Heating on my Jackson

[Andee]

So Hope is still holding her mouth open for prolonged periods of time, and it's through various places in the cage, not even when she's basking directly. It's weird, but I assume it's because she's too warm, right now I am taking the temps of the cage again. Last time I took them they were below the regular basking range for an adult Jackson at 78 degrees. There is not any saliva when she does this, nor popping noises and she closes her mouth immediately as soon as I walk up and look at her. So I'm a bit concerned she's too warm... Should I decrease her basking wattage? Right now it's a 60 watt... I will check the temps right now.

 

[Carlton]

Is her coloration lighter? This can also be a sign of overheating. It would be normal for her to start gaping when she's about ready to stop basking and possibly to gape for a little while as she moves out of the heat, but if she's gaping in the cooler areas of her cage she may be too warm. What is the temp AWAY from the basking area? Maybe your cage doesn't offer much of a temp gradient?

 

[Andee]

She is a a kind of bright olive green but I always thought those were her resting colors. Her sleep colors are more like a new leaf green... will check the temps away from the basking area since the basking area once again read as 78.5 at it's highest. Updates in a second.

Edit: What is the biggest drop it's supposed to do? My lowest temp seems like it's 71.6... that doesn't seem like it's low enough for her, I mean when the mister comes on it goes lower. Should I use a cool mist humidifier, I have one. I actually have two, one that does only very short puffs, and then one that can puff for long periods of time intermediately. The mister goes off for 4 minutes at a time 4 times a day. She has beautifully white urates most of the time. Occasionally there will sometimes be a tiny bit of orange mixed in but that is far and few between. Her cage is an 18x18x36 inch and she is 6 inches in total. Jacksonii Xanth.

Edit again: We've also had our temps increasing in California with summer approaching, I'm worried this is affecting her as well. Ryker, my panther, and the various veileds I have rehabilitated have never had the senstivity to heat like she has. But then again she's a montane species and I realize she will be incredibly different. I just want to know what to do to make her more comfortable.

 

[Carlton]

A so-called cool mist humidifier isn't that much cooler than the mister, as both rely on water sitting in a reservoir that is probably close to room temp. When the droplets are pushed through moving air, there's evaporation which does cool somewhat. Humid air tends to retain more heat than dry air. I think jax are more sensitive to nighttime temp drops and this may give her the most benefit...you may need to chill the cage/room at night as the season gets warmer. As cold air falls, you could try putting one of those re-usable cold packs or picnic cooler blue ice packs on the top of her cage at night. This IMHO is the hardest thing to provide for montane species in warmer areas.

 

[Andee]

I have plenty of those, so you only think I need to do it at night? It is rather warm in the room I keep her in at night. I do worry about her get over heated.

 

[Carlton]

I'd use them at night...the lights are off and she's trying to cool down, so a cool "breeze" drifting down would help.

 

[Andee]

Thanks so much, I will try it out

 

[brownie64]

If it's any consolation my female does this from time to time as well I think it's just a part of their thermal regulating process.