What's wrong with his eye?

Fernando

New Member
I have a veiled Cham a few months old. Yesterday was the first time I've seen him shed. He eats gutloaded crickets with calcium (no d3) everyday, calcium (with d3) twice a month along with Multivitamins.

Today I got him out of his cage and noticed that one of his eyes was SLIGHTLY closed, but he was still able to see with it (He even ate a house fly)

Someone told me that it could possibly be mites...does that happen?

What do I do? What could it be?

I'll try and get a picture tonight of his eye.

Thanks
 
If he just shed, chances are he has a piece of skin stuck in his eye. Up his mistings, and if it isn't out in a few days, you should get saline eye drops.
 
Here are two fixes that you can try.

1. Warm shower. Either with a misting pump or spray bottle, or what have you, put warm water in the bottle so it sprays out warmish and give him a long shower with it. If you want to put him directly in the shower, put him on a plant and bounce the shower spray off the wall so it hits him very gently. The warm water will soften up anything in his eye and hopefully help flush it out.

2. Get plain saline eye solution from any pharmacy (get the pharmacist to help if you need it, let them know it's for an animal and should have the least amount of ingredients possible. They'll find you the one that's closes to just pure water). Then, grab your guy gently with his head between your index and middle fingers, so he can't thrash his head around and-- holding him at a downward angle so he doesn't inhale the solution-- squirt a jet into his eye from an inch or two away. You want the eye turret to fill with liquid, and then release him. He should then roll the eye and flush out any irritants. You can repeat this a day or two and see if it works. You squirt for like a couple seconds, then they'll shut the eye tight and nothing else will enter.

Try these things. Increasing chances to wash out the eye with mistings and stuff is what you want to try first. If it's not better in a few days or it gets worse, consult a vet.
 
that's what I need to do more often. Unfortunately, I don't have a misting system. I put him out in the morning with the dripper and a few sprays but that's about it. How late is TOO LATE to spray him? I get home around 6:30pm and here in Southern California it's about 75 degrees outside.
 
I think that's fine. It's getting dark at around 8 there as well, right? I'd get him outside on a plant if you can and give him a nice long misting of like 10 minutes if you can. He'll still have time to dry up before "bed."
 
that's what I need to do more often. Unfortunately, I don't have a misting system. I put him out in the morning with the dripper and a few sprays but that's about it. How late is TOO LATE to spray him? I get home around 6:30pm and here in Southern California it's about 75 degrees outside.

You don't necessarily need a misting system. I don't have one, and everything is fine over here. :D

You should do more than a few sprays, though. Id say keep spraying for about 3 minutes, or until all the leaves are dripping with water.

I wouldn't spray him RIGHT before the lights go out, just because it'll take longer to dry, which could probably cause mold and bacteria growth.
 
Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. I'll give him a good soak today and I'll also inspect for any insects or bugs (just in case).

I'll get the saline either way.

Edit: Sorry Olimpia. Excuse the 'gentlemen' remark :p
 
The good Eye
DSCN0508.JPG


The bad eye
DSCN0507.JPG
 
Did you try any saline? From here it does look like there might be something in the eye to irritate it. I suppose I should ask what type of bulbs you are using, eg. is it a coil or tube uvb?
 
Did you try any saline? From here it does look like there might be something in the eye to irritate it. I suppose I should ask what type of bulbs you are using, eg. is it a coil or tube uvb?

I haven't tried the saline just yet. I'll do that today for sure.

He has a Florescent UVB tube (10.0) and 50 watt heat lamp. He goes outside everyday though.
 
How close can he get to his light? It probably isn't a light problem, but most people use the 5.0, and he is only a baby - maybe the light is too strong for him?
 
He can get pretty close at times. It's not exposed as to where he can touch it, but it's close enough to get about an inch from.

I actually just switched from an 10 month old 5.0 florescent tube I had 3 days ago.

Just to play it safe I can remove the florescent lighting altogether since he's getting pure sun every day I guess.



Edit: And it's only on starting early morning for about 15 minutes and at night for an hour or so after I bring him in.
 
be sure if you use the saline to hold him down so it doesnt run into his mouth...its not toxic but you dont want it to get into his lungs...try that for a few days and up the misting (i usually do my last misting at about 5-530 to leave ample time for the cage to dry out)...with the temp drops at night and a wet cage you have a recipe for RI...if that doesnt work, it may be a vit a deficiency, get some vit a gel caps and pop them open and just use like 1 drop either orally or dropped onto the back of a feeder for like 2 days...you dont wanna overdose on the vit a, so be sure that you only use a little bit
 
what do you gutload with
what multivitamin do you use (brand)
what brand of lighting do you use

The crickets have cricket calcium food (fiber looking stuff) and cricket 'drink' (green jelly looking stuff). I throw romain, escerole, raddichio, green leaf lettuce and collard greens inside for them to eat. I also lightly powder the crickets with Calcium (no d3).

The multivitamin is a Reptivite Multivitamin sample I got at the latest show.

The light is a reptisun florescent tube but hardly used because it's outside all day. The heat lamp is a 50 watt
 
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