My veiled chameleon, I've had him since around mid-february. I picked him up at a reptile expo and he'sclose to a year old, I believe. Since then I've been working towards getting him a suitable cage, he's been making do with a cage that offers ventilation and room to roam around. He's started to keep his eyes closed to most of the day, and his eyes will bulge inside underneath his eyelids and it'll move in different places, and I know it's bothering him because it is itching it sometimes too. I'm kinda stressed out because I just started noticing this a couple days ago, but I'm lacking money to take it to the vet until Friday. He seems to do better outside, when he's outside he keeps his eyes open alot more often. Please help me to understand what this is and what I can do to help him until he can see a vet, but from my experiences these vets don't do well with exotics.
It could be anything. The eyes open outside might be because he's got more adrenaline in his system. He could have any type of parasites, or an infection, or something in his eyes, etc. Any one of those would cause him to do that. Until Friday, try to keep him well hydrated. Mist his eyes, give him a shower, etc. Try to get a fresh poop sample and take it to the Vet when you go...great way to screen for parasites for $20. Even a non-reptile vet would probably see the parasites.
***Note: I believe there are quite a few veiled chameleons entering the marketplace that are from wild domestic populations in south Florida. We always assume the a Veiled is captive born, but they aren't always. I bought one not too long ago on-line from a "fly by night firm" and didn't figure this out until too late because I was too trusting. These veileds can have parasites.***
From my experience, 9 tmes out of 10, it plays out this way. First look for parsites and medicate accordingly. If you don't see them, and its not a husbandry issue (possibly liver damage due to chronic dehyration, MBD or UVB overexposure) then its probably some kind of an infection. If its a husbandry issue, you can sort that out here. If you learn its not parasites, and its not husbandry, then just assume its an infection and ask for Baytril and see if it helps. Note, I've heard some conflicting reports about the usefulness of oral Baytril, but nothing bad about the injectable kind. You might alway want to know that I have a cham that was first diagnosed with a clean fecal, but now we've discovered it has Coccidia and are treating it. Baytril did help him, but without treating the Coccidia, he relapsed. Coccidia is hard to spot in fecals, so if Baytril works and first, then the cham relapses, check for Coccidia again.
If none of those work, I can't tell you what to do. There are weird blood funguses that could be a problem and have to be treated with Sulfa drugs or other exotic stuff that only a real top-notch vet can find...and if he does, can it be treated in time anyway?
So, it could be anything, and a vet can help you find it for less $$$ than you might think if they follow a logical path. I used to shun the Vets because weren't that good in this area, but I found one who is willing to listen and try stuff. Seems like its money well spent.
Steve
