My chameleon is acting slow and won't open its eyes. What's wrong?

Check the temperature of the enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20-30 minutes daily to treat or prevent minor dehydration. Make sure prey is appropriately sized, no bigger than the space between her eyes. If the behavior persists, have her physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat illness or injury. Review the information at the link below for care of veiled chameleons. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Veiled-Chameleon/

Confirm proper temps and humidity in the enclosure. Low temps can cause stress in reptiles which may lead to illness or lethargy. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 10-15 minutes. You can use plain, sterile saline to rinse his eyes in case there is dust or debris in them. If symptoms persist or worsen, consider an exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. This may be a good idea anyway since Kenny is "new" to you. An exam will confirm good health or may diagnose any pre-existing conditions which can then be treated. In the meantime, review Veiled Chameleon care at the link below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Veiled-Chameleon/

Thanks for reaching out about the chameleon and including pictures. The first photo with the swayed back is very suspect of MBD/calcium deficiency. Diet and husbandry need to be review and correct, and a veterinary visit should be scheduled ASAP. Typically concerns are poor calcium in the diet, lac of UV light, poor temperature, etc. This is an emergency. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Sierra. Vitamin A deficiencies can lead to skin problems, that can occlude the eyes or lead to secondary infections. Check environmental temperature and humidity. Misting with warm water might help alleviate adhered shed. If this doesn't work, a veterinary visit is recommended. They might be able to irritate the eyes to expel retained sheds or other material. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Chloe and including photos. Lethargy are just general signs of illness and not specific for anything. Check and correct husbandry and diet, as these animals needs to be kept warm and nutritional deficiencies can add up. Ultraviolet B wavelength exposure is very important for calcium metabolism and other concerns. Intestinal parasites or infections, metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), stomatitis (oral infections), nutritional deficiencies are all possible. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Try offering food and water via a syringe. Good luck.

My rule of thumb is that a closed eye is a painful eye, and a painful eye needs to be seen. He may have had some trauma or an infection. It may be the cause of his poor appetite as well. Make sure his environment is the accurate temp and humidity too. A great resource is www.anapsid.org I hope he heals soon!

Thank you for reaching out about Charizard, and for including photos - they are very helpful. I wanted to verify that this is the same eye? The reason I ask is that the second photo looks like one is of the right eye and one is of the left eye (unless you inverted the image when posting). Based on the darker appearance of the material and the sagging of the area, it makes me suspicious that there may be an issue with some retained shed skin, or there could be an issue with the eyelids themselves. This should be evaluated by a veterinarian as they will be able to look at the area with some magnification, which may help to determine exactly what the problem is in the area. Due to the decrease in appetite, they can also provide a husbandry evaluation. I would use caution with trying to treat this at home, as due to Charizard's small size, it would be easy to accidentally traumatize the eye. I hope this gives you a place to start, and that Charizard feels better soon!