Another New Jackson Owner

[Wykd]

I just joined and just picked up my 1st chameleon yesterday.

I had been planning on doing a red eyed tree frog setup and already had a 12x12x18 exoterrra habitat setup, I was just letting it stabilize, etc... before ordering the frogs.

Well, I was at petsmart getting some stuff for my cat the other day and stopped by the rep section which I always do , and they had a Jackson on sale which was just under the amount I had on a giftcard for there. It caught my attention so I came back and researched online to see if it was something I could manage.

So I decided I would drive by yesterday and if it was still there I would buy it. He was still there and he looked ok to me (admittedly that does not mean much). So I brought Ringo home and let him be.

Here are his spec's and a few pix of him. He has drank a little bit, and sat and looked at me but mostly sits on limb and sleeps, which worries me from what I have read,

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Jackson, male, 2 days in my care... age I dunno.
Handling - just to put him in cage so far.
Feeding - put in goatloaded/dusted small tan crickets. he has not touched them yet.
Supplements - dusted this 1st time with calcium w/d3 was going to do that 2 times a week and dust w/o d3 other days.
Watering - DIY drip system (slow drip 1 drop per min onto fake plant leaves, has lapped some leaves to get water. also have a reptifogger running at low 24/7. Ordered a mister, but spray bottle misted 3 times so far.
Fecal Description - orange w/white streaks


Cage Info:
Cage Type - 12x12x18 exo-terra glass - have a 18x18x24 ordered
Lighting - repti comp fluorescent 5.0 & 40w basking light, 7:70-7:70
Temperature - basking spot 85, other 78-82 depending on location.
Humidity - fluctuation between 60-70 based on zoomed fogger running on low 24/7
Plants - 3 small draconea
Placement - desktop height way from any vents room temp is 72-74
Location - north carolina

Current Problem -general condition of our new jackson.

it seems to sleep a lot so far in the day
Sits with mouth open and head tilted up some
turns around and sits at a angle
seems to take big deep breathes some times.

I have a new 18x18x24 habitat, mister and therm/hydro coming next week. I am just hoping he can hang out in his lil pad until that time and do ok.

 

[byrnesr]

I'll chime in because I'm sure you are a bit worried. You've done the right thing in joining the forum. Lots of great info and encouragement here.

So far from your post things look good. Your humidity is good as are your temps. Some chams need a little time to adjust. First all, I'd leave him alone for a day or three. Let him get used to the schedule around there and the new digs.

But you are right to be concerned about listless activity. It's certainly something to pay attention too. After a little break...as suggested above, if he becomes active I would offer a varied offering of prey items, flys, worms, roaches, and crickets at different times of the day from a feeding station to see if one prey item sparks his interest. The feeding station will allow you to leave food and leave him alone to eat. Once he starts eating then I would be more responsible about the nutrition of the types of prey items offered.

The fogger will not provide the watering needs of your cham but will do wonders for shedding. You're doing right by your hand misting schedule, hopefully you'll see some drinking activity.

Having said that you might have drainage problems over time with the all glass enclosure...but tackle that problem later. My concern would be eating within the first few days. Consider a trip outside in a screen enclosure or free range to encourage recovery after being couped up in a petstore.


JMHO

 

[carol5208]

If your chameleon is closing his eyes, there is one of two things probably wrong. He is ill(and you bought him that way) or the lighting could be bothering his eyes. Chameleons do not sleep during the day. That is a tell tale sign that something is awry. Keeping the mouth open for long periods of time is not normal either and can be an indication of temps being too high or possbily a respiratory infection. It sounds like maybe a resp infection with the symptoms you describe. Can you hear any types of noises such as wheezing or like a popping sound? Can you see any excess mucous or saliva in his mouth? You have a very small enclosure and it is glass and it is going to retain the heat. Drop down to a 25 watt and see if that does not decrease the gaping(mouth opening) Are you sure the compact bulb is tropical and not a desert type?

 

[carol5208]

I'll chime in because I'm sure you are a bit worried. You've done the right thing in joining the forum. Lots of great info and encouragement here.

So far from your post things look good. Your humidity is good as are your temps. Some chams need a little time to adjust. First all, I'd leave him alone for a day or three. Let him get used to the schedule around there and the new digs.

But you are right to be concerned about listless activity. It's certainly something to pay attention too. After a little break...as suggested above, if he becomes active I would offer a varied offering of prey items, flys, worms, roaches, and crickets at different times of the day from a feeding station to see if one prey item sparks his interest. The feeding station will allow you to leave food and leave him alone to eat. Once he starts eating then I would be more responsible about the nutrition of the types of prey items offered.

The fogger will not provide the watering needs of your cham but will do wonders for shedding. You're doing right by your hand misting schedule, hopefully you'll see some drinking activity.

Having said that you might have drainage problems over time with the all glass enclosure...but tackle that problem later. My concern would be eating within the first few days. Consider a trip outside in a screen enclosure or free range to encourage recovery after being couped up in a petstore.


JMHO

how can things look good if he is closing his eyes and gaping???

 

[Miss Lily]

He is gaping because he is too hot. Looking at the photo, there are a lot of lights on top - what are they all? You should have one Repti Glo or Reptisun 5.0 inear UV and a heat bulb. He doesn't have anywhere to escape the heat in that small viv. Having lights covering the whole of the mesh means that air can't circulate properly either.

 

[Wykd]

Thanks for the quick replies, trying to answer each one:

The gaping is not so much as lo ng periods of time, but thought it odd was all to see that and the lip smacking.

