Hornworms nd possible problems?

SipeCsus · Apr 9, 2014

Hello every1.. So ive noticed that everytime i feed my chameleon hornworms she tends to keep her mouth open 4 about a day after she ate the hornworms? Is this a good or badd sign? She super healthy and is growing alot nd just finished shedding. I usually feed her crickets and tend 2 give her about 2 medium hornworms once a week and only keeps her mouth open wen she eats these? Any help or advice is appreciated..

ChamMan7 · Apr 10, 2014

Are you feeding her ONLY hornworms? Can you fill out the help form and give us a little info about your care?

ChamMan7 · Apr 10, 2014

Filling out this form would help us give you a better answer as to whats going on.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

SipeCsus · Apr 10, 2014

@chamman7
chameleon info- i have a female veiled cham which i think is 7-8 months old which i have had in my care for about 3 months now.
Handling- i will handle her about twice a week try to keep it to a minimum.
Feedong- i feed her about 12-14 crickets a day 7 before i leave to work and another 7 when i get home. I gut load them with the flukers dry cricket food and veggies such as lettuce , potatoes, strawberries. Whatever is in the fridge. I started trying hornworms which i give her once a week.
Suppliments- i use reptical calcium without d3 everyday, calcium with d3 twice a month, and exoterra vitamin twice a month.
Watering- i have a home made dripper with a very slow drip and i mist her cage at least twice a day.
Fecal description- her poop is brownish black looking with a little bit of white on it occasionally.
History- she was given to me by a friend who was moving out of state and only hadd a basking light with no uvb bulb.

Cage info- i have a zoo medd screen cage, dont know the exact dimensions but i think its the biggest one they make.
Lighting- i have a zoo medd double bulb light sorce with exoterra basking bulb and uvb bulb. I have the lights on a 12 hour timer from 7am-7pm
temperature- the temperature usually stays between 75-85 degrees and the humidity stays at the lowest 70, i have a temperature/ humidity gauge which i keep about half ways of her cage.
Plants i have live plants in the cage , they came with the cage so i dont know wut they are called so i will post pics up, she also has a fake vine wrapped around the plant to give her more terrain to walk on.
Placement- have her cage in my room which is mostly quiet with little or no traffic and i have it on the floor.
Location- i live in beautiful southern california

current problem- ive tried feeding her meal worms, superworms, roaches and she did not even try to eat them, i tried hornworms about a month ago and she loves them but i only give her those once a week, but every time she eats them she keeps her mouth open for about 12 hours afterwards? Is this a badd sign? I havent hadd any trouble with her she seems super healthy compared to when i got her. Ive read that these hornworms are super healthy but i get worried when she keeps her mouth open.

SipeCsus · Apr 10, 2014

my set up for my chamm

SipeCsus · Apr 10, 2014

after her first shedding with me

SipeCsus · Apr 15, 2014

Any helpful input?? From anybody? Somebody?? Lol

mabrams · Apr 15, 2014

I feed my boy hornworms fairly often, and I've never seen this behavior. I'm not sure that's much help.

Juliaf3 · Apr 15, 2014

SipeCsus said:
Any helpful input?? From anybody? Somebody?? Lol

Hmmmm I see your humidity never gets below %70..... You actually need to let it drop. Constantly staying high can cause respiratory infections. Mouth gaping I also believe is one of the signs of an RI. What size are your worms? Those things gets huge. Another quick question, the picture of your veiled, was it taken during the day or at night?

Just an added side note, I noticed your plants have nothing covering the soil. Mo would suggest getting some rocks to cover the soil. Large enough that your veiled can not eat them.

SipeCsus · Apr 16, 2014

Juliaf3 said:
Hmmmm I see your humidity never gets below %70..... You actually need to let it drop. Constantly staying high can cause respiratory infections. Mouth gaping I also believe is one of the signs of an RI. What size are your worms? Those things gets huge. Another quick question, the picture of your veiled, was it taken during the day or at night?

Just an added side note, I noticed your plants have nothing covering the soil. Mo would suggest getting some rocks to cover the soil. Large enough that your veiled can not eat them.

Rescently the humidity has been dropping to the lowest 55 and the highest 70.. But she only keeps her mouth open after i feed her the hornworms which are always small to medium size because i have seen monster sized hornworms.. And that picture was at night after she fell asleep..

and the whole rock thing do u mean to prevent her from eating the roots and what not? She hardly comes to the bottom of the plants on occasions she comes down to poop..

