Mouth open after finaly set up. should i be concerd?

[Madmobo]

Ok I do believe i am in the correct spot for this

I just made a new incloser for my new to me Veil CH, now i am new to this and error has occurred

the area is 12x25 it has plexy glass back and net in front( net all round until today), top is lights and plexy glass top kinda 1/2 and 1/2~

I am getting about 85 near the red light, at the bottom of right hand side it is 72 the single is the top left and the duel is the bottom right hand side (pic)

I will provid pictures, Yesterday when i built this there was NO PLEXY glass and NO HUMIDITY I added the glass to help with the humidity this has been the first time he has opened his mouth and he stayed up at the red light for 20min and has moved to the uv light, he did this after i misted, I feed him two worms and he ate those down before this as well.
dripper installed top right side and drop catch and extra water dish on the left for Humidity!

thank you all for the help in advance!

 

[sharp229]

Since he is gaping (opening his mouth) while under the light he is most likely too hot. Have you measured the temperature right where his body is since adding the plexiglass with a digital temperature probe? You would need to leave the probe there for about 10 minutes. 85F should be OK, and if that is what it actually is then it may be fine and he may just be taking his time to move.

How old is he? I would add a lot more horizontal and vertical branches to the cage and a lot more foliage for him to hide in. He should also have horizontal branches at different distances from the heat and UVB so he can regulate properly.

Is there any plexiglass between the UVB and your chameleon? UVB can't travel through plexiglass. Also, I would replace the red heat bulb with a standard white incandescent since it is more natural.

 

[Madmobo]

Since he is gaping (opening his mouth) while under the light he is most likely too hot. Have you measured the temperature right where his body is since adding the plexiglass with a digital temperature probe? You would need to leave the probe there for about 10 minutes. 85F should be OK, and if that is what it actually is then it may be fine and he may just be taking his time to move.

How old is he? I would add a lot more horizontal and vertical branches to the cage and a lot more foliage for him to hide in. He should also have horizontal branches at different distances from the heat and UVB so he can regulate properly.

Is there any plexiglass between the UVB and your chameleon? UVB can't travel through plexiglass. Also, I would replace the red heat bulb with a standard white incandescent since it is more natural.

Thank you for the response More branches got! no the plexy is on the other side of the light to help inclose this more for him~
I got him from the pet store, he was abandoned there. little is know about him, he did have a skin condition that the vet need to treat and his head show little color mostly gray. I am just tiring to get him use to the new home as his last one was an tank, after writing this he move, I will make the adjustment for the branches, Thank you~ he eats and hunts just fine so that is good!

 

[carol5208]

That is a small enclosure for a Veild of that size. More foliage for him and branches and vines as stated. Too bare in there! No red light, white is what you need. Also please be careful to how close your branch is under the basking light. His casque looks awfully close in the picture and he will get burned. Chameleons will hold their mouths open for several reasons: too hot, breathing problems from something like a respiratory infection or to show they are mad or trying to be aggressive. If he is only doing it under the basking then I would lower the wattage.

 

[Madmobo]

I set the temp gauge for 3 different levels to check to see where it's at I have lowered the branches to be at about 80-85 and that is with the red light as well .. I move it half off and will shut it off and do more temp cks over the next few hours... I have pic to show the new brach location I will get more branches to go even lower.

 

[Madmobo]

Thank you all for the tips and advice. I know you must have typed these out a thousand times before.. I am tring to read up on them and get better educated as well