Hello all!! My guy has very obviously been wanting out of his enclosure. It's still kind of hot to be out there. Hot and humid. I want to build Oxylus an indoor area to be able to climb around in. I'm just looking for some suggestions! My local plant nursery is 40% off everything right now for summer so I'm going to go load up on a few more pothos and other fun climbing things tomorrow.
He wants out!!!!
- Thread starter Humble
- Start date
2x2x4 enclosure. Right now, 50-watt heat bulb because it's been hot outside and the house will get to 72 with air set at 68, so it was getting hot in there. 50-watt bulb has been keeping it between 77-81 throughout the day. 82 is the hottest it's gotten since I changed the bulb. Been using it a month now. T5 HO Reptisun for my UVB. Humidity is between 46-55 in the day. 57 around 12 on really hot days. Night when is fogger is going off it'll get up in the 70's and 80's because I cover two sides at night. Leave a gap at the bottom where the service door is. I will get pictures of the enclosure in just a minute.
He just started doing this a few days ago right after he shed.
He just started doing this a few days ago right after he shed.
sorry! His humidity gets to about 57% on really hot days at about 12 o clock. Normally his humidity stays between 46-55% throughout the day.
His heat lamp stays on from 8 until 12 o clock. It gets to be about 82 degrees right around 12 o clock. It cuts off and temp stays 77-79 in his enclosure until the sun starts going down at 6/7. Then the temps go down. Night time is 68 in the house. gets 63-67 degrees when his fogger is going. I do not let it get hotter than 82 in there.
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elizaann2
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ok got it thank you for clarifying. Those temps look good actually.
What I do see with your enclosure is there is no place for your beautiful guy to hide and feel secure. I would recommend putting more plants for coverage for him.
Where is his enclosure in your house? Is he in a high traffic area? How high up is his enclosure placed?
What I do see with your enclosure is there is no place for your beautiful guy to hide and feel secure. I would recommend putting more plants for coverage for him.
Where is his enclosure in your house? Is he in a high traffic area? How high up is his enclosure placed?
MzLaurie11
Avid Member
I got a 5 gal sparklets bottle and cut the top off. I took a heavy metal skewer and heated it to melt the edges and poke holes around the base then i planted a good size plant in it, rubber tree.i think, i left about four to five inches from the top clear and put some good size flat stones on the soil and put it in that bare space on the bottom. I have sticks and vines going to it and it has become by boy's favorite hunting ground. He loves hanging upside down and hunting the stray crickets that find there way there. i aldomput the large hornworns there to cacoon. i have actually proped a piece of wood under it so water doesnt accumulate there and get funky. Its allowing him to make use of all the space with being abe to keep a larger plant! just a thought
More plants will be there tomorrow for sure. I had a smaller enclosure to begin with and so with the same amount of plants it was pretty full. I want to put a few mores sticks in there as well..
Enclosure is in my bedroom. Its almost 4 feet off the floor. House is empty Mon-Fri, 8-5. I check on him when I get home, take out his food bowl. Check temps and humidity. Bedroom door stays shut even though our dog couldn't be even the slightest bit interested in him (he wants the bugs) We all stay downstairs until after dinner. Enclosure is on the opposite side of the room from the door so he can see when someone walks in. I've made it a practice to not open the door very fast.
Weekends the family is home. Huband, two kids. 3 & 5. Bedroom door stays closed when we aren't in there. Kids have been good at not jumping around when they are in the bedroom. Still need reminders but usually pretty good. He can see us if we are sitting in the bed. I'd like if he could be a bit further from the bed, but its the best spot for him in the house until we move. Downstairs is where we spend most of the time and the kids play. We do not have a spare bedroom.
Got the plants. I still have the two pothos to put in. I have to get a stick to attach them to. I want to put them on the side that faces the bed so there is next to no vision in there. Probably wouldn't have to wrap him at night anymore either because the plants would help keep the fog in.
He is still on a hunt to get out at the moment.
He's also being super picky about food. It's like he knows I have some horn worms left and is trying to wait me out.
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Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
I like that you put him in a corner. That eliminates two windows where he could feel exposed and threatened. Maybe use some Velcro strips and attach some coroplast sheets so no water gets on your walls. I did it for $30.00 with the sheet from Home Depot. I think that’s the main issue here, he feels vulnerable with nowhere to hide. Now that you have plants, let’s see how he does.
Also, how often do you handle him? My male veiled absolutely does not like to be handled. The only reason he doesn’t screen climb is because he feels safe in there, because I’m not coming at him with my big mitts for a hug.
Also, how often do you handle him? My male veiled absolutely does not like to be handled. The only reason he doesn’t screen climb is because he feels safe in there, because I’m not coming at him with my big mitts for a hug.
