To everyone that has problems with eye closing

[cathyb]

Hi everyone I'm new to this site, I've been reading a lot about eye closing. I to had this problem with my Panther Buddy! I was told he probably wasn't getting enough humidity so I cranked up the mist (this was a reptile DR)! So I thought Buddy would get better over time with more humidity. I have been looking for a female for Buddy for quite a while! Thinking Buddy will snap out of it over time with the eye problem. So I contacted a person/breeder I found that had Panthers. And decided they were the right people to purchase a female (after talking through emails) I decided on two girls. And told him about my Buddy's eye problem. He said that Buddy probably has a vitamin A deficiency. So he sent me a email about Vitamin A deficiency I read the entire thing a few times! It told me to purchase Carlson Vitamin A Soft Gels. So I did! Couldn't hurt, right! I will do anything for my Buddy! I got the soft gels that night and started treatment that next day. I barely put a drop on the back of a cricket. And feed it to Buddy. Buddy's appetite wasn't very good and that isn't like Buddy at all!! I did it about every day for a few days and now I do it every 3 or 4. I will cut back again soon. It said they should have that every two weeks for maintenance dose. Buddy has been on Vitamin A soft gels 1/10th of a drop on the back of a cricket for a few weeks. He's eye is back open and his appetite is back! And he loves his girls! (when I let him see them) He is very active, better then before! I just wanted to share my story and hope it helps other panthers or any Cham!!! I also have veiled! They get it every two weeks! And thank you to the company/person that helped me! And your Panthers are very healthy! And I'm very please with my Girls!!!

Cathy

 

[dlegare]

Thanks for the info. I'm glad the vitamin A worked for you. I tried it with my Cham and it didn't work.

 

[cathyb]

Is it still closed? Buddy's eye closed just recently. It was like a few weeks before I started the Vit A. So maybe I caught it in time?

Cathy

 

[Lovereps]

Welcome to the forum!
How kind of you to share with others something that has worked for you.
That's one of the things that makes this forum worth reading and contributing to--the sharing of ideas.
The only caution is to be sure to not overdo it.
Sometimes folks think that if a little is good, then more must be better--but
excessive vitamin A can harm the liver and kidneys, as well as interfering with vitamin D3 metabolism, leading to MBD.
Adding vitamin A will only help in the case of a deficiency and there are a number of causes of eye troubles, including environmental ones like low humidity or irritating plants, injuries or eye infections--but you may already know that.

Again, it is very nice to be able to welcome a helpful person to the forum and it's refreshing to read of a success story in the health section!
Thanks for sharing

 

[cathyb]

Thanks and Your welcome! I will not over do it! He is better and I will cut back. Maybe once a month or do you think longer?

Cathy

 

[Lovereps]

It would be much safer to use Reptivite, a multivitamin powder, to lightly dust feeders 2x a month.
Reptivite contains the type of vitamin A that is usable for chams but isn't strong enough to cause harm when used 2x a month for a Panther or Veiled.
It's used half as often for a Jackson's or other montane type of chameleon.

Here is some excellent info on cham nutrition, written by a veterinarian who keeps chams and is a forum member also:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ferretinmyshoes/560-frequently-asked-questions-nutrition.html

 

[Olimpia]

Lovereps is right, too much vitamin A can have it's ill effects too. Typically, you use the fish oil capsules to correct a deficiency and then just use good gut loading and supplementation to maintain it.




Here is an snippet from a blog I wrote on vitamins/minerals:


VITAMIN A: This vitamin is actually a compound, which functions in healthy eye function (by maintaining the eye lining), bone health, and cell division and differentiation, just to name a few. It is also important in maintaining the immune system. Often times, when eye issues are reported in chameleons, if it is not infection-related or due to injury, a couple doses of vitamin A will usually help correct the issue. Keepers that provide sources of vit A in their gut load, or supplement it, say they never or rarely report eye issues.

However, too much will also cause problems. Toxic levels of vitamin A will lead to liver problems, reduced bone density, and nervous system disorders. Vitamin A toxicity seems to be more related to high consumption of preformed vitamin A, over carotenoids like beta-carotene, frequently found in orange or dark green fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin A comes in two common forms, preformed vit A, from animal sources (and is absorbed in the form of retinol) and beta-carotenoids, which are found in plant sources. The latter is most often found in orange or dark green fruits and vegetables in the form of beta-carotenes (which is easily converted into retinol), which are easily converted into vitamin A. Although it is unknown whether chameleons can convert beta-carotene into vit A, providing it is easy enough, as the same vegetables that provide other good nutrition (dark, leafy vegetables) can provide this as well. And although it isn’t sure it will help, it certainly can’t hurt. Preformed vitamin A, on the other hand, comes from animal products like eggs, liver, or dairy, and from some fortified cereals. Adding some boiled egg or fortified cereal to gut loads occasionally will add this vitamin into the diet. There are also some commercial products that supplement vitamin A to reptiles, their use will depend on the brand and the ingredients.

 

[JiouD]

Hi everyone I'm new to this site, I've been reading a lot about eye closing. I to had this problem with my Panther Buddy! I was told he probably wasn't getting enough humidity so I cranked up the mist (this was a reptile DR)! So I thought Buddy would get better over time with more humidity. I have been looking for a female for Buddy for quite a while! Thinking Buddy will snap out of it over time with the eye problem. So I contacted a person/breeder I found that had Panthers. And decided they were the right people to purchase a female (after talking through emails) I decided on two girls. And told him about my Buddy's eye problem. He said that Buddy probably has a vitamin A deficiency. So he sent me a email about Vitamin A deficiency I read the entire thing a few times! It told me to purchase Carlson Vitamin A Soft Gels. So I did! Couldn't hurt, right! I will do anything for my Buddy! I got the soft gels that night and started treatment that next day. I barely put a drop on the back of a cricket. And feed it to Buddy. Buddy's appetite wasn't very good and that isn't like Buddy at all!! I did it about every day for a few days and now I do it every 3 or 4. I will cut back again soon. It said they should have that every two weeks for maintenance dose. Buddy has been on Vitamin A soft gels 1/10th of a drop on the back of a cricket for a few weeks. He's eye is back open and his appetite is back! And he loves his girls! (when I let him see them) He is very active, better then before! I just wanted to share my story and hope it helps other panthers or any Cham!!! I also have veiled! They get it every two weeks! And thank you to the company/person that helped me! And your Panthers are very healthy! And I'm very please with my Girls!!!

Cathy

I did the same method with my 4 month veiled, her right eye was closed for a week It had me worried I tried showering increasing misting with no avail. So i put a drop of fish oil on one feeder. I already notice a difference right away. I did this once every a week, 2 times in total I didn't want to over do it. She just finished a shed a few days ago, and her eye is just about 100% now. I never see it closed anymore, shes a beast. Way better hunter and more aggressive with food than my male panther (runs and dives for food). She eats 10+ crickets and several worms within minuets. She is amazing. So happy that everything is okay now. I notice even with her eye problem she would eat the same amount.