Eye shutting?

[CamiGirl89]

My female chameleon over the past 24 hours has been closing just one of her eyes tightly shut. She does this temporarily randomly throughout the day, or if I pick her up. There is no swelling around the eye, and her eye is clear and has no discharge. What could this be? Does she maybe just have something small in it?

 

[lindawaz]

that can be caused by many things. too many to guess. Could you please fill out the form on how to ask for help. Thanks
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[CamiGirl89]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Female Veiled, 12 months old, been in my care for 9 months
Handling - When cleaning the cage or when allowed onto her plant (4ish times weekly depending upon condition of cleaning needed)
Feeding - Gut-loaded crickets, hornworms, occasional superworms or waxworms
Supplements - D3 and multi-vitamin supplements every other feeding (depending upon the supplementation being used). More calcium dusting being used due to recent laying of her eggs
Watering - Misted 3+ times per day with occasional warm shower misting. Drip system filled once daily as well with approx. 200 mL water.
Fecal Description - Brown and white solid, while I don't know exactly how much per day, I scoop the cage out almost daily of new cham turds. Cham was tested negative for any parasites about 8 months ago
History - Cham has recently laid 41 eggs (2 weeks ago). She just had about a 3 hour car ride to my parents home and back for Christmas (stress maybe?)


Cage Info:

Cage Type - Screen cage, 2 ft long, 4 ft high, 2 ft wide
Lighting - UVB bulb and basking bulb, left on 12 hrs during the day and off at night
Temperature - Temp under the basking light is 90 degrees F. Coolest point of cage is 72 degrees F. Gets to a minimum of 68 degrees F at night
Humidity - Humidity is approx 75-80%. Kept record of by combined thermometer/humidity gauge within the enclosure. Mist numerous times per day as well as a drip system/warm showers as needed
Plants - Umbrella plant when she is not in her enclosure, typical fake plants when in the enclosure
Placement - Cage is in my bedroom in a quiet corner, no air vents nearby and out of sight of the male chameleon
Location - Good Ol' cold, wet, Indiana

I have read that stress can cause her eye to shut, as well as small particles. I am wondering if a dusted cricket might have popped onto her eye? Very healthy, neither eye (good or bad eye) is swollen, and does not appear to be in any pain when the eye is lightly touched. No change in appetite, no change in drinking, no change in amount of fecal matter/color of fecal matter. Appears to be nearing a shedding phase

 

[suzi]

Often it is a vitamin A deficiency although it can be caused by other things. I buy vitamin A capsules from a pharmacy, the ones with retinal palmitate. I poke a hole in the capsule and smear one drop on a cricket. One drop for 5 days and then one drop every 2 or 3 weeks for maintenance. You can try this and see if it resolves the problem, if not it may be something stuck in the eye which you could flush with saline or it could be an infection which Terramycin may help.

 

[suzi]

You only need to supplement the D 3 like twice a month. Every other feeding is too much D3. What kind of D3 is it? (brand)

 

[CamiGirl89]

It is "ZooMed ReptiCalcium". And that Vit. A application is a good idea, might have to do that in order for me to be sure she gets it. Since her warm shower this evening, she has not been shutting it as much (making me wonder if she is dislodging something).

 

[zac453]

Please keep us inform cause my Chameleon is has the same problem and I think it might be a vitamin a problem and I hope tomorrow I can fix it

 

[CamiGirl89]

While better today, Cami is still shutting her eye once in awhile. I have a vet appointment lined up for Thursday, so I will have answers by then!

 

[K9Luvn]

Glad that there is some improvement. Please let us know how it goes at the vet

 

[CamiGirl89]

Heading to the vet now, will update you all when I get back! Wish us luck!

 

[CamiGirl89]

Good news! The vet confirmed that Cami probably only had something in her eye, or if it was a small infection she probably fought it off herself. Clean bill of health, and Cami was a ham as 6 different vet techs took turns putting her on their head or shoulders. She was perfect until that cold stethoscope touched her belly... She got a little bit fussy there