First shower... ugh.

[camshaft]

So I decided today would be a good day to give my juvie panther a shower. He's about 5 months old, been with me for about 2 weeks, and is absolutely scared to death of me.

I have a repti-breeze screen cage, so I carefully removed the lower hinged door and then took out the hibiscus plant. The ficus tree has a well strapped down "vine" running through the center of it so I needed to tilt the tree to get it out. I didn't want to do this with my cham on it, so i tried to get him onto my hand. This didn't go to well, he ended up on the cage floor near the door opening and I gently snatched him before he could fall to the room floor.

He didn't much care for being on my hand and basically ran from hand to hand until I got him on his hibiscus plant a few feet away. I got the ficus tree and and then scared him onto the ficus. I took him and the ficus into the shower and sprayed the water off of the shower wall.

Based on his color, he never calmed down in the shower. He showed stress colors for the entire 20 minutes. I put a piece of hibiscus in a large kritter keeper and had him crawl in there while I cleaned his tank bottom, drilled some holes, and setup the LLL drainage pad.

All in all, not a fun experience for either of us. Do you think he'll calm down in the future? I'm not sure what I could have done to make it less stressful on the both of us.

 

[reptimanny]

is a shower required for chameleons?

 

[gegeland]

I wouldn't worry about it. I bet after awhile he will calm down, and he won't be so afraid of you. Just give him some time, and keep handling to a minimum.

 

[jamncristian]

no it helps to get them to drink because it feels like it is raining. it is an optional thing

 

[boj3434]

Just give him time he still prob isnt to sure of you and to get a chameleon to be nice it takes alot of time and pacients. Just start to hand feed him and then start luring him out onto your hand after awhile with food and then just go from there. Just make sure not to force anything or youll make him pretty stressed

 

[gegeland]

is a shower required for chameleons?

Not really required. A lot of people would recommend it though. It aids in hydration of chameleons, and my chameleons love warm showers. It's not the type of shower we would take; just direct the water from the shower head onto the wall, and the water will turn into a more of a mist, which in turn will bounce off the wall onto the plant you have your chameleon on.

 

[reptimanny]

no it helps to get them to drink because it feels like it is raining. it is an optional thing

I would be scared of drowning them or making them stressed. Would it be better if i waited for my cham to get bigger? she is a baby still

 

[jamncristian]

it probably would be better just make sure she is drinking enough water

 

[chameleon master0091]

it probably would be better just make sure she is drinking enough water

yeah...I ahree with you on this comment.

 

[camshaft]

He definately drinks enough. His eyes aren't sunken in and his urate is white. I've actually seen him drinking quite a few times.

From what i've seen in other posts, i assumed he would like the shower, calm him down, and give him a revitalizing rehydration.

Anyway, he won't hand feed yet. He's a pretty shy eater. If he knows I'm watching, he keeps an eye on me, so he can't eat. But i've seen him snatch a few crickets and caught him with his mouth full a couple of times.

 

[laurie]

I would be scared of drowning them or making them stressed. Would it be better if i waited for my cham to get bigger? she is a baby still

You are correct to worry. A shower for a baby chameleon can kill it if the water goes up the nostrils. Don't give your chameleon a shower until it is at least 5 or 6 months.

 

[Elizadolots]

Well...camshaft did say the chameleon was 5 months old...

One thought I had was to either put the entire cage in the shower or to get a different plant to use for the shower. It seems like the experience of getting the ficus out of the cage was stressful all by itself....I've seen people say they put the cage in the shower and that seems like it would make for a much more "natural rain" feeling for the animal.

 

[panthercham]

The question you asked is what you could have done to make it less stressful on both you and your cham.

My question to you is why did you feel in necessary to shower him when he has been in your care for only 2 weeks and you know he is still not comfortable and is stressed around around you and you handling him. In a later post you said he wasn't dehydrated and that his urates are white and that he is drinking.

So to answer your question I would wait until he has settled in more, is not scared around you and that you have gained his trust before doing it again and only if its needed. The point of a shower for your cham is so that they get a good drink and get hydrated if they have a dehydration issue.

 

[warpdrive]

The question you asked is what you could have done to make it less stressful on both you and your cham.

My question to you is why did you feel in necessary to shower him when he has been in your care for only 2 weeks and you know he is still not comfortable and is stressed around around you and you handling him. In a later post you said he wasn't dehydrated and that his urates are white and that he is drinking.

So to answer your question I would wait until he has settled in more, is not scared around you and that you have gained his trust before doing it again and only if its needed. The point of a shower for your cham is so that they get a good drink and get hydrated if they have a dehydration issue.

I could not have said it better.

Harry