Mouth Open

Deadly Totoro

New Member
Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Ambilobe panther cham, male, I believe he is about 6-7 months old, I have only had him for 3 weeks.

Handling - The only time I have handled him was getting him from repticon into his cage and today for the first time he walked onto my hand while I was feeding him.

Feeding - I feed him a combination of super worms and crickets. I have hand fed him since the day I got him and I release a couple crickets into his cage from him to hunt. He is not very good with shooting his tongue so I have to hold the food pretty close for him eat, if I don't he will kind of just give up on the food.

Supplements - Repashy Calcium Plus Vitamin and Calcium supplement lightly dusted on all the hand fed food but not on the crickets I release into the cage. The crickets and super worms are both gut loaded with Total Bites Gutload feed and water vitamins-minerals and amino acids.

Watering - Timed misting system (the timer broke so I turn it on for 2 min a couple times a day), A magnatural dripper, and I get a couple drops in his mouth every once in a while when hes eating a cricket (I'm a little nervous he isn't drinking enough and that is the only way I read was ok to do).

Fecal Description - He poops once a day or every other day. They are around 2 inches and light brown with the ends being white.

History - Not really anything to note here.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen mesh, 24x24x48

Lighting - For his basking light I have a 75W (Might be 50W but I don't have the box anymore). For his UVB I have a 24W strip light (Once again not really sure but the chameleon breeder recommended it).

Temperature - I switched the enclosure around a little bit today because his basking spot was to hot. Now it ranges from 82-87. The rest of the cage during the day is around 75-80 different throughout the whole cage. At night it drops to 70-75

Humidity - The humidity is around 30-50%

Plants -There are no live plants just a fake tree and a large branch I got from my local pet store and fake vines. Do I need a live plant? What kind and what is the safest way to introduce it?

Placement - He is in the living room in the solarium in front of the window on a desk that is about 2 1/2 feet tall.

Location - Mid Florida

Current Problem - I have noticed the past couple days that he is gaping his mouth under his basking spot. He has had it open quiet wide as well as barely open. From what I have read this could be from respiratory infections or overheating. He does not have thick saliva or brown saliva and I don't hear a clicking sound or a gasping sound when he is breathing. He closes his mouth when I get near the cage or try to take pictures of him. Since it could be overheating I changed the enclosure around to make his basking spot cooler (It was 90-92 and now is 82-86). After changing it he started doing it again almost as soon as he got under the basking spot. He holds it open for maybe a minute at a time every 10-15min. He only does it under the light and I have not seen him do it out of the light once. He seems to be moving around the basking spot a lot doing what looks to be trying to find the right spot with the right temp.

If I am doing something wrong or need to add something to his enclosure please let me know. I really want this little guy to be healthy and happy.
Also what do his colors changes mean (mood wise)?
 

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My first impressions is that it still might be a tab bit to hot in the basking. Try raising your lamp up a couple or few inches. His poo is a great indicator that he's getting hydrated. If he wasn't you'd see the urates being an orange tint instead of white. Adding some live plants will help raise your humidity a bit also. Plus they look great. Ficus, sheffera, and pothos are always winners. You could definitely use a bit more typical humidity. Being here in FL you should be able to accomplish that with relative ease.

If you are still worried, there is a great vet in the Clearwater / Largo area.

[email protected]
(727) 398-1928
Avian and Animal Hospital
11405 Starkey Road
Largo, FL 33773
 
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