Open mouth

[Tonyerz]

hello
I haven't been on here for a while now.

I been having some concerns for a couple of days now with my chameleon ...meshes a meller I have had for for over 2 years now and she has been sitting in her cage with her mouth open. I can't seem to understand why she is doing this, and wondering if it is a health concern. Also her cage is not over heated and is at room temp. Has anyone seen this behaviour in a chameleon or is it something that I might need to worry about. I have also noticed that he belly as well is getting a bit bigger too.

 

[Lathis]

Are you sure it's a "she"? I've read that Mellers can be very difficult to sex unless one lays eggs or everts the hemepenes. She might be ready to lay eggs - she does look very, very round. Do you have a lay bin set up for her? Has her color changed recently?

As for the open mouth, typically you want to check temperatures and signs for URI. Have you checked the temperatures at the specific spot where she basks? Maybe a new bulb or changes in weather could have effected the basking temperature? Have you checked for popping or noisy breathing in case it might be a respiratory infection? Does she only do it when you are near? Could you be scaring her? If she is ready to lay eggs, she might be touchy right now...

Just a few thoughts. If you have kept a Mellers alive and healthy for a few years, you know more than I do about them. We have a few members here with Meller's experience. Hopefully one will see this and jump in.

 

[Meg4433]

I have a Panther that sat around recently with his mouth open. He had tons of saliva. I am not sure why he was doing this. I thought he might be sick or dehydrated. I took him to the vet. They gave him a vitamin shot, a shot to hydrate him, and antibiotics. He seem better. He doesn't have his mouth open. Idk though. Just my experience.

 

[carol5208]

I have a Panther that sat around recently with his mouth open. He had tons of saliva. I am not sure why he was doing this. I thought he might be sick or dehydrated. I took him to the vet. They gave him a vitamin shot, a shot to hydrate him, and antibiotics. He seem better. He doesn't have his mouth open. Idk though. Just my experience.

He sounds like he had a respiratory infection. Excess saliva and open mouth breathing are two of the signs. Did the vet not mention this??

 

[carol5208]

Her coloring does not look too good and you are right the stomach looks bloated. That coupled with the open mouth is reason to get your chameleon to the vet. Open mouth breathing is just one sign of a respiratory infection. There could be something else more sinister going on. I would get some xrays to check for eggs also. I believe they can lay infertile eggs like many of the other species of chameleons.

 

[Meg4433]

He sounds like he had a respiratory infection. Excess saliva and open mouth breathing are two of the signs. Did the vet not mention this??

The vet mentioned that the extra savliva was proably an RI.

 

[Tonyerz]

Thanks for all the replies.

Well I been watching her closely and today she has not seemed to have her mouth open at all. She doesn't have excessive saliva, no noise when she breaths, I also know she's finishing up a shed as well. I just finish buying her last month a new enclosure that cost me 1000$. This is a new environment to her then what she has been use to for the past little while. She's been adjusting to it fine but like I said the past few days her behaviour as changed a bit. I have been thinking maybe the wood chips on the bottom that could be causing a issue. Becusse she use to run when she seen food now she is barely eating. I will upload another pic of her today. Also to the comment asking how I know the sex .... Well I am not certain sh has never laid eggs for the 3 years that I have had her ... 3 or just over 2 years .... I mean. So I can't be for sure but from what I been told from the store I her at and also the vets I have brought her to a few times I been always told she's a she. I know she has past the 90 day cycle as they are known as the 90 day chameleon and nothing much has changed with her daily living and environment except for the new enclosure as of the 20th of Oct.

But I will definitely watch it for any Respitory infection symptoms for the next few days .. If her behaviour continues she will definitely been seen by a vet ,.. Thanks for all your guys advice. It was appreciated .... Below is a pic of her today.

 

[Tonyerz]

This is Sarah today, even her stomach went down

 

[Tonyerz]

Sarah now basking

 

[TheCoop]

Could have just been a bit hot, in the updated pic she/he looks fine.. The abdobinal bloat could have just been the position she/he was in.. Great looking animal.