I really only put my hands in when putting in and taking out food. His hornworms are the only thing I hand feed him. I put my hand in slow and after he eats it, I leave my hand in there for another few seconds, then take it out slowly. I always try and look away when he's eating. He has had to be handled a few times the last few days because when he realizes the door is gonna open he tries to get out. He'll get at the top and I cant close it because he's half out. I will place my hand in front of him and he'll climb on. I will try and put him back and he will crawl up my arm. I try to keep my hand above my head when holding him as best I can. I have to stick my hand in the very back of the enclosure and put a stick in the way to get him to grab it. but today hes been stepping over the stick back onto my arm. He doesn't want me to hold him. He just wants out the enclosure. He keeps trying to climb on the window curtain. Or on the plant in the windowsill. He has only had one hornworm today. He has a bowl full of crickets and a few wax worms and BSF larva and he's walking past them.
I do sometimes on the weekend, hold his food bowl when I feed him. He eats fine from it when I hold it.. one time he climbed onto the bowl and then onto me. But I put him back in with ease that go around ( this was well over a month ago) about 3 weeks ago I fed him a hornworm and after he ate it he climbed onto my hand. but as soon as I moved my hand he turned around and reached for a stick. I stayed still and let him climb off..
But the last few days he's seemed more interested in getting out that he has been eating.. Unless it's a hornworm.
Also. Recommendations for a good plant light that won't hurt his eyes? He is near a window. The sun never directly shines in the window. When the sun comes up it is facing the back of the house, He's in the front. However I am almost positive any cars that drive by he can see. And I am sure this causes stress. I know being in my bedroom already causes a bit. I don't want to cause any more. But without the curtain open, all the plans will die. But I cant seem to find in my local stores are plant lights with the blue and red lights. I dont even like looking at it I cant imagine he would.
The window is also part of why it gets almost 80 in there without a heat bulb. I checked and I see I have it set to go off at 11:30. So it will cool off a tiny bit before it's the hottest outside. I have a thermometer / hydrometer set next to the window so I can keep an eye on what's a better estiment of his ambient temps. There is a vent on the ceiling across the room from him. It reaches him a bit but not a full on blow you know? It doesn't ruffle the leaves any but it's just strong enough to push the fog from his fogger out if I don't cover the side.
I just closed the curtains and he has calmed down his walking it seems.. I want to see if he'll eat but its getting late. I normally close the curtains about when the sun starts going down really good. Open them at 8am or a minute before.
The window is also part of why it gets almost 80 in there without a heat bulb. I checked and I see I have it set to go off at 11:30. So it will cool off a tiny bit before it's the hottest outside. I have a thermometer / hydrometer set next to the window so I can keep an eye on what's a better estiment of his ambient temps. There is a vent on the ceiling across the room from him. It reaches him a bit but not a full on blow you know? It doesn't ruffle the leaves any but it's just strong enough to push the fog from his fogger out if I don't cover the side.
I just closed the curtains and he has calmed down his walking it seems.. I want to see if he'll eat but its getting late. I normally close the curtains about when the sun starts going down really good. Open them at 8am or a minute before.
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
There are so many things that can be causing him stress. My first cham…God bless her…was so stressed because we had her near windows (not in direct sunlight) and I’m sure she considered that a potential threat. They don’t understand there is glass there that predators can’t get through.
My second cham was in a space where a door would be open and shut on the other side of the wall. It hadn’t even occurred to me that would cause vibrations on his branches all day every day!
Others don’t like the feeling of bass from a sound system in another room or shakey wood floors or being too close to a doorway so they don’t see you coming from across a room. All sorts of things can make them upset
My second cham was in a space where a door would be open and shut on the other side of the wall. It hadn’t even occurred to me that would cause vibrations on his branches all day every day!
Others don’t like the feeling of bass from a sound system in another room or shakey wood floors or being too close to a doorway so they don’t see you coming from across a room. All sorts of things can make them upset
So I have decided to keep the curtains closed. I will get a plant light this Friday. The plants will recover from the lack of light.
He seems to not be screen walking on his door. (for now, ill check back in around 5 when he's the most active)
I am seeing his humidity is up quite a bit with the new plants. So today I am going to go get a small little table fan and set it up a few feet away and see if I can't get some more air flow going without causing a hard breeze.
He hasn't really been walking in his new tree any. But boy has he been snacking on it. That's cool and all, but he is not showing any interest in his crickets today either. He ate his hornworm. No hesitation. But he is not even the slightest bit interested in the crickets. Could he be bored? Should I go ahead and get a vet visit lined up? Or should I see about overnighting some silkworms (I know he loves them) and give those a shot? Is he being picky? I know he wont even try to eat from the bowl if a dubia roach is in it. But could he really want the leaves over the crickets? He couldn't be that tired of them??
