Should I be worried? More gaping and moving then usual...

[mschultz]

Current Issue - My female Jackson is doing a lot more gaping and roaming around the cage then before. She seems to prefer to hang out on the mesh sides rather than among the cover and is almost constantly gaping. But the temperatures in her cage have not changed, and if anything are lower (heat bulb burned out Monday and I have not replaced it yet because of all the gaping) (its also winter in Hawaii so temps are down right now). Should I be worried?

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Female Jackson Chameleon ~9 months, 4 months in my care
• Handling - never, only when absolutely necessary (she doesn't really like me much)
• Feeding - Crickets and Meal Worms - ~6 large crickets 3 times a week, feeders eat whatever I have around (potatoes, carrots, broccoli, etc.) plus cricket feed (calcium rich and the orange cubes)
• Supplements - Calcium w/o d3 at every feeding, Multi w/ d3 twice a month
• Watering - Dripper all day, misting 1-2 times a day (she really hates it or I'd mist more), she drinks from the dripper, and she MIGHT be drinking from the water catching tray at the bottom, I've never seen her do this, but she hangs out at the bottom more often
• Fecal Description - She is bright green most of the time, darker green after misting and if I need to get into the cage. She has not been tested for parasites. Her droppings are consistant - white gell and a dark brown turd.
• History - she was wild caught on Oahu

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Reptibreeze Screen Cage medium size 16x16x20 (I would like to build a bigger one)
• Lighting - Zoo med sun light in a silver dome. Halogen flood bulb in a regular clip lamp (halogen bulb current burnt out, not in use because of gaping)
• Temperature - Floor - 78F Top 82F - At night its Hawaii room temps so 62-68
• Humidity - humidity 60-70% maintained with misting and measured with a small cage humidifier
• Plants - live hibiscus
• Placement - Cage is in the corner of the room near my desk. Out of high traffic, away from gans. Top of the cage is ~4ft from the floor
• Location - Oahu, Hawaii

 

[kinyonga]

Please post a recent photo.

 

[oneillchameleons]

Oooooh if I lived in Hawaii, the outdoor enclosure I would build....and the money I'd save on UVB bulbs...

Anyway how do you measure your temperatures? Any time I see a chameleon hanging around the bottom of the cage and gaping I'd immediately assume the temps are too high. As a wild caught I'd check for parasites from a fecal as well as provide a laying bin in case she is gravid. Honestly for 50 dollars worth of lumber and mesh fence you could provide a large outdoor enclosure that she may be much happier in if you have the room, especially since she is a WC. the only other thing I'm noticing is your gutloading is a bit off and you could feed more of a variety (mealworms should rarely, if ever, be used) Check the gutload sections of this forum and provide a picture of her if ya can.

 

[kinyonga]

Jacksons are live bearers...they don't need a bin.

 

[oneillchameleons]

Jacksons are live bearers...they don't need a bin.

Absolutely right. So used to writing it in there when dealing with females.

 

[mschultz]

Oooooh if I lived in Hawaii, the outdoor enclosure I would build....and the money I'd save on UVB bulbs...

Anyway how do you measure your temperatures? Any time I see a chameleon hanging around the bottom of the cage and gaping I'd immediately assume the temps are too high. As a wild caught I'd check for parasites from a fecal as well as provide a laying bin in case she is gravid. Honestly for 50 dollars worth of lumber and mesh fence you could provide a large outdoor enclosure that she may be much happier in if you have the room, especially since she is a WC. the only other thing I'm noticing is your gutloading is a bit off and you could feed more of a variety (mealworms should rarely, if ever, be used) Check the gutload sections of this forum and provide a picture of her if ya can.

My temperature are a couple aquarium stickers stuck to the top and the bottom of the cage. I'll put some standard thermometers out to read the temp and see if that's my issue (which will make me feel dumb, because I should have thought of that right away).

She was wild caught, but I bought her at the store... if that makes sense... that are invasive here in Hawaii. She can't be pregnant because she's been alone in that cage for too long.

As for a larger enclosure... I do want to build her a larger one... but I teach and have yet to find the time. She lives at school though so being outside isn't really an option.

Also I don't know what I was thinking about the meal worms comment... I DID buy her some... then read they were no good... and she doesn't like them... so I have them in a container (another classroom pet) but she doesn't eat them. I feed her SILKWORMS (when they come in to the pet store) and crickets. She loves the silkworms.

Anyone know any good vets to bring a fecal sample to; in Honolulu?

 

[kinyonga]

Can you post a recent photo her please?

 

[mschultz]

Can you post a recent photo her please?

I missed this post. Here is a picture. She seems to be gaping less. She just likes to roam, and I catch her gaping every once and awhile.