Why is our Panther Chams mouth open?

[CatJ]

Lay bin set up…this is one way to do it…


The best sand I’ve found it this one…in my experience, it has never lead to an impaction if ingested or to eye infections if it gets in the chameleon’s eye and it holds a tunnel well…
https://can.sika.com/en/do-it-yours...ingproducts/sands-gravels/king-play-sand.html

You said…”Regarding a lay bin, I have a built up reptile safe soil area at the bottom. I was advised to do this from day 1 and have always kept this really deep so she has plenty of room to dig and lay. Would I be better changing this too?”…I’ve always found the sand works better…they seem to like it for a substrate to lay eggs in. What is on the other “half” of the floor of the cage…it looks like it has some bark chips in it.

Hi, I'm going to look for a large pot and plant to create a better lay bin for her. Thank you so much. The other half of the floor is course forest floor (like large chippings). I've attached a pic of the label

 

[CatJ]

Thanks for the pics! Yes, you definitely need to update that bulb ASAP. Your cham isn't getting any good UVB and she desperately needs it. I'd also not have anything in the bottom of the cage that would be big enough to eat, and then cause an impaction. Bark chips are not a good idea to have, but soil (organic, without anything extra in it) would be okay I think. I don't know a ton about bioactive enclosures though.

how are you doing your feeding? I recommend some version of cup feeding. I have a little bird bowl in my cage for mine and he knows to go right for it when it's feeding day. Some folks use a "shooting gallery" (something like this: https://www.rainbowmealworms.net/shooting-gallery-chameleon-feeder/ sorry... not sure where to get stuff outside of the states!) but something where you can keep track of what they're eating is ideal. It keeps your feeders from escaping or from trying to nibble on your cham while she sleeps.

Hopefully you've had some time to go through the Chameleon Academy.

Has she done any better since lowering the heat?

Hi, I'll source a new uvb bulb ASAP. I'm reading the chameleon academy bit by bit as it's a lot of info to digest! I have ordered some more branches and foliage already tho which should arrive today, and I'm going to source a lay bin pot and plant for her too. Temps have been lowered and I now know I need to alter the position of her branches under the bulb areas as they're not correct. This will be sorted this week though.
I only caught her open mouthed twice yesterday, which is way less than the day before. I'm monitoring her every hour or so through the day though.
Feeding is currently daily, 5-6 locusts which she hunts herself when I pop them in the viv. I always count them in and do a thorough check of the viv later. She defo eats them all!

 

[CatJ]

The first thing that stands out to me about your husbandry is improper supplementation. You want to use a calcium WITHOUT D3 on the daily and use the D3 as a vitamin supplement once every 2 weeks. This is because chameleons can overdose on vitamin D3. The tongue issue can be attributed to an injury or the cage being too hot as other members have said. What is the temp at the branch directly under the basking lamp?

Hi, I've immediately changed the suppliment to a calcium only for daily use. I'll use the other one once fortnightly. Thank you to you and Flick Boy for this info.
The branch/foliage under the basking light i now know is incorrect. I have reduced the temp of the bulb and have ordered new branches/foliage to correct this. I'll post new pics and take all new temp readings once this is sorted. Thank you so much for your help

 

[CatJ]

Hi and welcome to the forum. So firstly what lights are you using, looks like coil uvb ? ( these are not recommended as they do not provide enough uvb ,I will add the correct one ( either an arcadia t5ho 6% or a zoomed t5 ho 5% , if your chameleon is sitting with mouth open open / gapping maybe a sign she is too hot ,what temperature is in your viv at basking? If you get a chance it would be helpful to fill out the husbandry form provided by the other member .

Hi, husbandry form filled out and posted. And I'm looking for right uvb bulb today. Thankyou so much.
Question; do you keep your basking light on all day and/or night? Ours is on but the cham academy suggests only having this on for morning basking then turning it off?

 

[Flick boy]

Hi no lights at night at all or heat unless as I mentioned house temp drops below 10c / 50 f , I have my basking light come on with the uvb at 8 and go off at 3( just the basking) pm . You are probably going to get different answers . What the academy is saying that it should only take a short time for the cham to be able to thermoregulate their body temperature, warm up , and would not naturally bask all day in the wild only in the morning and evening.

 

[CalamityCrow]

Hi, husbandry form filled out and posted. And I'm looking for right uvb bulb today. Thankyou so much.
Question; do you keep your basking light on all day and/or night? Ours is on but the cham academy suggests only having this on for morning basking then turning it off?

Yep, seconding Flickboy's comment - my basking turns on/off in conjunction with my UVB and plant light. WIth the cage being so big, my cham can move around and thermo-regulate as he needs to. Turning the basking temperatures off allow the misting that you do overnight to settle and hang around for a bit like it would at night in the wild, and if your cham falls asleep near the basking spot, they won't be too hot all night.

 

[kinyonga]

You said…”The other half of the floor is course forest floor (like large chippings). I've attached a pic of the label”…if it’s wood chips small enough to go down your chameleon’s throat they could be accidentally ingested and lead to a blockage/impact ion. I’ve never done bioactive substrates for any chameleons I’ve had, so someone else will have to help you to do that. Sorry. Impaction is a death sentence iMHO.

