Any ideas? Requesting some assistance.

[Lucas00-]

It’s been a little over a week since I redid Chameleonaires enclosure. know it can take a chameleon a while to get used to a new layout but he has been glass surfing on the acrylic at the top so much. He was doing it here and there before I changed the layout but now he’s doing it even more. I have more plants in there than I did before, his uvb is dialed in way better than I had it before too. My temperature gradient is between 75-84 and his basking temp is around 85-87. Is there anything you can see about my layout that I should add or change? I don’t like seeing him all stressed out.

 

[Beman]

How did you change the layout? What did you move? Did you move lighting? Also can you please let me know what size cage you are using?

Note if that is duct tape that I am seeing on that back bottom of the branch pull it out. No tape in a chams enclosure as it is extremely dangerous and tape can not hold up to the moisture. It can peel back but remain very sticky attaching to the chameleon's skin. Looks like your trying to hook a temp probe to the branch. Temp probes should be attached with a small zip tie and the probe needs to sit on the side of the branch for more accurate readings.

 

[nightanole]

I hung a bunch of fake vine/ivy suctioncupped to the glass for my last glass surfer. This kept him from rubbing nose, and also kinda made a hidey hole.

 

[Lucas00-]

How did you change the layout? What did you move? Did you move lighting? Also can you please let me know what size cage you are using?

Note if that is duct tape that I am seeing on that back bottom of the branch pull it out. No tape in a chams enclosure as it is extremely dangerous and tape can not hold up to the moisture. It can peel back but remain very sticky attaching to the chameleon's skin. Looks like you’re trying to hook a temp probe to the branch. Temp probes should be attached with a small zip tie and the probe needs to sit on the side of the branch for more accurate readings.

my enclosure is a 2x2x4 hybrid dragon strand. I made a temp enclosure for him to be in while I stripped all the sticks and everything. The only thing that really changed with the lighting is the uvb basking branch, I didn’t have a solar meter when I first got this cage so this time it was dialed in. There was a fair bit of empty space in there from a big money tree that died in the beginning so i redid all the sticks so there is more room for him to use. I’m gonna remove the tape and the probe, I don’t know if I even really need the temp probe I bought it thinking it would be cool but I it worked fine before when I had it on a timer to shut it off after it raises the temperature of the cage.

 

[Lucas00-]

I hung a bunch of fake vine/ivy suctioncupped to the glass for my last glass surfer. This kept him from rubbing nose, and also kinda made a hidey hole.

I was trying to think of something to block his view of his reflection (if that’s what’s bothering him), that’s not a bad idea but I’d be worried about him trying to eat the fake ivy. I bought a big fake vine I never put in yet maybe I’ll try it out.

 

[Lucas00-]

I hung a bunch of fake vine/ivy suctioncupped to the glass for my last glass surfer. This kept him from rubbing nose, and also kinda made a hidey hole.

Did you have them suction cupped on the outside? lol I didn’t think of that

 

[ehdee6]

What are you using for the background of the other slides? Perhaps, using that in the empty clear space would help him feel more at home?

You've taken a lot of care with Mr. Chameleoniare, it's good to see him thriving.

 

[Lucas00-]

What are you using for the background of the other slides? Perhaps, using that in the empty clear space would help him feel more at home?

You've taken a lot of care with Mr. Chameleoniare, it's good to see him thriving.

I appreciate it lots, it’s definitely been a journey learning everything. It was a custom vinyl back drop for enclosures, I got the idea from Neptune the Chameleon. It’s definitely doable and I could see it giving him some cover for when he is basking, thank you for the idea!

 

[nightanole]

Did you have them suction cupped on the outside? lol I didn’t think of that

Some times to the outside, sometimes to the inside. Ive never had a veiled nom nom silk or plastic plants, but im sure there is always one gunning for me. I have a large collection of suction cup fish tank things that i use. Id say my worst was a not so bright water dragon. The only way i coulf get her to stop nose rubbing was empty the hole punch circles onto some black electrical tape, and put it at lizard eye level across the entire length of the front of the cage. She still tried to nose rub a bit going under and over the tape line, but i guess it was too much effort and see gave up after a week.

 

[Beman]

my enclosure is a 2x2x4 hybrid dragon strand. I made a temp enclosure for him to be in while I stripped all the sticks and everything. The only thing that really changed with the lighting is the uvb basking branch, I didn’t have a solar meter when I first got this cage so this time it was dialed in. There was a fair bit of empty space in there from a big money tree that died in the beginning so i redid all the sticks so there is more room for him to use. I’m gonna remove the tape and the probe, I don’t know if I even really need the temp probe I bought it thinking it would be cool but I it worked fine before when I had it on a timer to shut it off after it raises the temperature of the cage.

Well it sounds like he is in total overwhelm... Between being taken from the cage, new plants, and branches being moved. I know when I had Beman the thing he hated most were branches being changed. They learn their paths and know it is there space. So it probably feels like he has been put into a totally different space and now he has to adjust. It may take a few weeks for him to settle due to all the changes. I would personally not make more changes as he is a week into learning the new enclosure. But yes tape does have to go. It is just too dangerous. Use a ziptie and you wont have to stress it being an issue.

Keep in mind your looking for the basking light to be controlled by temp. If your probe is placed in the cage determining the overall temp then you do not know what the basking temp is doing. And with the ambient temp needing to be much lower than basking you really want the basking temp to be controlled then another device monitoring the ambient temp in the cage.

 

[Lucas00-]

Well it sounds like he is in total overwhelm... Between being taken from the cage, new plants, and branches being moved. I know when I had Beman the thing he hated most were branches being changed. They learn their paths and know it is there space. So it probably feels like he has been put into a totally different space and now he has to adjust. It may take a few weeks for him to settle due to all the changes. I would personally not make more changes as he is a week into learning the new enclosure. But yes tape does have to go. It is just too dangerous. Use a ziptie and you wont have to stress it being an issue.

Keep in mind your looking for the basking light to be controlled by temp. If your probe is placed in the cage determining the overall temp then you do not know what the basking temp is doing. And with the ambient temp needing to be much lower than basking you really want the basking temp to be controlled then another device monitoring the ambient temp in the cage.

I feel bad for changing everything up on him like that but it needed to be done eventually. My first go around wasn’t the worst but over time I realized there was multiple things that I could have done better. Thank you Beman for your replies

 

[Beman]

I feel bad for changing everything up on him like that but it needed to be done eventually. My first go around wasn’t the worst but over time I realized there was multiple things that I could have done better. Thank you Beman for your replies

There will always come a time when you have to do this. Especially with Natural branches because they break down and they must be switched out when this happens. Don't feel bad, you did what was needed. He just now has to relearn his enclosure. For Beman when I would have to replace branches it would always take a good 2 weeks or so for him to settle back in. Even with me trying to put them back in the same way they were before he knew it was different and had to adjust. Even swapping out plants would irritate him for a good week. They are just creatures of habit and know their home. So 1 change and they can tell. lol