Should I be concerned for my chameleon?

[faith.j.p]

So I'm a new owner I've had my juvenile veiled female chameleon for about three days now, she's been doing fine. Shes been eating, and drinking and she hasn't even hissed at me or tried to do that fake bite thing. I've already handled her, because she got stuck on a stick that couldn't support her body weight. But anyways I've got two questions:

1. Throughout the past three days I've seen her open her mouth almost like a little yawn. The past two days the little yawn was very small she did't fully open her mouth, but today when she did the yawn she opened her mouth fully twice and my hands were in the cage so I thought she was about to hiss but it wasn't that. What does this mean?

2. Today when I woke up from a nap she was on the ground, and as I'm typing shes about to go on the ground once again, I've heard that this is what females do when there egg bound and trying to look for a place to lay there eggs but she is way to skinny to be egg bound. Could she just like going on the ground or is this an underlying problem I don't know about?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

1. Throughout the past three days I've seen her open her mouth almost like a little yawn. The past two days the little yawn was very small she did't fully open her mouth, but today when she did the yawn she opened her mouth fully twice and my hands were in the cage so I thought she was about to hiss but it wasn't that. What does this mean?

It means she was yawning. Really, at least the big ones. The little ones were her self-regulating her temperature. Many—if not all—reptiles do it.

2. Today when I woke up from a nap she was on the ground, and as I'm typing shes about to go on the ground once again, I've heard that this is what females do when there egg bound and trying to look for a place to lay there eggs but she is way to skinny to be egg bound. Could she just like going on the ground or is this an underlying problem I don't know about?

It sounds like she's too young for having eggs as well. Could be an issue with lighting (basking and/or UVB), temperature, or a little exploring. Is it possible she fell off a branch again?
Guesses at this point. If you could provide more pics of her and her entire enclosure, and fill out the questionnaire, folks more knowledgeable than I (not a stretch) will better be able to evaluate.

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.

 

[MissSkittles]

Can you post more pics of her when you answer the help questions

 

[kinyonga]

If you answer the questions we can check your husbandry.
Do you have an egglaying bin in her cage?

 

[faith.j.p]

• Your Chameleon - Female, Veiled Chameleon, 6 or 7 months old, I've had her for under a week.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed her crickets, horn worms, dubia roaches and wax worms. The amount I give her depends on the feeders but no more than 5 for crickets and no more than 2 for horn worms. I haven't had her long but I've been gut-loading with carrots for the moment.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Zoo med, Yes i dust my feeders, I try to feed her twice a day because she is rather skinny, in the morning at 9am then in the afternoon at 4pm.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? I hand mist but I have just ordered a automatic misting system which is supposed to be coming soon. How often and how long to you mist? 2 times a day for 3 minutes Do you see your chameleon drinking? I don't see her drink a lot but her urate is white so she is hydrated.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Her droppings were solid and the urate was white. She has not been tested.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Ive had her for under a week and I dont know too much about her, Over the time I've had her shes maintained a neutral green color and she hasn't appeared to be stressed. Shes more shy than she is aggressive when I had to handle her to get her off a branch she was stuck on she did't hiss or bite she kinda just sat there and refused until i manged to get her off. She likes to eat a lot of leaves and I found its easier to feed her insects outside of a bowl, for example i tied a dried cricket to a branch and she ate it much faster than she would in a bowl.

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? I have a 16x16x30 screened reptibreeze cage.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• 
  
• I have these two sets of lights which are on top of my cage, I have her lights on from 9am to 10pm.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a digital thermometer, The cage floor is 73 degrees which is the lowest temp, and the basking spot is a little above 80 degrees.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? My humidity levels are 55%. How are you creating and maintaining these levels? I maintain them by having two shower curtains on the sides of my cage to trap the humidity in, and I create them by misting twice a day for 3 minutes. What do you use to measure humidity? Hydrometer
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? No I have fake plants but since Smileys attempts to eat them I got some collard greens that I hung up over top of those plants and she really enjoys eating them.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? My cage is in my room. Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? There are no air vents near by but there is a fan nearby by I have been leaving it off during the day because of smiley. At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? From the floor to the top of the cage it is about 5ft.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? I am located on the coast of North Carolina in the United States.

 

[MissSkittles]

FYI: didn’t know it was double posted. https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...e-tell-me-what-you-think.175873/#post-1574667

 

[SecretLifeofMrMinty]

So I'm a new owner I've had my juvenile veiled female chameleon for about three days now, she's been doing fine. Shes been eating, and drinking and she hasn't even hissed at me or tried to do that fake bite thing. I've already handled her, because she got stuck on a stick that couldn't support her body weight. But anyways I've got two questions:

1. Throughout the past three days I've seen her open her mouth almost like a little yawn. The past two days the little yawn was very small she did't fully open her mouth, but today when she did the yawn she opened her mouth fully twice and my hands were in the cage so I thought she was about to hiss but it wasn't that. What does this mean?

2. Today when I woke up from a nap she was on the ground, and as I'm typing shes about to go on the ground once again, I've heard that this is what females do when there egg bound and trying to look for a place to lay there eggs but she is way to skinny to be egg bound. Could she just like going on the ground or is this an underlying problem I don't know about?

my male veiled doesn’t like to go to the bathroom on his vines or leaves where he sits, so he goes on the ground. he also yawns frequently, so i think you are in the clear!

 

[MissSkittles]

my male veiled doesn’t like to go to the bathroom on his vines or leaves where he sits, so he goes on the ground. he also yawns frequently, so i think you are in the clear!

It’s unusual for them to leave the security of their ‘trees’ and go to the ground. Also not sure about yawning frequently. Usually just a couple (cute) little yawns when they wake up. I would suggest copying/pasting the help form and answering the questions on your own thread. Just to make sure everything is correct.

 

[Pickle-cham]

Do you have 2x double domes on top? All with bulbs in?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

my male veiled doesn’t like to go to the bathroom on his vines or leaves where he sits, so he goes on the ground. he also yawns frequently, so i think you are in the clear!

Interesting. My beardie is paper trained, but Chameleons being more arboreal, I didn't think that would be a possibility. Now I'm wondering...

Yawning (IIRC) is a sudden intake of oxygen, often preceding physical activity.
More out of curiosity, are they quick subdued yawns like a gasp, or long leisurely tongue-stretching lip-smackers (like a dog yawn)?