Slightly opened mouth ?

I started about a year & 1/2 ago taking my stepdaughter’s cham when she didn’t want it anymore. I knew zero about them and never had any reptiles before. Now I have 3 chams, 3 leopard geckos, a bearded dragon, 2 colonies of roaches and other assorted bugs. I had a ‘reptile’ room but stepdaughter had to move in and there went my room.
That’s awesome!!! Once I had bought him I instantly went on YouTube, found Neptune the Chamaeleon fell in love with her and all her knowledge and she recommended this forum and it’s been great ever since!!! So far everybody is so nice here and so informative!!
 
My young veiled is holding her mouth open when she basks as other have mentioned. But she has MANY branches to move to. She can easily climb 30' away or grab branches slightly above/below the heat source. If she has these options yet choses to be so close that her mouth opens.....should I just leave her to her own choices? Is my chameleon making bad life decisions?
 
My young veiled is holding her mouth open when she basks as other have mentioned. But she has MANY branches to move to. She can easily climb 30' away or grab branches slightly above/below the heat source. If she has these options yet choses to be so close that her mouth opens.....should I just leave her to her own choices? Is my chameleon making bad life decisions?
What is your basking temperature? It doesn’t matter that she has other choices. Sometimes we need to protect them from themselves.
 
My young veiled is holding her mouth open when she basks as other have mentioned. But she has MANY branches to move to. She can easily climb 30' away or grab branches slightly above/below the heat source. If she has these options yet choses to be so close that her mouth opens.....should I just leave her to her own choices? Is my chameleon making bad life decisions?
Start your own thread please so we do not confuse your posting with the OP of this thread. They will bake themselves even if too hot. But mouth open can also be a sign of an RI> So go to this link https://www.chameleonforums.com/forums/health-clinic.7/ and click post thread. Add pics of her and the cage as well.
 
She about 6.5' inches away from a 80w mercury vapor bulb. Huh....even my gut tells me that's too close. My temp gun is at school.....I can bring it back and use it tomorrow to check. She's also 50% covered by a leaf. I'm thinking I should move the bulb back 2-3 inches. The gaping is on/off. But she'll do it for 5-10min at a time. I don't know her exact age. 4-6 months? I've had her for about 3 weeks now. She's eating well....LOVES wax worms (they are dusted appropriately with calcium and multivitamins) mealworms and dubia roaches.
20210425_100753.jpg
 
Last edited:
She about 6.5' inches away from a 80w mercury vapor bulb. Huh....even my gut tells me that's too close. My temp gun is at school.....I can bring it back and use it tomorrow to check. She's also 50% covered by a leaf. I'm thinking I should move the bulb back 2-3 inches. The gaping is on/off. But she'll do it for 5-10min at a time. I don't know her exact age. 4-6 months? I've had her for about 3 weeks now. She's eating well....LOVES wax worms (they are dusted appropriately with calcium and multivitamins) mealworms and dubia roaches.
View attachment 299560
If you can start your own thread it would be much better for us to be able to help you. MV bulbs are really dangerous without a solarmeter 6.5 to check UVI levels. Also they put out a lot of heat with an increased UVI level. At 6.5 inches I am willing to bet it is not only way hotter then 78-80 degrees but she is being exposed to UVI levels much higher then even their highest recommended exposure level of a 6.
 
If you can start your own thread it would be much better for us to be able to help you. MV bulbs are really dangerous without a solarmeter 6.5 to check UVI levels. Also they put out a lot of heat with an increased UVI level. At 6.5 inches I am willing to bet it is not only way hotter then 78-80 degrees but she is being exposed to UVI levels much higher then even their highest recommended exposure level of a 6.
You got it. Sorry. Others forums give you a hard time for starting new threads on 'recycled' topics that have been mentioned before. But I'll do it! Thanks!
 
Back
Top Bottom