I think my Juvenile Jacksons Chameleon has a URI.

Kamran_k

Established Member
Cage Type Glass: 20" L x 10"W x 12"H (I'm moving him into a Screen cage tomorrow if it delivers in time)
Handling: Never accept when trying to get him out in order to clean cage
Diet: I just got him last Wednesday and the first day he didn't eat because he had just shipped and the second day he ate 3 super worms next day 2 and the day after 2 and today he ate 3 crickets and dust them with vitamins
Water: He drinks every morning and I mist him frequently to maintain humidity and even use Zilla Tropical Mist Spray
Activity: He is quiet active walks around a lot
Temperature: 80-85 in the day and 60-75 at night.
Humidity: usually 70-80 but sometimes drops to 60-50
He is gaping and I try to look in his mouth but I'm just a novice Chameleon owner so tbh I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't see any access saliva and I put my ear to the top of the cage to hear him breath and I haven heard any wheezing. But I researched that if he is gaping he might be sick and I have anxiety issues so im worried he might be sick and I need expert help and I moved his lamp up a little to make sure he isn't getting too hot and his lamp has a 60 watt bulb I've attached some pictures to let you guys know what im working with and I even encountered some Mold today but I moved that out and threw the log out that it was on and disinfected the area. I mist him around 3-5 times a day please let me know what I should do I plan on taking him to the vet either tomorrow or Tuesday. He started doing this on Friday and I think maybe because its a bit hot or not enough airflow so I hung the light up so more air can flow through.
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That Blue thing Is a humidifier I got it too mantain humidity if I should remove it let me know his screen cage is coming tomorrow or Wednesday
 
Is your ambient 80-85f or is that your basking?

Respectfully, almost every thing about your set up is wrong. Jacksons are more fragile than most other species commonly kept, they also have reduced temp/supplemental needs. Exactly what are you supplementing with and how often?

Not trying to beat you up but you really need to read this: https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/

@JacksJill if more knowledgeable than I am on Jackson’s...
 
Is your ambient 80-85f or is that your basking?

Respectfully, almost every thing about your set up is wrong. Jacksons are more fragile than most other species commonly kept, they also have reduced temp/supplemental needs. Exactly what are you supplementing with and how often?

Not trying to beat you up but you really need to read this: https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/

@JacksJill if more knowledgeable than I am on Jackson’s...
100% agree, I have no real reason to believe your jaskcon have an RI but I have thousand of reason to believe he gonna have one soon or worst, I also believe your temperatures are wrongly calculated (60w bulb + another maybe 13-25w bulb In a small closed aquarium with no air circulation will more lead to 85-90 after 5 hours of lightening so my guess is your temperatures are too high, humidity probably to high considering the temps and the air flow.

So, the real question is more "how much of money are you ready to spend in the next 24 hours to save his life? because vet at this point is useless unless you provide the right environment for him :)

Let us know if you want to make quick and effectives change, we gonna guide you
 
Agreed^ I think he is gaping from excess heat and temp. I don’t think you’ve had him long enough for an RI to set in. However there is one in his near future if the husbandry isn’t corrected soon. Your new cage will help quite a bit with the humidity/temp problems but it will take more than that to get his viv truly correct.
 
Basically an aquarium will act like an Easy Bake Oven for your chameleon because he can't go low enough to escape the heat from the bulb. He needs a ventilated enclosure, screened if you live some where humid or normal, vented at the bottom & top glass if you live somewhere extremely cold and dry.
 
Thanks so much guys his New Terrarium will be here this Afternoon and its a ZooMed 16 x 16 x 30 Inches Screen Cage and I Live in Los Angeles so its hot but not too humid. I am supplementing with ZooMed Reptivite with D3.
 
He will only need calcium with D3 once a month he will need plain calcium twice a week and a good multi vitamin once a month. In Los Angeles you will want to cover a back and one side with plastic to preserve humidity along with some live plants. He will out grow a 16x16x30. I would go with a minimum of 18x18x36 or better a 24x24x48 if you can.
 
I spent around 150 in the last 24 hrs to get everything I need for him im beyond thankful for you guys. I tried to get a bigger one but were sold out but what live plants would you reccomened? I just fed him crickets and he ate them about 4
 
Thank you so much Ma'am you really helped me a lot and if you are in LA County be weary there has been some cases of measles im letting anyone everyone know about it in school and on social media so wash your hands frequently and be safe.
 
Good to know I'll be careful.
Pothos do well in chameleon cages, are fairly cheap and you can find them at Lowes or Home Depot or Walmart. Just rinse them well before putting them in your cage and cover the soil with rocks larger than your chameleons head. (to keep them for getting eaten accidentally)
 
So his new Enclosure is all set up guys and hes a bit scared so hes hiding but he's only gaped once today but other than that hes all good and I put the plastic wrap around 2 sides of his cage to keep humidity.
 
So I took him to the vet and they said he's all good and nothing Is wrong but I have noticed him "yawning" and when he does he convulses a little bit but it stops what is this all about? is it a heat thing or an air one? he drank quite a bit this morning. I had to wrap up 2 sides to keep up humidity its around 65 right now
 
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