Hello,
I'm not really new to the site but I'm quiet, I also didn't feel like using Kingsnake's amazing search tool to find archives for this and I'm having a bit of a concern.

Here's what's up, I have 3 Ambilobe panthers whom I take a lot of pride in even though they are new arrivals to me. My male is very healthy and was born on 8/29/08, I've only had him since the 21st of February. He eats like nothing alive, and I would think that he gets enough vitamins (as a rule I err on the side of too little with supplements with all reptiles) but of course I did not realize that Beta Carotenes aren't quickly transferred to what I've seen called "preformed A" on these forums. He drinks water, sheds in basically one hour (it's quick, I exaggerate but it did happen earlier today) and flashes colors at his "ladies" whom he has only ever seen (they are only one month older than he is, they aren't under his sight in their enclosure and they don't get any "out" time really yet)

The bad news is that I noticed that the male (his name is Mantra) has one eye closed, but it looked so unaffected and healthy that I took him for sleeping. It does not seem to be Photo Kerato Conjuctivitis or whatever it is (sorry can't remember... the UVB bulb eye problem...) because the eye doesn't seem swelled or shrunk... or even bruised, wet, dry or "stuck". It looks fine, "sleeping". I have been told that he may be having Vitamin A problems even though I'm a great gut-loader... well... until now! :P

Not sure what to do? His colors are vibrant (he's like the chameleon dreamcoat) and he is up high (about seven feet from the floor on his perch if he wants), humid (usually about 60 when the mist is dry, much higher and I only drip for about 10 minutes a day total because I'm a germiphobe), warm (basking 90-100 with cheap therm reads 100, room is controlled 75F so his cage is around 85 I'd say), plenty of ventilation with a box fan running on low in the room. Plenty of clean foliage and a nice "tree" of branches throughout the leaves, 4x2x2

Unfortunately he gets mostly crickets and no roaches or silks (workin' on it, it's been cold here in Kansas) and I dust with repcal phosfree with D3... like every two months really. I do dust with reptivite occasionally though.The Crickets eat collards (easy for me to grow) and zuchini mostly with the occasional yam. But if the chameleon can't process Beta Carotenes very well... well I'm no dietician that's for sure so I'm kind of baffled.
Any help will be appreciated!

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]