Ok, some of you know George, my veiled chameleon, had a lung infection and parasites. He recovered fully about a month ago but now I am not sure if I am just worrying too much or if he's getting it again! He's been making squeaky sounds when he opens his mouth but not all the time. He's done it 2-3 times now. Once when I was carrying him from his outside cage to inside. I figured he was scared although his coloring did not change. Today he did it again but I was reaching in his cage to clean the bottom. I noticed his basking temp (where he was hanging out) was 90 which is higher than what it has been of 85 degrees. When I cleaned his cage I think I put the basking net a bit higher than before so I raised his heat light. Now its back to between 85-86 degrees. I've been sitting and watching him for over an hour and he has not opened his mouth or made any noise again. Am I just being over protective? My other veiled never made a noise but this one did when he was sick and again recently (past couple days a couple times as I said). He seems healthy otherwise. He's eating, drinking, poop looks normal, crawling all over the place (in his cage) and even ate reptiworms (name on package) today (I forget the real name but they are the tiny white worm things). He loves them along with his normal gut loaded crickets. I haven't been able to get him to eat anything other than crickets before so he's added something new to his diet! Anyway, he's about 4 months old now (guessing as I was told he was 2 months when I got him) and growing fast! He's probably about 5 inches (body without the tail).
Cage is reptarium (glass with doubt doors in front with screened top) - I have an all screen cage for outside now. We run the air conditioner all the time in the house so the glass one seems to hold humidity better. Of course it's 18x18x24 so I'll be switching to the 18x18x36 screened one soon at the rate he's growing. I'll have to wrap the sides to maintain the humidity.
I have a 24x24x48 all screen cage also so as he grows I'll be ready to move him into the big cage.
No substrate is used. Has reptile climbing net at top with various sticks and vines to climb on.
I use a 3 leaf dripper plant that has a pump and a bowl of water that it sits in. I am considering getting rid of it. He tends to poop in it and I have to clean it daily or a couple times a day. I haven't gotten rid of it because he does drink from it. I have never seen him drink off the other leaves in the cage when I spray it. He'll drink the water that runs down his face when I spray him with warm water. I spray cage and him about 3-4 times a day. He moves away if he does not want to be sprayed. As I said it's quite dry in the house so I need to spray to keep humidity between 50-60%. It does drop to 40 sometimes but I've never seen it below that. I do have a reptifogger which I only use if I am not going to be home all day otherwise it's turned off. It's attached to a zoo med hygro therm which controls temp and humidity.
Heat light which is attached to the zoo med hydro therm controller. I turn the light off at night. 12 hours on 12 hours off. No heat source at night. House Temp is aound 76-78 at night. His cage is about the same.
I do have a 5.0 UVB light and it's the spiral type. I have read that these are not the best so I am looking to get the other type (long tube type) next. The bulb is only 2 months old.
Both bulbs are in those dome type lights. The UVB lamp sets right on top of the screened cage and its only about 3 inches from where he sits. I am wondering if this is way to close? I had it at about 5 inches below before and I just realized it's a lot closer after I cleaned it. I am going to move it but wondering how far below is good especially for the sprial bulbs?
I do have humidity and heat thermometers. 3 actually. One at the top, middle and bottom. (I had an extra so I added it to the bottom). Plus I use the zoo med heat/humidity controller. Bottom of cage is generally 70 degrees, middle 78 and basking area 85-86.
Ok, I think that's all of the information requested. I know I have put it on here before when George was sick and have made changes that were suggested other then the UVB light and the Leaf dripper.
It's been a couple hours now and I have not seen him open his mouth wide so maybe he was too hot. I'm probably just being overly nervous! Do some veiled chameleons make these squeak noises on occassion? I know they will open their mouths wide if too hot. FYI I have read just about everything on this site. A ton of good informatoin but still wondering if this is normal or if I should be worried. I'll try to get a picture of him and post that as well. I welcome any suggestions and thoughts! Thanks!
Cage is reptarium (glass with doubt doors in front with screened top) - I have an all screen cage for outside now. We run the air conditioner all the time in the house so the glass one seems to hold humidity better. Of course it's 18x18x24 so I'll be switching to the 18x18x36 screened one soon at the rate he's growing. I'll have to wrap the sides to maintain the humidity.
I have a 24x24x48 all screen cage also so as he grows I'll be ready to move him into the big cage. No substrate is used. Has reptile climbing net at top with various sticks and vines to climb on.
I use a 3 leaf dripper plant that has a pump and a bowl of water that it sits in. I am considering getting rid of it. He tends to poop in it and I have to clean it daily or a couple times a day. I haven't gotten rid of it because he does drink from it. I have never seen him drink off the other leaves in the cage when I spray it. He'll drink the water that runs down his face when I spray him with warm water. I spray cage and him about 3-4 times a day. He moves away if he does not want to be sprayed. As I said it's quite dry in the house so I need to spray to keep humidity between 50-60%. It does drop to 40 sometimes but I've never seen it below that. I do have a reptifogger which I only use if I am not going to be home all day otherwise it's turned off. It's attached to a zoo med hygro therm which controls temp and humidity.
Heat light which is attached to the zoo med hydro therm controller. I turn the light off at night. 12 hours on 12 hours off. No heat source at night. House Temp is aound 76-78 at night. His cage is about the same.
I do have a 5.0 UVB light and it's the spiral type. I have read that these are not the best so I am looking to get the other type (long tube type) next. The bulb is only 2 months old.
Both bulbs are in those dome type lights. The UVB lamp sets right on top of the screened cage and its only about 3 inches from where he sits. I am wondering if this is way to close? I had it at about 5 inches below before and I just realized it's a lot closer after I cleaned it. I am going to move it but wondering how far below is good especially for the sprial bulbs?
I do have humidity and heat thermometers. 3 actually. One at the top, middle and bottom. (I had an extra so I added it to the bottom). Plus I use the zoo med heat/humidity controller. Bottom of cage is generally 70 degrees, middle 78 and basking area 85-86.
Ok, I think that's all of the information requested. I know I have put it on here before when George was sick and have made changes that were suggested other then the UVB light and the Leaf dripper.
It's been a couple hours now and I have not seen him open his mouth wide so maybe he was too hot. I'm probably just being overly nervous! Do some veiled chameleons make these squeak noises on occassion? I know they will open their mouths wide if too hot. FYI I have read just about everything on this site. A ton of good informatoin but still wondering if this is normal or if I should be worried. I'll try to get a picture of him and post that as well. I welcome any suggestions and thoughts! Thanks!
