Eye issue in Cuban False Chameleon

[GeckoLeen]

OK, not a gecko - an anole, but I'm hoping someone might be able to give me some suggestions. My Cuban False Chameleon, TBD (who is my favorite herp) and has chameleon-type eyes, is about 16 months old. I've had him for 15 of those months. He is active, very sociable, is a healthy weight, sheds regularly, and is currently in an Exo Terra 18x18x36 newly bioactive tank (for about 2 months now). Last week I noticed one of his eyes bulges a bit. Not the eye itself, but the scales/skin surrounding the eye. He follows movement. He is not lethargic. But he doesn't seem to be eating as much as he used to either. From what I've been googling, it sounds like a Vitamin A deficiency. He eats Pangea occasionally (all flavors), and gets dusted and gut-loaded dubia roaches twice a week, and a couple of superworms on the weekends. I dust with Zoo Med Repti-Calcium with d3, and he has an Arcadia Shadedweller UVB tube light on for 12 hours a day, since he is diurnal, and a basking light for 4 hours a day. Temps are between 70 at night and 75 daytime. Warmer near the basking light. He gets misted lightly in the morning and heavily at night. The superworms are fed carrots and cucumbers, which they devour. The roaches get a variety of food - Pangea P.I.G., some mushy bananas and blueberries when I have them, Josh's Frogs Roach Rations, and adult bearded dragon pellets.

I have a vet appointment for him on Tuesday, the soonest I could get him in. He is not lethargic, and the vet felt that he would be OK through the weekend. In the meantime, I've ordered Repashy's Super-Vite that has retinol and beta-carotene in it, and will dust the roaches with that for one of the weekly feedings, and do the calcium/d3 for the other feeding. Is there anything else that I might be doing wrong, or could improve on to keep this from happening in the future? I will ask the vet on Tuesday, but wanted to check in here as well, as you all are a wealth of knowledge. I absolutely love this little guy, and want him to live a long and healthy, happy life!

 

[acpart]

I think the planned vet visit is a great idea. Sometimes it's not vitamin A, but an infection that can be cured with antibiotics.

Aliza

 

[GeckoLeen]

I'm starting to lean toward that too, or an injury. He ate a few superworms today, so his appetite is good, he's definitely still active, no signs of MBD. Hoping we can get it resolved.

 

[SWARNER95]

Hey did you ever find out what the issue was from the vet? I’m having the same issue with my CFC

 

[GeckoLeen]

Hey did you ever find out what the issue was from the vet? I’m having the same issue with my CFC

He was on antibiotics for 10 days, and I still use the Vitamin A supplement. The eye issue never really resolved, but it did get a little better over time. The vet checked him out again a couple of weeks later (thorough checkup) and couldn't find anything wrong. He's healthy and active, can see fine out of that eye, eats well, and is a good weight. She said that may just be his "new normal," and that I shouldn't really worry about it anymore unless it starts looking infected (it doesn't). So, that's where we're at - it was a year ago, and he's fine. He's just a little asymmetrical.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

He was on antibiotics for 10 days, and I still use the Vitamin A supplement. The eye issue never really resolved, but it did get a little better over time. The vet checked him out again a couple of weeks later (thorough checkup) and couldn't find anything wrong. He's healthy and active, can see fine out of that eye, eats well, and is a good weight. She said that may just be his "new normal," and that I shouldn't really worry about it anymore unless it starts looking infected (it doesn't). So, that's where we're at - it was a year ago, and he's fine. He's just a little asymmetrical.

Just curious. Does that vitamin A supplement contain pre-vitamin A (retinol)?

 

[GeckoLeen]

Yes.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Yes.

Had/have you been feeding some dry diet to your feeders that contains a bit of pre-vitamin A (retinol)?

Since I began feeding all my crickets finely ground Zoo Med's Natural ADULT Bearded Dragon Food about 10.5 years ago, I haven't had any geckos with occasional cloudy eyes. Before that I fed them Alber's All Purpose Poultry Feed. Prior to that my feeders ate Fluker's High-Calcium Cricket Feed . I added Tetramin Fish Flakes @ 46% protein :sad: :sad: :sad: to Fluker's High-Calcium Cricket Feed upon the recommendation of a very experienced geckophile. :sad:

 

[GeckoLeen]

I have been feeding my dubia roaches (primary feeders for my CFC) Josh's Frogs roach food, Pangea roach food, carrots, occasional Bug Burger, and leftover veggies when we had frozen. I do have some adult bearded dragon food (the kind you have) and will crush that and add it as well. His eye is not cloudy at all, it is nice and clear. It's just that one eye bed is bigger than the other. It doesn't seem to affect him in any way.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I have been feeding my dubia roaches (primary feeders for my CFC) Josh's Frogs roach food, Pangea roach food, carrots, occasional Bug Burger, and leftover veggies when we had frozen. I do have some adult bearded dragon food (the kind you have) and will crush that and add it as well. His eye is not cloudy at all, it is nice and clear. It's just that one eye bed is bigger than the other. It doesn't seem to affect him in any way.

This link contains info shared by Hilde 8+ years ago. I don't know whether you've seen it.

For link 22 click: GU’s Admin Hilde on Calcium, Vitamin A, & D3 Interactions, et cetera: posts 22, 48, 85, ***96: vits + CaCO3***​

 

[GeckoLeen]

Thanks Elizabeth, I hadn't seen it, but will read. I have also cut back on the D3 to once a month, since he has Arcadia Shadedweller UVB. He's been eating and growing, and doing fine, so I am not too worried anymore.