mouth staying open

gogochameleon

New Member
I have a adult male montium. Last couple days he has been keeping his mouth open and just sitting there in the corner(not under the basking light which stays at 84. I heard he might be trying to regulate his body temp but nothing has changed in his free range(6ft wide, 3ft deep, and 8ft tall!!!!) Temps stay in between 63-73 and humidity is usally 60+. ANY IDEAS why he is opening his mouth??
Also he only eats maybe 3 med/large crix on a average day and he is a full adult montium that 10inch head to tail, is this average for him?? Reading other posts I see people feeding theirs 6-8 or 10 crix and I get worried!
 
Could maybe be a respiratory infection. That is one of the symptoms but not saying that is it for sure, just a possibility as long as he is not gaping from the basking light being too hot.
 
I would suggest Either the ambient temp is higher than your equipment is reading, or that its simply disturbed by your presence in the room, or perhaps by the presence of any other chams you may keep within sight?
Sitting in the corner seems to indicate that its not feeling safe. Chams like to be able to hide, preferably in dense foliage, perhaps you need more cover?
Does it have a cage other than your free range area? Do you have other pets? dog/cat/bird?
Is this free range area in a room where people are walking in/out, lots of activity?
:)
 
I would suggest Either the ambient temp is higher than your equipment is reading, or that its simply disturbed by your presence in the room, or perhaps by the presence of any other chams you may keep within sight?
Sitting in the corner seems to indicate that its not feeling safe. Chams like to be able to hide, preferably in dense foliage, perhaps you need more cover?
Does it have a cage other than your free range area? Do you have other pets? dog/cat/bird?
Is this free range area in a room where people are walking in/out, lots of activity?
:)

I will check my temp with other devices, the I have is good but ill make sure. As for maybe him being mad because Im there i dont think because he "likes" coming out to hangout and he just started this, I heard montiums are shy but thats not the case with mine. The free range is in my room and has pretty low traffic, he has a 5-6ft tall umbrella tree and some sticks and fake greens. No other pets or chams. He only does it some parts of the day, This morning he had his mouth open after he woke up for a little then he ventured out of the corner then on his basking area and continued to leave his mouth open. If he was overheated I dont think he would head to his baskin spot or if he was scared he wouldnt come out. Other then the mouth deal he is very active and all around a very good cham and does his chameleon thing.:D
 
If he was overheated I dont think he would head to his baskin spot or.....

He might. Its been shown chams can also bask specifically for uv exposure, not only for thermoregulation. If the heat source and the uv source are one and the same, or, they are so placed that the lizard cannot get one without the other, then the possibilty remains that its too hot but is trying to get uv exposure.
Perhaps try moving the uv a little, especially if its a linear tube, so that it can get both at once in one place, but can move to avoid direct heat beneath the heat source and still get uv exposure, see if it stops gaping.
From what you describe, if its not the begining of a respiratory issue,and not overheating either, then Im stumped!
From all accounts montiums like it a little cooler anyway. In any case, keeping the basking temp a little lower than the recommended, really wont hurt, since the lizard will simply bask a little longer to reach its desire temp, not everyday in the wild is the exact same temperature! A little cooler than desired is safer than a little hotter than desired. :)
 
If he was overheated I dont think he would head to his baskin spot or.....

He might. Its been shown chams can also bask specifically for uv exposure, not only for thermoregulation. If the heat source and the uv source are one and the same, or, they are so placed that the lizard cannot get one without the other, then the possibilty remains that its too hot but is trying to get uv exposure.
Perhaps try moving the uv a little, especially if its a linear tube, so that it can get both at once in one place, but can move to avoid direct heat beneath the heat source and still get uv exposure, see if it stops gaping.
From what you describe, if its not the begining of a respiratory issue,and not overheating either, then Im stumped!
From all accounts montiums like it a little cooler anyway. In any case, keeping the basking temp a little lower than the recommended, really wont hurt, since the lizard will simply bask a little longer to reach its desire temp, not everyday in the wild is the exact same temperature! A little cooler than desired is safer than a little hotter than desired. :)

His uv source and heat are pretty close together, i will try to maybe move the uv over a little. Im pretty stumped to, like today he hasnt done it, or i havent seen him do it! Ill move the lights a little so he can get both at once or one or the other. Great ideas and I will keep updating and see what happens:D
 
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