sick flaped-neck

[fabos]

i have a Female Flaped-neck that i believe has gotten an eye infection or something of that line... i recently went on a week vacation and left her with the local reptile shop. but after i got her home she was fine but yesterday (aug. 29) i noticed she never opened her eyes, she will peek out her right but wont open her left. when i hold her she rubs her eye aginst my hand and she uses force like it really itches. she wont open her eyes to eat but she can sense the water driping so she still drinks.. i believe without her eating she would only have a number of days to live. please email me bacK with ANY info that you can help me with

 

[kinyonga]

You should take her to a vets.

 

[LunaC]

Man, that's a tough one. Since your Flap Neck was most certainly wild caught, it could be one thing or a combination of many things! More information regarding your husbandry, her possible age & prior history and how long you've had her might be helpful.
I have no experience with Dilepsis, but eye rubbing/shutting can be a sign of lack of proper humidity/misting, unshed skin, irritants in the eye(s), even vitamin imbalances and just plain inability to acclimate to a captive environment.
Sorry I'm really no help, but hopefully someone with more experience with WC specimens can provide more insight.

 

[Brandy]

Shower the cham increase misting times allow her to clean out the eye really well, If ther is no impovement after a few waterings get to a vet.

 

[fabos]

thanks so far with the replies...

i just got home from work and ive been having my little brother mist her ever 30minutes or so.. she currently seems to be a bit more active compared to what she was.. she wouldnt move besides rubbing her eyes, now i had her walking up my arm and she even flared up and hissed at me... her eyes are looking better but not the best.. ill continue to mist and work to bring her back.. what really upsets me is i just paid this reptile shop 100$ to watch my 3 chameleons for me. Norma Jean is her name, i have her in a 4 foot tall screen cage with her mate Marvin.. marvin also seems to be extra thirsty but ive seperated them so they get the nurishment they both need.

i purchesed Norma about 4 months ago at Reptile expo from a company based in San Diego i believe called LLLREPTILE. i also mist there cage 3 times a day and have a dripper system going while im at work, i feed them every day unless they dont eat the food i pull it out. this is my first incounter with a sick chameleon

 

[lilj0e]

do you give them chameleon showers?? try it, it myte help chameleon. showers are a very effective way to rehydrate a chameleon and also wash the eyes out if something is in his eye. there is a nice pic of the proper shower by mr. will hayward in the photagraphy forum.

 

[fabos]

well everyone ive been showerin her everyday for about 20 minutes and there arent any signs of inprovement, i dont see her eat but i put food in her cage and slowly goes away.. its like she eats one cricket every 2 days .. not only does she look sick but i had seperated her from her male and now he looks the same that she started. i took them to the local reptile Dealer that i know very well and he just told me that i should use Visine eye drops on them 2-3 times a day for a week but that doesnt help with them not eating alot or poopin much either... i thought at first they were dehydrated but they drink! but now im just stumped.. and being on a tight budget i cant afford a Huge Vet bill..

 

[fabos]

Well it looks like the situation is something out of my hands. Ive done everything everyone tells me and i see no change... can anyone give me a guess to how much a vet visit cost. Cuz bein a college student i dont have to much money.

 

[markrydenfan81]

It depends if they do tests and give you meds. At the vet I go to, the office visit is $45 plus whatever is going on. If this is your first vet visit they will probably do a fecal smear and that is around $20 where i go. I dropped $120 the other day. My chameleon needed a couple meds though.

 

[fabos]

well this is pretty cool info.. i talked to an old friend from high school and she told me that she was workin at a Vet, and they do reptiles.. i told her about my Situation ans she said she would come pick them up from me today and put them on her animal list so that way gettin 75% off...

 

[scoregbf]

ficus "milk"

do you have a ficus plant??the eye infectionritation could be originated in the ficus "milk", wen u cut a leaf from a ficus a white liquid apear and in contact whit your cham eyes it can cause irritation.

 

[fabos]

here is a pic i just took of them in there cage... as you can tell if you look at my Gallery pics of them compared to that pic they arent lookin good

 

[Will Hayward]

First and formost, the two chameleons should be separated immediately. C.dilepis have been described as 'absolutely intolerant of any others of its own kind or other species'. Unlike many species, they do not form a group but rather live entirely alone and demand to have their own individual space. The two sexes will only unite during certain seasons to mate before separating once more. Separated them by covering one side of the cage between the two with an opaque plastic sheet or flattened garbage bag.

