Clinging to top almost nonstop

[Franquixote]

The temps are between 75- 90, he was eve gaping for a second yesterday, I am getting more vines to climb on delivered today but he constantly walks across or hangs from top screen. I'm worried because there is an Arcadia 12% up there plus right under the basking lamp the temp gun shows well over 100 degrees. He has lots of gradients temp wise.
I am thinking maybe he hates misting, I have the Monsoon multi set now to go off about every 1.5-2 hours for 30 seconds.

Should I be worried? Can they fry their eyes on the UV bulb or cook themselves under the basking light (it is an 8 inch version w/ a 150 watt bulb turned way down but still hot)

 

[jajeanpierre]

The temps are between 75- 90, he was eve gaping for a second yesterday, I am getting more vines to climb on delivered today but he constantly walks across or hangs from top screen. I'm worried because there is an Arcadia 12% up there plus right under the basking lamp the temp gun shows well over 100 degrees. He has lots of gradients temp wise.
I am thinking maybe he hates misting, I have the Monsoon multi set now to go off about every 1.5-2 hours for 30 seconds.

Should I be worried? Can they fry their eyes on the UV bulb or cook themselves under the basking light (it is an 8 inch version w/ a 150 watt bulb turned way down but still hot)

I hate when they climb on the screen. That's one of the reasons I prefer solid sided cages. How old is he? Babies seem to be the worst for doing that. @jpowell86 once suggested to me he thought it was because babies want to hide and view the screen almost like a big leaf. My tiny babies will even go up and hang off the roof of outdoor cages. It makes me crazy.

Yes, I think they can cook themselves and I think they can do damage to their eyes. I would never trust them to decide they should move.

I once accidentally left a babies' cage door open and found one baby right under an Arcadia 12%--only an inch away from the bulb! He was happy as can be, flattened out and black basking away and very very hot. He's really lucky I found him, that's for sure.

 

[Graves923]

What species? How long has it been in your care? Approximate age of the chameleon? Id suggest filling out the help form found here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

A photo of the enclosure would help too.

In my experience, a cham in a new enclosure will tend to climb as high as they can get. Its a natural instinct for them. The higher they are, the safer they feel maybe?

 

[Scottsquatch]

Hey, just a heads up, but your misting sessions won't be long enough for him to clean his eyes. The breeder podcast about hydration indicates you need at least one long misting period to trigger this behavior. If you can't do that with your system, it is suggested you do a long shower session once a week to ensure they can clean their eyes. For an example of how important this is, Brianna Kammer says in one interview that they give their chams a 10 minute mist every morning. Just wanted to share the info I learned to prevent you the heartache of having your cham develop eye issues. Good luck on your current screen climbing issue.

 

[Franquixote]

The photo of enclosure is old now, this was before I put in vines etc. it is just to give general idea of what it is.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Panther, male ambilobe apprx 3.5 months old. Have had him 1 week.
• Handling - I have been handling him a lot to get him off the screen, otherwise have not handled just for fun
• Feeding - mainly dubia, last 2 days got crickets (not from Petco from a reptile pet store) dusted with D3 once this week otherwise dusted with no D calcium at most feedings, He is eating from a cup mostly and eats about 6 dubia a day Gut loading with Josh's roach chow frsh fruit veggie supplements and superload
• Supplements - Re[ashy no D most days, Repcal with vitamin A once a week
• Watering - Monsoonn multi right now set to go off every 1.5 hours for about 30 seconds. Have seen him clean his eyes oncethis week, there is dew on most branches most of the time and have seen him drink a little bit.
• Fecal Description - brown with some white, have not tesed for paasites
• History - none available

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - custom cage 48' high corner cage, 3 sides glass 2 corner sides a foam type faux stone
• Lighting - 12% twin arcadia, 1 UV bulb toher is daylight- from Lightyourreptiles I 8" 150 att bulbbasking light dimmed about 75% so basking spot reaches up to 90 degrees of so but has option to bask in other spots ranging from around 75 to 95 degrees. Also have a LED Jungledawn plant bulb. Turn the system on around 9am - he sleeps until I turn on lights- turn off lights around 7pm. Don't have a automatic timer yet but pan on getting one soon.
• Temperature - using multiple thermometers and laser spot testing gun. Bottom of cage is around 75, warms up as it gets toward top under basking spot can be as hot as 95 degrees
• Humidity - humidistats in tank in several spots, humidity ranges fro around 60 to 80%. Monsson multi mist sysetm using 2 nozzles set up to spray for about 30 seconds every 1.5 hours right now
• Plants - 1 live Madagascar Jasmine vine planted in a window planter, apprx 14" long, 4" wide, and up to 15" high
• Placement - corner of family room, does not have a lot of constant activity outside enclosure- no other pets in house.
• Location - NJ

Current Problem - constantly climbing on top screen- it is aluminum screenn with apprx 18th" square- the stuff fromm home improvement stores.

 

[JacksJill]

Babies do that because they can or as stated above. Move your lights up and off of the screen a few inches to reduce the temp up there. If he hangs out there long enough he will burn the tip of his tail or worse. Once he gets larger and heavier he will start resting on branches instead and you can lower your lights.

 

[Goose502]

My male panther still hangs upside down from the top screen and he's over a year old. I think it's just in their nature to constantly patrol/hunt/explore. I noticed this behavior almost immediately and used both my temp gun and solarmeter 6.5 to adjust both the lighting and heating to provide safe and effective thermoregulation. Sometimes no matter what we do, the damn things still do what they want.

 

[Franquixote]

It's driving me CRAZY. ALL DAY TODAY I was taking him down and he would crawl back up.
That Arcadia bulb 12% and the basking bulb are making me really nervous. I don't see him under the basking bulb except to crawl over the screen but he sits under the UV bulb.
If his eyes are closed is it still going to do damage?
I put a LOT more vines in today but he doesn't seem to care.