Iv'e been trying to keep a different supply of foods for him. But crickets are for sure the staple food at the moment.
bought roaches for him and he ate two.. Luckily my neighbor has some critters that eat them just fine and they didn't go to waste.
But I have been told once he's still kinda small. I don't feel like he can afford to just not eat? I'm getting those other two pothos plants put in there today. Im not worried about having a hard time getting him out. He already started climbing out this morning when I put his food in.
I know he enjoys to free rang his food.. But I don't like to do that when I am not home to keep up with the bugs.
while i was typing i noticed he ate two crickets.
He seems to not be screen walking on his door. (for now, ill check back in around 5 when he's the most active)
I am seeing his humidity is up quite a bit with the new plants. So today I am going to go get a small little table fan and set it up a few feet away and see if I can't get some more air flow going without causing a hard breeze.
He hasn't really been walking in his new tree any. But boy has he been snacking on it. That's cool and all, but he is not showing any interest in his crickets today either. He ate his hornworm. No hesitation. But he is not even the slightest bit interested in the crickets. Could he be bored? Should I go ahead and get a vet visit lined up? Or should I see about overnighting some silkworms (I know he loves them) and give those a shot? Is he being picky? I know he wont even try to eat from the bowl if a dubia roach is in it. But could he really want the leaves over the crickets? He couldn't be that tired of them??
Iv'e been trying to keep a different supply of foods for him. But crickets are for sure the staple food at the moment.
bought roaches for him and he ate two.. Luckily my neighbor has some critters that eat them just fine and they didn't go to waste.
But I have been told once he's still kinda small. I don't feel like he can afford to just not eat? I'm getting those other two pothos plants put in there today. Im not worried about having a hard time getting him out. He already started climbing out this morning when I put his food in.
I know he enjoys to free rang his food.. But I don't like to do that when I am not home to keep up with the bugs.
while i was typing i noticed he ate two crickets.
elizaann2
Chameleon Enthusiast
Sorry I have been MIA, busy weekend. See my answers below:
So I have decided to keep the curtains closed. Good idea, something may be bothering him from outside. Its up to us to change things little by little in their environment and around them to see what is bothering them. My boy is VERY sensitive, I've had to play Nancy Drew many times to see what is bothering the poor guy. Sounds like you will have to do the same. I recommend getting some kind of camera so you can 'keep an eye on him' without bothering him a lot. This might also help you figure out what is going on if something around him is bothering him. I will get a plant light this Friday. The plants will recover from the lack of light. I got a bunch of plant lights from Walmart recently that seem to work really well for my plants. Its the Ferry Morse brand, T5HO liner bulb and hood. I think its around $40.
He seems to not be screen walking on his door. (for now, ill check back in around 5 when he's the most active). Good let us know.
I am seeing his humidity is up quite a bit with the new plants. So today I am going to go get a small little table fan and set it up a few feet away and see if I can't get some more air flow going without causing a hard breeze. Good, you want his humidity around 40-50% during the day. You can also adjust any misting, plant watering, and fogging to help maintain the proper levels during the day and night. Just be careful with a breeze from the fan, it might bother your boy or it might not. Just something to pay attention to when you add it.
He hasn't really been walking in his new tree any. But boy has he been snacking on it. What kind of tree did you put in there? Is that a money tree? With Veileds you'll want to make sure all plants in their enclosure are safe to eat. That's cool and all, but he is not showing any interest in his crickets today either. He ate his hornworm. No hesitation. But he is not even the slightest bit interested in the crickets. Could he be bored? That is interesting, how often do you feed him and how much? Its possible with other feeding your chameleon will become picky and will more eat out of pleasure vs eating because he is hungry. This video helped me a ton when I was going through a similar thing with my boy. I was over feeding him turns out...Should I go ahead and get a vet visit lined up? Has your boy ever been tested for parasites? Or should I see about overnighting some silkworms (I know he loves them) and give those a shot? You could do that. I personally probably would get some silks, if he doesn't eat those and you know he loves them that might give you more information that something is going on with your boy. Is he being picky? I know he wont even try to eat from the bowl if a dubia roach is in it. But could he really want the leaves over the crickets? I dont think so, he might just be checking out his new plant. He couldn't be that tired of them??
Iv'e been trying to keep a different supply of foods for him. But crickets are for sure the staple food at the moment.
bought roaches for him and he ate two.. Luckily my neighbor has some critters that eat them just fine and they didn't go to waste.
