Behavior

[pasquel2012]

Hi! I posted last week about fogging. I’m new to chameleons and am trying very hard to give the best home.

Two days ago I left Pasqel’s enclosure door open to see if he would try to get out. He did, and I watched him climb around for a few minutes and then put him back in. Since that time, he has been trying to get out. He comes to the front and scratches on the glass. If I open the door he walks out on me. That is fine with me, but he doesn’t want to stay on me he wants to climb around and it is not safe

I was wondering if anyone could interpret this behavior. I think he may looking for a girlfriend I don’t think it is that he doesn’t like the enclosure because he hasn’t done this for two months.

 

[Lucas00-]

Hi! I posted last week about fogging. I’m new to chameleons and am trying very hard to give the best home.

Two days ago I left Pasqel’s enclosure door open to see if he would try to get out. He did, and I watched him climb around for a few minutes and then put him back in. Since that time, he has been trying to get out. He comes to the front and scratches on the glass. If I open the door he walks out on me. That is fine with me, but he doesn’t want to stay on me he wants to climb around and it is not safe

I was wondering if anyone could interpret this behavior. I think he may looking for a girlfriend I don’t think it is that he doesn’t like the enclosure because he hasn’t done this for two months.

Some days my chameleon is super curious or something. The last few times of cleaning his enclosure and moving his plants around, he might not have been happy but crawled all over me while I was trying to do stuff lol. Other days when I try to feed him (usually dubia roaches) he will just ignore the food and crawl onto me without a care about the food. Other days he wants nothing to do with me and looks at me like I’m a disgusting peasant. I think for mine it comes down to him being curious and wanting to explore a bit, especially when they know there’s real estate to be explored outside of their cage.

 

[pasquel2012]

Some days my chameleon is super curious or something. The last few times of cleaning his enclosure and moving his plants around, he might not have been happy but crawled all over me while I was trying to do stuff lol. Other days when I try to feed him (usually dubia roaches) he will just ignore the food and crawl onto me without a care about the food. Other days he wants nothing to do with me and looks at me like I’m a disgusting peasant. I think for mine it comes down to him being curious and wanting to explore a bit, especially when they know there’s real estate to be explored outside of their cage.

Definitely sounds similar to what mine is doing!!

 

[Gloriawood]

Hi! I posted last week about fogging. I’m new to chameleons and am trying very hard to give the best home.

Two days ago I left Pasqel’s enclosure door open to see if he would try to get out. He did, and I watched him climb around for a few minutes and then put him back in. Since that time, he has been trying to get out. He comes to the front and scratches on the glass. If I open the door he walks out on me. That is fine with me, but he doesn’t want to stay on me he wants to climb around and it is not safe

I was wondering if anyone could interpret this behavior. I think he may looking for a girlfriend I don’t think it is that he doesn’t like the enclosure because he hasn’t done this for

Have you had a husbandry review done? I know you said he hasn’t done this for 2 months, but if you are positive that everything in his enclosure is spot on then I’d say maybe looking for a mate. How old is he?

 

[pasquel2012]

Have you had a husbandry review done? I know you said he hasn’t done this for 2 months, but if you are positive that everything in his enclosure is spot on then I’d say maybe looking for a mate. How old is he?

He is almost six months old. I posted a week or two ago about fogging and that post had all my parameters. I also did a call with Neptune the chameleon, and she reviewed my husbandry.

 

[Gloriawood]

He is almost six months old. I posted a week or two ago about fogging and that post had all my parameters. I also did a call with Neptune the chameleon, and she reviewed my husbandry.

I THINK that’s a tad young for a panther male to be looking for a mate. I’m more familiar with veiled chams tho so someone else can chime in here if I’m wrong. If you had your info posted here and a call with Neptune, then you’re in great shape. I would just assume mating or the season change is causing it for now and keep an eye on him for anything else out of the ordinary just incase.

 

[pasquel2012]

I THINK that’s a tad young for a panther male to be looking for a mate. I’m more familiar with veiled chams tho so someone else can chime in here if I’m wrong. If you had your info posted here and a call with Neptune, then you’re in great shape. I would just assume mating or the season change is causing it for now and keep an eye on him for anything else out of the ordinary just incase.

Thank you!!!

 

[pasquel2012]

Thank you!!!

He is really spending all his time, after warming up, on the branches that come up to the doors. But it only started after I opened the door and let him come out in his own.

 

[Beman]

Can you post a picture of the entire enclosure including the lighting on top so I can double check your set up? As already mentioned 6 months is a bit to young to start looking for a mate. They normally become more active with patrolling their area and seeking out a female after the 9 month mark.

