Vitamin A Deficiency - Use of Vitamin/Water Mixture?

[payton.geschke]

Alright guys, so here's the situation. I'm pretty sure my cham has been having trouble with her eyesight. When I first took her to the vet a week or two ago for her respiratory infection, he noticed that she may also have an eye infection because she would keep her one of her eyes closed no matter what. So he gave me antibiotic drops to use, and they really did help at first. She opened up her eye and everything seemed normal. However, every once in a while she will still rub her eye on some of the items in her terrarium, and often on my fingers when I'm holding her (side note - I usually only hold her when administering the drops / things like that). It causes her eye to puff up a bit and turn light purple? I could never get a good picture of it so I'm attaching one I found online for reference. Hers doesn't usually get that puffy, and it only looks like that after she rubs it, it's normal otherwise.

Also, I have found her trying to climb to things that aren't there? Like she'll climb up a vine and get to the top, but she'll keep reaching up as if she thinks there will be more vine and doesn't understand that she's at the top. I'm not sure if her vision is just still being affected by the eye infection, or if it's a vitamin A deficiency.

I have had her for about three weeks now, and I just bought a multivitamin powder (Reptivite with D3), and put it on her crickets for the first time today. I know that it's supposed to be every two weeks, so I'm a bit late with this, which is why I'm guessing it's the issue. However, I'm worried that she won't be able to see the crickets because of the weird salutations with the climbing that I mentioned earlier. I was wondering if anyone had tried mixing the powder with the water she drinks? I had to hand feed her the antibiotic drops for her respiratory infection, so I have no problems getting her to open her mouth and drink from a dropper. Would that be a better way to get the vitamins in her?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you all!!

*ps. I also attached my husbandry review in an image along with my terrarium setup and a pic of Linda
*pps. I am still working on adjusting my setup after receiving the husbandry review, so please don't think I'm not taking your advice, I'm just working on it!!

 

[payton.geschke]

Replying to my own thread here in hopes it'll bring it to the attention of someone who can help me

 

[kinyonga]

I saw your post last night but since I have no solution for you I didn't answer. I'm not a vet and eye issues are not easy to diagnose without a good chameleon vet. Sorry. I hope you can get it solved.

I hope his will get a conversation going.

 

[MissSkittles]

I wouldn’t put any supplements in the water. Just dust your feeders and if she does have trouble shooting at them, you may have to hand feed or put in a cup close to her. Don’t overdo the Reptivite...just once every other week. If it is a vitamin A deficiency, it should help but may take time. Your vet would be the best to advise you further. I adopted a panther with a bad eye and I just had to hold a cup of his feeders out to where he could see it and be patient.

 

[Beman]

The enclosure needs work... The Lighting is incorrect. Depending on the bulb your using it could very well be causing the eye issues. Especially if it is a MV bulb. They can be over exposed to UVB. If it is a coil bulb more then likely she is not getting enough UVB which can cause issues as well.

Use the reptivite every other week at one feeding on her feeders lightly dusted. Do not put it in her water.

Until your enclosure and husbandry is correct you will not know the exact cause. Right now there are too many variables.