Female Flap neck chameleon PLEASE HELP!!!???

[CaptainPrice]

Hi all sorry for the caps up top
So i have a female flap neck chameleon about 3- 4 years old
this is not my first flap neck its about my 5th
Since then i had no problems I live in South Africa her cage is in my backyard its a 20m by 20m green house with orchids from my mother and grandmother in and a tree and plants the greenhouse got green netting inside and a misting system up top

My problem: Since the last month she has been sitting with her mouth open in the day about a 1 - 2 and when she wakes up she gets this 2 very quicklly shakes / twitches then everything is fine

She eats grasshoppers / flies and dragonflys
She drinks water from the misting system when the drops fall onto the leaves
PLEASE HELP?
Taking to vet is no option since the nearest vet is 500km
LOL

 

[CaptainPrice]

I would really like help on this today she looks bit better didnt shake this morning but did sit with her mouth open from early this morning please help anyone?

 

[Devokid]

It might be an upper respiratory infection. Is her breathing labored or quick? Can you hear any popping sounds? If not, she might just be too warm. My male panther gapes often to cool down, he's just too lazy to walk out of the heat

 

[CaptainPrice]

She seems fine now her breathing is normal but what is that quick spikes she gets in the morning

 

[kplatvoet]

Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry about your flapneck.
Hopefully you'll get some more help when some of the more senior members wake up - most of the experts are asleep right now - I have a flapneck but have only had her a short time - and most of the problems I've seen with them in the past result from them either being wild caught or a problem with how they are being kept- I don't see any thing jumping out.

 

[Trace]

Hi there!

I'd love to see pictures of your Flapneck Chameleon; they are definitely endemic to your area and I find it interesting to see them in their local habitat. Do you see other chameleons like the Bradtpodion species where you are?

In regards to the open mouth, if there is no popping or wheezing sounds, excessive saliva I'd likely say she is simply too hot. Chameleons do gape when they are too warm and if I'm reading that correctly it is during the hottest part of the day. I would move the cage to a shady area (they still benefit from the sun) and provide some extra water during the day.

The shaking is perfectly normal. I'm not sure if there is a technical term for it but I call it the morning stretch. It's a twist, with open mouth and shudder and they do it shortly after waking and warming up. I don't know if there is a physiological reason for it but it's something chameleons do.

Cheers,
Trace

 

[laurie]

This may be a stupid question, but as you have a greenhouse, does your cham get enough UVB? Lucky cham to have a greenhouse.

 

[CaptainPrice]

Hi all
My cam does get enough uvb and seems very happy today temps in greenhouse was 27 to 35 celcuis so i misted twice today pictures of a month ago in my house

 

[CaptainPrice]

Hi all
My cam does get enough uvb and seems very happy today temps in greenhouse was 27 to 35 celcuis so i misted twice today pictures of a month ago in my house. she sat with her mouth open today but after misting she closed it

 

[kplatvoet]

She's beautiful-

 

[Trace]

Yeah she is very pretty! Nice Flapneck.

FWIW it's was -35 Celsius when I woke up this morning; it's not too much better right now. (-27C) I'm coming to live in your greenhouse.

 

[jannb]

She is beautiful and looks so sweet. She reminds me of my graceful Tate.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/members/jannb-albums-tate-my-sweet-little-boy.html
I also wanted to add that Tate starts sitting around with his mouth open about a week before he sheds. The first time he did it I was emailing my vet to see if something might be wrong. He told me that a few species have been known to do this. He is also so funny to watch when he sheds. Look at these video.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=gytAzfR36CI
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=O9lvWF9X-w8

 

[CaptainPrice]

Thanks guys for all the kind comments and the support she ate 2 dragonflys today LOL