Juliaf3 · Apr 16, 2014

SipeCsus said:
Rescently the humidity has been dropping to the lowest 55 and the highest 70.. But she only keeps her mouth open after i feed her the hornworms which are always small to medium size because i have seen monster sized hornworms.. And that picture was at night after she fell asleep.. and the whole rock thing do u mean to prevent her from eating the roots and what not? She hardly comes to the bottom of the plants on occasions she comes down to poop..

I'd still let it drop even lower.

As for the rocks, it's more to keep her from accidentally eating soil. Or purposely eating it.

NikTrollbert · Apr 16, 2014

I Have No Idea

Never Seen This Before...

JohnDoe · Apr 16, 2014

I have never seen this, but my old female use to get black spots around her mouth. She would eat them no problem but these spots would show up and eventually leave.

inlinefourpower · Apr 16, 2014

When chameleons (and some other lizards) bask sometimes they open their mouth. As I understand it's a heat regulation thing. My guy does it from time to time and it used to worry me but now I kind of take it as more of him going "awwwww yeah, heat lamp!" The hornworm thing could be a coincidence. Don't take my novice opinion as a conclusive answer, but maybe this is why?

sandrachameleon · Apr 16, 2014

Is it possible the hornworms are too large for her? Are they longer than the length of her head? much wider than the space between her eyes?

your gutloading needs improvement. Flukers cubes, lettuce and potatoes are all poor choices (essentially not gutloads)

what type of termperature/humidity guage are you using? Is it one of those little round analogue dials?

Restricted E · Apr 16, 2014

I was also thinking that they might be too big for your chameleon. One time my boy ate something before I could finish preparing it for him and it was too big. He kept his mouth open and made movements to try to swallow it. After a short while it went down. It was so nerve wracking it felt like forever.

SipeCsus · Apr 16, 2014

sandrachameleon said:
Is it possible the hornworms are too large for her? Are they longer than the length of her head? much wider than the space between her eyes?

your gutloading needs improvement. Flukers cubes, lettuce and potatoes are all poor choices (essentially not gutloads)

what type of termperature/humidity guage are you using? Is it one of those little round analogue dials?

Thanks for the feedback every1.. But im using an exoterra dual thermometer / humidity guage.. And i thought i was gutloading them properly, whats ur recomendation on "gutloading"? And the size of the hornworm is usually 2-4in? I tend to ask for the smaller hornworms from my local pet shop.. But mayb the mouth thing might b a coincidence, but she loves these things nd refuses to eatealworms.. Im gona attempt roaches wen she gets a lil better. Also i saw calcibugs at petco the other day they look like flatt rolly pollys? Would these b a wise decision because i want to switch up her diet from just crickets?

sandrachameleon · Apr 16, 2014

SipeCsus · Apr 16, 2014

sandrachameleon said:
they do sound too large. but you didnt answer my question regarding how they compare to the length of her head (front to back)

Here are links to info on how to gutload properly:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/659-green-leafy-goodness-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...just-crickets-roaches-gutload-everything.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...in-flowers-leaves-flesh-seeds-nutritious.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/847-commercial-gutloads.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/443-superworm-substrate-gutload-one.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/697-dry-gutload-mix-august-2012.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/862-todays-gutload.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/823-august-2013-dry-gutload-mix.html

Here are a few links regarding feeder choices:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/213-use-wild-caught-insects.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/171-where-buy-feeders-online.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...orcellio-pillbugs-woodlice-rollie-pollie.html
As you can see, there are many many options: Butterworms, small hornworms, silkworms, the occassional mealworm, superworms, soldier fly maggots (pheonix worms/calci worms), termites, harvestmen, moths, stick insects, grasshoppers/locust,...
Roaches of an appropriate size can be offered in their first month of life - you can certainly offer some to your girl now, no need to wait, just make sure they are appropriate in size.

She might also eat fresh greens and small bits of fruit directly: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...ies-flowers-fruits-veiled-cham-might-eat.html

Is the temp/humdity guage analogue or digital? The analogue round dial types are not very accurate.

Wow that really cleared things up about the gutload i do use apples but will change my feeders diet.. As for the size of the hornworms they might be to bigg ill keep the rule of eyes next time i buy her some hornworms and ill try the calciworms, flies , nd roaches. As for the mealworms would a mealworm feeder really help since shes a picky eater?? And my temp/ humidity guage is not the digital type.. This really helped out alot bro.. Love this website!!

SipeCsus · Apr 29, 2014

So yet again i gave her 2 fairly small/ medium hornworms nd the mouth is open again? I came to the conclusion that shes just weird.. She seems super heathy and remains super active..

Hornworms nd possible problems?

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