Hiccuping Chameleon

[NorCalAnthony]

So today, while I was at work, my wife heard our Nosy Be Poseidon making some funny noises while she was feeding everyone. We could be wrong but she swears he's hiccuping and it kinda looks like it to me too lol. By the time she grabbed her phone to get it on video she missed all but the last one. Here's the trimmed down video she got:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmO18Frm5Vg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Has anyone else's chameleons ever had the hiccups?

 

[chefboyardee]

thats crazy! totally caught me off guard, did not expect to get barked at by a cham

does he only do it when someone is around him? maybe he's trying to scare your wife away?

Im assuming hes healthy otherwise? no stringy saliva or problems breathing?

 

[LLGabriel]

Wow that's so crazy. I've never heard this before! Poor little guy.. I can only imagine! I hate the hiccups. Lol

 

[houseofchameleons]

We have a panther that had done that and it is more coughing than hiccups usually if he aspirated water while drinking or when he was little he had an infection that caused coughing. If it continues get him a vet check up

 

[Psychobunny]

A big spoonful of peanutbutter (all in one 'gulp') is the best "home made"
cure for hiccups, but a cham!!?? I dont know!

 

[NorCalAnthony]

It was definitely a surprise for me too when my wife was telling me about it and then I saw the video of the poor guy... I didn't even know chameleons could get the hiccups.

chefboyardee - He's never made that sound before and we've had him for almost a year now (since he was a baby). He's also one of our friendliest chams and willingly comes out of his cage whenever we open the door so I doubt it's a reaction to people or anything like that. Though a chameleon barking at people that got too close to their cage would be awesome He is very healthy and has never had any type of medical issues since we brought him home. Besides finding out that he wasn't a female ambilobe like we were told when we bought him at the reptile show that is

houseofchameleons - I don't think it's likely that he aspirated any water since he usually backs away from the mister nozzle whenever the Mist King goes off though it's not impossible. This was the first and only time I've ever heard him make the noise but if he starts doing it again I'll take him in for a quick check up just to be safe. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[Lathelia]

My female did that too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuAJGvPspC0
She did that few times in two days and then she stopped. I have no idea what it was, but I was quite worried at that time

 

[houseofchameleons]

I took video of ours doing it & vet confirmed coughing

 

[rickd5]

This is exactly what my cham was doing and I was worried about an RI.

My vet ruled out an RI, I have no idea why he does this. But he even did it while he was asleep one night

https://www.chameleonforums.com/respiration-question-117830/

 

[vdoochameleon]

Sounds like he was coffin on food.

 

[symphonica]

I know this is a bit of an old thread, but my cham has been doing this lately. Sounds and looks just like the video mat posted. However, my cham had only been doing it in his sleep - lights out, eyes closed.

I also thought RI, so went to vet, who said his lungs sounded clear and that there were no signs of RI. Gave him antibiotics subcutaneously just in case. A week later, I brought him back in for follow-up. Still no signs of RI, but still making these funny noises in his sleep.

I want to take a video of it, but have so far been unsuccessful. Because the room is pitch black, I need to either turn on the room light or use a flashlight to film. He stops doing it every time the lights go on/he wakes up.

Do these guys have dreams? Sounds almost like my dog "barking" when he's dreaming. Do you think the drop in humidity (dry air) at night from the MistKing brig shut off makes him cough? I'm not concerned about it, but I wish I knew that it is!