Here is a little info I pulled off another site about RI
The best way, as usual, is by prevention. This is where your thermometer and hygrometer play important roles to keep your chameleon happy. Here are some prevention methods that you can take:
Avoid having too low temperature in your chameleons cage. Play around with different wattages bulbs to see which work better to maintain the recommended temperature for your chameleon (please see the veiled and panther chameleon care 101A).
Avoid creating a constantly wet cage condition with no air ventilation. Allow a complete drying time in between misting. Too much stagnant humidity, as well as not enough humidity, can lead to the case of RI (refer to care 101C).
Avoid using enclosure that promotes poor ventilation such as an aquarium. In order for a cage to have proper ventilation, it needs to have at least 2 screen sides. An all screen cages is a very good enclosure for your chameleon.
Practice good hygiene habits when caring for anything that related to you and your chameleon. A dirty stagnant water source and insect cultures can increase the risk of RI.
Symptoms to watch out for:
The presence of increased mucus in the chameleons mouth.
Weird noise accompanied with breathing (popping, crackling, purring, or cat-like sounds). Try to keep your ear closed to your chameleon and listen carefully for these sounds.
Labored breathing by gasping and opening its mouth even in the low temperature range. In the morning, chameleon does yawn like human. Such activity is normal.
Lungs often overly inflated.
Some swellings the forehead (between eyes) and even eyes (looked puffy) can occur.
Snoring during sleeping.
TREATMENT:
Early detection plays an important factor. Since the cure process requires aggressive antibiotic treatments (such as Baytril or Fortaz), DIY treatment should be HIGHLY discouraged. An exotic vet’s expertise is definitely needed in this case. The vet will be able to pint point the cause (fungal, bacterial, secondary to nutritional or environment). Treatment can last to a month and need to be followed by an after care for another month to prevent the disease from coming back.
