Eye problems

[chamlover]

I know, another person with eye problems. My beautiful Nosy Be is having issues with one of his eyes. I've noticed this last week that on occasions he would keep it slightly opened. I also noticed in his cage last night a couple of pieces of bark on the ground and didn't know why until today when i saw him rubbing his eye really hard on the brances. I've tried to do a search and have come up with a few things. Either vitamin a defiency or possible humidity levels are too low. I do have a humidity gauge in the cage but just noticed the dumb thing always says 70% so i just changed it. I gave him a shower last night: because he does look a little dehydrated and will do it again today, but yet he still rubbed his eyes today. What is your best guess for this? Humidity or vit A? I do use a multivatimin but don't know if it has the right vit a in it. I am going to the drug store later to get the gel caps and have read Dave's thrread on how much to give him. If he is lacking, should i give at least one dose to all my chams? Recently i did take out his plant because it looked like it was dying, so i put it outside and have not put another one in which probably hasn't helped with the humidity issue.

Debby

 

[lbesok]

I think its great you are showering and getting vit a caps! Showers are even better than misting. For humidity you could try a cool mist humidifier and\or another plant (would recommend pathos).

 

[chamlover]

Do those require low light? There is one plant in particular that seems to be doing well in my cages but i threw the tag away. Don't worry, i won't do that again. All the others aren't doing well. I assume you mean the pothos. Does that require low light? If not can u recommend any that do?


Debby

 

[lbesok]

Debby, I also wanted to mention that my vet had recommended getting the Vit. A caps in Retynol Palmitate form....something like this:
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=SR-5051
I am unclear as to why this is prefered opposed to the fish liver oil, but I'll be sure to ask him. Does anyone else know????
Sorry didn't see your question before about the plants. Here is a pic of the pathos:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.plantoasis.com/plants/1001_1020/images/1002_pathos_Big.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.plantoasis.com/plants/1001_1020/1002_pothos.htm&h=630&w=800&sz=103&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=xxvI9DEtP3oAuM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpathos%2Bplant%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGGL_enUS176US230%26sa%3DG
I'm sure you could post a pic of whatever you have that is working good and we could help you id it. I think that the pathos is a low light plant...lets just put it this way if it gets too close to a 75w bulb it fries! Also is a GREAT indoor plant, besides some people don't like it b/c it is a vine. We also have decent luck with schefflera and a rubber plant (purchased 2 weeks ago). Some plants the only way we can keep them living inside is to rotate them outside every now and then.

 

[CleanLineChameleons]

Well liz you know my thoughts on vit A, but anyways Retinol is a usable vitamin A. Normally this comes from a animal source whereas Beta Carotene is a vegetable source that needs to be converted into Retinol before it can be used. Humans can convert it themselves whereas chameleons must have it already converted to Retinol to be able to use it. Again...use this stuff super sparingly, negative effects are only seen when it is too late and your chameleon never can rid itself of vit A.

-chris

 

[chamlover]

I've been doing alot of reading about vitamin a in the last couple of days but i am still a little worried about how much to give my chams. The one that is having problems as well as the other ones that aren't showing any symptems. Any ideas on this?

Debby

 

[kinyonga]

chriscarter said..."chameleons must have it already converted to Retinol to be able to use it"...do you have any papers that have proven this to be true?

ibesok said..."I am unclear as to why this is prefered opposed to the fish liver oil"...cod liver oil has vitamin D in it as well...and A and D are antagonistic to each other in some ways.

In the following site I wonder if she has followed up on the chameleons that got the beta carotene to see if it did help??...
http://www.reptilechannel.com/repti...le-health/lizard-health/swollen-chameleon-eye

 

[lbesok]

Kinyonga, thanks for the clarification .