Turned white and mouth opened

B

Bcloughen

Member
So I'm checking my cameras and noticed my 4 month old Panther Chameleon ( I've had for a month today) had his mouth wide open for about fifteen minutes and turned white. I've attached a screenshot of the incident as well as what he normally looks like. Was he spooked? I can't figure out why he would do this. I thought maybe thirsty but this is like 45 minutes after his 5 minute mistking misting session ( I have 3 other 1.5 min sessions throughout the day, which was recommended by Kammerflage).

Is this something to worry about?
 

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That black probe hanging down in the photo is his themometer and it's reading 86 degrees, which is good I thought for a 4 month old, so I think I can rule that out
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - 4 month old Male Panther Chameleon, I've had for a month
  • Handling - I don't, he is afraid of me and I don't want to stress him out.
  • Feeding - I only do crickets, I did BSFL once but he didnt pay attention to them. I feed him around 830am every morning. I gutload my deers with oranges, blackberries and Repashy bug burger.
  • Supplements - I use Rhapashy Calcium Plus everyday and a little bee pollen.
  • Watering - I have a Mistking on the following schedule. 8AM (1.5 min) 11am (5 min) 2pm (1.5 min) 5pm (1.5 min). I don't see him drinking very often though.
  • Fecal Description - Poop is brown and I believe they pee white globs as well.
  • History - I've only had him for a month, so nothing to note except is very nervous near me.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - I converted a 24x24x62 wooden birdcage into a cage. It's screened on 3 sides with plastic covering 2 and a wood backing.
  • Lighting - Reptisun T5 5.0 with a basking 65w BR40 flood light both on 12 on/12 off schedule.
  • Temperature - Daytime is 84-88 degrees, gets to around 70 during misting but goes back quickly to 84-88 once probe dries up. Nightime is 71-72 always.
  • Humidity - I range between 45-70. 70 is during misting and lasts for about 45 minutes than slowly drops back down to 45. I have several hygromemters throughout the cage to measure.
  • Plants - I use all live plants, no fakes. I have a huge Umbrella tree in the center with golden pothos towards the bottom.
  • Placement - the cage is in the living room but he has about 9 hours during the day that no one is home. No vents or fans are near the cage. I do have an old dog that sleeps alot during the day and if you watch the video in question you can hear the dog snoring in the background. He's also never seemed to mind the dogs presence and doesn't really notice him.
  • Location - long Island, NY
 
Bcloughen said:
That black probe hanging down in the photo is his themometer and it's reading 86 degrees, which is good I thought for a 4 month old, so I think I can rule that out
Click to expand...
Chameleons mouth gape when they are too hot. They use that for the saliva in their mouth to evaporate to cool them down. Try moving the heat lamp further away from him/her or the cage.
 
Bcloughen said:
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - 4 month old Male Panther Chameleon, I've had for a month
  • Handling - I don't, he is afraid of me and I don't want to stress him out.
  • Feeding - I only do crickets, I did BSFL once but he didnt pay attention to them. I feed him around 830am every morning. I gutload my deers with oranges, blackberries and Repashy bug burger.
  • Supplements - I use Rhapashy Calcium Plus everyday and a little bee pollen.
  • Watering - I have a Mistking on the following schedule. 8AM (1.5 min) 11am (5 min) 2pm (1.5 min) 5pm (1.5 min). I don't see him drinking very often though.
  • Fecal Description - Poop is brown and I believe they pee white globs as well.
  • History - I've only had him for a month, so nothing to note except is very nervous near me.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - I converted a 24x24x62 wooden birdcage into a cage. It's screened on 3 sides with plastic covering 2 and a wood backing.
  • Lighting - Reptisun T5 5.0 with a basking 65w BR40 flood light both on 12 on/12 off schedule.
  • Temperature - Daytime is 84-88 degrees, gets to around 70 during misting but goes back quickly to 84-88 once probe dries up. Nightime is 71-72 always.
  • Humidity - I range between 45-70. 70 is during misting and lasts for about 45 minutes than slowly drops back down to 45. I have several hygromemters throughout the cage to measure.
  • Plants - I use all live plants, no fakes. I have a huge Umbrella tree in the center with golden pothos towards the bottom.
  • Placement - the cage is in the living room but he has about 9 hours during the day that no one is home. No vents or fans are near the cage. I do have an old dog that sleeps alot during the day and if you watch the video in question you can hear the dog snoring in the background. He's also never seemed to mind the dogs presence and doesn't really notice him.
  • Location - long Island, NY
Click to expand...
Just a couple of observations, and my opinion.
1. As said before. A little too hot for a juvenile. Try backing temps down to76-80 degrees.
2. Are you using the calcium plus, or the plus LOd? The regular calcium plus should only be used once a week max. The LOd is used by some keepers at every feeding.
3. Seems like too much misting during the day. Especially with high temps. I believe you are asking for respiratory issues. I would suggest a longer session first thing in the morning, a longer session at lights out. Then cut out that 5 minute session @ 11 am.
My opinions only.
 
