Not sure what's wrong... need help, please!

[camille]

Last week, my veiled chameleon starting showing signs of an eye infection, or some sort of eye injury. She was bulging her eye a lot and rubbing it on branches. I decided to give it some time, hoping it was something I could flush out with misting. It's gotten worse, her eye is a little sunken and she is only using it when absolutely neccessary. Now, she's puffing her neck a lot and gaping. I doubt very much that she is too warm. Temperatures are good in her terrarium. Her fecal matter seems fine. She's eating fine. She hates water being misted on her, but she does drink. She's definitely in a pissy mood, as she gapes and puffs up more often when I get a little closer to take a look at her - and she's always dark coloured.

I have no idea what it is wrong, other than an obvious eye infection. Could the infection be the cause of her behavior? I'd apprecitate anyone's input. I am taking her to the vet as soon as possible, so no worries. I'm just trying to understand her behavior and what's wrong.

Muchos gracias!

Cage type - Screen terrarium (all sides and top), 24x24x18

Lighting - 1 x 26w repti glo 5.0uvb, 2 x 25w daylight sun glo

Temperature - 78-82 during the day, 70-75 at night, measured at the front of the terrarium. i'm not sure how warm at the basking spot, although she seems comfortable there.

Humidity - 50-70%, maintained by misting 3 or 4 times a day.

Plants - artificial

Location - in bedroom, near traffic. there is usually a fan running, not directly at terrarium. i really don't have a choice for location as it seems our cats extremely stress her out.

My chameleon - veiled, female, sub-adult (7-8 months), i've had her for about a week.

Handling - she seemed very comfortable with being handled at the reptile shop, but i have only handled her once since bringing her home. she didnt seem comfortable.

Feeding - mostly crickets, some mealworms. fed a dozen or so crickets daily. mealworms are fed a few at each feeding. crickets are gut-loaded.

Watering - misted 3 - 4 times daily for about a minute with warm natural spring water. i have seen her drinking only once.

Fecal matter - mostly brown with some white.

 

[cushcameleon]

Is she gaping her mouth only to warn you? Or is she doing it to breathe?

 

[camille]

Is she gaping her mouth only to warn you? Or is she doing it to breathe?

I think both. I try to sneak up on her to see how she's doing, and she seems to be gaping when she's not aware that I'm watching her. She also seems to be breathing heavily, as her body expands and contracts quite a bit.

 

[cushcameleon]

Is she walking on the ground? Or is staying up on her vines? Could you post a picture of her and your cage. At this point I am guessing she has URI.

 

[Syn]

Is there a popping noise when she breathes?

 

[Zen Reptiles]

I don't think she's warm enough. Or there is a respiratory problem.

Unless the 25watt bulb is super-close to her basking spot. She should have access to 90-95-100F for basking.

As for the eye, she should fix that on her own, just keep misting her 2-3 times a day. Not too much if it IS a respiratory problem.

Get a higher wattage bulb, I use 60w at about 5-6 inches away for most of my animals, some get a 75W bulb. See how she reacts to that.

edit: if you can, get the basking spot temperatures for me.

 

[camille]

Is she walking on the ground? Or is staying up on her vines? Could you post a picture of her and your cage. At this point I am guessing she has URI.

She only spends time on the ground when she's hunting. For the most part she stays behind one of the artificial plants in her terrarium, clung to to screen - near her heat source.

I've attached a pic of her enclosure and of her where she is spending most of her time.

 

[cushcameleon]

I don't think she's warm enough.

He is right, her basking temp needs to be considerably warm and you should get a temperature probe to see what temperature it is currently at. However, that would not be a reason for her to gape.

 

[cushcameleon]

You need live plants for that cage and in my opinion it is far too small for her. Her actions clarify the fact that the she needs a warmer bulb, 25w is not cutting it. Also, get rid of the substrate because she may (or may have already) accidentally ingested it.

 

[tburgcris]

This has nothing to do with the injury but your cage is WAY to short for a cham that age.

 

[camille]

You need live plants for that cage and in my opinion it is too small for her. Her actions clarify the fact that the she needs a warmer bulb, 25w is not cutting it. Also, get rid of the substrate because she may (or may have already) accidentally ingested it.

