| Member |
Message |
|
#2249442
Lukemax1
View Profile
|
Neon Tree Lizard=Blind? 
Hello,
So my stepsister’s neon tree lizard has been acting very sluggish lately. It also has some weird covering over both it’s eyes, though one eye is a little better than the other. I’m pretty sure it can’t see very well and I’m not sure how well it’s been eating (I don’t take care of it).
My sister holds him often and his heating light is on a lot. Also my sister has been dusting his meal worms and crickets in a reptile food supplement.
He’s really cute an I’m afraid he’s not going to live much longer if I don’t do something.
Any answers or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Maddy
|
|
01/02/12 06:10pm
|
|
|
#2249457
Nile/water monitors
View Profile
|
Message To: Lukemax1 In reference to Message Id: 2249442
Neon Tree Lizard=Blind?
Can you tell us a few more things. What type of basking light (watts, spot light or flood light) is there a UVB light being used, if so what size? Whats the ambient and basking temp.s? I’m just wondering if the lights are too strong and it burned his eyes? If she has a "SPOT LIGHT’ for the basking area, get rid of it and replace it with a "FLOOD LIGHT". Did she use any soaps or chemicals to clean the lizard or his enclosure? I think your sister should get him to a vet asap.
|
|
01/02/12 08:35pm
|
|
|
#2249583
Lukemax1
View Profile
|
Message To: Nile/water monitors In reference to Message Id: 2249457
Neon Tree Lizard=Blind?
I’m not sure what kind of light it is. It’s for reptiles and I know that when I tried to use it for my king snake he hid from it; so I guess it’s pretty harsh.
She did clean the cage, but I don’t think she used any kind of chemical cleaners.
I’ll see about taking him to a vet, and I’ll most definitely change his light.
Burned his eyes?! That’s awful! Can he recover from that sort of thing?
Thank you for your response.
Maddy
|
|
01/03/12 08:59pm
|
|
|
#2249613
Nile/water monitors
View Profile
|
Message To: Lukemax1 In reference to Message Id: 2249583
Neon Tree Lizard=Blind?
Is he still eating on his own? Try changing his light like you said, lower watts.. Only time will tell if his eyes will recover? Just make sure you can hold his ambient temp. for him. Do you know how old this little guy is? One thing to remember is reptile can get thermal burns from hot basking lights and they don’t feel it happening at the time. Kinda like when someone lays out getting a tan and lays out too long and the next day they feel the pain of a sun burn. Is there a UTH (under the tank heater) under the tank? Just give him 12 hrs. of light on and 12 hrs. of lights off. Try misting the whole inside of the tank with a water spray bottle so he can lick up some water. Don’t want him to dehydrate. If he is having trouble eating, try to help by taking a tooth pick and pocking it in his food and slowly offer it by putting it in front of him. Sit still and hopefully he can see enough of the insects movements to get him to take the food?
|
|
01/04/12 07:53am
|
|
|
#2249877
Lukemax1
View Profile
|
Message To: Nile/water monitors In reference to Message Id: 2249613
Neon Tree Lizard=Blind?
He does have an under tank heater our house is kept fairly warm. But I’ll be going to the store this weekend to get him a light. He doesn’t seem to be eating on his own, but we have managed to get him to eat a little by hand. My sister got him two Christmases ago, and he was pretty small. That’s all I know of his age, though.
Another thing;she said she’s been cleaning off his eyes and that his eyes dart around like normal when she does. When I looked the residue seemed like it wouldn’t come off easily, but i didn’t try.
Should she keep doing this? I told her to stop for now so that I could ask....
Thank you for your replies!
Maddy
|
|
01/05/12 09:50pm
|
|
|
#2249975
Nile/water monitors
View Profile
|
Message To: Lukemax1 In reference to Message Id: 2249877
Neon Tree Lizard=Blind?
No, I don’t think cleaning the "eye ball" is a good idea. Clean around the eyeball is ok but don’t touch the eyeball. Are both eyes in the same condition? Sounds like there is definitely something wrong with the clear lens (cornea I believe) of the eye. Could you talk to a vet? Maybe the vet could give or recommend some eye drops/medication to clear it up? Please make sure anything you might put in the eyes is recommended by a vet, don’t want to make this worse for the poor guy. It could be anything from thermal light burns to fungal infections????? Just want to use the right medications for the right problem. Some reptiles have a third eyelid, Don’t know if it is the case with the Neon tree lizards? Maybe if they do, there could be a reason for it sticking closed?
|
|
01/06/12 12:30pm
|
|
