Breathing through mouth a few times

[Boston Pitty]

• Your Chameleon - Male jackson. About 6-7 months. I've had him about a month
• Handling - only about 3-5 times in the last month.
• Feeding - main food is crickets but I do give him the atleast one of the following along side crickets dub/spotted roaches, superworms, meal worms, wax worms, and stink bugs. Med.size crickets atleast 3-5 depending on how big and how many he wants to eat. Ussually roaches is what I give him the most of next. I gut load with right now sweet peppers & orange cube (trying to go with fresher stuff and move away from the cubes). I tong feed him and every niw and again i will let one or two (after the normal feed) go so he cat hunt. I also leave a cup with superworms and a few crickets, but rarely does he eat from it.
• Supplements - exo brand of cal. Daily with crickets. Twice a month with reptivite (D3) and Twice a month with herptivite (No D3)
• Watering - a good warm misting every morning(his morning shower) ussually lasting about 5 min. A reptirain mister running for 1 minute every 3 hours (I'm saving up to get a mist king for his big boy cage). I also do a last mist by hand if I get home in time the lasts about 2 min. There is also a dripper and a humidifyer that I put a hose on and have it coming down like a fog into the cage.
• Fecal Description - poop is dark brown. Solid. Also there is the white droppings (pee?) Not to far from the poop.
• History - captive bred. I did get him from petco where he was kept in a tank.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - he's in the large reptibreeze cage. Came in a kit, its the only thing I kept from the kit.
• Lighting - zoomed holagen splash proof 75watt for basking. The t8 rainforest uvb strip light.
• Temperature - I use a digital temp. By the basking spot. It hangs around 85 bust has reached 90 before. I just use a gage for the bottom level of the cage and it stays around 60.
• Humidity - I use a gage. Mornings + evenings it stays around 60 but during the day between mistings it drops to 40. I have a humidifier that I used a hose to turn it into a fogger. Hand spray 2 times a day on days I work and 3 times on my off days. A reptirain system that runs for a minute every 3 hours.
• Plants - 1 large unbrealla plant, a smaller one, and a tiny little tropical one.
• Placement - in my living room next to my gaming desk. We don't have a lot of people over so not to much traffic, however we do have 4 cats and 2 dogs, but they never bother with the cage. The most activity from my other pets is one of my cats likes to watch me feed him. Otherwise the fish tank is the real fun for the cats. Dogs dont even act like he's there. We do have a window about 2 feet from the cage, curtain is closed most of the time other than on nice days.
• Location - ohio. Currently going through all 4 seasons.

Current Problem - today I noticed Argo moving around a lot more. This last week he's been active. He went through a shed about a week ago as well. The weird thing is he would stop on his vine (middle of his cage) and on a branch just a little bit higher up and open his mouth and start breathing. Almost like he was moving around so much he ran out of breath. He also had a lot of siliva in the corners of his mouth (never really got to see the inside of his mouth well before, maybe this ia normal?) He's been eatting, but not as much as he ussually eats. Maybe a cricket or two less.

He does have a vet app. Wensday, but is this something that I'm over reacting over being worried or is there something going on? He's going still for a yearly, just want some more input on the breathing.

I know the moving around can mean he needs a bigger cage. I am saving up right now to get him a big one that he deserves

 

[VerucaSalt]

• Your Chameleon - Male jackson. About 6-7 months. I've had him about a month
• Handling - only about 3-5 times in the last month.
• Feeding - main food is crickets but I do give him the atleast one of the following along side crickets dub/spotted roaches, superworms, meal worms, wax worms, and stink bugs. Med.size crickets atleast 3-5 depending on how big and how many he wants to eat. Ussually roaches is what I give him the most of next. I gut load with right now sweet peppers & orange cube (trying to go with fresher stuff and move away from the cubes). I tong feed him and every niw and again i will let one or two (after the normal feed) go so he cat hunt. I also leave a cup with superworms and a few crickets, but rarely does he eat from it.
• Supplements - exo brand of cal. Daily with crickets. Twice a month with reptivite (D3) and Twice a month with herptivite (No D3)
• Watering - a good warm misting every morning(his morning shower) ussually lasting about 5 min. A reptirain mister running for 1 minute every 3 hours (I'm saving up to get a mist king for his big boy cage). I also do a last mist by hand if I get home in time the lasts about 2 min. There is also a dripper and a humidifyer that I put a hose on and have it coming down like a fog into the cage.
• Fecal Description - poop is dark brown. Solid. Also there is the white droppings (pee?) Not to far from the poop.
• History - captive bred. I did get him from petco where he was kept in a tank.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - he's in the large reptibreeze cage. Came in a kit, its the only thing I kept from the kit.
• Lighting - zoomed holagen splash proof 75watt for basking. The t8 rainforest uvb strip light.
• Temperature - I use a digital temp. By the basking spot. It hangs around 85 bust has reached 90 before. I just use a gage for the bottom level of the cage and it stays around 60.
• Humidity - I use a gage. Mornings + evenings it stays around 60 but during the day between mistings it drops to 40. I have a humidifier that I used a hose to turn it into a fogger. Hand spray 2 times a day on days I work and 3 times on my off days. A reptirain system that runs for a minute every 3 hours.
• Plants - 1 large unbrealla plant, a smaller one, and a tiny little tropical one.
• Placement - in my living room next to my gaming desk. We don't have a lot of people over so not to much traffic, however we do have 4 cats and 2 dogs, but they never bother with the cage. The most activity from my other pets is one of my cats likes to watch me feed him. Otherwise the fish tank is the real fun for the cats. Dogs dont even act like he's there. We do have a window about 2 feet from the cage, curtain is closed most of the time other than on nice days.
• Location - ohio. Currently going through all 4 seasons.

