mouth open

[scooter4n]

my baby Veiled (Rex) is seating at basking spot with mouth open from time to time.
Basking spot temp is 92-95 lower cage temp is 75, humidity at the top around 20% at the bottom at 50%, I spray him all the time, and all that water deal, eats good, colors are good, looks ok, no problems, just that open mouth and heavy breathing.

 

[Jordan]

Is he doing this in response to your presence?
Are you close to him?
Noticed him doing when you are a fair distance away?

I guess I would think that he is to hot or possible upper respitory infection.

 

[kinyonga]

Its possible he's too hot where he's sitting. Chameleons don't always move away right away when they are too hot.

I don't usually keep the basking spot for babies that hot....they have small bodies and can warm up and dehydrate more quickly than adult chameleons can. I keep the babies' basking spot in the mid 80'sF.

 

[scooter4n]

I don't think that it is my presents, I'm seating in the office as always, nice and quite.
but he just dose that from time to time, started doing that about 2 days ago, I noticed, and always at the basking spot, so you think it is to hot?
If it is respiratory problem, what you do about that?

 

[Jordan]

I would try what Kinyonga said. Maybe try a lower wattage bulb and see if it goes away. At least before assuming it is something more serious.

A URI would involve a vet...etc.
I think that Kinyonga is more then likely correct.

 

[ChameleonsTree]

Try hooking the light up higher off the top of the cage just to lower it by 5 degrees..they open their mouth to release heat.

 

[scooter4n]

trying light thing now. will let you know.
thanks all for quick response.
P.S. the thing is (I'm watching him closely now) he only do that at basking spot. as soon as he goes to somewhere else, no open mouth stuff at all

 

[scooter4n]

ok, here is what i did.
Lowered temperature to high 80's, misting automated sprayer every 3 hours.
he still got open mouth one in the while, here is my webcam on him if anyone interested checking him out
http://scooter4n.no-ip.org

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

I can't tell where the sensor is placed for your basking temp measurement. If you stick you hand at the basking site does it feel too hot after a minute or so? If so, then adjust again. I was watching your webcam and he does seem to have his mouth open at times when you wouldn't expect it to be open... Still a heat issue?? Something's wrong...

 

[Jordan]

I would do a double check on the basking area. I like Dave could not see the probe. If it is just measuring off the back wall then the area under the center of the dome could be quite a bit hotter. Move the probe or thermometer itself under the center of the dome and do a reading there. I like Dave thought he was opening his mouth when it should not have been if it was just overheating. On the other hand it could be hot where he was situatated. I would still recommend just dropping to a lower wattage bulb or elevating it more like Chameleon Tree said. I did not realize how small he was tell I looked at a previous thread of yours and saw the web cam. Alot of people at that size would not even offer a basking area (provided that the room is warm enough. If getting the basking area in the 80's does not eliminate the problem then I would say a trip to the vet maybe in order. You did say he sounded like he was breathing heavy. Maybe taking him out of the cage and see if he sounds like he is weazing.

I observed him from 11:48a.m.-11:52a.m. and saw him do it.

 

[scooter4n]

Thanks all for help.
I starting to believe that heat is the problem, the thermometer is on the back wall little ways from the basking spot center, that was my mistake
As soon is he out of the basking spot, he stops opening mouth, he takes trip around the cage every hour or so, then he is normal, and I took him out of the cage last night, he was good for about 30 min, not opening even once.
as soon as I get home, ill drop temperature down to low to mid 80's and relocate thermometer.
thanks again.

 

[ChameleonsTree]

Zerah told me they sell a temp gun at LLLreptile.com...now these things you just aim it at any area and it gives you an instant reading.

 

[scooter4n]

I have one at work, laser temp gun, sweet thing.
you can get one at local stores for about $40-50
Thanks

 

[scooter4n]

Ok, after lowering temperature to low 80's everything seems back to normal, Rex is doing good.
He is about 6-8 weeks old, what is the recommended temperature for cham his age??? How do you know if it's not to "cold" for cham????

Thanks again for all for quick response and your help.

 

[Jordan]

In my personal opinion I would wait tell the 3-5 month time frame for uping the basking bulb. They will be able to handle it a little better like Kinyonga said. What happened to the web cam? I kind of like watching him for a couple minutes. That was a great idea so people could see the behavior.

When he gets a little bigger so will his casque. I recommend not letting him get straight under the bulb. He can burn it and he will not feel it. With some of those fake vines or straticigally placed branches I run it right around the boundary of the reflector. You can put some other branches lower under the bulb so he can bask at different heats if he perfers.

 

[scooter4n]

Ill have cam running regular work days when im at work, everyone welcome to watch him: http://scooter4n.no-ip.org Monday-Friday morning till about 5PM

 

[scooter4n]

he was good at lower temps mid80's to low 90's( 91, 92). He is about 4 months old now, and I was reading everywhere that it's time to bring temps to mid 90's and as soon as it reaches 95-96 he starts mouth open thing again.
Is it still to hot for him?

 

[scooter4n]

http://scooter4n.no-ip.org webcam

 

[Jordan]

Is that a stucco backwall? I like the look what ever it is.

 

[scooter4n]

yes, Ill post some pics of what i did in the cage.
that was total remodeling few days ago.