In some species the lungs extend virtually throughout the body, allowing the chameleon to puff up for defensive and courting displays. When they feel threatened a chameleon will puff themselves up, gape open their mouths and hiss. She is a little dark and I have a few crickets in there. I mist the cage and drip water for thirty minutes twice a day so I don't think she is dehydrated. So I let my beardie out to feed and give water and then I let him wonder around my room for a little bit to explore. ... , open their mouths wide, and puff their bodies up when they feel threatened. She is a 3 month old juvenile veiled chameleon and she has been keeping her mouth open. Current visitors New profile posts Search profile posts. This gives it a full 360-degree view around its body. Upper respiratory infections are common among pet chameleons, and the cause is typically environmental. Maybe once an hour. Puffing up and opening mouth. I moved my light up a little bit because I thought it may be because she is too hot but she still does it. Usually if they are pissed or if they are cold they will flatten up to create a larger surface. What's new Search. ... As for the chameleon who has his/her mouth open regularly (from my experience) may be trying to obtain water or may be trying to regurgitate. Even when it gets dark outside, and the other chicken's go in their coop -she still stands (hunched and puffed up) in the same spot. When a chameleon feels the need to look large and in charge it can inflate its lungs to increase their size. A Trip to the Veterinarian. And, yes, biting is next. 12) Biting: Yep, good old fashion biting. This can be kind of intimidating if you’re not used to it, more so when you’re near them because you instinctively feel the chameleon is going to strike you but this doesn’t mean they’re dangerous and always trying to attack you. If they came too close to his enclosure he would open his mouth, puff up and hiss to let them know it was his place. Signs include a gaped mouth, excessive mucus, popping or wheezing sounds, and inflammation and bubbling around the mouth and nose. Chameleons will open their mouths to feed and drink, like any other animal, and sometimes when it's too hot as a way to cool off. An upper respiratory infection that's caught early can be cleared up quickly. Is this normal or does this require vet intervention? If you have a chameleon and you see it often with its mouth open, you might try re-checking the temperature. Chameleons Enclosures Lighting Plants Water & Humidity Food & Nutrition Health Caresheets Care Images Purchasing A Chameleon Chameleon FAQ Glossary. Once in the mouth, the prey is crushed with the help of its strong jaws and teeth and swallowed. He ate a big hornworm a few minutes ago. You may see them angled towards their heat source as a way to warm up. Extremely bright or extremely dark, swaying, puffing out of the beard, opening their mouth, hissing, etc are all defensive behaviors to get you to leave him alone.