Possible respiratory problem please help!

xephyr17

New Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Veiled Chameleon, approximately 1.5 years. I've had him for about 5 days now.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Couple times a day.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I feed him crickets on a calcium diet. I put in about 10 a day--not sure how many he gets every day, though. Otherwise, blue bottle flies, a superworm, butterworms and I've given him 1 waxworm since I've had him. He's also got a pothos that he eats on and a pilea. Haven't seen him touch the colius. He's also had some blueberries, strawberries and a raspberry.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I've got Flunker's calcium without D3 that I've been using daily. I'll be giving him D3 and multivitamin 2 times a month--which I started giving him today.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I have a little dripper in place right now. I mist the cage about 3-5 times a day. I watched him drink a TON the day I first got him--like he hadn't drank in days... but since then I haven't seen him drink, but I'm sure he still is.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Regular looking feces. Brown chunk with the white attached. I haven't had him tested.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
He was owned by a 9 year old boy who didn't know much about Chameleons--I don't think he did any research, just wanted one. His grandma mostly took care of him. They only fed him Superworms and every now and then gave him fresh Lilac. Every time they supplemented, they were giving him calcium with D3, but I'm not sure if it was every day, or how often they did that at all.

His whole story of his past that I know is in another post, as well... He used to be in a 55 gallon glass tank (only 21" tall) and didn't have anything to climb or hide behind... the whole picture was just wrong...


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
3 sides mesh, 1 side wood. 36x24x48 custom built
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I need to get the standard light fixtures put onto his enclosure, but right now I have a little heat lamp for basking. I bring him outside most of the time so he can get his UVB.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
The whole enclosure is a range between 90 and 72. Basking spot being 90, the rest is anywhere between those two spots. I have 2 infrared temp guns that I use side by side to verify temp.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
I don't measure humidity right now. I'll probably get a digital thermo-hygrometer eventually. But right now I mist 3-5 times a day.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
I've got a pothos, pilea and two colius plants.
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?
He's right behind my bedroom door. I have 2 fans in my room which are facing away from the enclosure. I run the A/C if it's too hot, but that's a ways away from his enclosure as well. His enclosure is about 6" from the floor, which makes the top of it about 54".
Location - Where are you geographically located?
I'm in Portland, Oregon.

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
I think he might have an RI. He slept for a little bit today, and on day 2 of me owning him he slept for about an hour during the day.

I have witnessed him gaping about 5 times since I've had him. However, there is no bubbling, popping sounds, mucus, wheezing, etc. He does tilt his head back a bit on occasion, but that's not too noticeable.

I want what's best for my little guy--however, I can't take him to the vet right now. I literally just don't have the money. I might in a week or so, but I want to do all I can to find out about this before I take him there so I can do all I can to revert it until I can really take him to the vet.

Thanks for your help, guys. Take a look at the pics below as well. :)


P.S. sorry some of the pics are sideways. That's what happens when I take the pics from my phone sometimes... :/
 

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Need help with new jackson

Hi I got a male jackson chameleon four days ago it hasn't been eating I put I four crickets a day and always see died ones on the floor he is still the color green and every time I get home from work he is sleeping with the lights on I need help
 
I would raise the temps slightly in his cage, it will help dry mucus. I'm attaching a thread from another website that might be of some help. I'm not 100% it works, but it makes since. I would still take him to a vet asap just incase of a bacterial infection

Best of luck!
 
It does make sense in that mucus in the lungs will cause difficulty with breathing and oxygen exchange. I had my chams on antibiotics, one was on three different kinds and they both died, so antibiotics are not the magic cure many believe them to be. I can appreciate the financial problem as well but I hope your method helps your cham or at least buys you some time to get the vet to look at him.
 
I'm gonna start doing that method on that thread tomorrow. Seems like a great idea. If things don't improve I'll pull some money out of somewhere and go to the vet...
 
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