What's going on with my boy?

[alphakenc]

Hi @alphakenc, long time no see. Nice to see you around again.
People can get pinworms but we only get our own kind, they are fairly species specific. So we are safe from reptile pinworms. The primate types are mostly eliminated in developed countries.

I'M so glad to see u here....Its been 2 years I finally figured out my old password to log on this chameleonforum....where are all the people at?? Maybe they having trouble to log in too.....JK.

 

[bimac6]

Pinworm will need several doses of the medication to get rid of them,since the adult pinworm is easy to kill but the cycle of the remaining pinworm eggs will need to be eliminated all to make sure they wont reinfest in ur cham after.
A total cage clean is a must before the pinworm or eggs find the host on ur cham later.
As far as the cage cleaning,personally I will use diluted bleach water 50/50 to submerge ur empty cage in a big bath tub and rinse it completely couple times,remember to wear some plastic glove while u doing that,since its very easy to pick those tiny eggs up on ur bare hand n transfer to elsewhere ,after u using the diluted bleach,u can also apply the vinegar on ur empty cage,since the vinegar will create an unsuitable living environment for the pinworm (strong acidity) and the pinworm usually prefer sugary environment,even human can get pinworms too,causing anal or vaginal itching, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, abdominal pain and nausea all sorts of the problem,just imagine the chameleon feel on their tiny portion of their body ....
Also throw away all ur live plants inside ur cage if there is any since u can not pour bleach or vinegar on them.
Sometimes u will have to do this couple times,just in case those tiny pinworm eggs hatch on the place that u miss to disinfect n the whole pinworm cycle will restart all over again.

appreciate your input. We will definitely be disinfecting everything.

Eyeball update: he’s pretty much always using his left eye now, despite still looking like somethings in it. Right eye looks bad still. Took some more pics. I hope it’s not a detached retina. He definitely appears to still have vision out of it, just obscured with whatever this thing is. Could it be a detached retina?

I gave him a dropper with water and some vitamin a in it since he’s not eating much right now. Mixed in a “dash” of vitamin a with water. Pretty straight forward, also gave him a little bit of water that way too.

 

[JacksJill]

The retina lines the back of the inside of the eye. That looks more like it is external to the eye itself. Does it move with the eye when he looks around or is it attached to the eye lid?

 

[alphakenc]

How long its been going on looking like that?
Does the cham rub the eye on any surface at all??
I would take the cham to go see a chameleon specialist vet asap before gets worst.

 

[bimac6]

The retina lines the back of the inside of the eye. That looks more like it is external to the eye itself. Does it move with the eye when he looks around or is it attached to the eye lid?

Oh, ok. It’s connected to his eye. And it hasn’t moved since it appeared, maybe a little, but I can’t tell. It looks like a blister!

How long its been going on looking like that?
Does the cham rub the eye on any surface at all??
I would take the cham to go see a chameleon specialist vet asap before gets worst.

Maybe a week and a half. Basically this whole thread is about it, and I’m in contact with a vet, who I’m seeing for the second time tomorrow.

 

[JacksJill]

I think if you don't get a good response to treatment soon you should seriously consider seeing the eye specialist Jannb recommended. You might even be able to have your vet consult with her vet first.

 

[bimac6]

Here’s a GIF of how it moves on his eye.

 

[bimac6]

I think if you don't get a good response to treatment soon you should seriously consider seeing the eye specialist Jannb recommended. You might even be able to have your vet consult with her vet first.

Definitely what I’m going to do next. I have to go to this anyway to pick up the pinworm medicine, I’m going to discuss the eye with her more and then if it goes no where, I’m going to Dr Wolf.

 

[JacksJill]

That's the problem with chameleons their eye lid opening is so specialized that the pupil/iris barely moves in relation to the opening. I thought for one frame of the gif it was more a part of the eyelid. I hope that is the case because then it might be treatable with vit. a etc. if it is attached to the cornea or is part of the lens it will be more complicated. Good luck tomorrow.