Daytime temperatures should be an ambient of mid 70s F, with a spot under the heat lamp that reaches to mid 90s F. Nighttime drop should be to the mid 60s F. The regions they come from are generally dryer than most and about 50% humidity during the day, and 80%+ at night and during the early morning. Misting should be done soon after the lights go on. I would suggest having the florescent lights turn on alone for about an hour while the misting is done. During this time the chameleon should be stimulated enough to drink. Then have the heat lamp turn on to lower the humidity.

Use digital thermometers and hygrometers and not analogue dials to measure these temperatures and the humidity.

A dripper should be provided from when the lights go on for most of the day. You might be able to use the nozzle from your dripper and use it on a larger reservoir. Alternatively, Zoomed has now released the "Xtra Large Dripper", much better than the small and large models.

The cage shroud be a little more densely planted, especially in the upper part of the cage where you have only open space and a long distance between the cage and higehst perch. They will benefit from thick shrubs and small trees, which will also help with humidity and creating a variance in temperature from the top to bottom of the cage.

What is on the bottom?

 

[fabos]

i heard that C.dilepis should be seperatly caged but the person i got the male from has been breeding them for sereral years now and he told me only to worry about it if they fight.. they have gotten alone great since day one.

on the bottom of the cage is a thin layer of Zoo Med Repti bark

 

[fabos]

i would also like to add that i am trying to set up something different for there cage... that is the way i bought it and im not a fan of it.. im lookin to put a few plants in it... and suggestions? its a 24 x 24 x 48 inch half screen and half glass cage.

 

[Will Hayward]

Odd that LLL would tell you that... As I said before, this species is particularly nasty towards each other and even though they may not fight, there will be deadly levels of stress which is likely to be a large contribution to the problems you are seeing them experience. Please seperate them.

Reptibark is not easily digestable and should be avoided. a fine grain, clean, play sand could be used with this species, but you could do with no substrate at all. Easier to clean and no worries with impaction.

Hopefully you will make some major changes now and see some health improvements.

 

[fabos]

LLLReptile didnt tell me that... LLL is where i got my Female. the local reptile place is where i got my male and he told me a female would be ok to put in with him.. and ive known the guy for 12 years when i first gpt into breeding small lizards. so ive had the male now almost a year and the female for 4 months give or take..

i also seperated the Female on the 29 of august and just put them back together 2 days ago becuase the male started to show signs of the same sickness, but in that time she didnt show any signs of gettin better

 

[Will Hayward]

The problems could be just as much husbandry related as stress related then. Don't expect their recover to come so quickly either, it may be a long involved process.

You can beleive your buddy, or you can beleive the collective research of over 100+ years of scientists studying this species of chameleon in the wild and in captivity. No offense meant to your friend. I have no idea who he is or how he does is practices. However, those chameleons should be seperated. In fact, when chameleons of ANY species are sick, they should be sperated to confine the sickness.

Im a fan of respecting peoples husbandry methods- when they are clearly doing well and have healthy chameleons. But in this case it is clear that the chameleons need change and husbandry should be rethought.

If either of these are WC, then you may be facing an issue related to parasites. They may transfer from one to the other, and then to any other chameleons or reptiles you might have aswell. If so, you can have a fecal sample submitted for review by an experienced vet- generally a very cheap and quick procedure.

The solid walls on the cage are fine. It will healp keep up humidity, and the other mesh sides will give airflow. If you can cleary see a reflection in the glass from the inside of the cage, you should put a none reflective cover on the inside. You could take a large peice of bristol board and cut it to size and secure it well on the inside.

Hibiscus might do well in that cage, as they require lots of light. A Ficus benjamina might ba an alternative- though as said before if the branches break, the milk that will ooze can cause eye troubles, so you will need to find one that is well established.

The bottom of the cage can be covered with a ground cover plant providing it is none toxic and would not provide other dangers. This species has been known to descend to the ground, especially the males.

 

[fabos]

well Will everything your telling me is great info, but as of rite now im trying to get them to eat..

 

[fabos]

ive also looked all over the web for some new Husbandry info but i turn up blank. ive kept them somewhat like my vield. if anyone knows any web site that can help me please lemme know!