Desperation to get out

Andee

Andee

Chameleon Enthusiast
Ryker has started this weird phase lately where he's been absolutely desperate to get out >.< Whether it's to wander around on the free range or just sit on me he's happy. But inside the cage he's never happy if the doors open. He's also been screen climbing a lot and therefore has gotten a burn... >.< so I have raised the lamp and am taking him out more. But I haven't been around as much so I haven't been able to take him out as much.

The REAL problem with this strange behavior is that he isn't eating with the cage door open, so I can't feed him his roaches and now he's on straight crickets. Though he's showing hardly any interest in these now. He was eating 8 large crickets... about an inch to 3/4 inch big, a day and he's 7 months. I just don't see this as normal behavior...? Any advice would be helpful, thank you in advance.
 
I dont know what type of cham you have... but with both of my Veiled chameleons I have had the same issue of trying to desperately leave their cage. It seems to be a phase they go through around their 3rd-7th month. Check your setup to make sure it is all in order. If everything is to standard then it probably is just a phase. I have never had this issue with a Jackson or a Panther though. I guess Veileds are just more adventurous.

Post more info. for some better advice.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
 
Your Chameleon - Panther, Male, 7 months, he's been with me for 3 months.
Handling - Lately every day or every other day for 15 minutes to 10 minutes
Feeding - I feed him 3/4-inch crickets, dubia roaches, hornworms (soon to be other types of roaches); 8 crickets or 6 crickets with a roach, 1 hornworm a day; I feed him around 12 or 1 in the afternoon; Repashy's Bug Burger, Dandelion Greens, Oranges
Supplements - Repticalcium without D3 every day, Repticalcium with D3 twice a month, Herptivite twice a month
Watering - I use an automatic mister and mist every hour (because otherwise the humidity drops really fast right now because of the heat) for 45 seconds
Fecal Description - White urates, dark poop somewhere in between black and brown. Yes about a month and a half ago, he's clean.
History - He has gone through a phase of being really lethargic but when I switched him into his larger cage that fixed it really fast.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - All screen with shower curtain on one side, 2'x2'x4'
Lighting - I'm using an exo terra halogen basking bulb (75 watt), and I think it's 18 inches long uvb bulb Zoo med reptisun, 5.0
Temperature - Basking is 82-83 degrees, cage floor is I think around 68 or something last time I checked >.> that also depends on the weather. 65 degrees. Digital Thermometer.
Humidity - The humidity is around 70 degrees, I keep the humidity around 68-70 by mistings, I use a dial hygrometer
Plants - Yes, a camillia bush, two umbrella trees, and a hibiscus.
Placement - His cage is on top of a dresser in my bedroom near a window that is always closed.
Location - San Luis Obispo, CA

Current Problem - See original post
 
My Jackson's is about 1 year old and he always wants out. I have found that if I give him regular free range time, he chills out quite a bit. If he doesn't get out for about an hour every few days, he goes a little stir crazy and starts climbing the screen and hanging out right where the doors open just staring at us. Then he's fine if he can roam about. He must think we are hiding the ladies from him :)

Have you tried letting him have some heavily supervised free range time? I use a faux vine to let him climb out on his own. He has a particular circuit he follows once or twice around the living room and will then hang out in a sunny spot, usually until I make him go back in. It might do wonders for your cham's friendliness too.
 
I have been looking for free range stuff lately but I have no idea how to go about it. As I can't mount anything to the wall (not my house) and Ryker shares this house with two cats and a dog >.< so I was looking into some sort of bird play pen or something that I can mount things on that I can set in the house that won't take up nearly as much room as his outside free range (which can't come inside the house).
 
Andee said:
Your Chameleon - Panther, Male, 7 months, he's been with me for 3 months.
Handling - Lately every day or every other day for 15 minutes to 10 minutes
Feeding - I feed him 3/4-inch crickets, dubia roaches, hornworms (soon to be other types of roaches); 8 crickets or 6 crickets with a roach, 1 hornworm a day; I feed him around 12 or 1 in the afternoon; Repashy's Bug Burger, Dandelion Greens, Oranges
Supplements - Repticalcium without D3 every day, Repticalcium with D3 twice a month, Herptivite twice a month
Watering - I use an automatic mister and mist every hour (because otherwise the humidity drops really fast right now because of the heat) for 45 seconds
Fecal Description - White urates, dark poop somewhere in between black and brown. Yes about a month and a half ago, he's clean.
History - He has gone through a phase of being really lethargic but when I switched him into his larger cage that fixed it really fast.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - All screen with shower curtain on one side, 2'x2'x4'
Lighting - I'm using an exo terra halogen basking bulb (75 watt), and I think it's 18 inches long uvb bulb Zoo med reptisun, 5.0
Temperature - Basking is 82-83 degrees, cage floor is I think around 68 or something last time I checked >.> that also depends on the weather. 65 degrees. Digital Thermometer.
Humidity - The humidity is around 70 degrees, I keep the humidity around 68-70 by mistings, I use a dial hygrometer
Plants - Yes, a camillia bush, two umbrella trees, and a hibiscus.
Placement - His cage is on top of a dresser in my bedroom near a window that is always closed.
Location - San Luis Obispo, CA

Current Problem - See original post
Click to expand...


Spot on care buddy! Your setup is pretty dang good. Its just gotten spoiled I think. Since you handle it so often, the cham has gotten used to daily excursions into the world. If you take him out often, I would advise to leave it alone for a day or two. The cham will settle down and stop trying to escape so much. As I said earlier, it is most likely a phase.

San Luis is pretty hot right now, although the past two days have been good, on the count of the rains. Weird weather though.
 
If he's being supervised, don't stress on it too much. We just let Ferdinand wander around the living room. When I first got him, I set up a really nice free range with a potted plant and vines and a big stick to climb. I agonized over the perfect place to put it where he would feel most comfortable. Spent like $50 getting everything for it. You know how long he stayed on it? About 10 seconds flat and then spent 10 minutes trying to climb the baseboards before deciding he likes the couch best. :)
 
Thanks guys at least this makes me feel better about his weird behavior, he's always been really eager to come out but this is just to the extreme XD So maybe he's not gone crazy after all <3 Do you live near SLO Vigilant?

I am definately looking into a free range for him
 
Can you post pics of his cage? If he doest have enough vines and horizontal branches along with the plants you already have he won't be happy with the cage causing his to always want out.
 
He really needs more plants, or more coverage through out the cage to hide in. Also way more horizontal branches placed near the bottom, middle and near the top for a basking spot. Connect all the branches with your vines and this will give him more walk ways to cover his whole cage. Small things like this can make a huge difference.
 
Oh alright 8D I totally will go out and buy more vines, will probably have to resort to plastic plants for coverage.
 
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