Mouth open at the basking place

[Godzila]

Hello to everyone,

First of all I would like to congratulate this great forum.

I own a Female Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) from North Africa (Morocco).

My setup:
Exo Terra screen terrarium 24" x 18" x 24"
1X Exo Terra Repti Glo 2.0 Compact 26W (UVA)
1X Exo Terra Repti Glo 5.0 Compact 26W (UVB)
1X Exo Sun Glow tight beam Incandescent 100W (basking spot lamp)

(Repti Glo 2.5 and 5.0 are mounted on Exo Terra Compact Top Canopy)
(Sun Glow tight beam it’s mounted on Exo Terra Glow Light multi-purpose fixture)

I have this question to the forum:
I notice that my Cham sometimes open the mouth when she is at the basking spot.
Is this normal??
The temp. at the basking spot it’s about 86f.
I mist her and the plastic plants 2 times a day and she drinks the water, I see her open the mouth and lick the lips.
She looks wealthy and hydrated, she eat crickets, and worms.

PS. I’m a bass fisherman.

Thanks for your help,
Nuno

 

[Shaner]

Hello, and welcome to the forum, you will find the majority of your questions will be answered here. The people here are great!!

As for the mouth being opened, usually that is how reptiles thermoregulate, my beardie and frilled do it all the time, but I have never seen a chameleon do it. Don't freak out, I am sure it is nothing, usually that is how they thermoregulate though.

 

[kinyonga]

If she only does it under the basking light its likely thermoregulating.

How long have you had her? Is she an adult?

 

[opihiman]

I was noticing that you had a compact flourecent for you UVB. The small curlly one that looks like a light bulb. There have been a lot problems linked to using this bulb. Eye problems mostly. You may want to consided using a tube flourecent UVB instead.

I think most of the time Chams are thermoregulating when sitting with their mouths open just like kinyonga said. Unless you can hear popping and wheezing which is indicative of a URI

Welcome to the forums..

OPI

 

[Jbot]

the thermoregulating thing could be right but i remember my iguana doing the same thing when she was small. she gasped and would raise her head straight up as if she was having trouble breathing. it could have been because she was too hot under the lamp too but i'm not sure. just watch your cham's behavior and report it back.

 

[ciafardo 4]

yes its completely normal . you said your a bass fisherman i thought you were a salesman for exoterra by the way loose the compacts asap get reptisun 5.0 or since you are so fond of exoterra get the 8.0 tube hurry before everyone on this forum eats you alive those compacts are very dangerous to reptiles eyes they have caused deaths trust us on this throw them out

 

[ciafardo 4]

oh im sorry welcome to the forum now get rid of those compacts!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Godzila]

Yes, shes only opens the mouth on the basking site.
Don't know how old is she, she is 6" and i have her with me about two months.

Hehehe I'm not a salesman for exo-Terra, i mention the brand for you guys to know exactly what i have for my cham. and it´s the must inexpensive brand here in Portugal.

She is doing great i think, nice colors eating good, drinkig, lots of movement and strength.

I already read some comments about the compact UVB lamps and this type of lamps are not causing any problems on chameleons.
Does anyone had a problem on chameleons with this lamp?

Thanks for the help and sorry for my poor English, i´m from Portugal in Europe.
Nuno

 

[kinyonga]

6" from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail?

 

[Godzila]

Yes, tip of the nose to tip of the tail.

 

[SoCaliSon]

I already read some comments about the compact UVB lamps and this type of lamps are not causing any problems on chameleons.
Does anyone had a problem on chameleons with this lamp?

These lights are INFAMOUS for causing eye problems in herps. The level of UV they emit is just to intense, and has been found to cause severe irritation and blindness in captive herps. It is a situation where you won't see any problems using it... Until it causes a problem... But after the problem is there the damage has been done. Take the advice...You will save yourself a lot of headache in the longrun if you replace those with a Reptisun 5.0 tube.

 

[Godzila]

OK, i would take your advice and go for the Reptisun 5.0 tube lamp.

For my terrarium 24" x 18" x 24" which wattage should i use?
Just one Reptisun 5.0 tube lamp and one basking lamp?

 

[opihiman]

That sounds good....welcome to the forum!

Don't worry bout the english....I'm from the states and still haven't got it right.

LOL

OPI

 

[BoyGeorge]

Im not to up on Chams tbh as i have only just started keeping them. But I do know alot of other animals uses the moisture in their mouths to regulate their body temperatue. The moisture that is evapourated carrys heat away from the body. Not sure if its right but you could have a look in to it.

-- Karma Chameleon --

 

[Charliz]

My cham would sit with his mouth open under the basking lamp when the wattage was too high (too hot) As soon as I put a weaker light bulb in he stopped right away I use a 60W incandescent bulb as a basking light