Falling, help

Eshelton3

Member
So I have a 3 month old panther chameleon. I just got her like 3 days ago. Everytime I go to feed her she’s scared and tries to run up the cage and falls. I’m so scared she’s going to hurt herself. She has fallen twice. She sleeps a lot to me and hides a lot. She has started to eat crickets. The first day she didn’t really eat I’m assuming because of the stress. I have never even handled her I know that from shipping it’s stressful. I’m just giving her space and trying to give her food. But she freaks out. Occasionally she will have one eye closed and one open but she usually hides in the vines and appears to be sleeping, am I being overly just in freak out mode? Help. Also a pic is included of her every time I put her little dish in there to feed her.
 

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Dropping to the forest floor is a defense mechanism for them. When they do that they're communicating that falling and potentially getting hurt from the fall is less scary of a prospect than interacting with the human in their space.

Does she have a lot of plant coverage to hide in?? If not she's probably feeling insecure. You really shouldn't be able to see her unless you play the "where's the chameleon" game unless she's on her basking branch and feeding.

If you want to post pics of the entire cage and your husbandry we can give you feedback but 3 days in it's unlikely you caused any sickness.
 
All you have to do is leave her alone. Put her food in her cage and let it be don’t go near her anything let her get adjusted then you work from there with making a bond.
I don’t mess with her. I never even touched her before. I open the cage door and put the bowl and boom freak out mode. I secure the bowl and close it up
 
Dropping to the forest floor is a defense mechanism for them. When they do that they're communicating that falling and potentially getting hurt from the fall is less scary of a prospect than interacting with the human in their space.

Does she have a lot of plant coverage to hide in?? If not she's probably feeling insecure. You really shouldn't be able to see her unless you play the "where's the chameleon" game unless she's on her basking branch and feeding.

If you want to post pics of the entire cage and your husbandry we can give you feedback but 3 days in it's unlikely you caused any sickness.
I usually have to really look around for her unless she climbs to the top to sit where the heat lamp is. I feel almost bad for feeding her because I’m just trying to help.
 
I usually have to really look around for her unless she climbs to the top to sit where the heat lamp is. I feel almost bad for feeding her because I’m just trying to help.

It'll be okay, you'll adjust to each other in time. :) Can you share pics of the full enclosure top to bottom?
 

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Do you have a plant light and are you watering your plants? They look like they’re wilting. Can you get like one big central plant to go in there that’s bushy with lots of leaves? They like that. It’s going to be ok. In time she will get used to the daily routine of you putting her food in and she won’t run away or drop. It just takes time. I’m glad you’re not holding her or even trying to because she doesn’t need that stress right now so good job!
 
Do you have a plant light and are you watering your plants? They look like they’re wilting. Can you get like one big central plant to go in there that’s bushy with lots of leaves? They like that. It’s going to be ok. In time she will get used to the daily routine of you putting her food in and she won’t run away or drop. It just takes time. I’m glad you’re not holding her or even trying to because she doesn’t need that stress right now so good job!
Yes I’ve been watering but I do not have a plant light. Should I look into a fixture for that as well? Yes I plan on getting more plants but they are not in season where I’m at I luckily found these at a nursery. Yes it stresses me out that shes stressed out lol we are some stressed people/animals right now.
 
I agree with @Lindasjackson that your plants are wilting and need some TLC. You have a big space for her which is great but it does mean you need to give her more branches in various sizes and get some bushier foliage in there for her to feel more safe and secure. I could see her feeling very exposed given how much white space is in there now.

I just went through this with my new girl. Look at the difference between these two pics. Before I filled out the cage with more plants she was dark brown and screen climbing constantly. I added more plants for her to hide and now she's doing really well, green, exploring a lot.

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I agree with @Lindasjackson that your plants are wilting and need some TLC. You have a big space for her which is great but it does mean you need to give her more branches in various sizes and get some bushier foliage in there for her to feel more safe and secure. I could see her feeling very exposed given how much white space is in there now.

