Humidity and gaping

[Gloriawood]

So spaghetti has been gaping a little the past week or two. Usually in the morning to early afternoon. His mouth isn’t open all the way, just slightly. And he dosent do it for very long. He is showing no other signs of respiratory problems. I’ve been watching closely. I’m hoping it’s because he is getting hot. His humidity and temps have both been higher lately and I’m trying very hard to keep it down. I live in southern Missouri. Temps have been over 100 lately and humidity has been super high.

In his enclosure it’s been running 60-70. I’ve been turning off his basking lamp in the afternoon when it gets too hot. I’ve not been running his dripper as much either. His urates still look good though, if anything they are a bit runny (he’s been getting hornworms lately). I’m running a fan near the bottom of his enclosure and it seems to help some. I’m just terrified he is going to get a respiratory infection. Is it possible he’s just getting hot?

 

[CalamityCrow]

So spaghetti has been gaping a little the past week or two. Usually in the morning to early afternoon. His mouth isn’t open all the way, just slightly. And he dosent do it for very long. He is showing no other signs of respiratory problems. I’ve been watching closely. I’m hoping it’s because he is getting hot. His humidity and temps have both been higher lately and I’m trying very hard to keep it down. I live in southern Missouri. Temps have been over 100 lately and humidity has been super high.

In his enclosure it’s been running 60-70. I’ve been turning off his basking lamp in the afternoon when it gets too hot. I’ve not been running his dripper as much either. His urates still look good though, if anything they are a bit runny (he’s been getting hornworms lately). I’m running a fan near the bottom of his enclosure and it seems to help some. I’m just terrified he is going to get a respiratory infection. Is it possible he’s just getting hot?

I'd say it's possible he's getting hot. A little gaping once in a while is normal. If your humidity is too high, do you have a dehumidifier you could run near his enclosure?

Also: Is he due for a shed? They'll often wiggle/open and close their mouths/act a bit odd when they're getting ready to shed, to loosen up that skin so they can get it off.

With the care and attention I've seen you give him post-rescue, my first inclination is to think it's one of those two things.

 

[Gloriawood]

I'd say it's possible he's getting hot. A little gaping once in a while is normal. If your humidity is too high, do you have a dehumidifier you could run near his enclosure?

Also: Is he due for a shed? They'll often wiggle/open and close their mouths/act a bit odd when they're getting ready to shed, to loosen up that skin so they can get it off.

With the care and attention I've seen you give him post-rescue, my first inclination is to think it's one of those two things.

I can probably get my hands on a dehumidifier and try that. I don’t think he is due for a shed. He had one not long ago (about a month maybe?). However, he does have a few good pieces of shed lingering on his casque and cheeks. I figured they should have come off by now, but he’s had issues with having a complete shed since I’ve had him. I posted his last one on here, it was his first real good shed since I’ve had him.

Thank you for saying that I’m really trying hard to give him the best care I can.

 

[elizaann2]

I agree with @CalamityCrow, you have been doing an amazing job. He is a lucky lucky boy.

I think your beautiful noodle boy is getting too hot. Do you turn on his basking lamp? If its getting that hot I would not turn it on at all. Sometimes if i'm in a pinch and need to cool down an enclosure putting ice packs on the top helps keep things cool. Any chance you could get an AC unit for the room he is in?

 

[Gloriawood]

I agree with @CalamityCrow, you have been doing an amazing job. He is a lucky lucky boy.

I think your beautiful noodle boy is getting too hot. Do you turn on his basking lamp? If its getting that hot I would not turn it on at all. Sometimes if i'm in a pinch and need to cool down an enclosure putting ice packs on the top helps keep things cool. Any chance you could get an AC unit for the room he is in?

There is an ac unit in the room. It’s just so dang hot here lately it’s not doing much! I have been turning his basking lamp off around 11-12 every afternoon. Lights come on around 6:30. I’ll try the ice packs as well!

Thank you for your kind words!

 

[elizaann2]

There is an ac unit in the room. It’s just so dang hot here lately it’s not doing much! I have been turning his basking lamp off around 11-12 every afternoon. Lights come on around 6:30. I’ll try the ice packs as well!

Thank you for your kind words!

If it’s getting that hot I would probably not use his basking lamp at all. Try that and see how he does.

 

[Gloriawood]

If it’s getting that hot I would probably not use his basking lamp at all. Try that and see how he does.

Ok I will!

 

[janjan20]

I live in FL and keep my house around 80 and I don’t use a basking light. Humidity is typically in the 40s. I just use the plant light and uv lamp. Those generate enough heat during the summer.
My chams outside are expose to nearly 100% humidity and only gap to cool when ambient temps are around 94-95 degrees. They have plenty of airflow so that is also important indoors.

 

[Lt.WorfReportingForDuty]

I'd say it's possible he's getting hot. A little gaping once in a while is normal. If your humidity is too high, do you have a dehumidifier you could run near his enclosure?

Also: Is he due for a shed? They'll often wiggle/open and close their mouths/act a bit odd when they're getting ready to shed, to loosen up that skin so they can get it off.

With the care and attention I've seen you give him post-rescue, my first inclination is to think it's one of those two things.

Mine tends to do these impossibly large “yawns” when he’s about to shed and it freaks me out every time. It looks his jaw will unhinge or get stuck, haha.

 

[Gloriawood]

Mine tends to do these impossibly large “yawns” when he’s about to shed and it freaks me out every time. It looks his jaw will unhinge or get stuck, haha.

first time I saw him do that I had a heart attack

 

[elizaann2]

first time I saw him do that I had a heart attack

Bless these chameleons stressing us out unnecessarily.

 

[Gloriawood]

Bless these chameleons stressing us out unnecessarily.

the stress is unreal! I’m a teacher and I thought my kids stressed me out bad, but this is a whole different story

 

[elizaann2]

the stress is unreal! I’m a teacher and I thought my kids stressed me out bad, but this is a whole different story

I feels.