Eye shut
- Thread starter amf45005
- Start date
elizaann2
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hello! What is your supplementation schedule and what UVB lights are you using? Please include a picture of his enclosure that includes the lights on the top.
I'm going to tag a few ladies here with a lot of experience in case I am unable to respond quickly. @Beman @MissSkittles
I'm going to tag a few ladies here with a lot of experience in case I am unable to respond quickly. @Beman @MissSkittles
Perfect glad you posted the thread. I know you said it has been like this since you got him. Can you tell me how long that has been now?
I would like to double check UVB type, supplementation, and Misting schedule length of each misting session and when you do them.
I think little man more than likely has something stuck in that eye... If he can not get it out by cleaning his eye on his own this would then need to be flushed by a vet that knows reptiles.
I would like to double check UVB type, supplementation, and Misting schedule length of each misting session and when you do them.
I think little man more than likely has something stuck in that eye... If he can not get it out by cleaning his eye on his own this would then need to be flushed by a vet that knows reptiles.
amf45005
Member
I’ve had him since December 16 ‘23, I always assumed it was shed or something cause it’s been like since I’ve had him, he does occasionally rub it on branches and what not, but like I said every other aspect of his life is great. I have a zoomed reptisun tube hood fixture w/ t5 ho 5.0uvb, basking light, he gets calcium w/o d3 and then zoomed reptivite w/ d3 twice a month. Misting set to mist 30mins after light out for 2min, 30mins before lights on 2min. Fogger over his sleeping spot from 12am-5am. I’ll get a pic of enclosure when I get home
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I agree that it looks like he has something stuck in his eye...probably is stuck shed or some other random particle since he seems a bit young to have a keratin plug. A good vet with chameleon experience can confirm it and flush it out. If you tell your general location, we can probably help you to locate a vet.
So this is the bad thing about only misting at night.... They are never given the opportunity to fully clean their eyes in mist. They will rotate the eye in mist to help clean it.
What is the ambient daytime humidity running? This will tell us if you should have a morning misting after lights are on or if you need to have it more like 3pm. You would run a longer 3-4 minute misting for this one. Not only does it give them the opportunity to drink but also a longer misting to clean the eye.
amf45005
Member
So I do a short 1min mist at noon, but during the day avg humidity sits around 30s%.
So I do not like misting mid day when temps are hottest. And a 1 minute will not be long enough to trigger a drinking response much less eye cleaning for most chams.
Typically if you do a longer misting in the morning about 30 minutes after lights kick on or a longer misting say 3pm this is when temps are lowest. If dealing with low humidity daytime then a morning mist is great. If you have higher humidity daytime then late afternoon is great because it allows for build up to higher humidity in the evening.
amf45005
Member
How long do you think a morning mist should be?
3-4 minutes to really trigger eye cleaning. Each cham is an individual with this though. I literally have to run 4-6 minute mistings to trigger a drinking response with my boy he does clean his eyes almost every day though in the mist as well.
amf45005
Member
I added another mist time for 3mins at 4pm to the mistaking when I got home today. I found him at his basking spot with both eyes closed now not looking too good. I’ve never seen him like this, I offered him some silkworms and fresh crickets and he won’t even move around. He just sits there. And now he’s rubbing both eyes on branches not just his left 
idk what’s going on
idk what’s going on
Refresh my memory have you done a full husbandry review already?I added another mist time for 3mins at 4pm to the mistaking when I got home today. I found him at his basking spot with both eyes closed now not looking too good. I’ve never seen him like this, I offered him some silkworms and fresh crickets and he won’t even move around. He just sits there. And now he’s rubbing both eyes on branches not just his left
Two points of concern that can effect eye closing are supplements and UVB.
Has he shed in your care yet?
Any sign of breathing issues or tilting the nose up and lengthening the throat to breathe?
amf45005
Member
I don’t think I’ve done a full one in one place, but have managed to in different posts combined I’m sure haha, and he’s shed three times since I’ve had him, I’ve never noticed anything like that or anything that seems to be a breathing problem, just an occasional wide open mouth yawn.
amf45005
Member
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - Left eye shut at time, now right eye is being weird, he rubs them on branches. He still eats and moves around, just hasn’t been his usual self the past few days however.
Thank you!
- Your Chameleon - Male piebald veiled, had him since December 2023
- Handling - rarely, maybe a few times a month
- Feeding - I have a feeder run with crickets and Dubia, a dish I provide bsfl, he gets silkworms, hornworms, has had a few wax worms and super worms but only once or twice a week. Crickets get taken care of like it’s a second hobby, I make ice cubes made of collard/mustard greens, sweet potato, almonds, chia seeds, bee pollen, water and provide that along with fluckers feed and water crystals.
- Supplements - Zoomed repti calcium w/o D3 every feeding, zoomed reptivite w/ d3 once every other week.
- Watering - Gallon jug with some water dripping on top of cage, fill it and drips once a day for a few hours at a time, mistking set to mist 30 before/after 2min as well as recently added an extra morning mist at 10 for 3min for his eye
- Fecal Description - looks good always, white
- History - nothing to note out of ordinary
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - 2x2x4
- Lighting - Zoomed 22” linear t5 HO uvb 5% and ExoTerra 50w basking
- Temperature - Ambient lower cage temps 68-71. Basking spot mid 80s
- Humidity - Ambient day time 30s, at night at his sleeping spot 80s-90s depending on the night. I adjust the fogger based on where he’s sleeping
- Plants - All live plants from safe list
- Placement - Controversial I know, but it works, his cage is in the living room, placed on 3ft stand so floor to top his cage is 7’ tall, ceiling fan that’s rarely used in the room, medium traffic, he’s been in this spot the whole time and has thrived, he has plenty on hiding, I’ve placed lots of fake vines on the outside of his cage to provide him with more privacy.
- Location - SW Ohio
Current Problem - Left eye shut at time, now right eye is being weird, he rubs them on branches. He still eats and moves around, just hasn’t been his usual self the past few days however.
Thank you!
amf45005
Member
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Gloriawood
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’ve not been keeping as long as others here, so I very well could be wrong. But nothing screams at me from your husbandry. Therefore I would guess he has something stuck in his eye. I would take him to a vet at this point. One with good chameleon experience that can flush it out. We have a vet list if you need help finding one.
Kodyf
Established Member
It looks like you’re doing everything right and it seems like a care error is not the reason here after reading all of the information here. I think he needs seen by the vet eye issues can really stress out the Cham and even prevent them from maintaining diet. Make sure exotic reptile vet is reputable if it is possibly something stuck in the eye they will flush the eyes, I don’t think something stuck since you stated both eyes having issues now.
Everything I am seeing looks spot on.
I would for sure add the daytime mistings... I am seeing crusty on the eye. He needs to be able to properly clean the eyes... Might be time to schedule an appointment with a reptile vet as well just in case he does have an infection and is needing antibiotics to clear it.
What exactly are you using for these though?
I would for sure add the daytime mistings... I am seeing crusty on the eye. He needs to be able to properly clean the eyes... Might be time to schedule an appointment with a reptile vet as well just in case he does have an infection and is needing antibiotics to clear it.
