Bump/Swelling Front of Eyes?

[jamie521]

I recently received a veiled chameleon from my aunt, who had been keeping her for a few months. When i received her, both of her eyes looked like this:

Is what appears to be a bump/swelling in the front of her eyes a problem? My aunt had no explanation, and in the short time i've had the chameleon, she's been eating well and keeping regular. The apparent swellings have not changed in size. Do I need to bring her to a veterinarian?

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome. If you could fill out this help form, it would make it easier to try to determine what’s going on.

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


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.

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Please Note:

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

 

[kinyonga]

I have seen so many chameleons with this issue and have never heard of definite reason or solution to it. Wish I could tell you.

 

[The Wild One]

It looks like something needs to be flushed out. That’s all I can think of right now.

 

[jamie521]

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, not sure of age, I've been taking care of her for about 3 weeks.
• Handling - Never
• Feeding - 5~8 crickets every day. The crickets are fed on Flukers feed, but this forum has recently taught me that is inadequate, so i'm going to switch to proper gutloading foods. She also has access to kale every day, which she eats most times. Occasionally she gets mealworms as well.
• Supplements - Calcium without D3 every other feeding, calcium with D3 every other week (I only recently learned she needs multivitamin)
• Watering - Mist 4-5 times daily. I never see her drink, but I don't believe she's dehydrated.
• Fecal Description - Feces soft but not runny (holds its shape). Urate white, sometimes a little yellow. She defecates about every other day
• History - The inadequate cricket "gutloading" was used by my aunt for months before I got the cham, and I'm not sure whether or not she supplemented with multivitamin. She definitely supplemented with calcium.

 

[MissSkittles]

There’s a couple of things that I see you could improve upon. Adding those things in red. Will also need you to answer the second part of the questions please, in order to get a fuller picture.

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, not sure of age, I've been taking care of her for about 3 weeks. She looks fully mature.
• Handling - Never
• Feeding - 5~8 crickets every day. The crickets are fed on Flukers feed, but this forum has recently taught me that is inadequate, so i'm going to switch to proper gutloading foods. She also has access to kale every day, which she eats most times. Occasionally she gets mealworms as well. She’s old enough that you’ll want to reduce her feeding to every other or every two days. Mealworms are hard for chams to digest and aren’t very nutritious. Will attach feeder and gut-loading infographics for you. Kale binds calcium and veiled’s don’t need to have added veggies or fruits. I occasionally give my girls a blueberry or two as a treat.
• Supplements - Calcium without D3 every other feeding, calcium with D3 every other week (I only recently learned she needs multivitamin) Calcium without D should be on every feeding.
• Watering - Mist 4-5 times daily. I never see her drink, but I don't believe she's dehydrated.
• Fecal Description - Feces soft but not runny (holds its shape). Urate white, sometimes a little yellow. She defecates about every other day Is always a good idea to have a vet run a fecal to test for parasites.
• History - The inadequate cricket "gutloading" was used by my aunt for months before I got the cham, and I'm not sure whether or not she supplemented with multivitamin. She definitely supplemented with calcium. Did she use calcium with or without D?

As she may not have received any multivitamins, it is possible her puffy eyes could be caused by a vitamin deficiency, particularly vitamin A. Once she is started on multivitamins it may go away. Of course there are several other possible causes for puffy eyes...she could have some debris trapped in them, infection or something else. Of course only a qualified reptile vet would be able to tell you better. Do her eyes seem to be causing her any pain or problems? Is she rubbing her face on branches, closing her eyes during the day or having difficulty aiming correctly for eating?

Don’t forget to complete the second half of the questions so the rest of your husbandry can be reviewed.

