Spike is gaping while basking

[SteveH]

Good Morning

Slight update: Yesterday once I got home, I did not notice any gaping. Obviously at that point he was already in his resting space, so the temps are a bit lower there in general. Once his lights came on he immediately climbed up to the top as he's been doing for about a week now and he's basking (80f), and I do not see any gaping going on It's early, but I checked and his basking area was already at 80f before I left for work. So good signs so far. I'll give it a couple hours and hopefully nothing to report then either!

I changed his BSFL cup just in case you're wondering why that's differnet. The one I had in there was too shallow and they were escaping too easily. So far they're staying in this one but I know it'll just happen sometimes. Luckily hey have green ones of these size at my local petsmart so I'm gonna pick one up today after work because the white just sticks out so much to me. Plus I feel like he'll see the BSFL a bit better against the green cup.


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Let me know how he does with the temp drop

 

[Steve A]

Let me know how he does with the temp drop

He seems to be doing very well!! Been keeping an eye on him all morning. Have not noticed him gape at all. Mouth hasn't even opened until he ate some crickets. He's basked > ate > basked > basked lol

I think it was just too hot yesterday. Which I feel bad for but also kind of glad since it's an easy fix and he doesn't appear sick or anything.

 

[Steve A]

Unreal lol so he just gaped. It was a very quick gape. So I wonder if that is just a stretch/yawn. I'll continue to monitor him closely today.

 

[SteveH]

He seems to be doing very well!! Been keeping an eye on him all morning. Have not noticed him gape at all. Mouth hasn't even opened until he ate some crickets. He's basked > ate > basked > basked lol

I think it was just too hot yesterday. Which I feel bad for but also kind of glad since it's an easy fix and he doesn't appear sick or anything.

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Great yea, little ones just don't do well with heat.

 

[CalamityCrow]

Unreal lol so he just gaped. It was a very quick gape. I'll continue to monitor him closely today.

If he's eating and pooping otherwise acting fine, he's probably okay. No unusual noises coming from him? Pops/clicks? Stringy drool? My panther shed almost exactly once a month for the first year of his life, and he did a lot of that prepping for it. My fingers are crossed he's good to go.

 

[Steve A]

If he's eating and pooping otherwise acting fine, he's probably okay. No unusual noises coming from him? Pops/clicks? Stringy drool? My panther shed almost exactly once a month for the first year of his life, and he did a lot of that prepping for it. My fingers are crossed he's good to go.

Absolutely none of that From what I can tell. I can not listen to him while I am at work but when I am home that does not occur. No drool at all. Honestly he seems totally fine. And when I say "gaping" he's not even holding his mouth open (he kind of did that yesterday for a second or two). Today it was just once that I saw and it was a quick instant thing.

So I think this was a combo of too much heat yesterday, and also shedding is on the way

edit: He is eating and pooping just fine

 

[Steve A]

There's some more eye rubbing going on (dont notice any issues with his eyes when I see him at home) so I think regardless of what the gaping is, he is shedding soon

he actually did this with both is FWIW

 

[Beman]

Rebecca +1 point

 

[Steve A]

I have the green ones myself. It’s funny how particular they get.

My panther hates the broom and mop. Anytime I bring either in to clean the room he is in he starts flaring up and gaping at them.

And predictably.... he's going to town on his BSFL, even before his crickets just because the cup is green

 

[elizaann2]

And predictably.... he's going to town on his BSFL, even before his crickets just because the cup is green View attachment 341600

What a love!

 

[Steve A]

What a love!

He is

 

[Steve A]

Not to revive this, I don't have any worries about this anymore lol but I just finally snapped a shot of him with his mouth wide open so I figured I'd share. This is typically what I saw. Only lasted a second or a few seconds at most though.

He's only doing this while basking, like once a day now. That first day he did it a few times, but again I had the heat lamp set higher.

 

[Beman]

Not to revive this, I don't have any worries about this anymore lol but I just finally snapped a shot of him with his mouth wide open so I figured I'd share. This is typically what I saw. Only lasted a second or a few seconds at most though.

He's only doing this while basking, like once a day now. That first day he did it a few times, but again I had the heat lamp set higher.

View attachment 341972

This is normal. He is stretching out his body. Beman does this literally every single morning. Full gape and puff of his body as he stretches.

 

[Steve A]

This is normal. He is stretching out his body. Beman does this literally every single morning. Full gape and puff of his body as he stretches.

Yep! I was freaking out before lol but he also does this like once every morning as well

Thanks again for keeping me grounded

 

[elizaann2]

My baby boy does this as well.