Little help please

[AnneKemp]

Have had my cham Chandler for a month now and today i have noticed that she has got some white marks on her back and head, is she shedding???
I have had a problem with her having a white nose but am trying to sort out her calcium and stuff, also i have just been watching her and she is sitting with her mouth open, she did it for about a minute and not since????
Help

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Vented metal, Grilled top. glass front
What are the dimensions? 3ft wide, 2ft deep, 2ft high.
Lighting - Reptiglo 5, 30 inch and Infa Red Heat bulb in Dome.
What is your daily lighting schedule? The lights go on when we get up
that includes basking lamp. then when she goes up to bed the main
light goes of and basking stays on for a little while then all out.
Temperature -
What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? between 70 and 80
in main area and 90 in the basking area.
Lowest overnight temp? Dont know
How do you measure these temps? Temperature Dials .
Humidity -
What are your humidity levels? moderate.
How are you creating and maintaining these levels? misting and dripper
What do you use to measure humidity? Analogue dial .
Plants -
Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? One ficus plant.
Location -
Where is your cage located? In bedroom opposite window, near door.
Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? No.
At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? 4ft

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Female, Yemen Veiled, About 6 months.
How long has it been in your care? 3 weeks
Handling -
How often do you handle your chameleon? havent. (am scared to)
Feeding -
What are you feeding your cham? Crickets
What amount? 10 to 15 a day
What is the schedule?morning, lunch and dinner
How are you gut-loading your feeders? Cricket Diet, gut loading supplement
Supplements -
What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you
dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Havent really got one yet but have all the minerals and supplements to hand,
i feed the crickets a gut loading supplement.
Watering -
What kind of watering technique do you use? At the moment misting
and have a dripper system
How often and how long to you mist? Once an hour for 2 minutes
Do you see your chameleon drinking? yes
Fecal Description -
Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings? White, black and wet !!
Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? No idea
History -
Any previous information ? Was in a pet shop for first 6 months
Current Problem - Just trying to get things sorted.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Sitting for a minute with her mouth open is not usually a good sign. It is likely her temps are 2 high. Do I understand correctly that you use 2 heat lamps during the day? Why do you keep one on for while at night? Is the room quite cold?

White flecks or spots on the back and head usually indicate a shed is about to begin. Your husbandry looks fine to me (with some question about the lighting). Misting once an hour for 2 minutes is great for her- but it might wear you out . Is this automatic, or are you doing it by hand? Be sure she and her cage are drying out between mistings.

There are a few good threads on this forum with supplement schedules. You can search "supplement schedule". But also there is a good supplement page on this website (by a senior member of the forum):
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

 

[AnneKemp]

I usually mist her by hand i have been drawing it out a bit to maybe once every 3 hours she is normally dry again by the next one, although she has just gone to bed a bit wet !!
I do have 2 lights on during the day, her heat lamp which has just been changed to a 50w sun glo daylight spot and then her tank light aswell. Im not sure why i keep one on for a bit longer just to make her feel comfy i suppose.
The heat readings at the mo are just under 80 in both spots but the lights are off.

Thanks.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Do you have any idea why she would sit with her mouth open ??
its the first time i have seen her do it !!!
Thanks.

I have seen this in 3 instances:

1. The cham is too hot- you should double check those temps and maybe crank it back to the high 80's for basking. Really, 85f is probably good for a 6 month old.

2. The cham has respiratory problems

3. The cham is trying to "pop" its shed. This happens when the cham is completely ready to shed and is flexing its muscles in its body and head and neck area in an attempt to get the skin of the shed to "pop" off the new skin. Not all chams do it, but it's cute to watch. One minute the cham looks a little cloudy, and the next minute it looks like it exploded!

 

[AnneKemp]

Fingers crossed its number 3.
Thanks

 

[kinyonga]

Do you have a place in the cage for her to dig in case she is carrying eggs?
I too have questions about your lighting...and your supplements, feeding and temperatures...I'm in a rush now though and will ask them later.