falling chameleon help

[OOOst16]

Ok so my cham was skeeping and he was completely atached to the screen...."Like all claws and feet atached to the screen. So I went to pick him up to move him to a branch and he jumped off and fell four ft down to the bottom of his cage. I was freaking out . I checked all his vitals and bones and eyes and he looks completely fine and is acting fine. He then went back to sleep. Basickly I want to know if this is normal? I know they are desgind for falls. But it just scared me and I feel so dumb amd like a bad parent I want to cry.

 

[pssh]

A healthy chameleon can take a four foot fall easily. They're built to fall to the forest floor when predators attack. That's probably why he spazzed when you woke him.

 

[chameleonman57]

They won't show any sings because predators might take that as a weak point and eat them, so they could be acting like almost nothing happened. I would just keep a close eye on him.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Ok so my cham was skeeping and he was completely atached to the screen...."Like all claws and feet atached to the screen. So I went to pick him up to move him to a branch and he jumped off and fell four ft down to the bottom of his cage. I was freaking out . I checked all his vitals and bones and eyes and he looks completely fine and is acting fine. He then went back to sleep. Basickly I want to know if this is normal? I know they are desgind for falls. But it just scared me and I feel so dumb amd like a bad parent I want to cry.

Well its not a good thing for it to fall, but hopefully it will be fine. Best not to disturb them when they are sleeping (or any other time for that matter LOL)

 

[jojackson]

Just try never to disturb your cham while its sleeping, easily startled. Imagine being suddnly awoken by what you assume is a predator about to eat you.
More especially, If they sleep in precarious positions like that, more likley to fall if startled.
Sleeping on the wire or wherever is no danger provided they arnt disturbed.
They seem to 'lock on' to wherever they are so they dont fall, handy when you live in trees where wind may blow you about.

 

[OOOst16]

Thanks pssh I can always relie on you. Yeah thatsd why I figured he jumped like he did. While he was falling I saw him puff up like a baloon so that's a good signe. Ty so muich this eases my mind

 

[OOOst16]

Well the reason I atampted toi move him in the first place was so he wouldn't fall from the screen. Man I feel like a failed keeper. Lesson learned. He has no abnormalities and his eyes are nice and bulgy and his casque is firm and his grip is tight. I'm on my pohone doing this so sorry for my bad grammer.

 

[panthercham]

Sandrachameleon and jojackson have given you excellent advice....if your cham is asleep dont disturb him no matter what position he has put himself into. They know what they are doing....most of the time and do sometimes sleep in weird positons

In the first couple of months of cham keeping I did what you did when my cham fell asleep in all wierd and whacky places and postiions cos I thought it was what was best and that was to move him to his sleeping branch and a few times he was startled and took a fall and I felt bad.

One thing I did do was turn off his heat bulb first and then 30 mins later his uvb light so that he knew when darkness/nightfall is going to happen....sort of like dusk when the light fades gradually. This got him ready for sleep and he can make his way to his sleep branches....sometimes they get caught off guard when both lights go off at once.

 

[OOOst16]

thanks panthercham...yeah i do turn off his heat lamp then about 30 mins i turn off the uvb. ty though

 

[Miss Lily]

Not long after I got Amy she decided to run/jump off my hand. SHe landed on the floor and i felt so bad! She was fine though. I was very wary of handling her for a while after though!

I also turn out the heat bulb 30 mins before the UV and vice versa in the morning -it's more in tune with what happens in the wild, and they know to get into a roosting spot ready for lights out.