Staying at basking spot and darker then usual

[D.Wyeth]

I’m pretty new to owning a chameleon, and I’ve had mine for a little over 2 months and all has been going really well, he’s been active and pretty light roaming around and eating a good amount. But about a week ago I went up to my cottage so I could spend Christmas there and I brought my panther chameleon up and all was going well until he started staying a darker brown then usual and is staying at his basking spot the whole day. I thought it was just from the travel but he was doing it for about a week. He doesn’t really leave unless he is going to sleep. Then he moves to one of 2 spots which he does every night. He doesn’t move from that spot to eat or drink, I have to dump the crickets up where he is and hope they stay close enough for him to catch. I came back home after about a week because the humidity was in the 40s and his actions were concerning to me as he hasn’t done anything like it before. He also sometimes hangs his mouth open and I read that it means he is too hot and is trying to cool down. He has shed twice and the second time was a day or 2 before I left for my cottage. My family things I’m overprotective of him and they might be right, but any insight would be much appreciated

 

[Beman]

I’m pretty new to owning a chameleon, and I’ve had mine for a little over 2 months and all has been going really well, he’s been active and pretty light roaming around and eating a good amount. But about a week ago I went up to my cottage so I could spend Christmas there and I brought my panther chameleon up and all was going well until he started staying a darker brown then usual and is staying at his basking spot the whole day. I thought it was just from the travel but he was doing it for about a week. He doesn’t really leave unless he is going to sleep. Then he moves to one of 2 spots which he does every night. He doesn’t move from that spot to eat or drink, I have to dump the crickets up where he is and hope they stay close enough for him to catch. I came back home after about a week because the humidity was in the 40s and his actions were concerning to me as he hasn’t done anything like it before. He also sometimes hangs his mouth open and I read that it means he is too hot and is trying to cool down. He has shed twice and the second time was a day or 2 before I left for my cottage. My family things I’m overprotective of him and they might be right, but any insight would be much appreciated

Gaping (holding the mouth open) can mean a few things...

Can you take pictures of the enclosure lighting down and of your chameleon? Any pics of him gaping?

 

[D.Wyeth]

the third photo of him on his feeding cup is his normal coloring for comparison. He is was darker then this when he was at the cottage

 

[Beman]

the third photo of him on his feeding cup is his normal coloring for comparison. He is was darker then this when he was at the cottage

Where did you get it from... Any pics with the tail straight out?

You do not have a linear UVB light... Baby is not getting the UVB it needs... This is really not a good thing... You need a T5HO linear fixture with a 5.0 or 6% bulb. Then the closest branches below it would be 8-9 inches to get the correct UVI level.
Start reading this husbandry program. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[D.Wyeth]

Here is one with his mouth open is was open more but he was starting to close it when I took the photo

 

[Beman]

Here is one with his mouth open is was open more but he was starting to close it when I took the photo

Is it only happening under the heat bulb?

 

[D.Wyeth]

I got his from the pet store near my cottage he got them from a breeder in Quebec. This is the latest photo I have of his tail straight it was taken when I got to my cottage and was about to put him in his cage

 

[D.Wyeth]

Is it only happening under the heat bulb?

Yes it is

 

[Beman]

Yes it is

Then it is temp related... Too hot.

But like I said above there are other issues... Such as the lack of proper UVB lighting. I would start reading the link I gave you.

 

[D.Wyeth]

Then it is temp related... Too hot.

But like I said above there are other issues... Such as the lack of proper UVB lighting. I would start reading the link I gave you.

Okay thank you for the help I’ll get started on that right now

 

[SourGrape4u]

That is a female....you need a lay bin set up!

 

[D.Wyeth]

That is a female....you need a lay bin set up!

Are you sure? I asked for and was told it was a male

 

[kinyonga]

I agree it's a female.

Is it Ontario you live in?
How did you transport it to the cottage? What was the outside temperature when you went to the cottage?

 

[D.Wyeth]

I agree it's a female.
Is it Ontario you live in?

Yeah I’m in Ontario.
I saw in a threads that if your chameleon shows red it’s most likely not a female. When my chameleon puffs out his chin it’s red and it’s getting some red and orange on his chest and shoulder areas. I have some photo

 

[kinyonga]

I added questions to my previous post.
What was the temperature in he cottage?

 

[D.Wyeth]

I agree it's a female.

Is it Ontario you live in?
How did you transport it to the cottage? What was the outside temperature when you went to the cottage?

I had a cardboard box with a piece of rope down the middle. The outside temp was -5 to 0 range

 

[kinyonga]

So how did you keep it warm on the way to the cottage?
What was the temperature inside the cottage?
Is the photo near the window at home or at the cottage?

 

[D.Wyeth]

I added questions to my previous post.
What was the temperature in he cottage?

The temp in the cottage was 22 to 25

 

[D.Wyeth]

So how did you keep it warm on the way to the cottage?

It was Pretty warm in the car I didn’t have digital dials so I couldn’t tell exactly what the temp was

 

[kinyonga]

Is the photo near the window at home or at the cottage?