Frankie's health

[frankiecham]

So, not to long ago, I posted about his health issue. It hasn't happened again, but now I believe he has a respiratory infection. He gapes often and makes a weird phlegm noise. He eats fine. He wonders around his usual spot. He's bright colors. A little dehydrated, but he drinks enough water and has a humidifier on. We are in the cold part of the month, so water comes more frequently because the air is dry. Anyways, we don't have a vet near by or the funds. For his safety, would it be OK to put him in an aquarium? Humidity and temp would be constantly monitored. I'll buy something for the air flow. At night, when he has one of his gaping episodes, he almost falls. His cage is 5ft high, so I get worried. I've had to save him a couple times. I just want to make sure he's safe. It already breaks my heart that I can't help him feel better. I'll throw up if he ends up falling when I'm not around. The aquarium is my mom's old beardies. 4ft long and top is completely mesh. I just want to make sure he doesn't get injured during this already hard time for him....

PS I'm not answering 500 questions about him and his enclosure again. He's 2 now, veiled, good eating habits, lighting is updated, misted 3 times at before light turn off, and humidifier going throughout the night since it is severely dry. This started about 2 weeks ago. It has slowly been getting worse. Very slowly at that.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. What has your humidity and temps been during the day and at night? Instead of putting him in an aquarium tank, could you perhaps add some extra branches below where he sleeps? Some have even put up a type of netting to help their falling chams. I used to sneak in at night to hang a little handkerchief below my sick cham to protect her if she fell. If your guy has an RI, he will need a vet visit to resolve it.

 

[kinyonga]

You said…”He gapes often and makes a weird phlegm noise”…how often does he do this? Once a day? Week? Hour? When he’s sitting in the basking area or just anywhere in the cage?

 

[frankiecham]

Hi. What has your humidity and temps been during the day and at night? Instead of putting him in an aquarium tank, could you perhaps add some extra branches below where he sleeps? Some have even put up a type of netting to help their falling chams. I used to sneak in at night to hang a little handkerchief below my sick cham to protect her if she fell. If your guy has an RI, he will need a vet visit to resolve it.

Humidity is a little less then 40 during the day. Around 90 at night. Basking area is usually around 92. I'll find some netting. He getting worse each day. Unfortunately, there is no reptile vet anywhere near me. Closest is 2 hours away. We've also been really tight on money...

 

[frankiecham]

You said…”He gapes often and makes a weird phlegm noise”…how often does he do this? Once a day? Week? Hour? When he’s sitting in the basking area or just anywhere in the cage?

Kind of like gurgling. Head up. Every hour now... he does it in any area in his cage.

 

[MissSkittles]

Humidity is a little less then 40 during the day. Around 90 at night. Basking area is usually around 92. I'll find some netting. He getting worse each day. Unfortunately, there is no reptile vet anywhere near me. Closest is 2 hours away. We've also been really tight on money...

92 is a bit too warm. The ideal is low to mid 80’s. What are your night time temps like though? 40% humidity during the day is perfect. In order to have higher humidity at night, you have to have temps lower than at least 68-70. High heat plus high humidity is the recipe for respiratory infections. If he does indeed have one, I’m afraid it won’t get better without antibiotics.