Veiled with eyes half shut

Chameleon Info:

Veiled, male six months old est.
Been in my care for two months

He is not handled, not for not trying just he hisses and bites, and runs, so rather than stress him I just keep on re-attempting with the offer of food.

He is fed, Crickets, Locusts, Wax worms and Dubia's, his staple is crickets however, and he is fed daily the insects are loaded with fresh fruit and veg, currently carrot as staple to provide Beta carotene, they also have there dry food, special prep from my livefood wholesaler.

This is supplemented with


Water supply,

Auto misted x4 every 24 hours for 120 seconds each phase.

Chameleon drinks, and does not look dehydrated.

Faecal matter is brown solid with white top and often sperm plugs to follow

He has not been tested for parasites, this is on my urgent to do list.

History
Bought him from a reputable mom and pop pet store, despite him being stressed when I bought him they where providing him all he needed.

Cage Info:

screen 60x60x120cm

Lighting -

(Arcadia) D3 Basking lamp 160 12 hours on 12 hours off.

Temperature -

Basking high spot 85-90c Mid spot 75-80c low spot constant 65c

Lowest temperature at night or at any time is 65c.

I use four digital thermometers + a digital cut in switch at night incase temps fall significantly low due to other environment failure ie. our central heating.

Humidity -

During mist they raise to 90+% but return over a short period to around 60-70% after about three hours they drop to between 20-30% and then fall slowly before next mist.

I use digital hydrometer x2

Plants -

Yes, all on "safe list", to many to list, primary is the passion flower, secondary os the one I can not remember the name of... :|

Placement -

60 cm off the ground, in a low traffic area, well except me plunking away at keyboard when I am home, I move little.. there is always a fresh supply of air from my open window however screen is not in the "Draft Tunnel".

Location -

UK Devon


Current Problem - Not opening his eyes fully.

Will provide a picture as soon as I have found my camera lead.

Scoob, what UVB do you have??

(Arcadia) D3 Basking lamp 160 12 hours on 12 hours off. that is UVA/UVB/IR Combi

Anyway, 'Fella' is wide awake today with both eyes fully open.. will kee on monitoring, and keep this thread posted.

http://www.livefoods.co.uk/product_...husen&osCsid=3f91424b291f7f72873e9c3b36e6a44a

Scoobthenoob said:

(Arcadia) D3 Basking lamp 160 12 hours on 12 hours off. that is UVA/UVB/IR Combi

Anyway, 'Fella' is wide awake today with both eyes fully open.. will kee on monitoring, and keep this thread posted.

Click to expand...

It looks like a MV bulb...

And now he is sleeping..

I am concerned, he is sleeping now even though his lights not due to go out for another 2 hours. :|

If no improvment by Monday

Then I guess Vet....

Unfortunately he developed this "condition" on Friday evening.. so... stuck.

There are concerns for using MV bulbs, as I'm prett sure the one you're using is MV. Check out this thread (I could not find a better one) as the have to be used carefully, and is generally not recommended. I do use one that is split for two large enclosures.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/mercury-vapor-bulbs-131474/

I was going to get a different bulb tomorrow.

I was going to get a different bulb tomorrow, I did think this could be an issue as the light is intense..

However, I am not ruling out other issues and assuming light is the problem, I get a new bulb tomorrow, then vet on Monday.

I am not taking any longer in getting him an all clear on all other possibility.

Scoob - hats off to you for getting him to the vet.... it may be nothing, but to be honest I am exactly the same... any change in habit then I have both my guys straight to the vet, at least then you are ruling out anything physiological....

Keep us posted, hope all okay. xx

How do you transport yours?

I am a little concerned as to how best to transport him to vet... any thoughts?

Scoobthenoob said:

I am a little concerned as to how best to transport him to vet... any thoughts?

Click to expand...

This is what I do (and I've had both my Chams to the vet recently)

Do you have a keeper tank for you insects??

I have four and I emptied one, put some paper towels at the bottom, with a couple of sticks so that he wasn't always on the floor. I also put in an artificial plant to fill up the open spaces in the tank.

Then I put the tank into one of those hessian bags that Tesco and Sainsburys sell - they are large enough to accommodate a medium sized tank with ease. they also have handles which is great.

I then cover the top of the tank with a towel and bob's your uncle!!

I have had both my chams recently to the vet and back (Ghengis, my Panther, twice in two days) and they were both absolutely fine.)

Good luck Scoob, I hope its good news from the vet. Keep us posted???

Not to talk you out of going to the vet but a few things to consider:
When is he closing his eyes? Are you staring at him when he does it? If so, it could be a stress reaction.
What are the times your lights go on /off? My chameleons start to get ready for bed earlier in the winter. I am on a 6am/6pm schedule, so at 4-4:30 they are tucking in.

Actually I whitnessed two things this morning..

His eyes open fully, he feed's I observe him he half shuts them, when he walks under his big bulb he half shuts them so I figure is reaction to me and to intense light, so..

I still intend to take him to vet but today I will change his bulb to something less like the sun at 8" from him, and will also set up a Cham cam..

Ok having now made an enemy.

I took him out of his enclosure for closer inspection, he is actually reluctant to open his left eye, although there is no obvious sign of infection I made some 10% saline solution and dripped it onto the eye, he made a internal motion that was like a small electric motor and momentarily opened the eye, then opened it a few more times, then shut it again.

So Vet it is tomorrow, can not have him not using one eye, however he is one stressed little fellow, I am now definitely off his Xmas card list but these things must be done.

Assuming I can get an apt tomorrow I will post as soon as I have a indication as to the cause, I have been unable to source alternative lights today that is now also a job for tomorrow.

Reason for not sourcing is none of my local outlets had anything close to suitable, and those that carried the floflo tubes did not stock ballasts..

So on-line hunting I go.

Update

Went to Vet, although he can not see any viral, or bacterial infection he has given me Baytril @2.5%/17 aprx dilute @ 0.1mil every other day for 6 weeks.

Also MetaCam 0.2ml every day.

Also Clinagel VET applied to eyes twice daily.

He is now really really stressed, but will not open his mouth, so the Metacam which smells dreadful will have to wait till tomorrow.

I have also switched off his UVB/Basking lamp whilst I wait for the new fixture to be delivered, this is a Zoomed LED/UVB floflo hood with the .5 UVB floflo in it..

Will continue to keep posted, could also use some advice on how to get the cham to open up for his meds? https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/healthx/vet/

I have a runt baby that is almost 4 months old that was doing this... turned out it was not eating enough food because the crickets we were feeding to her sister were intimidating her. As soon as we bought some 7 day old crickets... she ate about 30 of them in one sitting. Not sure if this will help you but it was worth mentioning, you could try switching up the food with something that you have not tried before.


Also maybe someone else can confirm, I was told by my vet that electrolyte water might help. Like smart water.

I made a big mistake on the "care sheet"

Basking high spot 85-90c Mid spot 75-80c low spot constant 65c

Lowest temperature at night or at any time is 65c.


Should be..

Basking high spot 85-90F Mid spot 75-80F low spot constant 65F

Lowest temperature at night or at any time is 65F.

Update..

He is now going through a very rough slough, however having changed the lighting he is now opening one eye, still not feeding

And I am still having much difficulty in medicating him, almost a kill or cure situation, however I think slough, and one eye open is a good sign..

Have you tried dripping water on his nose and when he starts drinking easing the meds into his mouth?

Left ey seems to be back

right eye he opens on and off...

++ almost completed slough

Both eyes now open

Oh thank goodness..

Thank you everyone, who read this

Think we definitely turned the corner

Thanks to the vet also

\o/