 

[bimac6]

That's the problem with chameleons their eye lid opening is so specialized that the pupil/iris barely moves in relation to the opening. I thought for one frame of the gif it was more a part of the eyelid. I hope that is the case because then it might be treatable with vit. a etc. if it is attached to the cornea or is part of the lens it will be more complicated. Good luck tomorrow.

Just got back from the vet again and got his medicine. She gave him his first dosage and said for me to give him the second in a week. Then bring another fecal in a week after that to make sure they’re gone. She sort of reiterated what I’ve heard here a lot, that a small amount of pinworms is very common in reptiles, but he’s a 4 count which is when it can affect them. She took a better look at his eye and thinks that it’s on his third eyelid. Nard kept his eye open for much longer this time so she was able to look better. She says sometimes it takes up half of his eye and sometimes it’s in the very corner. Said next step would be anesthesia to actually go in and see it, since he obviously won’t let that happen when he’s awake.

 

[bimac6]

Next time you feed him try and take a few drops of water and mix your vit A in it, keep it watery. About 1/4 teaspoon. Get one of those syringes they use to give babies liquid oral medications and when he opens his mouth squirt it into the back of his throat from the side. This way he gets his A regardless...View attachment 225859

How often would you do this in my case? I gave him a droplet of a mix of vitamin a and water (a “dash” of powder and id say 1/8th cup of water mixed, but only gave him 1/4 teaspoon of the mixture) the other day, but I know that they can OD on this so I don’t want to do it often. Once a month or more?

 

[JacksJill]

Since vitamin A is fat soluble it will stay in his system for a long time so no more than monthly. It can be toxic if overdosed.

 

[bimac6]

Since vitamin A is fat soluble it will stay in his system for a long time so no more than monthly. It can be toxic if overdosed.

Yep, I read that! Just wasn’t sure if my “dosage” ratio would be fine. Don’t know how much vitamin A he truly got.

Hopefully we’re on the up and up now! Nard is draining our wallet lol.

 

[alphakenc]

On March 14 you mentioned

Took some more photos of his right eye. I can’t tell if it’s better or worse but I can say he’s making some sort of progress. He’s more alert, crawling around and keeping both eyes open for much longer. I just brought him outside to get a better look at the blob and he LOVED it out side (he’s never been on a tree out in the FL sun).

...he has it closed 80% if the time, and he will twitch in pain then close his eye if he looks in a certain direction.

I definitely recommend some more outdoor sun basking to pep him up,since he closed his eye inside his cage 80% of the time.

He eats superworms and hornworms, and occasionally crickets as of recently as an attempt to get him to eat more. He's gradually eaten less and less over the last 2 months. Sweet potato has been the gutload for the superworms for last couple months

superworm should be just a treat once a week
Try some silkworm , dubia (cricket is too dirty) gutloading all ur feeders with lots fresh vegetables like collard green,mustard green,dandelion,the vegetables that contains lots calcium within,diet n good bug cares on the gutloading is the key to healthy life on ur beautiful chameleon for sure!!
Hopfully he doesnt need a surgery for the eye , that will puts more stress on that poor cham...I will definitely keep him in my prayers.

 

[bimac6]

On March 14 you mentioned


I definitely recommend some more outdoor sun basking to pep him up,since he closed his eye inside his cage 80% of the time.

superworm should be just a treat once a week
Try some silkworm , dubia (cricket is too dirty) gutloading all ur feeders with lots fresh vegetables like collard green,mustard green,dandelion,the vegetables that contains lots calcium within,diet n good bug cares on the gutloading is the key to healthy life on ur beautiful chameleon for sure!!
Hopfully he doesnt need a surgery for the eye , that will puts more stress on that poor cham...I will definitely keep him in my prayers.

Yep, been bringing him outside for about 30 minutes every day since then. I have to monitor him and stand right by him seeing as the tree is just in the yard, and our weirdo neighbor feeds all the birds and the squirrels. He definitely enjoys it. It gives me life haha.