Current Problem - today I noticed Argo moving around a lot more. This last week he's been active. He went through a shed about a week ago as well. The weird thing is he would stop on his vine (middle of his cage) and on a branch just a little bit higher up and open his mouth and start breathing. Almost like he was moving around so much he ran out of breath. He also had a lot of siliva in the corners of his mouth (never really got to see the inside of his mouth well before, maybe this ia normal?) He's been eatting, but not as much as he ussually eats. Maybe a cricket or two less.

He does have a vet app. Wensday, but is this something that I'm over reacting over being worried or is there something going on? He's going still for a yearly, just want some more input on the breathing.

I know the moving around can mean he needs a bigger cage. I am saving up right now to get him a big one that he deserves

Just sending you positive energy. We bought our Jackson 9 weeks ago from a Petco here in MI. Horrible experience. He is opening mouth as well, tilted head up and acting "winded". We made the mistake of thinking their health guarantee ment they actually cared for and tested and observed the animals remitted for treatment. They literally called the next morn after less than 24 hrs to say he was eating and drinking fine.....exac exa what I told them. Their vet never even checked with me to ask what was the issue, tho I relayed all his symptoms to the worker when bringing him in.

I will say, use your own reptile specialist. The store could care less about animals, they just revolve them the same as a food that's expired. I have had a severe crash course in chain store issues, as well as every possible health issue our Cham can suffer from, so I'm taking the lesson aspect as a positive of this whole nightmare.

Ours is so ridiculously personable, loves coming out and being in the sun on your shoulder, and even prefers to drink straight from your misting bottle. He lunges at it when not drinking from his dripper/leaves lol. They are all such beautiful and fantastic creatures, it's a shame the fate some suffer as a result of a few bad humans coming in contact with them.

 

[Boston Pitty]

I work for petco and atleast at my store we do take them to local reptile vets (atleast my store). Problem is the cages we have there are not made for chameleons

I know problems can stem from that. My guy is doing much better noe that he is with me in a proper cage. I show everyone photos of what one month can do for them being in proper cage and getting more than crickets. I just wish corporte would get in the proper set up for chameleons.

 

[VerucaSalt]

I work for petco and atleast at my store we do take them to local reptile vets (atleast my store). Problem is the cages we have there are not made for chameleons

I know problems can stem from that. My guy is doing much better noe that he is with me in a proper cage. I show everyone photos of what one month can do for them being in proper cage and getting more than crickets. I just wish corporte would get in the proper set up for chameleons.

I abso understand, the staff at ours?? They were so awesome!!! It's just the limits the chain has to allwong them to do a great job. It's truly unfortunate.

that's Gus as of tonight. He us going to avherp specialist in the morning thankfully. I hope yours resolves quickly and painlessly for you both!!

 

[Remkon]

75watt basking bulb on a jaxonii? From that I think him sitting with his mouth open is thermoregulating, a bit of saliva in the mouth is ok, but when it's foamy and you can hear him breathe it's likely an RI in which case it's good you have that vet appointment.

90F (I'm guessing it's actually higher) is to hot for basking 85f tops but personally I stayed on more like 82f as I noticed him thermoregulating a lot if warmer, especially during the warmer times of the year.

While temp gauges are nice nothing beats an IR thermometer as it measures surface temp instead of air temp. I'd suggest you get a cheap one (amazon/aliexpress for like 7$) What you should then do is place an object (preferably not white) about the same hight as the animal on the baskingspot and leave it there for like 15mins, then measure the temp of the object with the ir gun and you'll have the actual temperature of your animal when basking. (Dont use your hand as the object)

 

[Boston Pitty]

It's not while he's basking. He walks around rhe cage and around the mid level he stops and starts breathing from his mouth almost like he's out of breath

 

[Boston Pitty]

I also don't hear anything when He's breathing like that. I kept listening to him when I saw him do that because I read about that

 

[JapSolum]

yeah if it was in a basking spot I think I'd be less worried. if hes towards the middle of the cage, probably somewhere somewhat shaded. and doing it, it may be a bigger problem. as @Remkon said, watch for saliva being foamy or a dark brown color, and if you hear him breathing (little pops) it could really be respiratory infection. I have a veiled, and I'm pretty sure jacksons need more humidity. though im not positive on correct range, but it seems like he is getting a lot. between daily showers,automatic misting, hand misting and the fogger that might be too much for him. but the levels you're reporting would suggest otherwise. think you're doing the right thing taking him to the vet.

 

[Boston Pitty]

I think my humidiy gage isn't in a good spot in the cage. I'll pick up another one and place it in a different spot and see if it's different rrading. So far today he hasn't done it. Could it have been because I had the windows open? Maybe breathing in the fresh outside air?

 

[JapSolum]

could be, but I think breathing through their nose would suffice for that. I'd say vet visit still isnt bad idea

 

[Boston Pitty]

Just got back from the vet. Its a uri. Vet thinks it couod be a combo of coming from the petstore and with the stress of moving to a new home. Everything else looks good, just got meds that I have to give him daily. Also we are going back in 2 weeks to see how hes doing

 

[Boston Pitty]

Just an update: Argo went back today for his check up and got the all clear frim the vet. Not only is he feeling better but he has put on 3 grams in 2 weeks so yea!

 

[JacksJill]

Good news! Good job on catching it and getting it treated.