Open mouth?
- Thread starter Devinci17
- Start date
Devinci17
New Member
Your Chameleon - Veiled, male, 4-5 months old. He has been 2 months under my care
Handling - I handle him about 3-4 times a week
Feeding - I feed him crickets and meal worms. I feed him 20 crickets and 5 meal worms. My gutload includes collard greens, dandylion, turnip, oranges,apples, and carrots. I blend them all and freeze them into ice cubes.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I use repti calcium with d3 once a week and without 4 times a week, I have repti-cal reptivite multivitamin which I give him once a month
Watering - I use a dripper and mist him like 4 times a day and I see him drink water almost everyday.
Fecal Description - It's white with about an 8th yellow and black. No I haven't tested him for parasites
Cage Info:
Cage Type - I have a screen 30x16x16
Lighting - I use a 5.0 fluorescent UVB bulb by zoo med and a 60 watt basking bulb by zoo med as well. I have them both on during the day until 8 pm then I turn on a night heating bulb by zilla which is 75 watts due to the cold breeze where I live.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?my basking spot is 85 degrees and the lowest is 75 degrees. I have a thermometer that I got at pecto.
Humidity - What do you use to measure humidity? I have a corn plant which helps my humidity but unfortunately I still haven't gotten my humidity thermometer.
Plants - Yes I'm using a live plant which is a corn plant and I'm going to get a pothos this week
Placement - his cage is near the living room window but isn't in front of the window. His cage is as tall as me (5'8)
Location - I'm located in Southern California about 20 minutes from the beach
Current problem- today like around 5 I noticed De Vinci had his mouth open and so I misted his cage then he closed his mouth. Later I noticed he closed one of his eyes for like 5 seconds then opened it. A few minutes later he closed his other eye and then he opened them again. I left for about 2 hours and when I got back he had his mouth open again but after a few minutes he closed it. He then closed his left eye for a few seconds then reopened it again. Can someone tell me if this is normal? I'm getting worried.
Handling - I handle him about 3-4 times a week
Feeding - I feed him crickets and meal worms. I feed him 20 crickets and 5 meal worms. My gutload includes collard greens, dandylion, turnip, oranges,apples, and carrots. I blend them all and freeze them into ice cubes.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I use repti calcium with d3 once a week and without 4 times a week, I have repti-cal reptivite multivitamin which I give him once a month
Watering - I use a dripper and mist him like 4 times a day and I see him drink water almost everyday.
Fecal Description - It's white with about an 8th yellow and black. No I haven't tested him for parasites
Cage Info:
Cage Type - I have a screen 30x16x16
Lighting - I use a 5.0 fluorescent UVB bulb by zoo med and a 60 watt basking bulb by zoo med as well. I have them both on during the day until 8 pm then I turn on a night heating bulb by zilla which is 75 watts due to the cold breeze where I live.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?my basking spot is 85 degrees and the lowest is 75 degrees. I have a thermometer that I got at pecto.
Humidity - What do you use to measure humidity? I have a corn plant which helps my humidity but unfortunately I still haven't gotten my humidity thermometer.
Plants - Yes I'm using a live plant which is a corn plant and I'm going to get a pothos this week
Placement - his cage is near the living room window but isn't in front of the window. His cage is as tall as me (5'8)
Location - I'm located in Southern California about 20 minutes from the beach
Current problem- today like around 5 I noticed De Vinci had his mouth open and so I misted his cage then he closed his mouth. Later I noticed he closed one of his eyes for like 5 seconds then opened it. A few minutes later he closed his other eye and then he opened them again. I left for about 2 hours and when I got back he had his mouth open again but after a few minutes he closed it. He then closed his left eye for a few seconds then reopened it again. Can someone tell me if this is normal? I'm getting worried.
pssh
Avid Member
I've never heard of chameleons opening their mouths when they are hungry (except to aim their tongue.)
Usually opening the mouth happens when the temperatures are too warm, but yours are fine (if you are using an accurate thermometer. The analog ones can be very far off from the actual temps.) It is possible that he has a respiratory infection. Do you ever hear popping or clicking noises when he breathes? Does he have any mucus or bubbly stuff in his mouth or throat? Closing his eyes could be an indicator of a problem, but it could also be something else (like something stuck in there, but usually they also rub the eyes as well.)
Usually opening the mouth happens when the temperatures are too warm, but yours are fine (if you are using an accurate thermometer. The analog ones can be very far off from the actual temps.) It is possible that he has a respiratory infection. Do you ever hear popping or clicking noises when he breathes? Does he have any mucus or bubbly stuff in his mouth or throat? Closing his eyes could be an indicator of a problem, but it could also be something else (like something stuck in there, but usually they also rub the eyes as well.)
stasisb5a4
Member
Usually when mine opens his mouth, it means that they are hot. Try lowering the temp and mist him more.
pssh
Avid Member
I would get a digital thermometer and check to see if your temps are what the analog says they are. Some of the analogs can be as much as 10+ degrees off, so if that is the case, he could just be too hot. In the mean time, perhaps you can try raising the heat bulb up higher and see if it helps at all.