My previous chameleons staple feeder was discoid roaches (You can’t get Dubias shipped to FL), but Bernard refuses to eat them, regardless of the size of them. The only things he eats are super worms and horn worms. Silkworms have been out of stock everywhere for over a year now, but I managed to find someone on the forums who ships them out, so I got him some. I’ve given him two since then, and I’m force feeding him. My feeders are eating sweet potatoes along with repashys super gutload formula that people rave about on here. Thanks for keeping him in your prayers. He’s definitely a trooper! Seems to be having a good day today I’m hopeful.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Yep, been bringing him outside for about 30 minutes every day since then. I have to monitor him and stand right by him seeing as the tree is just in the yard, and our weirdo neighbor feeds all the birds and the squirrels. He definitely enjoys it. It gives me life haha.

My previous chameleons staple feeder was discoid roaches (You can’t get Dubias shipped to FL), but Bernard refuses to eat them, regardless of the size of them. The only things he eats are super worms and horn worms. Silkworms have been out of stock everywhere for over a year now, but I managed to find someone on the forums who ships them out, so I got him some. I’ve given him two since then, and I’m force feeding him. My feeders are eating sweet potatoes along with repashys super gutload formula that people rave about on here. Thanks for keeping him in your prayers. He’s definitely a trooper! Seems to be having a good day today I’m hopeful.

Can someone tell me the difference between bug burger and superload by Repashy? I'm guessing there is obviously a difference in ingredients, but which one is better and why?

 

[alphakenc]

Yep, been bringing him outside for about 30 minutes every day since then. I have to monitor him and stand right by him seeing as the tree is just in the yard, and our weirdo neighbor feeds all the birds and the squirrels. He definitely enjoys it. It gives me life haha.

My previous chameleons staple feeder was discoid roaches (You can’t get Dubias shipped to FL), but Bernard refuses to eat them, regardless of the size of them. The only things he eats are super worms and horn worms. Silkworms have been out of stock everywhere for over a year now, but I managed to find someone on the forums who ships them out, so I got him some. I’ve given him two since then, and I’m force feeding him. My feeders are eating sweet potatoes along with repashys super gutload formula that people rave about on here. Thanks for keeping him in your prayers. He’s definitely a trooper! Seems to be having a good day today I’m hopeful.

Try some Red runner since they move very fast , u probably can put them in the feeder cup to catch some attention with ur cham.

 

[bimac6]

Try some Red runner since they move very fast , u probably can put them in the feeder cup to catch some attention with ur cham.

Good call, I’ll check those out. Never have gotten them before. He’s such a sweet Cham but he’s NEVER wanted to eat out of a cup, maybe after he gets his appetite back things will be different though.

Can someone tell me the difference between bug burger and superload by Repashy? I'm guessing there is obviously a difference in ingredients, but which one is better and why?

Never have tried bug burger but I’ve heard good things about that one too. I stumbled upon like 4 threads about Repashy so I just bit the bullet and bought some. I’m just putting a little cup of it with crickets (they seem to eat it just like that) and the super worms I’m coating the sweet potato in it!

Here he is right now, his happy colors and all :,)

 

[alphakenc]

Good call, I’ll check those out. Never have gotten them before. He’s such a sweet Cham but he’s NEVER wanted to eat out of a cup, maybe after he gets his appetite back things will be different though.

Never have tried bug burger but I’ve heard good things about that one too. I stumbled upon like 4 threads about Repashy so I just bit the bullet and bought some. I’m just putting a little cup of it with crickets (they seem to eat it just like that) and the super worms I’m coating the sweet potato in it!

Try it , it might works it might not .

 

[bimac6]

The medicine has really perked him up and he’s exploring much more. Still won’t drink (at least while I’m watching him) or eat, but I think he will soon. Giving him his second dose today and then next week going back in with a poop to make sure all is clear. His eye is still wonky, but he keeps it open and looks around more now. Probably will need to get put under anesthesia to truly see what’s going on with it and will approach that conversation at next vet visit.