basking light? How are you measuring the temps? 75 watt sounds too hot.

Try some extra long very warm mistings and some outside natural UV when the weather permits. A baby that young should only reach around 80 degrees tops.

If you don't already have one, I would be locating a good chameleon vet in my area. She may need to go if this doesn't clear up fast. Like you said she will not be able to see to eat.

 

[meaghan]

The UV bulb is coil style, If I position the light fixture farther away from her enclosure will that help?

 

[jannb]

The coil bulbs cause eye problems and blindness. Get that bulb out now and buy a tube one as soon as you can.

 

[veiledchamguy]

The UV bulb is coil style, If I position the light fixture farther away from her enclosure will that help?

No it would not. Coil style UV bulbs are unsafe in the long run especially for a young cham like yours. They have been known to cause eye issues although some keepers have had no problems and others have in this case its better to be safe than sorry

I would reccomend the reptisun 5.0 linear bulb

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...por-bulbs/-/zoo-med-18-repti-sun-50-uvb-bulb/

 

[jake01]

IMO if you have a credit card go to petsmart/petco and buy a hood+reptisun 5.0, then order from LLLreptile since they will have better prices, then return the overpriced petco stuff when ur order ships. Reason being you don't want him/her under that coil light one more second, especially in your case since the animal is already showing eye problems. Also in another thread regular household CF white bulbs (they are coil but according to the thread, safe) were giving out some uvb...maybe consider this as a cheap temporary solution until ur order ships if u dont go with the petco/return.

 

[meaghan]

AHH!
thankyou so much everyone!
I will take that bulb out right now, and buy a linear one...eek

 

[Surfrat]

Feeding - So far I have been feeding her eight 2 week old crickets a day, i gut load them with fresh lettuce, carrots and potatoe,
Current Problem -She has been keeping her right eye closed alot the past couple days

The coil light is probably your current problem as others have mentioned. I also think a 75watt basking bulb is way to hot for a two month old chameleon.

I just wanted to mention that gutloading with lettuce and a potato adds absolutely no nutritional value to your cham whatsoever. Get yourself a high quality dry gutload from one of the members here and toss in some oranges, collard greens, or other high nutritional value fruits and vegis.

 

[Surfrat]

AHH!
thankyou so much everyone!
I will take that bulb out right now, and buy a linear one...eek

reptisun 5.0 seems to be the bulb of choice.

 

[meaghan]

what wattage would you recomend?

 

[Surfrat]

what wattage would you recomend?

For the basking light? For a 2 month old veiled I would say no more then a 40watt normal house bulb, and increase that to a 60watt in a couple of months.

 

[jannb]

5.0 for your UVB and no basking light for a baby this age unless you live in a very cold climate.

 

[adamb94]

only certain types of coil bulbs manufactured more in euro caused problems years ago..alot has been resolved, but of course..."monkey hear monkey say"?
lol people always just assume coil bulbs=eye problems. humans can get eye problems from staring at bulbs in their own homes. So should we all go replace them to fluorescent bulbs? Hardly!!

thats my beef..eat it up

 

[jake01]

you say "monkey hear monkey say" (btw it's "monkey see, monkey do").

I prefer "better safe than sorry."

 

[adamb94]

you say "monkey hear monkey say" (btw it's "monkey see, monkey do").

I prefer "better safe than sorry."

haha thanks einstein..i know.
ok so to be safe you better always stay inside because the sun's rays are harmful!!! seriously stay in!!
......distance away from exposure is the key watson!

 

[writh]

I had this issue too with one of the first veiled's I bought. It was perfectly fine when i bought him and the next day closed one eye and then 2 days later the other one closed. So I returned him to petco and they had a vet treat him. He lived for 3 more days and then unfortunetly died. my advice take him to a vet ASAP!! this stuff is not easy to diagnose..on the other hand my female veiled I bought at the same time is doing great.. thanx to everyones great advice on here...


I will never buy another pet from petco!!!

 

[chambabysitter1]

haha thanks einstein..i know.
ok so to be safe you better always stay inside because the sun's rays are harmful!!! seriously stay in!!
......distance away from exposure is the key watson!

People might find you more credible if your sentence structure made any kind of sense.


Anywaysssss, I would trust what users with good experience has to say. Who knows what kind of advice this guy is offering. Sounds more like a chip on a shoulder than advice looking for the best solution. Everyone else hes offered good advice so far. Don't be derailed by the nonsense.