Jackson’s Chameleon Opening Mouth

[STONECOLDSAGE]

I just got a jackson’s chameleon for my birthday on June 13th. She’s probably still a baby as what I’ve been told by the people at petco but she’s huge to me. (I know they’re not very helpful. Found that out on the day I got her). I believe she’s probably about 2-3 months old. Regardless, not much longer after I got her, I noticed her mouth is open sometimes. I started to work on hydrating her more. She’s definitely hydrated. White poo. She isn’t lethargic at all, eats like a beast and I don’t hear any popping noises when she breathes. She just sometimes opens her mouth. Now today i witnessed a small strand from her mouth but I kinda assume it’s not mucus because her breathing seems fine and she acts just fine. PLEASE HELP.

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

I keep her temps pretty well. humidity levels and all. Her regular temp is around 72-73 everyday and basking light keeps her spot at around 81-82. I also keep the basking light a good distance above the cage so I’m very sure she isn’t overheating. I have the cups to keep the water from getting my carpet too wet to catch the water lmao plz excuse that. She’s still a baby as I said. She still has pieces of skin shedding on her head, back and now her tail is majorly shedding. I’ve read before chameleons sometimes open their mouths to shed that skin around their head better especially young ones. She just gained a new color too and can now turn yellow. PLEASE HELP.

 

[Mrjamwin]

She is gaping as a way to self regulate her heat. It's normal but you may have some husbandry issues. Here is a form for you to answer that will help us understand your Cham and setup better. Just fill it out and then one of our more experienced members will go over it with you.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[JacksJill]

I do have some concerns about her cage. Juveniles do better at temps below 78 max until they are at least 6-9 months old. The strand you saw could be the start of a URI keep a close eye on her while you improve her set up.

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

I do have some concerns about her cage. Juveniles do better at temps below 78 max until they are at least 6-9 months old. The strand you saw could be the start of a URI keep a close eye on her while you improve her set up.

ok so definitely handle my basking situation. understood. but honestly i wouldn’t say she’s really salivating or anything. she just opens that mouth! lmao and she’s moving and eating just fine. no wheezing or anything. but i’ll be sure to keep a close eye on her.

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

ok so definitely handle my basking situation. understood. but honestly i wouldn’t say she’s really salivating or anything. she just opens that mouth! lmao and she’s moving and eating just fine. no wheezing or anything. but i’ll be sure to keep a close eye on her.

also i’ve heard about them opening their mouths sometimes to help shed better around their heads. i can show pics. she’s still shedding on her head and back vastly too. could that be another reason or no that’s false?

 

[Beman]

Hi there... I think this link may help you. https://chameleonacademy.com/the-jacksons-chameleon-trioceros-jacksonii/
Also all the rest will too for proper set up but that link is the link specific to Jacksons.

 

[JacksJill]

They do yawn prior to shedding but stringy saliva is a sign could be nothing keep an eye on it. If you never see it again you are OK.

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

Hi there... I think this link may help you. https://chameleonacademy.com/the-jacksons-chameleon-trioceros-jacksonii/
Also all the rest will too for proper set up but that link is the link specific to Jacksons.

wowwww this really helped. i had always wondered about my temps. it’s gets in the 60s at night so i was scared about it. but that’s perfect temps that i have been maintaining. thanks for posting!

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

They do yawn prior to shedding but stringy saliva is a sign could be nothing keep an eye on it. If you never see it again you are OK.

now THIS makes a LOT of sense. she’s been doing that kinda thing for a bit. and she’s shedding MAJOR right now. i’ll show just her tail rn because it looks hilariously like a crusty foot

 

[JacksJill]

Note mine only yawn prior to shedding not during. Your cage is very bare and that creates stress that can deplete the immune system and lead to a bunch of infections. No matter what else you do you need to get some live plants in there and give her a bunch more branches to perch on.

 

[AmandaS]

You should seriously fill out that form that @Mrjamwin posted. It has sooo much info on it. It will give you thorough information that is crucial to the survival of your chameleon.

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

Note mine only yawn prior to shedding not during. Your cage is very bare and that creates stress that can deplete the immune system and lead to a bunch of infections. No matter what else you do you need to get some live plants in there and give her a bunch more branches to perch on.

she just started the shedding today officially. her back and face have been shedding but fully. i’m buying a new plant tomorrow to put in there and i’ve been thinking about getting a groot chia pet. is that a good plant too or no

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

she just started the shedding today officially. her back and face have been shedding but fully. i’m buying a new plant tomorrow to put in there and i’ve been thinking about getting a groot chia pet. is that a good plant too or no

the shedding on the tail just started today. her head and back have been shedding since i got her basically

 

[AmandaS]

Pothos, schefflera, croton, ficus, hibiscus are all good plants...there is a plant list somewhere on this site...

 

[AmandaS]

Just going to throw the idea out there one more time..
If you fill out that help form, you will have a very good idea what is going on here, since it covers ALL the bases. Without that info everyone is just taking their best guess at what is going on with limited info about it.

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

She is gaping as a way to self regulate her heat. It's normal but you may have some husbandry issues. Here is a form for you to answer that will help us understand your Cham and setup better. Just fill it out and then one of our more experienced members will go over it with you.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

She is gaping as a way to self regulate her heat. It's normal but you may have some husbandry issues. Here is a form for you to answer that will help us understand your Cham and setup better. Just fill it out and then one of our more experienced members will go over it with you.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

Chiya - Jackson’s Chameleon, 2-3 months, female, been in my care for about a month now

i try to handle her about every 2-3 hours, i feed her medium crickets and mealworms everyday. i start when she wakes up around 10:30-11 AM and i give her lunch around 2-3 and a small dinner around 5-6 PM

i give her calcium and vitamins everyday on her crickets and worms (repta-calcium)

i mist her cage everyday about 2 times at the least. and i have a dripper for her.

her poop is just fine. she pooped yesterday and it was good and her urates are a good white.

NO PREVIOUS INFO. AGE. NOTHING. PETCO SUCKS

she has a large chameleon kit screen cage and she has a 40 watt uvb light and the other light i forgot what it’s called but i’ll take pics of the setup.

i keep a good check of the temps. during the day it goes up 74 max. and at night it’s around 66 which is perfect for jackson’s chameleons. basking spot i can’t exactly tell u. her humidity is fine. the blue uvb light is 40 watt and i forgot the other light bulb name

 

[STONECOLDSAGE]

Just going to throw the idea out there one more time..
If you fill out that help form, you will have a very good idea what is going on here, since it covers ALL the bases. Without that info everyone is just taking their best guess at what is going on with limited info about it.

just posted it!

 

[JacksJill]

You are right Petco sucks everything they sent you home with is a mess. I think we can save her if we hurry. First thing you will need to stop handling her. I only ever handle mine to medicate them if necessary or to do something to their cage. Jackson's are shy and won't attack you but that doesn't mean the stress isn't killing them. Stress leads to illness like URI. Jackson's will not tolerate much supplement and very little D3 it can kill them if you give to much.
Briefly mealworms are very poor nutrition. -No lights at night. 12 hours of light 12 hours of darkness. -You will need better lighting as soon as you can afford it
I have to go now but you need to read this and I will go over other changes later if no one else has.
Please read especially supplement schedule and temps. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/ there is more to it than just this but it is a great start.

 

[NashansCamos]

Yes I mean it's not wrong to handle her but she's young and new so don't. Also may I point out jackson's are not an easy chameleon to take of. Also does the supplement ur using ahve d3?