I plan on picking up a warmer bulb tomorrow. My thoughts were that she may have ingested some of the substrate. I will be removing it shortly.

I know the cage is a little small. I wish I had of known that before I bought it. I'll be building her a new enclosure in a few weeks, as soon as I have the time. Would changing her habitat twice within a month or so really stress her out? I don't want the added stress while she's not feeling well.

 

[cushcameleon]

Well according to the symptoms you have described, I recommend you take her to a vet A.S.A.P. She could have an eye infection and URI. I have redone my chameleons cage as much as 4 times in one week. Chameleons are indeed stressed out very easily, but in your case I would advise you to place her in a new habitat right away. Sometimes it can cost more to build an enclosure then to buy one, I recommend you buy a taller screen cage. That way you can transfer her sooner.

 

[tburgcris]

I think she would love a new cage and it would take away stress. The cage should be set up so she can bask and be higher than your eye level. So she is above your head looking down. If u have no time and u want to make a deal I live not too far that I can build u a cage any size u want. I build them all the time so it would be nice promise. Private message me if u r interested. Good luck with your cham...

 

[camille]

Well according to the symptoms you have described, I recommend you take her to a vet A.S.A.P. She could have an eye infection and URI. I have redone my chameleons cage as much as 4 times in one week. Chameleons are indeed stressed out very easily, but in your case I would advise you to place her in a new habitat right away. Sometimes it can cost more to build an enclosure then to buy one, I recommend you buy a taller screen cage. That way you can transfer her sooner.

Although I'm no expert, I think the size of her enclosure is the least likely thing to affect her health. I know a few chameleon owners with healthy ADULTS in enclosures not much larger than mine. I agree that she needs a larger enclosure, but of the many things that could be affecting her health, I doubt the size of her enclosure has much to do with it. She was healthy for the first 4-5 months of her life in the exact same size terrarium.

I appreciate your input! I will be calling the vet first thing in the morning.

 

[camille]

I think she would love a new cage and it would take away stress. The cage should be set up so she can bask and be higher than your eye level. So she is above your head looking down. If u have no time and u want to make a deal I live not too far that I can build u a cage any size u want. I build them all the time so it would be nice promise. Private message me if u r interested. Good luck with your cham...

I appreciate your offer, but I'm a carpenter, so building a new enclosure is just a matter of finding the time.

 

[cushcameleon]

I know a few chameleon owners with healthy ADULTS in enclosures not much larger than mine.

You phrase it as if your chameleon is still a young baby? When it fact it is closing in on its adult years. Just because someone is able to raise a chameleon in a small cage does not mean it is the correct way to do it and why put a chameleon in a small cage if you know it could do better in a larger cage? Doesn't seem smart to me . I suggest you don't do what those "few chameleon owners" are doing and instead place your female in a bigger cage. This time be sure to include live plants, a hotter bulb, a thermometer near your basking spot and no substrate (unless its reptile turf/newspaper).

 

[camille]

You phrase it as if your chameleon is still a young baby? When it fact it is closing in on its adult years. Just because someone is able to raise a chameleon in a small cage does not mean it is the correct way to do it and why put a chameleon in a small cage if you know it could do better in a larger cage? Doesn't seem smart to me . I suggest you don't do what those "few chameleon owners" are doing and instead place your female in a bigger cage. This time be sure to include live plants, a hotter bulb, a thermometer near your basking spot and no substrate (unless its reptile turf/newspaper).

I don't dispute that she could use a larger enclosure, or the other suggestions you had. At this point, the size of her terrarium is the least of my worries, that's all.

 

[tburgcris]

Sorry but cush is right. How would u like living in a closet 24\7.

 

[cushcameleon]

Thats understandable. Please keep us updated on her condition, hope she gets better.

 

[JackAttack]

Is there a popping noise when she breathes?

what would this mean syn, if there was a popping noise when she breathed? i can remember near the end with jack, i swore i could hear a popping sound when he was moving sometimes, but it was very similar to the sound that you hear when they get a claw stuck on their skin, and pop it off...........