microracer24
Member
How often do you do this?
Eye health - The SOLUTION!!! - Experienced keepers please share your WISDOM!!!
- Thread starter Matt Vanilla Gorilla
- Start date
JGuinan007
Avid Member
I use zoomed turtle drops once a month one drop in each eye. I have not had a eye issue since I 1st bought my girl with an eye issue. I started using the drops after that was corrected.
Matt Vanilla Gorilla
Chameleon Enthusiast
In my searching this forum related chameleon eye health I found this thread that realy answers a lot of questions! It also brings up new questions that relate very well to our topic here! Check it out:
"Viatimin A Deficiencies in Cameleons"
"Viatimin A Deficiencies in Cameleons"
Craigwyatt
Avid Member
I believe Jaxy girl explained the vit A deficiency very well. And this is the exact source of a MAJOR amount of eye problems caused in Chams.
Jaxy girl I was getting ready to post something simalar before I read your posts. I think you explained it extremely well.
I always have vitA gel caps on hand. Take in mind you need a very specific vit A.
Jaxy girl I was getting ready to post something simalar before I read your posts. I think you explained it extremely well.
I always have vitA gel caps on hand. Take in mind you need a very specific vit A.
JGuinan007
Avid Member
there is no link
Matt Vanilla Gorilla
Chameleon Enthusiast
My apologies, I should have explained it a little better. You are correct, there is no link. In the right top of the Forum page there is a magnifying glass icon. Click on it. Now type in the words:
Viatimin A Deficiencies in Cameleons.
bobcochran
Chameleon Enthusiast
Has to be retrinyl palmitate!!
Kclarke02
Avid Member
I happen to work with ophthalmologists and we stress the importance of taking lutein/eye vitamins to help 'slow progression' of eye disease, mainly macular degeneration. As far as I know there are no studies as far as reptiles. Who knows if macular degeneration affects an animal. That would be extremely hard to show, and I'd love to see evidence of it....
Ilike4hornedchams
Established Member
With out having even witnessed the problem n my Chams myself, I can say this, when my chams are misted, heavily, I most regularly see them clean their eyes. It looks like this. Their eyes are sucked into their lil heads a little bit, and they turn their eyes around like Rabid Eye Movement in your dreams. This is normal and healthy for them to do! So best practice for preventing this, at least one heavy FINE misting every day or so. I use a Monsoon400 and a hand mister so you dont need the mistking necessarily! Just my 2 cents
Matt Vanilla Gorilla
Chameleon Enthusiast
So, I have already asked about herbs and berries but no one responded regarding them! These help with human eye health! I wonder if anyone out there, maby some of our forum members who are veterinarians, as any idea if these might be beneficial for chameleon eye health? Your responces would be treasured!
Extensionofgreen
Chameleon Enthusiast
Herbs and berries can work for or against eye health. Chameleons are not designed to consume high sugar and high phosphorus foods, such as most fruits. Too much sugar, as in when humans are diabetic and don't regulate their insulin levels, even high blood pressure ( not caused by berries obviously ) can impact vision and eye healthy.
I use blueberry powder as a source of antioxidants, in my gutload and that shouldn't cause any problem and should provide some benefit.
microracer24
Member
Is this in regard to gutloading, straight feeding or both? Does the powder reduce the amount of sugar while still providing the good stuff?
Davecameos
Avid Member
I think this is a great thread.
I would like to add this:
Many times sunken eyes do not mean dehydration, but illness. Eyes are one of the easiest part of the body to know if a cham is healthy.
When they close their eyes; Often just one and then later on both of them, can be just a sympton of something else wrong.
They can hide illness very well and in my experience when the eye problems start are just a reflection of something else going on.
Vitamin A deficiency can happen, but it is a rare issue in CB animals with the right gutloaded insects and supplements. And let's not forget many montane species are sensitive to vitamin A and we cannot use much.
Just my 2 cents.
