New chameleon

Loubell01

Member
I have an 18 month old male panther chameleon we have had him since last Sunday and although he seems to have settled in well, (eating and finally pooping) today he is sitting on his branch and keeps opening his mouth really wide does this mean anything? Also he is eating around 6-10 crickets a day is this enough or too much? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
18 month old ambibole panther
Had him for 6 days brought from a reptile centre
Handled on day of purchase was advised not to handle for 5 days once in his new enclosure, partner handled him briefly yesterday approx 5 mins (he seems to prefer males) as he climbed onto his arm whilst he was misting
We are hand misting approx 4 times a day couple minutes each time ( although he dosn't seem to like this)
Have yet to see him drink from any leaves so we have resorted to using a sm pipette give him water whilst his is eating ( I'm careful to just squirt few drops at back corner of his mouth whilst he is distracted eating a bug)
Also have a dripper going constantly and small water dish at bottom of enclosure so he has access to water if he needs it.
Feeding well eating between 6- 12 bugs everyday after he wakes
Am using bug gel, bug grub to along with fresh fruits and veg to gut bust the crickets and dusting every feed with small pinch of nutrobal calcium and multivitamin
His enclosure is a glass exo terra
Humidity is around 50-60
Temp during day 85 highest overnight around 65 lowest
 
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IMG_20190523_095019831.jpg
 
A more detailed description of your set up would be helpful. If his mouth is open it's probably to hot for him. Type and wattage of baking light? How do you check the temp?
Calcium without D3 for every feeding
Calcium with D3 twice a month
Multivitamin twice a month
No mealworms ever.

If take the time to fill out the form in more detail you will get better help. We're can take a closer look at everything.
 
Agreed, more detail helps.

Does he hold his mouth open or does he open a close it like hes stretching his jaw muscles? Any clicking or popping sounds while breathing?
 
He holds it open for literally a couple of mins no noises, clicking or popping sounds then when he sees me Looking at him he closes it again. today is the first time I've seen him doing it, at first I thought he was choking when my partner is at home with him in the late afternoon. /evening he has not seen him doing it
 
He holds it open for literally a couple of mins no noises, clicking or popping sounds then when he sees me Looking at him he closes it again. today is the first time I've seen him doing it, at first I thought he was choking when my partner is at home with him in the late afternoon. /evening he has not seen him doing it

Sounds like hes hot. What are you using to measure the basking temp? I found that the zoo-med and other cheap thermometers at pet stores are wildly inaccurate.
 
Yep like @Graves923 he is probably too hot and if that’s the situation you need to make adjustments now. We need to know how you are checking your temps. If you don’t have temp gun at least start by raising the heat bulb but you do need to get a reliable temperature gauge.
 
As of yesterday we have an arcadia basking lamp150w ( before it was a normal white basking 50w)
We also have a Halid 100w uva/uvb
I do have 2 exo terro thermometer s that stick inside viv but rely on our main digital thermometer
This morning I can see he has a small white substance coming from his butt is this normal? Thought they only had urinated went they had a or is it something else?
Other than this he seems fairly good eating well moving around hunting his breakfast and actually saw him licking some branches this morning which is a first he usualy very stubborn don't see him drink when I'm misting
 

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What size exo terra do you have? In the first picture is that his basking branch, if so, what does the temp read there?
 
The exo terra is 45x45x90
What are your thermometers reading? 150w is crazy high. When I had a 100w in my enclosure it was baking my cham at 90-100F and I had to swap it for a 60w house bulb
Temp reading at 85 throughout the day our timer is set at max 85 so not to exceed this although due to his mouth gapping my partner has just adjusted down to 80
 
The exo terra is 45x45x90

Temp reading at 85 throughout the day our timer is set at max 85 so not to exceed this although due to his mouth gapping my partner has just adjusted down to 80
Maybe invest in a temp gun to see exactly what his basking spots are reading at. My thermometers were telling me my temps were a lot lower than they were and it wasnt until I got a temp gun that I realized I was cooking my cham. You can get them for like $15
 
Maybe invest in a temp gun to see exactly what his basking spots are reading at. My thermometers were telling me my temps were a lot lower than they were and it wasnt until I got a temp gun that I realized I was cooking my cham. You can get them for like $15
Do you think I could get one in the UK? Im going to have a look thankyou for the advice..
 
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