Chameleon Body Building
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incase anyone hasnt thought of this...water = pressure on their bodies. if chams were meant to enjoy baths they would have webed feet instead they have pincer feet that grip much like a bird. to really find out if your cham enjoys all this activity just open his cage if he ventures keep an eye onhim if not learn to just let him be what you got him for...LIVING ART....thats all they are. i read somewhere and correct me if im wrong that chams can sometime show beautiful colors when stressed frightned or defensive...beautiful colors doesnt always mean happy and content unless they are asleep. my male veiled shows dingy colors all day sometimes bright depends on whats going on around him. i dont mean stressed dingy just not his full sunburst colors. thoes he shows when i remove for the cleaning then he flatens and darken up when hes outside for sun while i clean. other than that hes beautiful when he sleeps. unless im cleaning he stay in his home cause thats where he knows hes safe from everything including me. your helping is hurting.
casidonacid
New Member
Recently, I have tried to give my chameleon a workout. Compared to when I got him, and for his age (6 months) he seems to be very healthy and active. My form of workout consists of letting him chase his prey actively ( no worms, all flying feeders ), running from predators ( camera lens, he runs after he bites it), and etting him explore steep terrain ( from sofas to messy bed sheets ). I have also given him soothing warm water baths that are shallow enough for him to have a foot hold, but deep enough for him to swim in. Do you guys think this can extend his life and intensify his over all health and color?
If you are worried about dehydration instead of putting him in the shower you should just feed him hornworms he will go crazy for them and they are filled with moisture. I have done the shower method before and none seemed to show any irritation to the water but I use it as a last resort. I like watching them eat a huge hornworm instead.
Texas Panther Man
New Member
i have used the shower method for years. but i recently have started to think it should only be used sparingly. I am worried about the calcium sediment in the bottom of our hot water heaters. I believe that prolonged exposure to calcium deposits in water could be bad for our animals. I have heard stories of dog owners having severe urinary problems in dogs when hot water wsa mixed with their food.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Agreed. Brightening colors equal stress. Every time you take him out of his known territory he's going to stress to some degree (and that could vary a lot based on the individual). Consider any cham's approach to life..."stay inconspicuous so food and predators don't detect you. Learn the safest and most direct pathways to heat, to water, to food and stick to them". This is not the life of a very active creature. If you are that concerned with exercising him, give him a huge territory so he has to move around to bask, to drink, to cool off, to roost for the night, and free range some feeders, offer him flying insects such as houseflies.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Everyone's water is different so you can't really say this is great in every case. We have forum members on hard well water, super chlorinated city water, iron or sulphur rich water, untreated surface water, rainwater, chemically softened water, RO filtered water, you name it. One size does NOT fit all!
Most tap or shower water will sting your eyes because the salt content isn't the same as tears. That holds true regardless of the chlorine content.
To find out just what is in your water and at what level, TEST IT! Municipally treated water is supposedly safe for human consumption but it won't necessarily be comfortable in your eyes.
I am on an isolated, rural, untreated well. I know it's super hard but safe to drink because I test it and I am not a rocket scientist either.