I would like to add this:
Many times sunken eyes do not mean dehydration, but illness. Eyes are one of the easiest part of the body to know if a cham is healthy.
When they close their eyes; Often just one and then later on both of them, can be just a sympton of something else wrong.
They can hide illness very well and in my experience when the eye problems start are just a reflection of something else going on.
Vitamin A deficiency can happen, but it is a rare issue in CB animals with the right gutloaded insects and supplements. And let's not forget many montane species are sensitive to vitamin A and we cannot use much.
Just my 2 cents.
Last edited:
Extensionofgreen
Chameleon Enthusiast
Regarding using dried fruits and fruit powders in the gutloads, I would imagine that much of the sugar would be metabolized by the insect and not ingested by the chameleon as sugar. There may be some sugars in the gut, if the feeder consumed the gutload right before being fed off, but most insects feed on saps, fruits, and other sources of sugars, so the amount eaten by consuming insects fed on strategically included fruit and fruit powders is of minimal concern.
M some fruits that are excellent fresh, include cactus pears and figs, as these have a better calcium to phosphorus ratio than many others.
M some fruits that are excellent fresh, include cactus pears and figs, as these have a better calcium to phosphorus ratio than many others.
Pitcard
Member
I am currently having eye issues with my female Panther. She had just started to develop her pink colouration when I noticed her keeping an eye closed when she thought I wasn't looking. I immediately went the Saline route for a few days. I thought this helped until I noticed her closing both eyes when I wasn't looking.
I just recently stumbled upon this thread in a search for more info, and I'm currently on day 3 of treatment. My plan was to cover one cricket per day for 5 days with Vit A gel, then once a week, and then once monthly from here on out. Is this an advisable routine? She's a first generation CB, her parents were WC if this makes a difference. Thank you.
I just recently stumbled upon this thread in a search for more info, and I'm currently on day 3 of treatment. My plan was to cover one cricket per day for 5 days with Vit A gel, then once a week, and then once monthly from here on out. Is this an advisable routine? She's a first generation CB, her parents were WC if this makes a difference. Thank you.
Davecameos
Avid Member
I would recommend to check why she is closing their eyes. Vit a in palmitate form can be dangerous if you give too much. Do you think she has actually vit a deficiency?
OldChamKeeper
Chameleon Enthusiast
< shakes head / goes back to cave >
Pitcard
Member
I tried to ask her why she had her eyes closed, but she ignored me. I'll stop the Vit A if it's a bad idea. At this point though, it was either watch her go down hill or try something to help.
I had read WC chams can have trouble metabolizing Vit A from supplements, and she isn't too far removed from her WC roots. My male panther also has a bad shot with his tongue but I've never had a problem with him other than that. He gets plenty of calcium and UVB, so I figured that could also be more of a vision problem for him.
Sorry for the long post, I can continue this in the Health Clinic if I'm disrupting the conversation here.
Extensionofgreen
Chameleon Enthusiast
Tongue issues and eye issues can both result from lack of A. I would not recomended dosing vitamin A, without a confirmed diagnosis, from an EXPERIENCED reptile vet. The concentration in your gel is unknown to us and it's not good for their other organs to mass dose anything, even if deficiency is the problem.
If it were me and I hadn't been using a Vitamin A supplement, with preformed A, I'd choose a reputable product, with preformed A, take note of the amount of Vitamin A ( you don't want the highest dosing brand, but the lowest dose ) and supplement 1/3 of the feeders sparingly, once per week, with plenty of hydration and monitoring for edema. A vet check is better than guessing and treating something you don't know for certain is wrong.
Pitcard
Member
Thank you very much for your input. I'm using Jamieson brand Vit A, which is 10,000 UI and I've only been slightly basting one of her 10 crickets for 3 days now. I of course am keeping a very close eye on her, especially after learning all of this.
Unfortunately I can't afford to take her to a vet to pay hundreds of dollars before getting a diagnosis. If I could I certainly would, but it's home brew for now. Thanks again.
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