Chameleon Fell, seems okay...

[TOVIV]

So last night I went to move some of the leaves in the cage to adjust for better water dripping, and my chameleon was being a little spazz and tried to climb too fast and ended up falling... he fell from the top area down to the very bottom... its about 5 feet as this is a full large enclosure. Hes not full grown (maybe half a year old), and it made me scared out of my mind. I watched him for a good while after that, and today after work as well... he seems fine, no problems eating/drinking (as picky of a friggin drinker as he is...) and climbing away no problems. I did pick him up gently and slowly this morning and when he calmed down and was resting i gently touched each limb/his sides to see if anything made him flinch and he seemed fine with it...

do you think he's okay? what would be a sign of any internal issues? just watch the poop???

Thank you for any advice.

 

[Lazy Boy]

Just keep a eye on him but they can take pretty good falls. There was just a thread about a young panther falling from a third floor balcony and was found in a bush basking just after.

 

[TOVIV]

Just keep a eye on him but they can take pretty good falls. There was just a thread about a young panther falling from a third floor balcony and was found in a bush basking just after.

That makes me feel a bit better. It isn't grass like it would be in nature or some other organic bottom so it made me nervous. But I think hes fine. He's still being a little hissy fit about my hand going in there, but He will get used it.

 

[crazychamzoo]

It's actually a last case scenario flight response in Chameleons, if they get scared enough, in the wild the little buggers will drop out of a tree on purpose to escape predators. We experience this with young Panthers, they move so quickly and they will literally jump from your hand or from a limb before you know it to escape. It has happened so many times, still scares the crap out of me every time, but I have yet to have one get injured, no broken bones, just slight bruising at the most, but even that has been rare. I was moving a young male from one enclosure to another, he came out fine, as soon as I went to place him in his new enclosure he jumped for it and fell, it was like one of those moments where everything was in slow motion, he hit the edge of the cage and tumbled end over end to the floor. Now I'm 6'-1" and 230lbs and I think I screeched like a little girl. I reached down and got him, not a scratch, no bruising, and didn't seem to phase him at all. He kind of just looked at me like dang that was a wild ride.

 

[TOVIV]

It's actually a last case scenario flight response in Chameleons, if they get scared enough, in the wild the little buggers will drop out of a tree on purpose to escape predators. We experience this with young Panthers, they move so quickly and they will literally jump from your hand or from a limb before you know it to escape. It has happened so many times, still scares the crap out of me every time, but I have yet to have one get injured, no broken bones, just slight bruising at the most, but even that has been rare. I was moving a young male from one enclosure to another, he came out fine, as soon as I went to place him in his new enclosure he jumped for it and fell, it was like one of those moments where everything was in slow motion, he hit the edge of the cage and tumbled end over end to the floor. Now I'm 6'-1" and 230lbs and I think I screeched like a little girl. I reached down and got him, not a scratch, no bruising, and didn't seem to phase him at all. He kind of just looked at me like dang that was a wild ride.

Well that makes me feel even better. I am pretty new to this, and haven't even had a reptile in years.

Glad to know they aren't super duper brittle.

Awesome and quick responses on this forum! I think I am here to stay!

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

They are not super brittle and I have had plenty falls myself but be very careful because they can do damage to internal organs like kidneys and liver that can declining health and death.

 

[xephyr17]

It's actually a last case scenario flight response in Chameleons, if they get scared enough, in the wild the little buggers will drop out of a tree on purpose to escape predators. We experience this with young Panthers, they move so quickly and they will literally jump from your hand or from a limb before you know it to escape. It has happened so many times, still scares the crap out of me every time, but I have yet to have one get injured, no broken bones, just slight bruising at the most, but even that has been rare. I was moving a young male from one enclosure to another, he came out fine, as soon as I went to place him in his new enclosure he jumped for it and fell, it was like one of those moments where everything was in slow motion, he hit the edge of the cage and tumbled end over end to the floor. Now I'm 6'-1" and 230lbs and I think I screeched like a little girl. I reached down and got him, not a scratch, no bruising, and didn't seem to phase him at all. He kind of just looked at me like dang that was a wild ride.

That's really cool I didn't know that! Ender has fallen once before and has been fine so that makes it more of a bearable concept

 

[TOVIV]

They are not super brittle and I have had plenty falls myself but be very careful because they can do damage to internal organs like kidneys and liver that can declining health and death.

Yeah that was what worried me so I have been watching for everything. Abnormal poop, movement, eating, drinking, etc etc.

he seems perfect, which is awesome! ive been patient and slow with manuevering my hand around him and hes slowly being less agressive. he is chilling on my shoulder right now as we speak (he loves to climb up my shirt!).

I only handle him maybe twice a week or so, just so he can slowly get used to me. Once he is on me tho, he is awesome. Had him fall asleep in my hand twice.