While he may just be reacting to getting to come out and wanting to do it again the concern is if something within the cage is making him want to leave it. Chams in general prefer their area and dont tend to like to be out of it when it has what they need. Granted some are more friendly than others. But the first thing you want to look at is cage set up and if something could be causing the behavior.

 

[pasquel2012]

Sure!! thank you!!!

I took some small plants out at the top a few days before I posted this question—-because someone said plants at the top block light to the bottom…. I plan to put them back in tonight to see if he stops trying to escape.


Branch in the top back left is uvi 3.0. Day basking spot is 80 F Front branch on left. Enclosure on right was an addition before I put the chameleon in the enclosure. So my uvb does not span the entire enclosure—. Just a shade dweller uvb on the right and a plant light (one of petra necas “myth buster” read like I should take the plant light out). He tends to sleep at the bottom on that side.

I have computer fans too—Out on top, in on bottom—because I’m still struggling with humidity. I posted about fogging a week or two ago. I think you were tagged in it by another member.

Lights on the left are a 75 w basking bulb, fauna lux LeD, Arcadia t5 HO, sol reptile vision LeD

 

[pasquel2012]

Sure!! thank you!!!

I took some small plants out at the top a few days before I posted this question—-because someone said plants at the top block light to the bottom…. I plan to put them back in tonight to see if he stops trying to escape.


Branch in the top back left is uvi 3.0. Day basking spot is 80 F Front branch on left. Enclosure on right was an addition before I put the chameleon in the enclosure. So my uvb does not span the entire enclosure—. Just a shade dweller uvb on the right and a plant light (one of petra necas “myth buster” read like I should take the plant light out). He tends to sleep at the bottom on that side.

I have computer fans too—Out on top, in on bottom—because I’m still struggling with humidity. I posted about fogging a week or two ago. I think you were tagged in it by another member.

Lights on the left are a 75 w basking bulb, fauna lux LeD, Arcadia t5 HO, sol reptile vision LeD

Here he is at the front. If I opened the door he would scurry out and run up my arm.

 

[pasquel2012]

Here he is at the front. If I opened the door he would scurry out and run up my arm.

 

[Beman]

Sure!! thank you!!!

I took some small plants out at the top a few days before I posted this question—-because someone said plants at the top block light to the bottom…. I plan to put them back in tonight to see if he stops trying to escape.


Branch in the top back left is uvi 3.0. Day basking spot is 80 F Front branch on left. Enclosure on right was an addition before I put the chameleon in the enclosure. So my uvb does not span the entire enclosure—. Just a shade dweller uvb on the right and a plant light (one of petra necas “myth buster” read like I should take the plant light out). He tends to sleep at the bottom on that side.

I have computer fans too—Out on top, in on bottom—because I’m still struggling with humidity. I posted about fogging a week or two ago. I think you were tagged in it by another member.

Lights on the left are a 75 w basking bulb, fauna lux LeD, Arcadia t5 HO, sol reptile vision LeD

Ok perfect, so right off those red glass orbs that you have rooting plants in I would pull. Bright colors they can react to. Next is the shadedweller UVB. This is the wrong UVB type and the output levels are not made for a chameleon more for a gecko. So it is messing with his diurnal cycle. Buy another 24 inch T5HO with a 5.0 or 6%. UVB ideally you want running the length of the cage across the middle. Just the shadedweller alone could be messing him up. I have included in depth info on the UVB and UVA difference at the bottom.

I would make these edits and see what he does. If he is still doing the same behavior then it is not his cage. And you got one that has learned you are ok and coming out is ok. lol

Everything else within your set up is on point.

Shade dweller vs 6%

So the difference in the arcadia 6% vs 7% bulbs... You have UVB and UVA lighting from them. The 7% bulb is the shade dweller bulb so it has almost half the amount of UVA lighting as the 6% or 12% bulbs they sit at around 30% UVA vs the shadedweller 7% strength UVB bulb sitting at 17% UVA.
UVA is responsible for stimulating different aspects in a chameleon. Feeding and mating responses are linked to this.

https://www.arcadiareptile.com/wp-content/uploads/PDS-Shade-Dweller-Pro-T5-RARTP8S.pdf

https://www.arcadiareptile.com/wp-content/uploads/PDS-Pro-T5-RARTP.pdf

 

[pasquel2012]

Thank you!! Will do!! I have reptisun that I just received and will switch it with the shade dweller—it was temporary and belonged to my 7 yo gargoyle who just passed

Should I stop the plant lights? And the sol LED. It has uva diodes. Should I not use it?

