Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK, he's not a cham, but most of you know him and this is a simple question. Darwin (bearded dragon) has been keeping his left eye closed since late yesterday. I have spritzed and rinsed as well as looked with a 16x lens but see nothing. He opens it for a few seconds then closes. I have not seen him doing the eye bulge so he does not seem to be trying to get something out. I don't think it is a rush off to the vet problem (vet only in on Thursday) and I have some erythromicin opthalmic ointment (from when Luna had an eye thing) Wondering if I could/should use. Any reason NOT to? Btw, expiration date still OK.

thanks!
lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she is on the loose!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

It probably won't hurt him, but is there any discharge? Is he rubbing on anything or scratching at it with a foot? Have you asked a beardie forum if there are other eye issues to check for first? If you do use it you should probably do a complete treatment cycle just in case there is a bacteria present.

Beardies are totally different than chameleons when it comes to eye care.
For instance, beardies don't do the 'eye bulge' thing.
They're also not as susceptible to eye infections as chameleons.
I wouldn't rush into using medicated eye drops for Darwin. I would definitely suggest taking this up in the Beardie Forum for any insight.
Glad to hear Darwin's going to the vet on Thursday. Let us know how this turns out.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi@yahoo.com

well, they do mini-eye bulging. He will do it after his bath or spritzing.

This is antibiotic that is why I hesitated. Don't even recall what Luna's issue was (she had so many!)

He's now in the office basking in some sun and keeping it open more, so I may not bring him him tomorrow, I'll see how it goes and won't use the ointment for now. Funny how I don't obsess over him like I did with Luna. I guess for one is that he is very healthy even if he almost never eats (he still hasn't decided if he wants to brumate or not) and isn't growing. I have to upload his recent bathing/swimming photos!
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she is on the loose!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

Nope, nothing other than his closed eye. I have posted on bd forum - haven't checked back yet. Actually, he is now keeping it open longer - maybe he is just testing me! lol!
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she is on the loose!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

As in, more sleepy? Not as active, eating less? Just wondering if he is wanting to brumate.

Some of my collareds are begining to get more sleepy looking and a few will sit with one eye shut, I purposely go over and disturb them to make sure the one eye opens okay and looks healthy! My beardie also used to do it, when ready for a winter slumber.

I realize your guy is young but some try and brumate just the same this time of year. (Just watch him)

If there is no sandy/crusty/discharge or if the eye is NOT actually STUCK shut, I don't think it's serious.
If you saw those symptoms, then the eye problem is sometimes connected to respiratory infection.

Also a funny thing, some will shut their eye/ eyes thinking you can not see them, LOL if they do not want to be bothered. I have heard people talk of this.

Hope he's FINE, have not seen any Darwin pics lately ???
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

Hi Eve,
he has been slowing down for months! Quite some time ago I had inquired on the bd forum about brumating (this was back in September). I got mixed opinions due to his age (born 2/10/05), but I feel like I am fighting nature. He eats very little, is pooping daily, or every other day, unless he hasn't eaten, and gets sleepy early. I am going to bring in a fecal tomorrow just to have it checked. He did have a slight high parasite load end of Sept. but getting him checked again. His light cycle is 8:00am-6:00pm. Should I cut it back? I sometimes turn them off earlier when he is sleeping and his lights are still on.

He has been barely eating or growing - has not shed for months - and is holding his weight right around 360-365. It being December and getting well into winter I wonder if I should just let him go. Should I keep cutting his light hours back? and what about temps? He doesn't go into his hide much, but likes his non-basking log. Any advice welcome! I will upload pics later today.

Thanks!
lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she is on the loose!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

trying , My guy started the first year, thought at the time something was wrong, but then got used to his ways.

He seemed to start so early right after sept of every year, great guy my Auggie, but it seemed I never saw him, LOL he started in sept and would be on and off sleeping until March or April, very long lazy kind of dazed appearance.

Because I did not ever in the 7 years get him a mate, I would do what you are doing,(ESPECIALLY while young) I left his lights on, for short periods during the day and if he decided to come out I offered water and small amount of food, most of the time he would not take either but "sometimes" he would, I would leave lights on.

If he really got into the slumber, I changed the bulb to a lower watt but still left it on. (I'm a bit cautious when they are young) Some come out of brumation with Resp infections.

Lele, I have bred collareds for quite sometime and some other lizards as well, and I do it my way, hehehehehe I never use the temps that many use for brumating collareds. They take the temps down to the low 50's, some refridgerate them at this temp for 3 -4 months. That may be fine fo rthem, but freaks me

Every year I hear stories after about deaths due to brumation. I turn their lights off but keep them at room temp about 65 -68 THEY Brumate FINE I personally see no need for such LOW temps. But hey thats me, LOL

I figure in nature, there are some warmer days, it varies, so a long stretch of 3 - 4 months of a steady low temp seems UN-NATURAL to me.???????

If Darwin sleeps then just make sure he loses no weight and KEEP Hydrated!

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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve