Help! There was a baby green anole in my laundry detergent box in the garage. The poor thing's eyes were all caked up with detergent, and I can't imagine that he'll ever see again if he even survives. I'm afraid he probably won't, but I'm trying to do what I can for him...I rinsed him off to get rid of the detergent, and I had to use a wet Q-Tip to gently get some off of one eye...His eyes aren't really open at the moment, and I'm not sure, but they may be a little swollen. My biggest fear is that he may have absorbed detergent through his skin, and is doomed. I've printed out the anole care sheet from this site to see what temps should be and all...Right now he's in the snake feeding tank (we clean it after feedings with alcohol, so it shouldn't smell like snake to him, I hope) and I've borrowed Sally's lamp and thermostat for the moment to raise the heat for him since Sally is done digesting her mouse and the house temps are fine right now for corns.

Here's a picture of him right after I put him in the tank...his color was dark brown except for one green splotch on his side at that point:



After warming up some under the lamp, his color changed to a sort of sickly yellow-green, and he started climbing around on the glass at the top of the tank...My daughter saw him open one eye just briefly a couple of times, but she couldn't tell if he could see or not. Here's what he looks like at the moment:


Is there anything else I should be doing? I'm so worried and sad for the little lizard....and I really don't know anything at all about anoles.

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~Juliane~

Ok, now his eyes did something really strange....he still had them closed, and it looked like they bulged out suddenly underneath the eyelids, then a split second later, the bulging disappeared. He opened one of them for a second (or he may have opened both, but I was looking from one side and I couldn't see the other), but I still can't tell if he can see anything at all...

This is just breaking my heart

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~Juliane~

I don't know if this matters or not, but I just measured him as well as I could through the glass and he's between 4 and a half inches and five inches long...

His eyes have done the bulging and then receding thing a couple more times in the last little while...

Poor fellow

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~Juliane~

If he really looks like he can't be saved, you really should just ut him down

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~Jason Richardson

At the moment it looks like it could go either way, but thank you for your reply, HerpboyNY...His color has improved somewhat since I first washed him off, and he's strong enough to cling to the glass at the top of the tank. He's even done quite a bit of climbing around...there's no way I'm not going to give him a chance when there may still be hope for him.

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~Juliane~

that's really good, for somebody who know nothing about the lizard your doing an excellent job.

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~Jason Richardson

Here's something else....I just misted the tank, and his color changed from that sickly yellow-green very quickly to bright green...except for his legs which still look pretty brownish-yellowish-greenish and pale...

Maybe he's improving some more? I hope....

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~Juliane~

Do you have UV on the anole? I know he's only been in your care for a bit but I'm a firm believer in the positive effects of UV for most recoveries, especially reptiles.

I'm not sure on the abnormal color changes, detergent is some nasty stuff. If he swallowed any, which be hard not to do stuck in box of it, hes having some serious GI discomfort and I'm sure the dust isn't good for his lungs. Keep him hydrated and clean.

I don't have any UV bulbs at all since my snakes don't require them...I'll ask my husband to pick one up on his way home from work...He won't be home until at least 6 pm though

The eye bulging keeps coming and going...I don't know what it means....

Last time he opened his eyes, my daughter was walking behind me through the kitchen, and I swear he saw her...at least her movement or shadow...he jerked his head in that direction as she moved...maybe he'll regain his vision after all if he survives...(I'm doing a lot of praying for him right now)...Also I've blocked the glass so that he can't see out on the side of the tank he's currently clinging to...if he CAN see at all, I don't want him stressed by seeing us...

How do I keep him hydrated? Just by misting? Should I put a shallow bowl of water in even though I don't think he'd go to it since he's so stressed and freaked?

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~Juliane~

lizard do eye bulging to loosen shed around the eyes and when their eyes are irritated or itchy. i dont know if it would stress him to much or not but rinseing his eyes again might help incase he still has detergent in his eyes . do you have a plastic plant or anything for him to hide in? my anole licks water off her plants,face, and sometimes off the glass.
i hope the little guy makes it

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