Buldgy Eye after 2 weeks of ownership. very concerned

[Dreamaurua]

Cage Info: Cage Type - Mesh, Cage: 48"high x 16" deep x 30" wide. Lighting - heat: exoterra 150w daylight basking spot. With exoterra basking lamp. 4 inch from cage top. Uvb: exoterra reptiglow 5.0 uvb ( coil bulb ) w/ lamp. 4 inch from top. Schedule: heat lamp stays on 24/7. Uvb is on from 9am-5pm. Temperature - mostly room temperature, drops at night but lamp is left on for heat Humidity - I have a hygrometer and when i mist its kept in the green. I mist with a spray bottle 2/3 times a day. Plants - No live plants, all are exoterra grade vine and fake foliage. Placement - top of our studio by the stairs, could be considered high traffic but not that often. No fans or vents colseby, and its 2 and a half feet from the floor, then height of cage. Location - alberta canada Chameleon Info: Your Chameleon - Male veiled cham. From breeder, must be 2-5 months old. Juvenile not baby, weve had it for 2 weeks. Handling - once a day, or once every 2 days. Feeding - crickets, he wont go after worms and is scared of tongs. 5-10 crickets. 3/4 week. Throw crickets in cage early morning. Have no gutloading at moment, hoping for food to come within the next weekend. Feed crix the grain and blue rubber water stuff. Supplements - dont know which ones to buy and need help finding the right ones and feeding method. Watering - mist 2/3 times a day. Ive seen him drink alot. Numerous times a day. Fecal Description - Brown & white History - From breeder. Came with odd black mark on his side.

Current Problem - concerned about supplement facts, what do i dust the crickets with & how often. How can i do this when he cannot be handfed? Also, how can i admister the supplements? are these powdered too? or given as a gutload to my crickets.

He has what looks like a buldgy eye on one side. Just noticed today that its getting worse looks very swollen or full of water. he is rubbing his eye on branches and is acting very weak and or uncomfortable

 

[carol5208]

Heat lamp should not be on 24/7. Leave it on and turn it off with the uvb. Unless your temps are going down past 50 no heat lamp. If you do need heat, use a ceramic heat emitter, no lights! Lights disrupt their sleep. Also what temps are you getting with at 150 watt for basking? What is room temp? As far as supplementing, you dust your crickets or feeders. Take some of you calcium or whatever you are using (calcium, calcium with d3 or multi vitamin, should have all three) and swish the insects around and cover them with the powder. Not too heavy though. Black mark could be a bruise or possibly a burn. You said you are waiting on "food" for the crickets. You probably have things in your house to feed. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good. Dark leafy greens like kale, mustard and collard greens etc. As far as the eye, sometimes their turrets get like that. With Veilds, it is common that they get sinus problems which can back up into the eye socket. Does he have a bump on the bridge of his nose by chance??? Can you post a pic? Dusting schedule most use is plain calcium every feeding, cal with d3 and multi twice a month.

 

[Dreamaurua]

I have read both of the veiled chameleon guides on here, and will be gut loading and dusting ASAP. although, over a weeks span of not doing that, he shouldn't be sick already??? I hope that leaving his heat lamp on didnt hurt him. i will turn his heat lamp out at night time. i was just told to leave it on 24/7 from a few pet stores. i have a thermostrip but it doesnt seem to work very well. what is another method of gauging temperature?

he was fine for almost a week, but as soon as his eyes started to puff out he's been quite erratic. it's almost as if he cannot use them now, and he reaches around for things that aren't there. he's brushing them on my mesh cage and branches. and looks like he's in alot of pain the eyes right now are my biggest concern

 

[carol5208]

I don't think you have done anything to cause this. Having the heat lamp on was not the right thing to do but did not cause him any harm in just a weeks time. Sometimes like I said the Veilds will get sinus infections and it spreads into their eyes. They also get these bumps on their noses(abcess) and that effects their sinus' also. I don't see any bump, but his eye does not look good. Sometimes they will get some sag in their turret but I think there might be something else going on with his eye. I think I would take him to a vet and have it checked out. You can buy a combo temp and humidity gauge at home depot for about $10. And not dusting or gutloading in a week will not cause any harm so you should be ok on that.

 

[Dreamaurua]

Somebody has suggested using polysporin for sensitive eyes. What so you think of this idea?

 

[carol5208]

I have never heard of using that so cannot comment. I thought polysporin was a topical antibiotic? You have to be careful putting things in their eyes. I think your best bet is not to try things that might do more harm and have it looked at by a vet who will prescribe the correct med if one is needed. You don't even know for sure what is going on with the eye, so trying medications out would not be a wise decision. jmo

 

[camimom]

Your cham has an infection. polysporin won't treat that. It is a topical ointment anyway, and is not going to fix this issue.

You need a qualifed cham vet who can prescribe correct anti-biotic drops for the eye.

 

[jrath]

I have dealt with this in the past and have a cham with it right now. Typically when you see the eye like that it is a sinus infection. The eye just bulges because the area behind the eye fills with fluid. The eye is the softest spot for the fluid to gather and swell. Not to say that it couldn't be an eye infection but usually the eye will be cloudy and shut if it is an infection in the eye. You will net to see a vet to determine witch one it is. If it is a sinus infection eye drops will not help and they will need to give him injectable antibiotics.
This is just my experience, hope it helps.

 

[Dreamaurua]

I really apprieciate all of your help, i love and care for my little guy and want to do best for him