one eye closed

[Chester222]

My 3.5 month old nosy be is active and healthy, except that every once in a while he closes one of his eyes. When I get closer to him he opens it and looks at me. Is this a vitamin A deficiency? I dust his crickets with vitamins once a week (beta caroteine). I also gut load his crickets with fish flakes that have vitamin A. Do I dare give him preformed vitamin A treatments?

 

[Elizadolots]

Please don't jump to conclusions. Eyes are sort of the "tell" of chameleons and they can indicate any number of health issues.

I think you should fill out the info here:https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ .

Just copy the questions/topics, paste them into a reply and type in your information.

That will help the experienced people here help you.

Be as explicit as possible (don't worry about grossing anyone out) and if at all possible, post pictures. Sometimes, seeing something is very different from reading about it.

 

[morpheon]

This is definately too early before saying if it's related to vitamin A.

Your first step should be filling the how to ask for help form, like Eliza suggested.

Eye issues can be caused by many things, and some of them are just a lack of luck, like getting something stuck in your chameleon's eye.

However, since eye issues are pretty hard to solve by the Internet (at least in my opinion), if you have any doubt i strongly suggest that you go see a specialized vet with your chameleon. This is definately the best way to solve any concern.

 

[Chester222]

eye closed

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Nosy Be, male, from Chameleon Company, 3.5 months. In my care for two weeks.
Handling - Very infrequently. Once since I've had him.
Feeding - Feeding crickets and mealworms. Gut load with fish flakes and spirulina flakes. Feed at around noon, every day.
Supplements - Rep-Cal calcium every other day. RepCal herptivite once per week.
Watering - IV drip system for 20 min. periods, twice per day. 3 thorough mistings per day. Sometime see him drink, but I usually leave him alone after spraying (I find that he's more likely to eat/drink if he can't see me)
Fecal Description - Regular dark for the poo and regular whitish for the white stuff. Never tested for parasites.
History -

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 18X18X36 screen cage.
Lighting - standard tube UVB light 5.0 (can't remember the brand--but it's the common one). UVB lamp and separate heat lamp are on 12 hours per day.
Temperature - 90-92 in basking spot as measured by thermometer. Never below 67 at night.
Humidity - Suspect they are high in light of the drip system, the 3 thorough mistings per day and the large pothos plant at the bottom of my cage.
Plants - Pothos and fake vines.
Placement - in the corner in a quiet room with no intervening factors. top of cage is about 5 feet up a nine foot ceiling.
Location - South New JErsey

Current Problem - My little guy closes his one eye sometimes. Mostly it's open, but sometimes he closes it. Both eyes are open now. As soon as I see one closed I'll snap a picture and upload it.

 

[carol5208]

You need to definitely change up your gutload!!! There are much healthier items to feed your crickets. Fresh fruits and veggies are the best, Romaine, Kale, Collard greens, squash, apples, oranges, carrots etc. to name a few! This probably has nothing to do with your problem but remember: what you feed your feeders ultimately ends up in your chams stomach! Also, you should have a calcium w/d3 supplement twice a month or so which you did not mention in your supplement schedule

 

[Chester222]

Point taken. thanks. Any comment on the eye issue?

 

[Chester222]

And the rep-cal calcium I give him every other day HAS vitamin d-3 in it. Are you saying I give this to him too often?

 

[morpheon]

Vitamin D3 should only be given once every two or three weeks. This is why you need calcium without D3, calcium with D3, and finally multivitamins!

Could you please describe more what happens with your chameleon's eye? How often does he close his eye? For how long? Is it always the same eye? For how long has he been doing that? Did you notice any change (like closing it more often, or less often, or stable?) ? Is there a particular time of the day when he does that?

 

[Chester222]

Hi Morpheon:

Thanks for the info. He usually closes it a couple time per day. But when I get close to him to look at it, he always opens it. This is why it's hard to get a picture of it. It's always the same eye and it's hard to tell how long he keeps it closed considering he opens it when I come around. He's been doing it for the last three days.

 

[Chester222]

any thoughts?

 

[Elizadolots]

Have you tried increasing the misting? It's possible he's gotten something in it, or irritated it in some way. Giving him the opportunity to rinse it out (by getting him nice and wet) might be the answer.

 

[warpdrive]

Please take a huge grain of salt with all the good advice given...even from me.
Eye issues are hard to give you proper advice as it can be anything and only a great vet can give you a more solid reason.

Something to think about is try taking him out on your hand and hand mist that eye a lot, until you see him cleaning it. Then keep doing it until you sense that he's getting too annoyed.
You want to flush out any possible dirt.

Do this every day for a week.
If it doesn't go away by then, see a vet right away.
The last thing you want is for him to get worse and this can happen quickly.

Harry

 

[Jamelon]

Hey chester222 I just recently bought myself a 2 month old nosy be from a reptile expo a week and a half ago. My little one was actually doing the same thing yours is doing. Mine usually was closing its left eye and would open it when i would approach. I was worried too, but id suggest either lengthen your mistings a bit or add another misting session. You may want to drop down the temp a couple of degrees, not too sure but i think 90-92 is a little hot for a 3.5 month old try to have it in the high eighties. How many crickets are you feeding him?

 

[Chester222]

Hi-
Thanks for the info. I'll try misting his eye for a few days. I feed him anywhere from 5-10 crickets per day (sometimes he won't eat more than 5).