Does this ever stop?

[JaclynCali]

My Cham hangs upside down under his 75w basking light and has already fallen once before from 4ft up This drives me crazy when he does this because I don't want him to fall or burn his belly! So my question is do the ever stop hanging upside down or is this something I need accept and get over?

 

[ZuggieTheCham]

What are your temps?? He might be too cold so he's trying to get closer to his bulb

 

[Bunke]

I agree, what are the temps? You should have a temp to control his basking spot at all time. Then it will be easier to maybe lower the branch in the summer and higher it during the winter.

 

[SaintJimmy]

Like others said, he might be trying to get warmer.
Also, climbing on that screen like that might hurt his nails (and they don't grow back).

You might want to either lower the lamp, raise the temperatures, move his basking spot up, ect.

 

[JaclynCali]

What are your temps?? He might be too cold so he's trying to get closer to his bulb

I agree, what are the temps? You should have a temp to control his basking spot at all time. Then it will be easier to maybe lower the branch in the summer and higher it during the winter.

I have 2 basking spots and the one he's hanging under stays in the low to mid 90s (it's 94 right now) and the other one 85.

 

[Bunke]

Hm, sounds good to me. Do you got any branch under where he can sit/rest?

 

[JaclynCali]

Hm, sounds good to me. Do you got any branch under where he can sit/rest?

I tried to get a good pic of the branches and lights so you could see how I have it setup.

 

[squeekz1992]

I would get a couple branches and stagger them under the two lights

 

[JaclynCali]

I would get a couple branches and stagger them under the two lights

The basking light that I have elevated is a 75w halogen and it gets REALLY hot. Even being so high up, it still keeps his temp in the 90s.. You don't think it will burn him if I allow him to get closer to it?

 

[ZuggieTheCham]

I tried to get a good pic of the branches and lights so you could see how I have it setup.

Nice looking cage !!! Like squeeks said just one more vine to go under just a little higher might help but not too close so he can burn himself

 

[ZuggieTheCham]

The basking light that I have elevated is a 75w halogen and it gets REALLY hot. Even being so high up, it still keeps his temp in the 90s.. You don't think it will burn him if I allow him to get closer to it?

Maybe switch to a normal house bulb instead of halogen ? He may not be cold just wants to be closer to his light? My Cham kept doing this when he was a juvenile he lost 1 nail from it ! Doesn't effect him but they don't grow back !

 

[JaclynCali]

Maybe switch to a normal house bulb instead of halogen ? He may not be cold just wants to be closer to his light? My Cham kept doing this when he was a juvenile he lost 1 nail from it ! Doesn't effect him but they don't grow back !

I tried using a lower wattage and I don't know if its because I'm on the central coast or not but it was really hard at first to get his temps up! I like the halogen because it puts off more light. I will try and mess it more and see if I can put another branch so he can get higher. Thanks for the advice!

 

[ZuggieTheCham]

I tried using a lower wattage and I don't know if its because I'm on the central coast or not but it was really hard at first to get his temps up! I like the halogen because it puts off more light. I will try and mess it more and see if I can put another branch so he can get higher. Thanks for the advice!

Ahh well maybe put his branch higher and move the bulb higher too then he will feel closer to the top but can't burn ?

 

[JaclynCali]

Ahh well maybe put his branch higher and move the bulb higher too then he will feel closer to the top but can't burn ?

I don't think I can put it any higher (I took a pic of how high the bulb is). His other basking light is a 60w daylight bulb and I just moved the branch under that bulb higher. Hopefully this makes him happier!

 

[ZuggieTheCham]

Ahh it didn't look that high in the first pic, play around with it abit ad let us know what u do

 

[crocky]

Get a $10 dimmer switch and then you can dim the lights a little to lower the heat but at the same time raise his basking branch. Like others said he is probably trying to get higher up.

I have my guys basking branch pretty high with a 60 watt household bulb on a dimmer. I love the dimmers, that way you can adjust it instead of raising and lowering the light.

 

[JaclynCali]

Get a $10 dimmer switch and then you can dim the lights a little to lower the heat but at the same time raise his basking branch. Like others said he is probably trying to get higher up.

I have my guys basking branch pretty high with a 60 watt household bulb on a dimmer. I love the dimmers, that way you can adjust it instead of raising and lowering the light.

Great idea! I will definitely do that! Thank you

 

[carol5208]

It doesn't really appear that you have enough branches and vines for climbing up higher in the cage, especially to bask. I think that is why he is climbing towards the light. I would try positioning one about a foot down below the basking areas and see if that does not eliminate the problem.

 

[mphelps]

If you worried about skin burns, there is a simple test. Put you hand under the light, where your chameleon basks, and keep it there. If your hand feels not just warm, but begins to feel uncomfortably hot -- begins to feel like it is burning and was impulse is to pull your hand away rather then leave it there -- then your chameleon's skin will burn under the light.

Even with a relatively low wattage incandescent bulb, some reflectors will focus the light into one intense hot spot. Whenever I use either a light with a reflector behind it or an intense bulb, like a halogen bulb, I test the overall temp and check for hot spots with my hand. This doesn't replace using a thermometer, but it will tell you whether your light could burn your chameleon.

 

[italian chameleon]

you have such a beautiful cage but it's a little empty! it's not all about the temperatures there are also other things to consider! try to put more branches, vines and plants! give your cham more places to go, i'm sure he ll be a lot happier and will eventually stop doing that weird mesh climbing thing!it worked for my veiled! try it then let us know !