Eye problems (eating makes it worse)

sCosmoOB

New Member
Hello
My panther Cham eyes are swollen. He trys to eat and drinks water but when he goes to aim a red fleshy film covers both his eyes and he misses everything. I'm super worried and don't have a good savings for surgery. I've been spraying vitamin infused water on him to keep his vit A up and the swelling has gone down but he still can't eat. Please help!
 
Hi there and welcome. Please fill this out with total detail and include photos so we can give the most accurate feedback.

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.

--------------

Please Note:

  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
He is a 2.5ish year panther Cham, I've had him for the last year and a half. He loves to come out of his cage, I try for every other day or so, he eats everything from crickets,supers, meals, dubia roaches, rolly Polly's, and an assortment of wild caught gutloaded/ quarentined Cham safe bugs. Honestly have been slacking with vitamin powders recently so that's why my first thought was a vit A deficiency. He drinks for a reptifoutain I have seen him drink, he's in a screen cage that gets misted 3-4 times a day now. Poops a little runny now and has a greyish color with small amounts of white tan and smaller amounts of orange. Will finish info after work but there's some info
 
Pictures won’t do much here, we need a video since it only happens when he’s eating. Well need to see when the transition occurs. You’ll have to post the video to somewhere like YOuTube and then post the link here.

Or I can send you my # in a PM and you can’t text it to me directly.
 
Why does the fountain need to go so bad? I attached a picture in case your confused.

Here's a link to the video on YouTube.


The vitamins in the water has helped reduce the swelling so I am probably not going to stop til a vet tells me ( I obv. Avoid the eyes)
He struggles to look forward. Taking him to the vet tomorrow but again I don't have much saved up anymore due to moving.
 
241178
241179
241180
 
We are located in Omaha Nebraska. He's had no past issues. He has a humidity and temp gauge that reads 55% not including the sprays that reach up to 70-80% w/ a basking temp at 90° and the lowest temp is 68°ish, we keep the house at 70° but keep all their vents closed.
Screen cage 18x18x36 sits on a table in a reptile room away from everyone else(snakes and a Savannah monitor).
Use to have real plants don't remember the exact names but hardcore researched to make sure they weren't toxic or make bugs toxic. Currently have a half fallen moss wall and fake plants.
His lighting schedule is 10hrs on 14hrs off as of summer. All lights bought from Petco. Powersun Uvb bulb that was bought 2 months ago and a heating bulb both located at the top of the cage
 
We are located in Omaha Nebraska. He's had no past issues. He has a humidity and temp gauge that reads 55% not including the sprays that reach up to 70-80% w/ a basking temp at 90° and the lowest temp is 68°ish, we keep the house at 70° but keep all their vents closed.
Screen cage 18x18x36 sits on a table in a reptile room away from everyone else(snakes and a Savannah monitor).
Use to have real plants don't remember the exact names but hardcore researched to make sure they weren't toxic or make bugs toxic. Currently have a half fallen moss wall and fake plants.
His lighting schedule is 10hrs on 14hrs off as of summer. All lights bought from Petco. Powersun Uvb bulb that was bought 2 months ago and a heating bulb both located at the top of the cage
Question on the powersun. Are you using a Solarmeter 6.5 to measure the UVI output on this? These are Mercury Vapor bulbs. They produce very high UVI levels and heat which is why they are use on very very large enclosures only. Your cage is much too small to use something of this strength for a chameleon. The eye issues may very well be due to over exposure.
 
Question on the powersun. Are you using a Solarmeter 6.5 to measure the UVI output on this? These are Mercury Vapor bulbs. They produce very high UVI levels and heat which is why they are use on very very large enclosures only. Your cage is much too small to use something of this strength for a chameleon. The eye issues may very well be due to over exposure.
I have the 100w one that I thought was fine at 6inch away but I just moved it. Hopefully that helps. Thank you for that! I didn't realize they were for large enclosures
 
I can guarantee you the vitamin water is not what reduced the swelling, especially if you avoided his eyes.
Well they drink through their skin which I'm keeping an eye on to see if anything builds up or anything like that. I do it every other day with about half a teaspoon to a gallon of water. He's not eating so I'm trying to keep him decently healthy til his appointment. If his skin drys out a bit that can be easily helped I would think. More info of what your afraid will happen would be helpful!
 
I have the 100w one that I thought was fine at 6inch away but I just moved it. Hopefully that helps. Thank you for that! I didn't realize they were for large enclosures
Honestly unless you have a solarmeter to measure the uvi output... I would return the powersun to the store and get a regular T5HO (NOT a T8) fixture with a 5.0 uvb bulb. Have you basking branch directly below 7-8 inches down. This will ensure he is getting a 3-4 UVI level.
Did the eye issues start after you introduced the powersun?
 
Congratulations. It’s not that often someone comes in here and completely stumps me.

You seem to be misting enough so he can clean his eyes.

What are you gutloading with?

My best guess is an infection from the fountain. No matter what it is it requires a vet.

Any other situation and I would take that as a compliment! Haha but he's such a healthy Cham normally.
We gutload with zoo med repticalcium and rep-cal herptivite with beta carotene which I do admit to slacking on
The water fountain could be a problem, it has clear tubing and is difficult to clean. Definitely keeping my apt. Is the video enough for a vet to go by bc he won't eat out of his cage and I'm slightly concerned about the stress level of taking him in. Last vet I went to didn't really know how to handle the frilled, let alone a Cham but fingers crossed!!
Thank you!!
 
Well they drink through their skin which I'm keeping an eye on to see if anything builds up or anything like that. I do it every other day with about half a teaspoon to a gallon of water. He's not eating so I'm trying to keep him decently healthy til his appointment. If his skin drys out a bit that can be easily helped I would think. More info of what your afraid will happen would be helpful!
Don’t believe everything you see on the internet! Yes, I do see the irony in what I’m saying lol.

Chameleons do not absorb absorb water through their skin or vent. This is a myth. The only ways chams can hydrate is via food, drinking water directly, or naturalistic hydration.
 
Honestly unless you have a solarmeter to measure the uvi output... I would return the powersun to the store and get a regular T5HO (NOT a T8) fixture with a 5.0 uvb bulb. Have you basking branch directly below 7-8 inches down. This will ensure he is getting a 3-4 UVI level.
Did the eye issues start after you introduced the powersun?
I've been wanting to get a bar light (of course not a T8) my roommate has just always used normal bulbs so that felt safe. Thank you for that!
I had the UV bulb about 6 inch away from his basking spot at first but it is now closer to 10 inches til I talk to the vet and am able to order some. My petcos unfortunately do not carry t5
 
Back
Top Bottom