Sikchick341
New Member
My veiled keeps opening his mouth every few seconds almost like he's licking his lips. Is he hungry? He usually does it after he eats though that's why i'm curious about this behavior.
Hungry?
- Thread starter Sikchick341
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Sikchick341
New Member
He's 2 months old. Temps are around 75 or lower and around his basking lamp it's 85-90. His humidity levels vary but I mist him quite often. He was eating adult crickets but I switched him to small but he was doing it before I switched. I use all the vitamins he needs. He has been doing it ever since I brought him home last friday.
Sikchick341
New Member
The bulb is a 50 watt for the basking and I also have a 5.0 reptiglo bulb for the compact top.
camimom
New Member
Ok its probably ebcause his basking temp is too high. Babies like cooler temps.
either get a lower wattage bulb or raise the lights igher from the basking spot.
try to keep it around 83.
Sikchick341
New Member
Thank you! I kinda figured it may be where he is too hot. But I didn't know for sure.
Tzimisces
New Member
How much are you feeding him? When mine was a baby we would give him 15-20 1/8inch~ish -1/4th inch crickets at a time. Either that, or it could be he was drinking. Or it could be a cricket antenna got stuck on the side of his mouth, which does happen if the cricket is too big. Sometimes mine just sits with his mouth open if he is startled or surprised (he puffs up and opens his mouth wide.) It could be that he was startled by something, but as he is doing it all the time after eating, it sounds more like a food/drinking thing....
camimom
New Member
When chameleons overheat, they open their mouths, sort of like dogs panting.
Lower the temps, and he will probably stop doing it.
Sikchick341
New Member
So it's nothing to really worry about?
camimom
New Member
As long as you correct it now, no.
If he continues to gape like that once you have lowered the temps...
then it could be a respiratory infection, however, you would notice 'clicking' and 'popping' noises coming from his mouth when doing this, or a wheezing sound when breathing.
Lower his temps first, and see if it corrects it. if not, we can go from there.
Sikchick341
New Member
What are all the symptoms of an upper respiratory infection for a chameleon? How do they get them?
camimom
New Member
well pretty much the ones i just posted.
popping noises, clicking noises, i think excess saliva, wheezing when breathing, appears to be struggling to breathe, sometimes accompanied by eye closing. similar to what happens when we as humans get one.
it can happen because humididty is too high.. for too long.
but dont jump to this conclusion first.
lower your temps, give him a day or two to adjust, if it continues,, we can take it from there.
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