Eye issues during feeding

[Martadragon017]

Hi all!
I've had my beardie Marta for about six years now but recently I've become worried about a change in behavior during feeding. When I give her roaches, after the first few her eyes begin to water and it seems like she was trouble seeing/locating the roach. I've looked online but haven't been able to find anything about this, does anyone know why this happens and if it's a cause for concern? I've attached photos of her eye(s) when this happens, I have a video as well but I'm not sure how to upload it.

Setup/care info: she lives in a 60*150cm terrarium (upgraded about a year ago from 50*100cm). She's got a basking area with a regular daylight bulb, but she doesn't bask often from what I can tell (I've lowered the wattage of the bulb in case its too hot for her but it didn't help, though she could be basking when I'm not home) and a t5 Arcadia 12% uvb tube light over about 3/4 of the tank that gets replaced relatively regularly. The basking bulb is 40cm from the highest point of the basking area and the uvb is 55cm from the terrarium floor. She eats mostly escarole with the occasional radicchio and/or lambs lettuce (it comes with the escarole in the salad mix I buy so occasionally some bits get mixed in), and every now and then I offer other things like carrot or bell pepper (though not often). She gets dubia roaches twice a week, and usually eats around 10 medium to adult sized roaches per feeding. The dubias are dusted with calcium without D3, and occasionally rep-cal herpivite multivitamins.

 

[J4ckdaw-]

Hi all!
I've had my beardie Marta for about six years now but recently I've become worried about a change in behavior during feeding. When I give her roaches, after the first few her eyes begin to water and it seems like she was trouble seeing/locating the roach. I've looked online but haven't been able to find anything about this, does anyone know why this happens and if it's a cause for concern? I've attached photos of her eye(s) when this happens, I have a video as well but I'm not sure how to upload it.

Setup/care info: she lives in a 60*150cm terrarium (upgraded about a year ago from 50*100cm). She's got a basking area with a regular daylight bulb, but she doesn't bask often from what I can tell (I've lowered the wattage of the bulb in case its too hot for her but it didn't help, though she could be basking when I'm not home) and a t5 Arcadia 12% uvb tube light over about 3/4 of the tank that gets replaced relatively regularly. The basking bulb is 40cm from the highest point of the basking area and the uvb is 55cm from the terrarium floor. She eats mostly escarole with the occasional radicchio and/or lambs lettuce (it comes with the escarole in the salad mix I buy so occasionally some bits get mixed in), and every now and then I offer other things like carrot or bell pepper (though not often). She gets dubia roaches twice a week, and usually eats around 10 medium to adult sized roaches per feeding. The dubias are dusted with calcium without D3, and occasionally rep-cal herpivite multivitamins.

View attachment 84527 View attachment 84528

Hi

My bearded dragon is having similar issues! Although it doesn’t only occur during feeding time, his eyes appear red like yours.

They don’t seem to be causing him an issue but since your beardie’s eyes appear irritated you could try some reptile eye drops, none of the contact lense stuff though!

What is the distance between her hides and your UVB fixture? Are you using coloured bulbs?

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi all!
I've had my beardie Marta for about six years now but recently I've become worried about a change in behavior during feeding. When I give her roaches, after the first few her eyes begin to water and it seems like she was trouble seeing/locating the roach. I've looked online but haven't been able to find anything about this, does anyone know why this happens and if it's a cause for concern? I've attached photos of her eye(s) when this happens, I have a video as well but I'm not sure how to upload it.

Setup/care info: she lives in a 60*150cm terrarium (upgraded about a year ago from 50*100cm). She's got a basking area with a regular daylight bulb, but she doesn't bask often from what I can tell (I've lowered the wattage of the bulb in case its too hot for her but it didn't help, though she could be basking when I'm not home) and a t5 Arcadia 12% uvb tube light over about 3/4 of the tank that gets replaced relatively regularly. The basking bulb is 40cm from the highest point of the basking area and the uvb is 55cm from the terrarium floor. She eats mostly escarole with the occasional radicchio and/or lambs lettuce (it comes with the escarole in the salad mix I buy so occasionally some bits get mixed in), and every now and then I offer other things like carrot or bell pepper (though not often). She gets dubia roaches twice a week, and usually eats around 10 medium to adult sized roaches per feeding. The dubias are dusted with calcium without D3, and occasionally rep-cal herpivite multivitamins.

View attachment 84527 View attachment 84528

How tall is the tank? Is there a piece of basking decor directly under the UVB? She may be allergic to the roaches- I would try another staple feeder to see what reaction you get to that one- if its the same thing then something else is going on- silkworms BSFL or crickets would be good to try -- what kind of substrate are you using and are you feeding the roaches on the floor of the tank - it looks like its a mat of some sort from the pics

 

[xp29]

For videos just create a YouTube account, upload them there and link them here.

 

[Martadragon017]

Hi

My bearded dragon is having similar issues! Although it doesn’t only occur during feeding time, his eyes appear red like yours.

They don’t seem to be causing him an issue but since your beardie’s eyes appear irritated you could try some reptile eye drops, none of the contact lense stuff though!

What is the distance between her hides and your UVB fixture? Are you using coloured bulbs?