 

[jamie521]

She shows no signs of irritation at her eyes. No scratching, closed eyes, or trouble catching prey.
Info:

• Cage Type - Glass with a screen top. 18inx18in 24in tall.
• Lighting - Blue incandescent bulb and UVB bulb for ~14 hours each day. Ceramic heating element 24/7.
• Temperature - Her basking spot stays ~80 Fahrenheit. I don't know the temperature at the bottom of the cage or at night. I have a hydrometer+thermometer at the height of her basking spot.
• Humidity - I keep humidity about 50% using a fogger during her daytime. I measure humidity with the hydrometer at her basking height.
• Plants - No live plants, she has synthetic leaves for cover.
• Placement - She's in a low-traffic room. The top of the cage is ~75in from the floor.
• Location - Southeastern US. We get all 4 seasons, and it's generally quite humid outdoors.

 

[MissSkittles]

She shows no signs of irritation at her eyes. No scratching, closed eyes, or trouble catching prey.
Info: Good that it doesn’t seem to be bothering her.

• Cage Type - Glass with a screen top. 18inx18in 24in tall. This is really too small for her. I keep each of my lady veileds in a 2x2x4’ screen enclosures. You’ll be needing to prepare and keep a lay bin in her enclosure at all times and that extra space makes doing that so much easier. More about the lay bin at the end.
• Lighting - Blue incandescent bulb and UVB bulb for ~14 hours each day. Ceramic heating element 24/7. Get rid of the blue light and just use clear or white. Colored lights have been known to cause eye problems in chams. You don’t say what type of uvb. The coil type bulb doesn’t provide adequate enough uvb levels. A linear T5 with a 5% uvb bulb is suggested and will need to be changed every 6 months. Or you could use Arcadia 6% uvb bulb that is good for a year. Lights should be on/off at a 12 hour schedule. Unless your house gets below 60*f, no need for the heating element. It’s actually preferred for them to cool down considerably at night.
• Temperature - Her basking spot stays ~80 Fahrenheit. I don't know the temperature at the bottom of the cage or at night. I have a hydrometer+thermometer at the height of her basking spot. 80-85 is perfect for basking spot. Ideally the temps lower in her enclosure will be at lower levels so she can choose.
• Humidity - I keep humidity about 50% using a fogger during her daytime. I measure humidity with the hydrometer at her basking height. Generally foggers are best to use at night only, when their humidity can spike way up. Cool mist only. During the day humidity should be around 30-40%. I’m in humid Fl and all I‘ve needed to do is wrap a shower curtain around the back and half of each side.
• Plants - No live plants, she has synthetic leaves for cover. Live plants are always best. Veileds nibble on their plants and some have eaten artificial leaves and become impacted, which can be life threatening. Pothos, schefflera, wandering Jew, corn plant are some of the safe plants for chams.
• Placement - She's in a low-traffic room. The top of the cage is ~75in from the floor.
• Location - Southeastern US. We get all 4 seasons, and it's generally quite humid outdoors.

Now about that lay bin. Chameleons will lay infertile eggs, just like chickens do. Your girl looks old enough that she needs a lay bin in her enclosure. There are signs to watch for, but is easiest and best to just keep the bin in her enclosure permanently so you don’t have to play that guessing game. This video may help you to set up a bin. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/.
So, back to the puffy eyes....if it doesn’t seem to be bothering her, you could possibly see if making the changes I suggested improve them. Of course a vet visit is always a good idea just to make sure that it isn’t something requiring special care or treatment (and get that fecal done). Perhaps another member with more experience than I can weigh in on this. Hope I’ve been of some help.

 

[jamie521]

Thank you for all your advice Miss Skittles! I'm about to make a bunch of changes! When I get her a larger enclosure, do you recommend any certain type (screen, glass, etc.)?

 

[MissSkittles]

Thank you for all your advice Miss Skittles! I'm about to make a bunch of changes! When I get her a larger enclosure, do you recommend any certain type (screen, glass, etc.)?

Both have their pros and cons. I prefer screen as it is humid where I live. Glass is good as long as it has proper ventilation...like Exo Terra has the ventilation towards the bottom with screen top to create a chimney effect. Unless you are planning on a bio active enclosure, keep in mind that bare floor is best for health & hygiene and you will be needing to figure out a good drainage system.

 

[MissSkittles]

If you have the finances for it, Dragon Strand enclosures are awesome! They are on my wish list.

 

[kinyonga]

Anyone have an answer for the OP about the eyes?