A chameleon agape

[LittleDsmomma]

The info U get from here and from the pet store will be two diff stories. Do ur best not to listen to the money making pet stores too much...

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

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.
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.

Sorry to hear that you were misinformed. The petstores typically don't know anything about chameleons. That's much to hot. As for the uvb bulb, don't move that far away. keep it at about 8-10 inches away. Those don't throw off much heat and loose their strength at longer distances. How far away from her basking spot is it?

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Sorry to hear that you were misinformed. The petstores typically don't know anything about chameleons. That's much to hot. As for the uvb bulb, don't move that far away. keep it at about 8-10 inches away. Those don't throw off much heat and loose their strength at longer distances. How far away from her basking spot is it?

I don't trust the pet stores too much because may idiot can walk in and be a body to follow their instructions. I have it resting on the cage now, in a zoo med deep dome fixture. should I put it on a stand/hang it?

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

Depends, how far away is it from her basking spot?

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Depends, how far away is it from her basking spot?

Right now the highest basking position is 3 inches from the top and the bulb is sitting on the cage just to the left of the high point in the cage. From the next highest basking point it's maybe 6-8 inches from the bulb.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

8 inches is where you want your uvb bulb from her basking spots. All of her basking bulbs should be at least 8 inches from the top of her head though, as they can cause burns from being to close to them. Her basking bulbs can be further away from her though, as long as your reaching your proper temps.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

So I use a powersun combo bulb, guess I can't raise that huh?

 

[Chilipina]

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

Mine does that before he sheds as well. I can usually tell a shed is coming because his skin looks a little waxy, he opens his mouth a lot, and he's not as hungry.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Ok so not to obsess but my chameleon has been opening her mouth a lot! Like under any light any time she is basking even at temps around 78*/80*. However, her poop is normal, her urate is white, she is inhaling bugs (about 12 medium crickets a day, and the occasional super worm every other day) she eats mustard greens or kale daily. She drinks water and has clear bright eyes with no mucus I her mouth or anything. Could she just like to hold her mouth open? She is active and seems healthy otherwise. I know my temps are within range. 90 is as hot as it gets at any point in the cage but it tends to stay between 70 and 88 in the cage all day.