Possible Constipation? Mouth open?

[DePseu]

* Cage Type - Screen (18x20x22)
* Lighting - UVB (Reptisun 5.0) and a 50 watt Zoomed incandescent blue bulb
* Temperature - Basking - 83, Lower cage area -71
* Humidity - 55% humidity
* Plants - Fake plants; silk and plastic
* Location - top of cage 57" from ground

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Graceful Chameleon, Female, Age ???; We've had her three weeks now...
* Handling - As little as possible (Rare)
* Feeding - Crickets, gut loaded with commercial gutload, Fluker Farm's, and Romaine Lettuce.
* Supplements - Vitamin supplement (D3, etc.) twice a month (administered once already), Calcium Supplement (every feeding), Reptivite (twice a month, administered once already)
* Watering - Mist 2-3 times a day, Drip system in the corner, Fogger in center, turned off and on for humidity variance.
* Fecal Description - Seemed fine. White urate. Hard, black. Hasn't gone for 5 days now.
* History - N/A
* Current Problem - Concerned about RI, and constipation.

Somnia was doing well for quite some time, except for around the middle of last week. Tuesday was the last day in which she has pooped. This poop was the typical type, white urate, pretty sturdy, and blackish green.

We'd been feeding her five 1/2 inch crickets every day, and she'd gladly run around her cage and scarf them up. No falling. No trouble.

We set up her drip to around a drop every 3 minutes during the night, and we refill it in the morning to drip once every 1. She happily drinks in the morning a very good amount (4-5 drops), and her eyes aren't sunken. Other than that, she's showing no current symptoms of being dehydrated other than not going to the bathroom.

We have a fogger that we use to vary the humidity in her cage throughout the day, and we turn it off around 4 times every day for an hour and a half apiece. We also mist 2-3 times daily.

Lately (around the beginning of her "constipation") we noticed her opening her mouth every little once in awhile, with no hissing or popping to be heard, while under her basking light. She'd just as soon close it, but now it has increased to a 10-15 minute interval of her mouth being open around twice a day, with her not necessarily under her basking area.

We were concerned we were feeding her too little, as she has always (even before we received her) been a little on the thin side, and she's grown an inch in these three weeks, so we looked into how much to feed her. As of two days ago, we upped the amount to ten a day, which she also happily hunted and scarfed up.

She's still moving around her cage pretty well. She doesn't appear listless or lethargic. As I've said, her eyes aren't sunken, and her tummy isn't swollen.

Still, it's been 5 days, where she used to poop every single day without fail.

Yesterday, we upped her misting to once every hour to see if we could get her to go. Nothing. I also took her out in the sun for an hour, concerned she wasn't receiving enough UVB to get her to digest properly. She was delighted, but still nothing.

Does anyone know what might be wrong?

We have the number of a recommended reptile specialist at our local Animal Hospital, should she need a vet trip. We met her once at our favorite pet store when she came in to check up on their Veiled's. We just aren't sure how to proceed.


Here's her cage


http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee381/DePseu/?action=view&current=IMG_0701.jpg#!oZZ1QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1225.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee381%2FDePseu%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DIMG_0701.jpg

Her with her mouth open

http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee381/DePseu/?action=view&current=IMG_0698.jpg

http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee381/DePseu/?action=view&current=IMG_0697.jpg

Pictures of her, as of yesterday:

http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee381/DePseu/?action=view&current=IMG_0696.jpg

http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee381/DePseu/?action=view&current=IMG_0692.jpg

 

[carol5208]

Well, the only thing I could point out wrong would be the dripping of water at night. Where is it dripping to? With the lights off it is not going to evaporate and she is surely not going to drink it if she is sleeping, so what would be the point of dripping water every 3 minutes? I would let the cage dry out at night. Usually, and it seems you are aware of this, already that mouth gaping is sometimes but not always a sign of trying to thermoregulate or a possible RI. Does she ever put her nose straight up in the air and hold it there? What about the saliva in her mouth. Is it in excess?

 

[DePseu]

Thanks for the reply!

We'll stop dripping at night.

No, she's never pointed her nose straight up, and I'm not seeing any strands of saliva, or dripping saliva, so I don't think it's in excess.

Her tongue is a boogey green, though. It was yellow.

We just offered her five crickets, and she zoomed around her cage and snapped them up, then took a drink or two. So her appetite still seems fine. We're a little afraid to feed her much more until she goes, though.

 

[jessica]

Thanks for the reply!

We'll stop dripping at night.

No, she's never pointed her nose straight up, and I'm not seeing any strands of saliva, or dripping saliva, so I don't think it's in excess.

Her tongue is a boogey green, though. It was yellow.

We just offered her five crickets, and she zoomed around her cage and snapped them up, then took a drink or two. So her appetite still seems fine. We're a little afraid to feed her much more until she goes, though.

I would try not using the fogger and double check your temps. If humidity is a problem try a humidifier in the room. I had a similar situation with a fogger once I ditched it problem was solved.

Dont worry about the color change of her tongue, its happened with a few of my wild caughts. Its normal I beleive its due to diet change.

EDIT: Ive also had a chameleon go a couple weeks with out a bm. It bothers us more then them lol. If lethargy or loss of appetite happens then I would be concerned.

 

[DePseu]

We've also noticed she won't touch anything but crickets. We've attempted mealworms and superworms. She's refused both, as though she doesn't recognize them as food.

 

[kayla.and.Charlie]

Well, the only thing I could point out wrong would be the dripping of water at night. Where is it dripping to? With the lights off it is not going to evaporate and she is surely not going to drink it if she is sleeping, so what would be the point of dripping water every 3 minutes? I would let the cage dry out at night. Usually, and it seems you are aware of this, already that mouth gaping is sometimes but not always a sign of trying to thermoregulate or a possible RI. Does she ever put her nose straight up in the air and hold it there? What about the saliva in her mouth. Is it in excess?

Hey so different chameleon. But mine points his head up a lot right now and is having this problem?? His mouth was wide open all day and hasn't been drinking or pooping. 2 days no drinking. 3 days no poops.

 

[Blang]

We've also noticed she won't touch anything but crickets. We've attempted mealworms and superworms. She's refused both, as though she doesn't recognize them as food.

just an FYI don't feed the mealworms to her, they can cause impaction in her intestines! Superworms are OK, easier to digest & more nutrious!

 

[JGuinan007]

Feed her dubias and Silk worms and horn worms