Chameleon with Swollen Eyes

[HelenOfTroy]

Hey everyone, this is my first time posting. My veiled female chameleon, 3.5 years old, has swollen eyes and is loosing weight and arm strength. She sometimes puts her eyes back in so she looks normal and then later they both are swollen and popping out again. I've been giving her vitamin (high in vitamin A) and calcium drops from Flukkers to supplement her diet, feed her crickets every two to three days which eat carrots and she got a new full spectrum reptile basking light about 2 months ago. She has a mesh breathable cage and I give her water through a syringe every three days (she hates drinking and water). Her appetite is ok, just doesn't seem to be keeping on weight and doesn't have very healthy looking limbs. Any suggestions what this could be?

 

[Beman]

Hi there. It could be a number of things. Be very cautious supplementing with vitamins and calcium... Vitamin A and Calcium with D3 can be toxic if they are over supplemented. They are both fat soluble so they store in the tissues.

You could fill out the form below and post pictures of the entire enclosure lights down and her. This will help us to help you.

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.

 

[HelenOfTroy]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - veiled chamy, female, age 3.5, I've had her since she was 3 months old
• Handling - once every few days to give her water
• Feeding - carrot fed crickets, three times a week. About 5-8 crickets each time. Two Superworms once a week max.
• Supplements - since issue started (one month ago), 4 drops of flukers liquid vitamin and 4 drops a liquid calcium three times a week.
• Watering - she hates water and never drank from water on leaves so I manually give her water through a pipette three times a week. Equivalent to a teaspoon. Mist her body once a week, although she hates it.
• Fecal Description - never been tested for parasites. Black section of poop and creamy white section, equal amounts, and egg white consistency liquid with droppings. Poops 2 times a week
• History - ever since I got her and she matured she has laid a batch of eggs twice a year, but hasn't since around November, stopped laying eggs (right around now is when she would normally be pregnant or laying). I don't have any other chameleons and never need her, she just laid infertile eggs on her own.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screen cage with fabric bottom. 2.5 feet wide, 1.5 feet deep 3 feet high.
• Lighting - zoomed full spectrum (uva and uvb) 50W bulb approx 12 inches from her basking spot, this was newly purchased 2 months ago. Also have a 25W heat bulb. On from 7am to 8pm.
• Temperature - basking spot is at 33 C and rest of the cage is at 20 C
• Humidity - humidity is at 50%, house humidity. I use a exoterra hygrometer to measure. She hates having her cage sprayed so limited to spraying her once a week for cleanliness.
• Plants - one live copper jade plant is with her, she eats it once in a while and they are non toxic. She's had one with her since I got her.
• Placement - by a window which does not filter out UV light. Approx two feet off the ground on a table. In a high traffic area.
• Location - Calgary Alberta, Canada

Current Problem - swollen eyes and loosing weight. Appetite is unaffected. She sometimes retracts her eyes back in on her own then they come back out later. Started a month ago and now has gotten worse. Vitamins not helping it seems. The first two photos attached show what she looks like when she is alone and relaxing, her eyes puff out. When I open the cage and approach her she goes back to normal, the last image.

 

[Beman]

Has she been diagnosed with MBD?
Can you post images of the supplements your using in liquid form?

 

[kinyonga]

She needs to see a really good chameleon vet ASAP...like yesterday IMHO.

 

[Beman]

She needs to see a really good chameleon vet ASAP...like yesterday IMHO.

I agree..

 

[kinyonga]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - veiled chamy, female, age 3.5, I've had her since she was 3 months old
• Handling - once every few days to give her water How do you ensure none goes down her windpipe?
• Feeding - carrot fed crickets, three times a week. About 5-8 crickets each time. Two Superworms once a week max.
• Supplements - since issue started (one month ago), 4 drops of flukers liquid vitamin and 4 drops a liquid calcium three times a week. your supplements need work. It's recommended that you dust with a phos free calcium powder at all feedings but one a week. On those two feedings you should dust on every second one with a phos free calcium/D3 powder and on the opposite 2 feedings with a its in powder that contains a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A. You will also have to decide if/when she needs some prEformed vitamin A.
• Watering - she hates water and never drank from water on leaves so I manually give her water through a pipette three times a week. Equivalent to a teaspoon. Mist her body once a week, although she hates it. I would recommend setting up a dripper that drips at the rate of one or two drips a second.
• Fecal Description - never been tested for parasites. Black section of poop and creamy white section, equal amounts, and egg white consistency liquid with droppings. Poops 2 times a week
• History - ever since I got her and she matured she has laid a batch of eggs twice a year, but hasn't since around November, stopped laying eggs (right around now is when she would normally be pregnant or laying). I don't have any other chameleons and never need her, she just laid infertile eggs on her own. How many eggs in the clutches?

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screen cage with fabric bottom. 2.5 feet wide, 1.5 feet deep 3 feet high.
• Lighting - zoomed full spectrum (uva and uvb) 50W bulb approx 12 inches from her basking spot, this was newly purchased 2 months ago. Also have a 25W heat bulb. On from 7am to 8pm.
• Temperature - basking spot is at 33 C and rest of the cage is at 20 C for female veileds I would have the basking temperature in the low 80's F.
• Humidity - humidity is at 50%, house humidity. I use a exoterra hygrometer to measure. She hates having her cage sprayed so limited to spraying her once a week for cleanliness.
• Plants - one live copper jade plant is with her, she eats it once in a while and they are non toxic. She's had one with her since I got her.
• Placement - by a window which does not filter out UV light. How do you know it doesn't filter out the UVB? I wouldn't have the cage by the window in the winter because of where you live.nApprox two feet off the ground on a table. In a high traffic area.
• Location - Calgary Alberta, Canada

Current Problem - swollen eyes and loosing weight. Appetite is unaffected. She sometimes retracts her eyes back in on her own then they come back out later. Started a month ago and now has gotten worse. Vitamins not helping it seems. The first two photos attached show what she looks like when she is alone and relaxing, her eyes puff out. When I open the cage and approach her she goes back to normal, the last image. What's the form of vitamin A in the supplements? Is there D3 in the supplements?

 

[HelenOfTroy]

I believe she may have MBD because her crest has curved a bit. Since finding this out I've been giving her lots of calcium. Here's what I've been giving her.

 

[HelenOfTroy]

I didn't believe MBD caused swollen eyes but I could be wrong.

 

[MissSkittles]

Your chameleon does not look well at all, and this is an understatement. It is best to get her to a vet ASAP.

 

[kinyonga]

I agree wit @MissSkittles ...she does not look well at all.

 

[Beman]

I believe she may have MBD because her crest has curved a bit. Since finding this out I've been giving her lots of calcium. Here's what I've been giving her.

Personally I would not supplement with those. You can over supplement her just as easy as under supplementing her. This could be what is going on with her eyes. You have to have Vet treatment for MBD. And I really believe you need a vet with cham experience sooner then later.

I would use powdered supplements. Calcium without D3 and phos free at every feeding except 2 times a month use reptivite with D3. This is a multivitamin with D3 combo. You only give it 2 times a month. feeders are lightly dusted in these and immediately fed.

Are you using the UVB bulb that screws into a dome fixture?