Chameleon mouth open

[CAMTHECHAM]

Hey guys!
I was just wondering if my panther chameleon has an RI or not.
I looked at his cage today and saw him with his mouth wide open but looked closer and there was no saliva or anything in his mouth.
So I went into his cage he crawled up to my arm and i listened by my ear for any forced breathing. the only thing i heard was the thing he does anyway when he doesn't like what I'm doing. (A little nose hiss)
he is pretty close to his lamp when he does this so I think it might just be him regulating his temperatures but i can't be sure.
Thanks!

 

[carol5208]

If he is only doing it when close to the lamp then he is getting overheated and trying to cool down. What is the basking temp? I would try lowering it and see if that helps.

 

[CAMTHECHAM]

Alright, His basking temp is around 87 degrees...should i lower it then?

 

[CAMTHECHAM]

By the way he only does it once in a while

 

[CAMTHECHAM]

okay...he stopped today after actually lowering his perch and he is great and back to normal!

 

[kwengkynator]

Usually they do that to cool down. if this only happens occasionally, I recommend misting them when you see this behavior and that should be enough. If this is a daily occurrence change the light fixture of the bulb into something with a wider area not a focus beam. If that doesn't help change the bulb. I myself have multiple fixtures and bulbs depending on the weather and season.

 

[Crazy126]

From what I have been told and this comes from Herptologist and other professionals ( NO NOT THE PETSMART GUY.) Typically unless it is URI or something of that nature then the reptile is gaping. Most think this is a cooling down response and technically it is but its more of a micromanage of heat. Reptiles do this when there temps are pretty much dead on what they are needing to be. This is of course assuming that they have other areas in there containment that are a little above and a little below normal to go to. If the whole living space is the same temp then yes to hot. Chameleons and Bearded Dragons, both of which I own, there tanks range from a little above normal temps to a little below. The wonderful thing about these reptiles is they will self acclimate. If they are overly hot they will move to a cooler place. This is why it is important to give them a range in there containment. With that being said If your containment has a range that goes a from little above to a little below there normal range and you catch him/her gaping then they are where they want and need to be. They are just micromanaging there temp to keep it more steady so to speak. Again and this is very important. THIS is only if they have a range in there containment WHICH IS A MUST...

 

[fluxlizard]

With that being said If your containment has a range that goes a from little above to a little below there normal range and you catch him/her gaping then they are where they want and need to be. They are just micromanaging there temp to keep it more steady so to speak.

This is spot on correct and is the correct way to look at lizard husbandry.

Nature doesn't provide 86.5 basking sites and lizards may choose to heat up a little warmer than normal for whatever biological reasons (kicking the digestion up a notch, fighting an mild infection, etc). When they do this, they may gape and pant. As long as the behavior is not forced (by no thermogradient or no escape from the heat or by a simple and unnatural hot spot/cold cage) then it is perfectly normal.

Just as normal as a dog lying in the sun or near a fire in the fireplace panting when there is shade nearby. When you see a dog doing this you don't run out and spray him down with water to cool him down or quickly extinguish the fire in the fireplace.