Help I'm stressing out

[Bigbear85]

I just purchased a valid chameleon and I'm so little worried that I'm doing something wrong I got it appropriate cage screen cage it's pretty huge for size he is I think he's 6 months to 8 months he's still pretty young I could tell he's probably stressing out if he eats a lot but lately the past couple days he's been opening his mouth and the temperatures are right right now it is at 79 degrees is humidity at 44 degrees I have a water fountain in there I'm trying to keep him Atia but it seems really hard I have a humidifier I'm scared that he might be sick and I don't know but there's no signs there's no mucus or no noises and he's coming out of his mouth and he still eats a lot he's whatever I put in there so I'm a little worried and he does not want me around the cage at all what should I do

 

[Carlton]

If he's eating a lot he isn't super stressed or sick. In your pic he doesn't look stressed. Chams often gape when they are basking because they are regulating internal temperature, sort of like a dog panting. If he moves away from the basking area soon after that's exactly what he should be doing. If he can move in and out of the heat that's what you want. Have you read the excellent cham husbandry articles located under the forum's Resources tab? You can compare your setup to them and see what needs to be modified.

The water fountain is a bad idea. They don't actually do much for the cage humidity, poop and loose feeder insects fall into the water and create a grungy bacterial soup you don't want your cham drinking, and they are a PITA to keep clean. Its pretty normal for him to NOT want you around his cage. He's adjusting to his new surroundings and being territorial. As he settles in he will tolerate you more. Some veiled chams are more tolerant of their people than others.

And, just a friendly suggestion.....punctuation is your friend. It makes your posts so much easier to read

 

[jamest0o0]

At 79 degrees that's too cold for basking. Fill out the help form stickies at the top of the health subforum please, and listen to the above^

 

[etclement]

Could we get a pic of the back feet? If the cham truly is 6-8 months the size of the casque and coloration makes me think you have a female!

 

[etclement]

(S)he also might be getting ready to lay. Veileds can reach egg laying age as early as 6 months. I would look up how to put together a laying bin and put it at the bottom of the cage.

 

[kinyonga]

I agree with etclement...she might be gravid. I would get an opaque container at least 12" deep x 12" x 8" filled with washed play sand that is moist enough to hold a tunnel in her cage ASAP and leave it there. However...she's not showing the mustard yellow splotches of a sexually mature female in that photo. Is it a recent photo?