KRGEE21 said:
3. Seems like too much misting during the day. Especially with high temps. I believe you are asking for respiratory issues. I would suggest a longer session first thing in the morning, a longer session at lights out. Then cut out that 5 minute session @ 11 am.
Click to expand...
Nailed it.
 
Bcloughen said:
That black probe hanging down in the photo is his themometer and it's reading 86 degrees, which is good I thought for a 4 month old, so I think I can rule that out
Click to expand...
Invest in a temp gun they are more accurate and you can get readings from different parts of cage quick and easy.
 
KRGEE21 said:
Just a couple of observations, and my opinion.
1. As said before. A little too hot for a juvenile. Try backing temps down to76-80 degrees.
2. Are you using the calcium plus, or the plus LOd? The regular calcium plus should only be used once a week max. The LOd is used by some keepers at every feeding.
3. Seems like too much misting during the day. Especially with high temps. I believe you are asking for respiratory issues. I would suggest a longer session first thing in the morning, a longer session at lights out. Then cut out that 5 minute session @ 11 am.
My opinions only.
Click to expand...

Awesome man, I really appreciate the help. So, I lowered his temps down a little and now he's hanging out at 80 degrees during the day. I also adjusted the Mistking and did a 3 min session at 730am, a 1.5 session at 2pm and a 3 min session at 630pm. Does this sound good? Finally and I can't believe I did this but yea I confused the two supplements and was giving Repashy Calcium Plus at every feeding and not the Repashy Calcium Plus LOD. This has been adjusted immediately, I can't believe I confused the two, I feel like an idiot now. I did countless research on this guy before I got him and in surprised I screwed the two up.

Also I have a temp gun, it's ok but honestly I have like 4 temp probs throughout his cage (a little obsessive) and I feel like I get an overall better view of what's going on around the entire cage this way.

Thank you all for your help!
 
KRGEE21 said:
3. Seems like too much misting during the day. Especially with high temps. I believe you are asking for respiratory issues. I would suggest a longer session first thing in the morning, a longer session at lights out. Then cut out that 5 minute session @ 11 am.
Click to expand...

Brodybreaux25 said:
Nailed it.
Click to expand...

I have an Enclosed (2 Vents, 4 inches tall, 18 inches wide) cage, with 6 nozzles. I mist 3 mins 30 mins before lights on, 5 mins midday, and 3 mins after lights out. Never had an RI, not to mention that people have done 5-10min mid day mists for years around here, without an RI. Let us not forget until very recently that was the suggested misting cycle.

I just do not see how you can achieve 50-70% humidity a panther needs, without a mid day misting, especially in a screen cage.


Turning the basking light off, 30 mins before, and back on 30 mins after the mist, or so is helpful but not required.

Heat + Humidity + Stagnant air can cause an RI. However so can Low Temperatures, and so can Low Humidity.
 
Last edited:
cyberlocc said:
I have an Enclosed (2 Vents, 4 inches tall, 18 inches wide) cage, with 6 nozzles. I mist 3 mins 30 mins before lights on, 5 mins midday, and 3 mins after lights out. Never had an RI, not to mention that people have done 5-10min mid day mists for years around here, without an RI. Let us not forget until very recently that was the suggested misting cycle.

I just do not see how you can achieve 50-70% humidity a panther needs, without a mid day misting, especially in a screen cage.


Turning the basking light off, 30 mins before, and back on 30 mins after the mist, or so is helpful but not required.

Heat + Humidity + Stagnant air can cause an RI. However so can Low Temperatures, and so can Low Humidity.
Click to expand...
Take a trip to south Louisiana. The first words out of your mouth when you step off that plane will be “oh.”
 
cyberlocc said:
Ya, but your house is not humid inside is it? Doesn't your AC/Heater lower it?
Click to expand...
My house is like 4 houses down from the bay, so we maintain a 45% in my house in the winter. The summer I haven't noticed yet, but I'll definitely have to lower Long Island can get to 80-90% in the summer easily.
 
Were you giving Calcium Plus based on the recommendation of the Kammers? If so, I don’t think you necessarily confused the two as I believe they have endorsed the Calcium Plus product at every feeding while I see most people in the forums recommending the LoD version.
 
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