The distance to the uvb ranges from 15 to 20 inches, no colored bulbs. I'll try finding some reptile eye drops, thank you for the suggestion!

 

[Martadragon017]

How tall is the tank? Is there a piece of basking decor directly under the UVB? She may be allergic to the roaches- I would try another staple feeder to see what reaction you get to that one- if its the same thing then something else is going on- silkworms BSFL or crickets would be good to try -- what kind of substrate are you using and are you feeding the roaches on the floor of the tank - it looks like its a mat of some sort from the pics

The tank is 60cm (~24 inches) tall, she has her basking spot not directly but a bit to the side of the uvb. She's got non adhesive shelf liner as a substrate, and gets fed using a small dog bowl. I hadn't considered an allergy, I'll try giving her other food and see if it helps! Thank you

Tank photos (plus sleepy lizard):

 

[KarrieRee]

The tank is 60cm (~24 inches) tall, she has her basking spot not directly but a bit to the side of the uvb. She's got non adhesive shelf liner as a substrate, and gets fed using a small dog bowl. I hadn't considered an allergy, I'll try giving her other food and see if it helps! Thank you

Tank photos (plus sleepy lizard):
View attachment 84547 View attachment 84548 View attachment 84549

Your UVB is what distance from the basking decor - it needs to be 12 - 15 inches from the basking decor piece and in a refelctor hood -- I am the UVB in the glass door and it looks like it doesnt have one - what is the brand and bulb your using please-- I dont see any temp gauges in the tank - please get two digital probe thermometers - they are the most accurate place one on the basking decor piece get temp it should be 95-100 for a 6 month old a up dragon-

 

[Martadragon017]

Here's the video of her eating, its of the full feeding session but the problem is most visible starting at at 5:48
Sorry about the tongs all over the place lol, she usually eats more so I got concerned but thinking about it now she may just be preparing to go into brumation

 

[Martadragon017]

Your UVB is what distance from the basking decor - it needs to be 12 - 15 inches from the basking decor piece and in a refelctor hood -- I am the UVB in the glass door and it looks like it doesnt have one - what is the brand and bulb your using please-- I dont see any temp gauges in the tank - please get two digital probe thermometers - they are the most accurate place one on the basking decor piece get temp it should be 95-100 for a 6 month old a up dragon-

Its just about exactly 15 inches from the basking area but I'll move around some decor to give her closer access in case she need it, the lamp is a T5 Arcadia 12% with a reflector hood (I realize now you can't see it very well in the photo). I don't have temperature gauges though - I'll buy a couple shortly, thank you for letting me know

 

[KarrieRee]

Here's the video of her eating, its of the full feeding session but the problem is most visible starting at at 5:48

I really don't see any issues- they all have the misses- they all have that and he's following so he can see-

 

[Martadragon017]

I really don't see any issues- they all have the misses- they all have that and he's following so he can see-

What concerns me the most is the part at the end, she's of course never had perfect aim but there she's going in a completely different direction. It's also that it happens consistently every feeding and with watery eyes. Though if it is just her having a few less braincells than usual I would be very relieved haha

 

[KarrieRee]

What concerns me the most is the part at the end, she's of course never had perfect aim but there she's going in a completely different direction. It's also that it happens consistently every feeding and with watery eyes. Though if it is just her having a few less braincells than usual I would be very relieved haha

I will have some others look see what they think
@AHBD
@Drache613

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

As everyone has mentioned, there have been a few cases such as this, here on the forum. The lighting
adjustment may help out. Your tank looks perfectly fine, no loose substrate to irritate the eyes.
Are the roaches smaller than the space between her eyes? You might want to try reducing the size of the
insects you feed, just in case she can't handle the size. How many does she eat each feeding?
Her eyes aren't watery at any other time?
Also, another possibility is a clogged up sinus duct or inflammed sinus duct.

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie

 

[Martadragon017]

Hello,

As everyone has mentioned, there have been a few cases such as this, here on the forum. The lighting
adjustment may help out. Your tank looks perfectly fine, no loose substrate to irritate the eyes.
Are the roaches smaller than the space between her eyes? You might want to try reducing the size of the
insects you feed, just in case she can't handle the size. How many does she eat each feeding?
Her eyes aren't watery at any other time?
Also, another possibility is a clogged up sinus duct or inflammed sinus duct.

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie

I haven't noticed her having watery eyes any other time apart from when I give her dubias. The roaches are about the size of the space between her eyes or smaller. She usually eats 10-15, though last feeding she had 6 and today she spent the whole day in her hide, so I think she may be going into brumation..

 

[Martadragon017]

Hello,

As everyone has mentioned, there have been a few cases such as this, here on the forum. The lighting
adjustment may help out. Your tank looks perfectly fine, no loose substrate to irritate the eyes.
Are the roaches smaller than the space between her eyes? You might want to try reducing the size of the
insects you feed, just in case she can't handle the size. How many does she eat each feeding?
Her eyes aren't watery at any other time?
Also, another possibility is a clogged up sinus duct or inflammed sinus duct.

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie

Update - I noticed today that it seems like her eyes get a little watery when eating salad as well, though not as much. Today I gave her smaller than usual roaches and she didn't have the usual problems with coordination/catching them (yay!) but still her eyes watered so much she actually had a couple tears drop.