 

[CatJ]

Hi everyone,
Update on set up having followed advice here and on the cham academy, (before n after pic shown above):
-Branches added so her back is 6" below the uvb light to hopefully achieve uvi 3
-new resting position available below the basking lamp for safe morning warm up.
-New foliage added for hiding places and to create shaded areas away from heat and uvb sources.
-Larger leaves added to capture water from the sprayer to allow her more time to drink.
- daily supplement replaced with calcium only and I'll use the other one fortnightly.
- I'm still looking into the uvb bulb type as this is meant to be the correct one for cham set up in this viv, but I'm taking your suggestions away for debate with local breeders.
- basking lamp sensor set alongside her branch to achieve 29-30 degrees C, but I've made sure it's warm on the back of my hand where she sits so she won't get burnt if she rests there.

I'll monitor her daily to watch for gaping behaviour, and am mindful of potential tongue injuries. And i still have plans to change the lay bin set up to a pot with live plants rather than built up soil bank.

Thank you all so much for your help and if there's anything urgent that I've missed please tell me! I really want the best for my cham so am learning as quick as I can!

 

[CalamityCrow]

Great job on your mods! I love that you have more plants now. Thanks for being super receptive to all the info that you've gotten so far. It is indeed a LOT to try and process.

I'd definitely get that linear light ASAP - your cham isn't getting proper UVB from that coil bulb. And personally I'd remove the large bark pieces as well. ESPECIALLY if she's free-feeding. One bit of bark that's too big to pass through her tiny intestines goes in her mouth with a locust, and that could spell the end. Impactions are no joke.

 

[Flick boy]

If I may also add one more thing with your current light set up your cham isn't really receiving the proper uvb and the basking temp in the one place, with a linear uvb and a basking dome this can be achieved

 

[CatJ]

Great job on your mods! I love that you have more plants now. Thanks for being super receptive to all the info that you've gotten so far. It is indeed a LOT to try and process.

I'd definitely get that linear light ASAP - your cham isn't getting proper UVB from that coil bulb. And personally I'd remove the large bark pieces as well. ESPECIALLY if she's free-feeding. One bit of bark that's too big to pass through her tiny intestines goes in her mouth with a locust, and that could spell the

Great job on your mods! I love that you have more plants now. Thanks for being super receptive to all the info that you've gotten so far. It is indeed a LOT to try and process.

I'd definitely get that linear light ASAP - your cham isn't getting proper UVB from that coil bulb. And personally I'd remove the large bark pieces as well. ESPECIALLY if she's free-feeding. One bit of bark that's too big to pass through her tiny intestines goes in her mouth with a locust, and that could spell the end. Impactions are no joke.

Definitely keen to react on all suggestions from people in the know. Just want to do the best for her.
What should I replace the chippings on the floor with please? They are very large bits and she's not eaten any so far, but i completely understand it only takes 1 time to spell the end.

 

[CatJ]

If I may also add one more thing with your current light set up your cham isn't really receiving the proper uvb and the basking temp in the one place, with a linear uvb and a basking dome this can be achieved

Hi, appreciate your comments, thank you. I'm not sure how I'd achieve having the uvb and basking light in the same place though? I currently have this light box Exo Terra Compact triple Canopy 60cm, pictured below. Her basking lamp sits behind this unit. So currently the basking and uvb lights are in apposite corners. Am I being a complete plum and missing an obvious solution?! (The bulb not currently lit up in the pics is a secondary heat bulb which I've turned off following advice here to reduce her temp)

 

[CalamityCrow]

Hi, appreciate your comments, thank you. I'm not sure how I'd achieve having the uvb and basking light in the same place though? I currently have this light box Exo Terra Compact triple Canopy 60cm, pictured below. Her basking lamp sits behind this unit. So currently the basking and uvb lights are in apposite corners. Am I being a complete plum and missing an obvious solution?! (The bulb not currently lit up in the pics is a secondary heat bulb which I've turned off following advice here to reduce her temp)

Is the top solid? No way to lay the light diagonal across the lid?

 

[CalamityCrow]

Definitely keen to react on all suggestions from people in the know. Just want to do the best for her.
What should I replace the chippings on the floor with please? They are very large bits and she's not eaten any so far, but i completely understand it only takes 1 time to spell the end.

For bioactive I don't have much knowledge but I think they JUST have soil. For my guy, I have a bare plastic floor with holes in it for drainage.

 

[Flick boy]

Hi, appreciate your comments, thank you. I'm not sure how I'd achieve having the uvb and basking light in the same place though? I currently have this light box Exo Terra Compact triple Canopy 60cm, pictured below. Her basking lamp sits behind this unit. So currently the basking and uvb lights are in apposite corners. Am I being a complete plum and missing an obvious solution?! (The bulb not currently lit up in the pics is a secondary heat bulb which I've turned off following advice here to reduce her temp)

Heat light slightly angled so the temp and uvb are both hitting and correct at a particular point at basking

 

[CatJ]

For bioactive I don't have much knowledge but I think they JUST have soil. For my guy, I have a bare plastic floor with holes in it for drainage.

OK, I don't have that option with it being a glass viv but I'm trying to arrange a meet up with some local breeders so will have a look at their set ups. Thank you again for all your help

 

[CatJ]

Heat light slightly angled so the temp and uvb are both hitting and correct at a particular point at basking

OK I'll have a play around and see what I can achieve. Thank you

 

[Flick boy]

Hi not sure why these weren't attached in the last post

 

[kinyonga]

With the lighting spread across the top of the cage, you’re not creating the chimney effect needed for good air flow in the cage…

 

[CalamityCrow]

Kinyonga has a good point - you won't ever have your viv dry out if the top is covered by those lights. That'll lead to RIs. What you want is a screen/mesh top and the lighting sitting on (or hanging just above) it. That'll allow you to have your UVB light diagonal across the whole viv, and the heat can be oriented in the area you want as well.