I just went through this with my new girl. Look at the difference between these two pics. Before I filled out the cage with more plants she was dark brown and screen climbing constantly. I added more plants for her to hide and now she's doing really well, green, exploring a lot.

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Yea I definitely can see the difference from
Your comparison pictures. Also do you feel like I could benefit from a plant light? Are your plants proped up and zipped tied to your branches. Want to find the best way to secure more when I get them. I really do appreciate everyone’s help, it’s very much appreciated.
 
Yea I definitely can see the difference from
Your comparison pictures. Also do you feel like I could benefit from a plant light? Are your plants proped up and zipped tied to your branches. Want to find the best way to secure more when I get them. I really do appreciate everyone’s help, it’s very much appreciated.
So much of this is observing, adjusting, and asking for help! Glad you're here.

Plant lights are great! There are tons of threads on here about options with product links from Amazon. Use the search feature and dive on in.

In my 2x2x4 Vieled's cage I use dragon ledges and zip tie the pots to those. In the pictures I shared above the cage is smaller (it's for a carpet chameleon) and I don't have dragon ledges so I zip tied the pots to the branches. I wanted to just see how she reacted with more foliage.

Read this - great pics and instructions for hanging up branches and pots (you want to use the double pot method): https://dragonstrand.com/getting-the-most-from-your-dragon-strand-dragon-ledges/
 
In the photo of her in post #8 her tail looks thin...but in the first photo of her it doesn't....have you noticed a change in it the three days you've had her?

You said..."She sleeps a lot to me"... Is she sleeping during the day?

What temperature is the cage at? The basking area? What is your basking light? No lights on at night....right?

How are you watering her?

What's in the lay bin for substrate?
 
So much of this is observing, adjusting, and asking for help! Glad you're here.

Plant lights are great! There are tons of threads on here about options with product links from Amazon. Use the search feature and dive on in.

In my 2x2x4 Vieled's cage I use dragon ledges and zip tie the pots to those. In the pictures I shared above the cage is smaller (it's for a carpet chameleon) and I don't have dragon ledges so I zip tied the pots to the branches. I wanted to just see how she reacted with more foliage.

Read this - great pics and instructions for hanging up branches and pots (you want to use the double pot method): https://dragonstrand.com/getting-the-most-from-your-dragon-strand-dragon-ledges/
Awesome I’m going to watch it now. Also I will probably have to do some adjusting for more plants to be put in. Should I just do the best I can do to put stuff in right now since she is so new before I kind of move her to fix it up. I just don’t want her to get anymore stress from moving her out while I do that.
 
In the photo of her in post #8 her tail looks thin...but in the first photo of her it doesn't....have you noticed a change in it the three days you've had her?

You said..."She sleeps a lot to me"... Is she sleeping during the day?

What temperature is the cage at? The basking area? What is your basking light? No lights on at night....right?

How are you watering her?

What's in the lay bin for substrate?
She sleeps a lot to me. I read all on here that sleeping during the day isn’t normal. But to me she looks like she is sleeping.i don’t leave any lights on at night at all. Here I will include what lights and fixtures I have with my pictures. I mist right now until my mist king comes in. In the lay bin I included 50% play sand half organic soil.
 

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Awesome I’m going to watch it now. Also I will probably have to do some adjusting for more plants to be put in. Should I just do the best I can do to put stuff in right now since she is so new before I kind of move her to fix it up. I just don’t want her to get anymore stress from moving her out while I do that.

I think the priority is setting things up in a way that makes her feel secure. Once she feels secure, she won't be so stressed. @Lindasjackson suggested that you get a good centerpiece plant, I agree that'd be helpful. Read this for detailed advice and plant options https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/

And, answer @kinyonga 's questions, she has a wealth of knowledge. We can do a full husbandry form review as well. You just copy/paste from the "how to ask for help" thread pinned to the top of the Health forum and post your answers here.
 
I’m not sure the forest 6% bulb is the right one but it might be. It also looks like you already have a plant light bulb. Does your light fixture hold both your uvb light and the plant light? Maybe your plants just need to be watered.
 
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