I’ll read the articles now. Thank you!

 

[Beman]

Thank you!! Will do!! I have reptisun that I just received and will switch it with the shade dweller—it was temporary and belonged to my 7 yo gargoyle who just passed

Should I stop the plant lights? And the sol LED. It has uva diodes. Should I not use it?

I’ll read the articles now. Thank you!

That is perfect and will solve that issue lol. Sorry for your gargoyle that passed away.

Send me links to the exact info on the led and plant lights your using. They should be fine as long as they are a white hue. I can check into them further tomorrow.

 

[pasquel2012]

That is perfect and will solve that issue lol. Sorry for your gargoyle that passed away.

Send me links to the exact info on the led and plant lights your using. They should be fine as long as they are a white hue. I can check into them further tomorrow.

Thank you!!

https://a.co/d/3SXYUYU
https://solreptile.com/products/visionled

 

[Beman]

Thank you!!

https://a.co/d/3SXYUYU
https://solreptile.com/products/visionled

Ok so the first one I am iffy on it leaves out specific info I look for with LED lighting and animals. Granted I tend to lean more to LED lights that are specifically made for use on animal cages. If you notice others will reference UVA as well. Your solreptile does this. Or they say full spectrum. Typically they also mention the actual kelvin rating. For the Solreptile I am not familiar with that brand so I can not give you specifics there. seems like not much LED lighting for their price tag though.

I used Jungle dawn LED bars for years. Loved them and I could get my hibiscus to bloom with them. https://arcadiareptile.com/jungledawn-ledbar/

 

[pasquel2012]

Ok so the first one I am iffy on it leaves out specific info I look for with LED lighting and animals. Granted I tend to lean more to LED lights that are specifically made for use on animal cages. If you notice others will reference UVA as well. Your solreptile does this. Or they say full spectrum. Typically they also mention the actual kelvin rating. For the Solreptile I am not familiar with that brand so I can not give you specifics there. seems like not much LED lighting for their price tag though.

I used Jungle dawn LED bars for years. Loved them and I could get my hibiscus to bloom with them. https://arcadiareptile.com/jungledawn-ledbar/

Ok. Thank you!! FWIW.. my hibiscus was blooming…. But I’ll put that plant light on my plants that I bought it for—I’m trying to grow veggies year round. I actually have a jungle Dawn too, I’ll put it by the reptisun

For the vision LED by Sol reptile, they are just now in the process of making them more widely available. I got in on early small batch production. I think that is why there isn’t more info on their site. I found out about them from the bearded dragon community. They are very highly regarded there for mimicking sunlight better than most and I believe have been recommended by Thomas griffins and or Frances baines— as being better lamps than the jungle Dawn, but that is for beardies. They are comparable to the fauna lux but have a better spread.

Also, because you mentioned hibiscus blooms, I have a cactus that is going crazy producing new pups under the vision LED and I’ve only had the cactus less than a month.

Please take all that with a grain of salt, the sun confuses me.

 

[Beman]

Ok. Thank you!! FWIW.. my hibiscus was blooming…. But I’ll put that plant light on my plants that I bought it for—I’m trying to grow veggies year round. I actually have a jungle Dawn too, I’ll put it by the reptisun

For the vision LED by Sol reptile, they are just now in the process of making them more widely available. I got in on early small batch production. I think that is why there isn’t more info on their site. I found out about them from the bearded dragon community. They are very highly regarded there for mimicking sunlight better than most and I believe have been recommended by Thomas griffins and or Frances baines— as being better lamps than the jungle Dawn, but that is for beardies. They are comparable to the fauna lux but have a better spread.

Also, because you mentioned hibiscus blooms, I have a cactus that is going crazy producing new pups under the vision LED and I’ve only had the cactus less than a month.

Please take all that with a grain of salt, the sun confuses me.

All of this sounds great. And if Baines is in on sol reptile then it would be a quality product. I know basics with the lighting... More knowledge with the UVB levels. But once you get into kelvin and this and that I have no clue other than a daylight bulb of 6500k is a great option.

 

[pasquel2012]

All of this sounds great. And if Baines is in on sol reptile then it would be a quality product. I know basics with the lighting... More knowledge with the UVB levels. But once you get into kelvin and this and that I have no clue other than a daylight bulb of 6500k is a great option.

Thank you! I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t too much for a chameleon/not sure if I was misunderstanding/missing something.

My understanding and memory are bad. I’m pretty sure she commented on the SOL vision led being good quality/better than JD, but now I’m going back to double check that I’m remembering correctly. I’ll let you know if I didn’t.

Thank you for your help!!!