Sneazing???

[sebastianthechameleon]

My chameleon is only 4 months old and sometimes a hear a little burst of air from his nostrils (I believe) as if he was sneezing... do chameleons sneeze? Is he sick? Should I be worried? This happens about 2 times a day (When I am around). He gets sprayed 3 times a day (my auto mister was starting to clog and the experts at my reptile store told me to hand mist him for a week and let the mister unclog and cool down.) Should i be worried for his health? I am starting to get scared!

 

[trickedoutbiker]

He gets sprayed 3 times a day (my auto mister was starting to clog and the experts at my reptile store told me to hand mist him for a week and let the mister unclog and cool down.)

The "experts" at your store aren't much of an expert for ANYTHING if that is the advice they gave you....

"Let the mister cool down" ??? That takes a week, why? And why would a mister be overheating?

"Let the mister unclog" --- um.... The nozzles don't just MAGICALLY unclog themselves if you leave it set. It just doesn't happen. Where did these "experts" even get a silly idea like that?

You need to soak the nozzles in vinegar water to get rid of the buildup of minerals in the nozzles which is what is causing it to clog. If you want to PREVENT clogs, then start using R.O. water or Distilled Water in your misting system instead of water from the faucet, because water from the faucet contains lots of minerals whereas R.O. water and Distilled Water have been put through a purification system to get rid of the excess minerals.

 

[sebastianthechameleon]

The "experts" at your store aren't much of an expert for ANYTHING if that is the advice they gave you....

"Let the mister cool down" ??? That takes a week, why? And why would a mister be overheating?

"Let the mister unclog" --- um.... The nozzles don't just MAGICALLY unclog themselves if you leave it set. It just doesn't happen. Where did these "experts" even get a silly idea like that?

You need to soak the nozzles in vinegar water to get rid of the buildup of minerals in the nozzles which is what is causing it to clog. If you want to PREVENT clogs, then start using R.O. water or Distilled Water in your misting system instead of water from the faucet, because water from the faucet contains lots of minerals whereas R.O. water and Distilled Water have been put through a purification system to get rid of the excess minerals.

Thanks so much!!! I will try that, and tell the "experts" but I still don't understand why he is making that puffing noise (i believe from his nostrils)...?

 

[trickedoutbiker]

Yes they can sneeze. Sometimes, chameleons (or any reptiles) can build up excess salts in their systems. To get rid of this, they have a Nasal Salt Gland where they excrete the excess salt. This is the little white crusty spots you will see forming on the nostrils sometimes. This is completely normal and no reason to be alarmed. They sneeze to expel that little buildup in their nose and it is completely normal.

Now, if your chameleon starts sneezing a lot, like a very noticeable amount, then there might be other underlying issues. My chameleon sneezes sometimes too so I know exactly what noise you are thinking of. Just keep a keen eye on the chameleon every day and try to watch for any noticeable changes in behavior, appetite, colors, etc.

 

[sebastianthechameleon]

Yes they can sneeze. Sometimes, chameleons (or any reptiles) can build up excess salts in their systems. To get rid of this, they have a Nasal Salt Gland where they excrete the excess salt. This is the little white crusty spots you will see forming on the nostrils sometimes. This is completely normal and no reason to be alarmed. They sneeze to expel that little buildup in their nose and it is completely normal.

Now, if your chameleon starts sneezing a lot, like a very noticeable amount, then there might be other underlying issues. My chameleon sneezes sometimes too so I know exactly what noise you are thinking of. Just keep a keen eye on the chameleon every day and try to watch for any noticeable changes in behavior, appetite, colors, etc.

Thanks so much i was starting to get very worried!