Concerns for Pygmy Cham

[Dyesub Dave]

I recently got a couple of pygmy chams .... R. Brev. ... and set up their enclosure according to specs. After about a week one developed and eye problem keeping it's eye closed half the time. This cham quite often stayed on the bottom of the enclosure near the glass. For a few days I misted it's eye and it seemed to be getting better. However unfortunately this little one didn't make it. I assumed that with the eye problem it couldn't focus on it's food to eat.

But now I've noticed that the other one ... which I think is male .... is at the bottom near the glass as well. He used to come down once in a while I assumed looking for food and then go back up on a branch or leaf somewhere. It almost seems as if he's taking the place of the other's behavior because when the other was in the enclosure this one would generally stay on the branches. His eyes seem fine and I just saw him eat yesterday.

The enclosure is a 10 gal. with screen top. There is a layer of hydroton, then charcoal, then coconut fibre & peat moss. I have some dried sphagnum moss along with several plants and small twigs. I've added some sow bugs to help with any decaying matter in the enclosure. I spray twice a day and the humidity fluctuates between 95% dropping to around 40-45% by the next spraying. Temps range from 68-71 deg. F. nighttime to 77 - 80 deg. F. daytime. Lighting consists of a 25W small incandescent bulb that sits about 5" above the enclosure ( I now only use this in the morning to help warm up the enclosure a bit. ) and a very old 8.0 UVB bulb. ( Which is on an angle so it only lights the back half of the enclosure.)

You can view pics of the cham and enclosure here ... https://www.chameleonforums.com/new-pygmy-chameleons-10663/

So I'm just not sure if this pacing at the bottom right up to the glass is an indication of something. Perhaps somebody else here has had the same experience and has some idea as to what I can do to make this little guy happy. I certainly don't want to lose another one.

Any thoughts or advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks ... Dyeusb Dave.

 

[Julirs]

Sorry about the one you lost, I have lost 3 so far. They are yet another animal that reproduces young with a shorter life span. My male that I have left from the original 4 CB's is now over a year old and doing very well. All of mine will spend time on the substrate walking around. The one real cool think I noticed is that there is a corner of the cage where the crickets go under the substrate to hide. My male learned that if he waits patiently that the crickets will resurface and he gobbles them up. One of my new WC females has also learned of this new trick (an advantage to the male since he got her pregged!). I would keep some Terramycin on hand for eye issues. A few Brev owners on here have used it sucessfully.

 

[tryme]

My spectrums keep closing their eyes to i'm quite worried now.

 

[Dyesub Dave]

Sorry about the one you lost, I have lost 3 so far. They are yet another animal that reproduces young with a shorter life span. My male that I have left from the original 4 CB's is now over a year old and doing very well. All of mine will spend time on the substrate walking around. The one real cool think I noticed is that there is a corner of the cage where the crickets go under the substrate to hide. My male learned that if he waits patiently that the crickets will resurface and he gobbles them up. One of my new WC females has also learned of this new trick (an advantage to the male since he got her pregged!). I would keep some Terramycin on hand for eye issues. A few Brev owners on here have used it sucessfully.

Sorry to hear of your losses as well Julie. I eventually picked this guy up and put him on a branch and he's been staying up on it for now. He seems to have some sort of swelling in his neck. It looks almost like a big loose lump or something. It feels just like loose fat but I don't remember seeing anything quite this pronounced before. Is this a sign of something that should be looked after?? Yeah ... I've got to find some of that Terramycin stuff. Maybe I'll just look on Ebay.

My spectrums keep closing their eyes to i'm quite worried now.

That doesn't sound good. That's what my little one was doing before .... you know. However I'm not sure if spectrums are similar to the brevs or not. Are they still eating fine? Perhaps it's a sign of overheating or something. Just a guess though I really don't have any experience with these little guys. They certainly seem a bit more fragile that my larger veileds.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Dyesub Dave.

 

[Chase]

Dave, can you upload a pic of this "Bump"? Also, what is your light set up? Just a Flourescent or Flourescent and Basking?

*Edit* Woops, didn't see that sorry. I think it is a little bit warm during the day, my Brev cage is from 72-74 Degrees F. Humidity is great! Maybe don't need the 25 Watt bulb.

 

[Dyesub Dave]

The 25W bulb is now staying off. I'll try to get a picture this weekend.

Thanks ... Dyesub Dave.

 

[Julirs]

They can definitely get too hot. I don't use any basking bulbs-only the 2.0 Reptisun so temps stay about 73 degrees.

 

[barnaby]

I also lost one due to eye problems... I believe I had a stronger lamp than what I needed. I switch to a weaker one and elevated a little from the top of the enclosuer and it's been working fine so far...

 

[Cherron]

Perhaps the 8.0, even if it is very old, is providing too strong a UVB amount. This could certainly cause eye problems and could cause the chameleons to try to hide in the bottom where it doesn't reach as far.

Just a thought.