My cham always opening his mouth

[rancid22]

Hi, I just got my Cham for 2 months (he is about 8months old now), but I found something strange in these 2weeks, he ate 2 crickets once a day before, but he just eat 1 cricket every 3days now, and he sometimes open his mouth and I see so much saliva, is he sick? and what should I do?

Thanks a lot

 

[jannb]

You need to take your cham to the vets right now and get a culture and sensitivity test to see with antibiotic will work to cure his RI. It sounds like he has an upper respiratory infection. I'll try to find a few links for you so you can learn more about what to do for an RI.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/theres-no-such-thing-uri-14277/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/back-vet-medication-questions-39302/

 

[Psychodrake]

Definitely sounds like an infection of the respiratory system. I thought mine had it for a while but he was just gaping to regulate (very little saliva) generally excess saliva means respiratory infection. Jann has given you good resources to use, a vet trip is definitely in order, I don't think the mortality rate on RI's is bad, however, the earlier you get it sorted the less chance of it becoming worse.

 

[chameleongirl2]

one thing
take him to the vet
and im pretty sure the opening the mouth is overheting

 

[rancid22]

Thanks so much, I've just read the thread from jannb, and I will follow the instruction. So should I still need to keep lower temp. at night? cause I must switch on the air condition for him at night around 20-22C and keep 29-30C in the day time.

 

[Psychodrake]

Do you switch your cage lights off at night? Both the UV and basking light must go off at night.

 

[rancid22]

Do you switch your cage lights off at night? Both the UV and basking light must go off at night.

Sure Psychodrake, I use them with a timer. The sunlight bulb and UV bulb turns on 10hours a day, is it too much for my cham?

 

[jannb]

Thanks so much, I've just read the thread from jannb, and I will follow the instruction. So should I still need to keep lower temp. at night? cause I must switch on the air condition for him at night around 20-22C and keep 29-30C in the day time.

You need to get him to the vet and get him on the correct meds to get rid of the infection. The warm mist humidifier will keep him warmer even at night. You probably want need the ac.

 

[Psychodrake]

Sure Psychodrake, I use them with a timer.

Great, just making sure. They usually need a temp drop at night but with the lights off there should be somewhat of a drop. Otherwise, do what Jann is saying, once the infection has started he'll need meds to recover properly.

 

[rancid22]

Thanks Jannb and Psychodrake, I will take him to the vet asap.

 

[rancid22]

beside that, I would like to know, does a cham has antibody to kill the germs? I mean like a human, if it is strong enought, it won't get sick easily, am I right?

 

[Psychodrake]

Chameleons have sensitive lungs almost like a birds. While they can fight infections and germs, due to Chameleons generally being stressy animals they tend to keep their immune system quite low. I'm not sure how it works but its along the lines of the animal lowers its immune system in times on stress.

 

[rancid22]

SXXT!!!! I did something wrong!!! I did put it on my hand for a while before he got sick........I knew he was stressed.....

 

[OrangeCrush]

Does opening his mouth mean he has an infection? Because mine does that once in awhile but I haven't noticed extra salvia though. Sometimes when I get crickets there r some larger ones in there. He is able to eat them with out a problem but I think when he opens his mouth he is swallowing them down. Not totally sure but he is still eating a lot like 10 crickets aday sometimes and a few waxworms. Also his festal looks fine so I am prety sure he is fine. He is still a baby I am pretty sure he's About 4 months or so.

 

[rancid22]

It has been a while, my cham had visited the vet at last, they found he is dehydrated and Pneumonia, and he is now under observation. He had 3 injections, 1 antibiotic (fortaz) , 1 vitamins & 1 for hydration. As he didn't eat for few 3 days and a bit thin now, has has been forced eating once also.

The Vet said even for a zoo, Cham is inside the top ten of the most difficult to Takecare of. I will take the cham to the vet again after 2 days for a faeces test.

Now, I am so worrying about... He has been under a big stressed for a whole day, people say cham is easy to stop eating until die after depressed. Any thing I can do for comforting him and tempt him to start eating?

To avoid his dehydration, I've bought a dripped at last.

Thanks for you guys kindly help and I will keep on updating you guys later.

Cheers
Bruce

 

[kinyonga]

OrangeCrush said..."Does opening his mouth mean he has an infection?"...there are several reasons why a chameleon opens its mouth...
1)They yawn...so it would be a fairly quick opening and shutting again.
2)They open their mouths when angry/upset with someone or something. (Gapiing.)
3)They open their mouths when they are overheated to help themselves cool off.
4)They open their mouths and raise their head when they are swallowing water while being misted or under the dripper.
5)They open their mouths and sit with their heads raised when they are dying...suffering from organ failure, etc.
6)They open it when they have a respiratory infection but then you will likely see a lot of extra saliva in its mouth and likely hear popping/wheezing noises when the mouth is open too...and it will keep it open for quite a while.

So unless its sitting with it open for long periods of time I wouldn't think it would be something to worry about.

Rancid22...hope your chameleon recovers!

 

[rancid22]

Thanks Kinyonga.

And mine is now sleeping with raised head and opening his month sometimes with a extra saliva with popping sound sometimes also. Hope it will be better soon

 

[rancid22]

Just re-visited the vet this morning, had a fecal tested and found out he has parasite. So need to have the medical treatment in the coming 3days and also still having the antibiotic injection once a week. After he had the de-parasite medicine, he seems much better and being interested in his food again, I put a worm with dust inside the cage and he did walk closer to it, not sure did he eat it as I need leave my home to work.

 

[kinyonga]

After I read this over again, I don't think I made it clear enough...sorry...
1)They yawn...so it would be a fairly quick opening and shutting again.This is nothing to be concerned about.
2)They open their mouths when angry/upset with someone or something. (Gapiing.) Although youi don't want this to happen all the time, its not a problem for it to happen sometimes.
3)They open their mouths when they are overheated to help themselves cool off. This is also not a problem if they only do it for a minute or two...but if they sit in the basking area with their mouths open for long, it likely means that you need to lower the temperature there.
4)They open their mouths and raise their head when they are swallowing water while being misted or under the dripper. This is normal as a rule.
5)They open their mouths and sit with their heads raised when they are dying...suffering from organ failure, etc. Well...I think its obvious that this is not good and the chameleon is sick.
6)They open it when they have a respiratory infection but then you will likely see a lot of extra saliva in its mouth and likely hear popping/wheezing noises when the mouth is open too...and it will keep it open for quite a while. If it has a respiratory infection you will need to take it to the vets to have it treated.

Sorry...I should have been more clear.

 

[Psychodrake]

Just re-visited the vet this morning, had a fecal tested and found out he has parasite. So need to have the medical treatment in the coming 3days and also still having the antibiotic injection once a week. After he had the de-parasite medicine, he seems much better and being interested in his food again, I put a worm with dust inside the cage and he did walk closer to it, not sure did he eat it as I need leave my home to work.

Sounds like he's recovering, keep up the good work!