There are 2 lights on top the reptiglo 5 (one in the green box) and a 40w basking light. I can use just a normal 25w lightbulb?
The lights do not cover over 1/2 the top, and i have the basking light hanging off the edge to check the impact on the temp. in that pix. The lights will be off the top when my light hanger arrives next week. I may try to space them up further vs off to the side, good point of air flow. thx

No mucus in the mouth and no noises.

He was drinking some water earlier today and his poop is dark orange/brownish & white streaks.

Temps are as stated and oddly enuff the exoterra are pretty close to my humidor guage.

 

[byrnesr]

how can things look good if he is closing his eyes and gaping???

My reference was in regards to the temps, humidity, water, and general care guidelines. I saw nothing that was grossly out of the normal and would be the direct cause of the issues reported by the poster.

 

[Wykd]

No worries and the replies are very much appreciated, i just am very much into my pets and wanted to make sure i was not missing something. I get a little over excited admittedly and ahve to realize he has not been home for 24hrs hardly.

 

[carol5208]

yes the majority of us just use white housebulbs. nothing fancy or expensive.

 

[Wykd]

Update - Well this morning when I went down he was gaping and this time there was spittle coming from mouth and popping noise could be heard.

He had not eaten since I brought him home and would drink very little if any.

I suspected he was dehydrated by his lethargic/sleepy day activity and that perhaps the heat /cool zones were not to his liking, and maybe this was part of it.

However I had checked different areas of the habitat and the variances were within ranges outlined by most.

I knew better than to buy a live pet from petsmart but figured it might work out.

Alas I just took him back to the store, I only had him 72 hours in that time noticed what looked to be the signs of RI, and could not allow myself or daughter to get to attached to a pet that was sickly on arrival.

On that return note, interestingly enough the young girl working the register commented, ahh so someone did buy the Jackson, I figured it died considering the small soaked tank they had him in. She went on to chat that she had told them that a Jackson could not be kept like an anole, or agama to no success. She said it had been in store for 10 days hardly ate she recalled.

So why does places like petsmart sell things they do not know how to care for or have areas setup for them? Just saddening, I hated to stress the little guy out and take him in this morning. I almost turned around and went to vet instead, but the wife said no... not going to pay for a sick pet off the bat.\, and she was right I think.

So I will look around and try to find someone who is considered reputable and buy me a cham from someone who cares vs the big box stores.

 

[byrnesr]

Update - Well this morning when I went down he was gaping and this time there was spittle coming from mouth and popping noise could be heard.

He had not eaten since I brought him home and would drink very little if any.

I suspected he was dehydrated by his lethargic/sleepy day activity and that perhaps the heat /cool zones were not to his liking, and maybe this was part of it.

However I had checked different areas of the habitat and the variances were within ranges outlined by most.

I knew better than to buy a live pet from petsmart but figured it might work out.

Alas I just took him back to the store, I only had him 72 hours in that time noticed what looked to be the signs of RI, and could not allow myself or daughter to get to attached to a pet that was sickly on arrival.

On that return note, interestingly enough the young girl working the register commented, ahh so someone did buy the Jackson, I figured it died considering the small soaked tank they had him in. She went on to chat that she had told them that a Jackson could not be kept like an anole, or agama to no success. She said it had been in store for 10 days hardly ate she recalled.

So why does places like petsmart sell things they do not know how to care for or have areas setup for them? Just saddening, I hated to stress the little guy out and take him in this morning. I almost turned around and went to vet instead, but the wife said no... not going to pay for a sick pet off the bat.\, and she was right I think.

So I will look around and try to find someone who is considered reputable and buy me a cham from someone who cares vs the big box stores.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Hopefully, you have the opportunity to enjoy another sometime, they certainly have their personalities.

 

[darryl99]

Speaking from recent experience, if you do get a chameleon don't put him in a glass enclosure unless you drill drainage holes in the bottom. Do yourself and your chameleon a favor and buy a screened cage. Makes looking after a chameleon so much easier and you'll worry less about RI.

 

[cindy1020]

Everything your doing seems very precise.. the one thing that concerns me is his mouth opening for that may be an infection but best of luck!

 

[Wykd]

Yeah I hated to take him back to petsmart, but is best in long run. It is giving me time to rethink my approach.

1. The 12x12x18 has been cleaned out and up. I will drill out a grid with small holes on both sides to create a cross breeze and cover the holes with screen (harbor freight sells diamond drill bits to do the task). Then I can use it on something else in the future.

2. I have a 24x24x48 screen habitat coming. I am currently digging thru some left over reef equipment to create a hidden sump/drain bucket to mount a float switch on so that it will either drain the excess water from the mister or filter the water and feed the misting system in a loop.

Either way I plan to have the habitat up and running for longer than week this time. I want to nail down all of the timing and water volume variables and create as much as a hands free approach to that part. Luckily I still have my 8 stage water filter setup and can just route the water source over to that side of the room.

 

[Miss Lily]

I would not use the glass cage as a sunning cage. My l'il Jackson goes out in a screen cage and even then when in the sun for a short time will start to get hot and gape. Putting any cham outside in the sun behind glass is asking for trouble!

 

[Wykd]

No your right, i had my train of thought crossed with my typing. I had thought about that earlier since I was drilling out alot of the side glass and going to screen over those areas, but then thought better of it and the greenhouse effect that would occur even with the holes.

I would not use the glass cage as a sunning cage. My l'il Jackson goes out in a screen cage and even then when in the sun for a short time will start to get hot and gape. Putting any cham outside in the sun behind glass is asking for trouble!

 

[Miss Lily]

That's a relief! They aren't always clever enough to move out of the sun, even when gaping. Glad you thought again about that idea.