Jackson's Female Rubbing Eye

[HollyNicole]

I noticed just now that my 3 month old Female Jackson's, was rubbing her right eye on the dowl stick that she's perched on. (she did this for about 10 secs or less). I was looking at her eye, and it looks maybe a little bit pinkish in the socket area. Is this normal? Is this due to shedding since she's young? I have a live Ficus, Hibiscus, and Schefflera plant inside her cage. I've heard that the Ficus can be irritating, but I haven't cut any leaves or branches. Help! I'm worried about my little baby Zoey.

 

[jdog1027]

They will rub their eyes on an occasion against perches. If it persists or she starts to keep her eye closed, you might have a problem then.

 

[HollyNicole]

Okay great, thank you, i feel much better. I'll keep an eye on her.

 

[xanthoman]

jacksons eye issues

eye issues arent uncommon among xanths. imo, the most frequent cause of this is feeders that are too heavily dusted, especially when dumped from above, but feeders that are too heavily dusted (ghost like), can be an issue even when feeding from below. as the feeder slams against the face particles of supplements can get in their eyes, especially with larger feeders that may not go entirely into the mouth. supps are primarily ground calcium which is highly abrasive to something like an eye, its sort of like the equivalent of ground sand, even the slightest bit can be an issue. spraying with vitamin or supplemented water can also be an issue and should be avoided, imo, messing with equip on top of the cage while she is in it could also be an issue.

depending on the product used and frequency of dusting, i usually use about the equivalent of one matchead for 6 large feeders or 12 med/small (3/8-1/2")

assuming that is the issue, (and i am not saying it is), then the best approach is to use two things that you should always have on hand, saline and a curved tip dental syringe. try a couple of practice squirts before you actually attempt and remember you just want a gentle flow of saline over the eye, the slightest bit too much pressure is likely to do more harm than good. this is best done while handling your cham. what i like to do is get the stream started and adjusted before i move it onto the eye, this helps eliminate the issue of too much pressure that is common with curved tip dental syringes when you first start the stream. if you keep your saline in the fridge, make sure it is at least room temp first. one thing you can do is put the filled syringe in the basking spot for about 10 min. (assuming your basking temp is a true 84*)

i would only do it once, if the problem persists past the second day, it is likely another, more serious issue. eye problems are also commonly associated with improper lighting balance, or metabolic issues of over-supplementation or improper diet. it could also mean mites, or a bacterial or fungal infection of the eye. imo, i would inspect your cage and out of cage plant, closely for mites using a really nice magnifier or viewer. metabolic or pathogenic issues can take a cham down in no time, so if the problem persists more than 72 hrs, probably be best to see a vet. also, if the problem spreads to the other eye, then it is likely something more serious.

probably be a good time too keep an extra close eye on her feces. might also be good to keep a wetter cage from lights on, to about 3 or 4pm, in the after noon, you dont want to bed her down with an especially wet cage or you will end up with an RI.

kind of hard to determine what the problem is without knowing any of the facts, so, in the meantime, it might be helpful to repost using the ENTIRE help form, pics are immensely helpful. it would also be good to be doing regular weighings and take notes during this time. a decrease in weight even though she continues to feed should be viewed as a giant red flag, but without a scale and regular weighings, how would you ever know,

any pink in the eye is not good regardless of the cause. hibiscus and schefflera are great xanth plants, but not to big on ficus under 3'. jmo