Freaked out ambi!

[mattcast1214]

Hey guys,

Wednesday I placed a new plant and exo terra twist branch inside my guys enclosure and he FREAKED out from the branch! The new plant was in the back and he adjusted to it pretty quick and even slept in it the first night, but he would not go anywhere near the new branch/vine that I put in to connect another plant to the basking area. I thought maybe that he was just scared from all the movement of putting the stuff into the cage, but for the next 2 days he still wouldn't go near that particular branch and was very dark the whole time and not eating. I removed the branch Friday night while he was sleeping and guess what? Saturday morning he was in the basking area right where the branch used to be and back to his normal happy self, even taking a few worms from my hand.

I don't plan on putting it back in any time soon and I'm glad he's back to normal, but why the heck did he freak out like this over a branch?? lol Has anyone else experienced this with another seemingly normal item you've put in your chams enclosure?

 

[pssh]

Sometimes they get very upset over new things in their territories. I find that taking them out (and not letting them see you do it) while you make any adjustments and then putting them back in after helps a bit. Some chameleons also just freak out when they see a new or moving stick (perhaps they think it is a snake?)

 

[mattcast1214]

Sometimes they get very upset over new things in their territories. I find that taking them out (and not letting them see you do it) while you make any adjustments and then putting them back in after helps a bit. Some chameleons also just freak out when they see a new or moving stick (perhaps they think it is a snake?)

Yes I think he was terrified that the twisted branch was a snake. And next time I take him out maybe I'll try to put the branch in again, but this time I'll wrap some leaves around it to make it look more natural.