 

[jpowell86]

Open mouth could have been high temps or URI. I would pay attention to the way she is sleeping. If she tries to sleep vertical or keep her head lifted while sleeping, I would lean more towards a URI. My opinion would lean more towards the change of enclosure. I am not sure how she was kept previous to the new enclosure, but this one appears to be glass or plexiglass. I would bet that she/he was catching reflections in in the glass and showing territorial responses. The first set of pictures definitely shows a stressed chameleon. That's just my opinion. Two of my Melleri have preferred traditional cage settings while my others free range only. She might just need to settle in for a while longer!

 

[Tonyerz]

Thank you for your response.

Yes it could be the enclosure ... Like I said it's all new to her. Also she never sleeps with her head in the air or sleeps on a vertical .... I had bought a 1000$ glass enclosure to help her with the humidity .... I had her in a few different enclosures to see what she did best in. Her pervious one was a screen cage and it was very difficult to keep humidity in and also was pretty small. I have also done a free range cage at one point of time and she didn't do well in that at all ... She was always falling out of it and just getting away from the cage itself where I have lots of other animals. So I picked this cage here because it's really big and I also leave the doors open for air and if she wants to roam around. This environment is 100 times better then her last one.

I will definitely keep an eye out to watch her behaviour. Later on tonight she had done it again but only once.

 

[jpowell86]

I completely understand that. It is a lot of experimenting with Melleri. I started all mine off in screen cages as well and only two have preferred it. I would love to see a picture of your complete enclosure!! Did you have it custom built? Macumba is my oldest Meller's and I've had her for 4 years. Sometimes she does the mouth opening for no apparent reason at all. No change in enclosure, no change in placement......it just happens. Who knows??

 

[Tonyerz]

I agree, melleris are definitely different. You need to find out what's best for them and what they like lol (meaning enclourses). The enclourses I got was not custom built. It's big to me but I am also going to put tree trees on the sides of the enclourse and leave the front door open to she can get out and walk around on the trees and go back in whenever she likes.

So I need noticing some behaviour change since Monday. Last night I seen that she was definitely sleeping on a vertical. I most likely will need to bring her in tomorrow for an appointment with the vet to just make sure. I had her for so long and they are great investments every dollar spent is worth it. Also I had a question for you. If she is a girl I had her for 3 years wouldn't she have laid eggs within the time I have had her even if they weren't fertial ???

 

[Tonyerz]

Since I bought this last month I am still working on the inside. More sticks and stuff. I had a fountain but removed it. Too many dead crickets ....

 

[Carlton]

I agree, melleris are definitely different. You need to find out what's best for them and what they like lol (meaning enclourses). The enclourses I got was not custom built. It's big to me but I am also going to put tree trees on the sides of the enclourse and leave the front door open to she can get out and walk around on the trees and go back in whenever she likes.

So I need noticing some behaviour change since Monday. Last night I seen that she was definitely sleeping on a vertical. I most likely will need to bring her in tomorrow for an appointment with the vet to just make sure. I had her for so long and they are great investments every dollar spent is worth it. Also I had a question for you. If she is a girl I had her for 3 years wouldn't she have laid eggs within the time I have had her even if they weren't fertial ???

It's not quite as straightforward as it is in veileds or panthers. And, not all individuals produce infertile clutches anyway. Some keepers think melleri can reabsorb unfertilized ova. I'd have to check the Melleri Discovery site to see what they wrote about it.

 

[Carlton]

Since I bought this last month I am still working on the inside. More sticks and stuff. I had a fountain but removed it. Too many dead crickets ....

Most keepers eventually discover that fountains are more work than they are worth.

 

[jpowell86]

Carlton is right. Melleri are completely different in this matter. From my understanding, an adult female will produce annual clutches regardless of it being fertile or infertile. The difference was mentioned above....I 100% believe that they can reabsorb the infertile ova. One of my females...I know she is a female because she laid eggs during her second year with me, has shown the same gravid coloration and behavior as the second year several times, yet a month or two down the line she does a 180 and seems to be back to normal. Now that's just my experience. As far as the enclosure, good call on removing the waterfall. Mine would never drink from them, but they absolutely loved to poop in them. I think you should try to find some schefflera aboricola for the enclosure. I am fond of these plants because they seem to hold up well to the weight of these giants plus it will help with humidity levels and you enclosure looks like it could definitely fit a couple. Just a suggestion. Thanks for sharing your enclosure with us and I hope the vet visit is a success.