A chameleon agape

[Ladythrasher89]

so sorry for all the posts, just want to do the best I can for this little girl.

Ok so today watching her bask I noticed what seems like gaping? Opening her mouth wide and then shutting it rather soon afterward a couple times. I know this can be normal for veileds but I want to check it's not something more. Maybe her temps are high? She is approximately 6 months old and her build is a 100w powersun bulb. The basking temps hovers between 86* and 93* the bottom of the cage is 74* with 73% humidity. Should I cool it off more still?

 

[trickedoutbiker]

Does it do this when not in the basking light as well? Or only while under the light?

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Does it do this when not in the basking light as well? Or only while under the light?

This is the first time I have seen her do it and it was when she was directly under the light She only did it twice. And now she is sitting in her basking light hunting some crickets.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

Unless it becomes a common thing, don't sweat it. Sometimes they open their mouth for a bit to let off a bit of extra heat. Sometimes they open their mouths to yawn (yes, chameleons yawn).... Unless it becomes a frequent thing, then it's probably nothing. If it DOES become frequent, it could be a sign of a respiratory infection. Just make sure you monitor your cham closely so that you can detect any change in the consistency or behavior.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

It actually looks like she started to shed today.... Should I worry about doing anything special? Could that be why she was gaping?

 

[KLowery88]

It actually looks like she started to shed today.... Should I worry about doing anything special? Could that be why she was gaping?

She might just be trying to loosen the skin around her jaw or face.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

She might just be trying to loosen the skin around her jaw or face.

On point.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Sweet I feel like an observant owner!

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Ok now I am the most paranoid person ever and I know that but I think something might actually be wrong. She is sitting under her basking light holding her mouth open! She seems alert, she has eaten two super worms today, she isn't breathing heavy or anything just holding her mouth open while sitting there she also hasn't been very active today.

 

[KLowery88]

Ok now I am the most paranoid person ever and I know that but I think something might actually be wrong. She is sitting under her basking light holding her mouth open! She seems alert, she has eaten two super worms today, she isn't breathing heavy or anything just holding her mouth open while sitting there she also hasn't been very active today.

My beardie does this when he wants to stay basking but also let off some heat, and I've seen my male Veiled do it on occasion. It's one of the ways they regulate body temperature.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

She's just hot. Her hottest basking temp should be 86, no higher. Try doing that and see what happens.

 

[bobcochran]

She's just hot. Her hottest basking temp should be 86, no higher. Try doing that and see what happens.

Agreed, just cool her basking area a bit and keep an eye on her.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Could she be dehydrated? I don't think I've been misting long enough. Maybe only like 20 seconds 2-3 times a day.

 

[guanagator]

I like at least one 2-6 minute misting session per day as well, that allows them time to fully hydrate and clean their eyes, some will also defecate while the mister is running.

 

[LittleDsmomma]

Do U have a drinking vine or someway for her to drink at free will?? If not I would add a dripper on top and vine under it, so she can have a drinking spot.. It sounds like U need to cool it down a lil for her.. My mister goes off at 9am then every 2hrs after that until 7pm each time sprays for about 90sec..
p.s a 100W sounds like a lot for a month old.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

For my veilds, I mist 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening. But they have a large free range and have more places to drink. I would mist 3 times a day for about 2 minutes and run a dripper for an hour or so. She won't gape because she's dehydrated. Just cool down her basking spot and you should be alright.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Do U have a drinking vine or someway for her to drink at free will?? If not I would add a dripper on top and vine under it, so she can have a drinking spot.. It sounds like U need to cool it down a lil for her.. My mister goes off at 9am then every 2hrs after that until 7pm each time sprays for about 90sec..
p.s a 100W sounds like a lot for a month old.

I have a dripper (the zoo med little dripper). I have it places over a plastic vine of leaves in a corner. The guy at the pet store told me to place is over a plastic plant to help form drips easier(?) and that vine sits above a live umbrella plant, I have seen her lick the water right out of the drip line but only once. She is also 6 months old or so (she is about 4-4.5 inches snout to vent) she likes to sit in hotter temps and is usually sitting in the basking area when it's like 95* and seems to really enjoy that temp. Her color is light green to a jewel green when in the light. My bottom of cage temp was only 66* so I thought that was too cold? I thought the temps were fine that if she was hot she would move is that not the case? She was sitting only in her basking light or just off to the side of it most of the time yesterday so I added some small halogen mini basking lights at the front of my cage and she started to move around more. She also hasn't been gaping today, could the hot heat lamp and the cool temps ever where else in the cage stressed her and made her stay in the warmth? Today the bottom of her cage is up from 66* to 74* her humidity is about 58%, basking light is still the same temp (between 90 and 100) Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

You're close! See, if the ambient temperature of the cage is to cool, she may not want to leave her basking spot. The bottom of the cage should be at about 70 degrees. 74 is better than 64 though. Try getting it to 70 if you can. Make another basking spot at about 75-80 degrees as well since you have the extra lighting. Having two basking spots is beneficial to chams. Either way, just lower her temps a bit.(86 at highest). This is going to benefit her when it comes time to lay eggs, as she will have a smaller clutch size and overall increase her life span. 90-100 is way to hot! Even for a male. She's definitely over heating. Hope this helps!

 

[LittleDsmomma]

ya it sounds like the mouth opening is her sweating.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Ok I will raise her primary basking/uvb bulb a bit up off the cage to lower the temp. The two additional lights I added have a basking temp of like 78/80 she is digging that, but also is going back to the hotter main bulb too. Every one (meaning the petstore but grain of salt right?!) keeps saying she should bask in 90-100 degree temps. Today she has been way way more active and hunting a lot. She has had 6 medium crickets already today. She also hasn't really been holding her mouth open.

You're close! See, if the ambient temperature of the cage is to cool, she may not want to leave her basking spot.

This is what I thought the problem might be because she never left her main heat yesterday at all. Thanks guys you are helping me so much. I just want to be the best chameleon keeper I can be.