HELP! - Eye Bump

[VCHAM SITTER]

Your Chameleon - veiled cham, female, unknown age (adult)
Handling - every few days, less recently - very ornery
Feeding - 5-7 crickets a day, mealworm every other
Watering - ice cubes melt and drip into water dish. she sits under leaves and drinks right from dish
Fecal Description - brown solid pieces, urate is yellow and white
History - i'm watching this cham for only a few weeks for my brother

Cage Type - glass with screen top. i have no idea what the dimensions are, it's fairly large
Lighting - two lamps, one full spectrum and the other black light
Temperature - no idea. no thermometer
Humidity - ?
Plants - fake plants that are suctioned to glass and a vine that winds thru whole cage and back
Placement - in bay window in sunlight above heat vent
Location - mid-michigan

Current Problem - bump on right eye. did not notice until today. She has gotten very aggressive and does not like to be handled except at night. She has just finished shedding.

 

[szpond]

I'm not an expert on eye issues, but I am sure someone who is will chime in.

Though there are definitely some areas of the care of this chameleon that need to be changed.

Here is the forum's care guide for veiled chameleons.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

I see you did not list supplementation...is there any?
Did you have any full-body pics?
Does she have a laying bin set up for eggs? Veiled cham females will lay eggs whether or not a male is present. It's an energy-draining task for them.

Nice of you to watch his cham and also seek help for her -- I hope we can provide some advice for you.

 

[carol5208]

you need to get her to a vet right away. It looks as if there is a bump on her forehead also which could be an abcess which has gone into her sinuses effecting her eye. There was a chameleon on here like her the other day and it went left untreated with the proper antibiotic and it died. When you say full spectrum light...if it is a tube light that does not mean it is a uvb light which is crucial for her survival and well being. We need to know what the light says on it. She needs a basking light for heat(regular white housebulb) for heat like a 60 watt or so for a basking temp of about 85 degrees. No black light or night light. You say sceen top with glass sides. Are we talking a fish tank here? If so, that has gotta get changed. Right now it sounds like you fell into a big mess with everything that is wrong in the set up and also you have a sick chameleon on your hands. Can you post full body pics of her and also the cage set up?

 

[szpond]

Your Chameleon - veiled cham, female, unknown age (adult)
Handling - every few days, less recently - very ornery
Feeding - 5-7 crickets a day, mealworm every other
Watering - ice cubes melt and drip into water dish. she sits under leaves and drinks right from dish
Fecal Description - brown solid pieces, urate is yellow and white
History - i'm watching this cham for only a few weeks for my brother

Cage Type - glass with screen top. i have no idea what the dimensions are, it's fairly large
Lighting - two lamps, one full spectrum and the other black light
Temperature - no idea. no thermometer
Humidity - ?
Plants - fake plants that are suctioned to glass and a vine that winds thru whole cage and back
Placement - in bay window in sunlight above heat vent
Location - mid-michigan

Current Problem - bump on right eye. did not notice until today. She has gotten very aggressive and does not like to be handled except at night. She has just finished shedding.

Here are a couple of things I would change right now -- if the water dish is in there all day/night, I'd change this. Chams really shouldn't be drinking from sitting water. Bacteria grows very quickly in these settings. Especially if she is in a glass tank with no ventilation (other than the screen top). They would do best with more ventilation, most people prefer a screen enclosure for their chams and some people use glass terrarium enclosures (with ventilation holes - stagnant air is not good for these little guys). I understand this is your brother's cham, not too sure how involved you're willing to get, but here is just my two cents.

Does he have a spray bottle for her? Or do you only use the ice cubes? I notice that my cham prefers warm water over cold -- I use a normal dripper and have it drip into a cup and then I pour the cup out immediately to not allow bacteria to spread in his enclosure.
Non-white urate is a sign of a dehydrated cham. I'd start with a spray bottle and try spraying her for an extended period of time to coax her into drinking -- even up to 10-15 minutes -- usually this is how long it takes for my cham to begin drinking from the spray bottle. He's stubborn.

Are there any lights on during the nighttime (black light)? If so, turn off all lights at night. Chams need the temp drop during the nighttime and uninterrupted sleep. I would also move the enclosure away from any vents.

I also live in MI - near the thumb, southeastern.

 

[szpond]

you need to get her to a vet right away. It looks as if there is a bump on her forehead also which could be an abcess which has gone into her sinuses effecting her eye. There was a chameleon on here like her the other day and it went left untreated with the proper antibiotic and it died. When you say full spectrum light...if it is a tube light that does not mean it is a uvb light which is crucial for her survival and well being. We need to know what the light says on it. She needs a basking light for heat(regular white housebulb) for heat like a 60 watt or so for a basking temp of about 85 degrees. No black light or night light. You say sceen top with glass sides. Are we talking a fish tank here? If so, that has gotta get changed. Right now it sounds like you fell into a big mess with everything that is wrong in the set up and also you have a sick chameleon on your hands. Can you post full body pics of her and also the cage set up?

Agreed, it would be best to see a vet for her.

Allow me to find the vet contact I have been recommended mid-MI. I hear they are one of the few around here that can properly treat a cham. My cham had surgery in Livonia. Are you far from there?

 

[szpond]

Found the info.

Williamston, MI
Cedar Creek Veterinary Clinic
Dr. Nolan or Dr. Beasley are the reptile vets.
If you've ever been to Preuss Pets in Lansing, they do their vet work for them. Great place, have chams too.

 

[Dr O]

you need to get her to a vet right away. It looks as if there is a bump on her forehead also which could be an abcess which has gone into her sinuses effecting her eye.

good eye, carol. and i agree!

o-

 

[VCHAM SITTER]

Thank you all for your advice. I accepted watching this cham without fully understanding all the care necessary for this making sure it's happy and healthy. I read the care sheet before posting last night and was very disappointed and embarrassed in the approach my brother has taken when he bought his cham 6 months ago.
I woke up this morning and checked on her and the bump has changed. I noticed that her urate is also more white than yellow but her fecal matter is significantly reduced. I've removed the water dish and will by buying a spray bottle and supplements for her today. The full spectrum bulb is a Zoo Med full spectrum bulb. I had a hard time finding a UVB bulb (the light she had had burned out before she got here) and my brother said this would be a good temporary alternative until I gave her back. I'll post a full body picture later when I get a good one.
My neighbor is a phenomenal vet and I'll have him come over to see her before I take her anywhere since handling her is so difficult. Thank you all again for your help. i'll keep you updated.

 

[szpond]

What a lovely camera you have. And yes, please keep us updated. I'm glad your brother has trusted you to see after his animal, as he should have!! I think you should be given her!! So glad to hear you're willing to help an animal that is not yours.