But I have been told once he's still kinda small. I don't feel like he can afford to just not eat? I'm getting those other two pothos plants put in there today. Im not worried about having a hard time getting him out. He already started climbing out this morning when I put his food in. Some chameleons see a higher option for them to be on the other side of the room. Maybe he is trying to get somewhere else because it looks better
I know he enjoys to free rang his food.. But I don't like to do that when I am not home to keep up with the bugs. Do you only have cups to feed your boy? Maybe a feeder run will work better for him?
while i was typing i noticed he ate two crickets. That is good!
My Questions: How old is your boy? How often are you feeding him and how much do you feed him?
So I have decided to keep the curtains closed. Good idea, something may be bothering him from outside. Its up to us to change things little by little in their environment and around them to see what is bothering them. My boy is VERY sensitive, I've had to play Nancy Drew many times to see what is bothering the poor guy. Sounds like you will have to do the same. I recommend getting some kind of camera so you can 'keep an eye on him' without bothering him a lot. This might also help you figure out what is going on if something around him is bothering him. I will get a plant light this Friday. The plants will recover from the lack of light. I got a bunch of plant lights from Walmart recently that seem to work really well for my plants. Its the Ferry Morse brand, T5HO liner bulb and hood. I think its around $40.
He seems to not be screen walking on his door. (for now, ill check back in around 5 when he's the most active). Good let us know.
I am seeing his humidity is up quite a bit with the new plants. So today I am going to go get a small little table fan and set it up a few feet away and see if I can't get some more air flow going without causing a hard breeze. Good, you want his humidity around 40-50% during the day. You can also adjust any misting, plant watering, and fogging to help maintain the proper levels during the day and night. Just be careful with a breeze from the fan, it might bother your boy or it might not. Just something to pay attention to when you add it.
He hasn't really been walking in his new tree any. But boy has he been snacking on it. What kind of tree did you put in there? Is that a money tree? With Veileds you'll want to make sure all plants in their enclosure are safe to eat. That's cool and all, but he is not showing any interest in his crickets today either. He ate his hornworm. No hesitation. But he is not even the slightest bit interested in the crickets. Could he be bored? That is interesting, how often do you feed him and how much? Its possible with other feeding your chameleon will become picky and will more eat out of pleasure vs eating because he is hungry. This video helped me a ton when I was going through a similar thing with my boy. I was over feeding him turns out...Should I go ahead and get a vet visit lined up? Has your boy ever been tested for parasites? Or should I see about overnighting some silkworms (I know he loves them) and give those a shot? You could do that. I personally probably would get some silks, if he doesn't eat those and you know he loves them that might give you more information that something is going on with your boy. Is he being picky? I know he wont even try to eat from the bowl if a dubia roach is in it. But could he really want the leaves over the crickets? I dont think so, he might just be checking out his new plant. He couldn't be that tired of them??
Iv'e been trying to keep a different supply of foods for him. But crickets are for sure the staple food at the moment.
bought roaches for him and he ate two.. Luckily my neighbor has some critters that eat them just fine and they didn't go to waste.
But I have been told once he's still kinda small. I don't feel like he can afford to just not eat? I'm getting those other two pothos plants put in there today. Im not worried about having a hard time getting him out. He already started climbing out this morning when I put his food in. Some chameleons see a higher option for them to be on the other side of the room. Maybe he is trying to get somewhere else because it looks better
I know he enjoys to free rang his food.. But I don't like to do that when I am not home to keep up with the bugs. Do you only have cups to feed your boy? Maybe a feeder run will work better for him?
while i was typing i noticed he ate two crickets. That is good!
My Questions: How old is your boy? How often are you feeding him and how much do you feed him?
We got him June 11. The pet store had no idea how old he was. Or that he was a he. I posted pics here and it was guessed he was about 5 or 6 months old. So he's closer to 7 or 8 now. He could possibly be younger. But I'm not experienced enough to say for sure.
He has shed twice. First week of July and first week of August. His cast is visibly bigger. His body not as much.
He was eating close to 20 crickets a day. Sometimes only 15 or 17 but most days 20.
3 weeks ago is when we got the big enclosure. That's about when he stopped eating as much. 10-15 a day. It would depend on if I had any hornworms or silkworms. This last week has been when he's just not been interested in it that much. 3-5 a day. Yesterday it was only a hornworm.
I feed him using Tupperware bowl. I place it in some branches and it holds it nice. It's under a branch he can sit on and look down on them.
I put wax worms and bsf larva in a little bird feeder bowl that hangs on the branches.
Handfeed horn and silkworms.
I found a really big Codiaeum variegatum Croton at the plant nursery. I saw on chameleon academy they are marked safe.
He has done a tiny bit of screen climbing today. But not very much. I think the curtains being closed might help a lot.
He has not had any tests done no.
There is something across the room on the wall. It's actually got fake wisteria all over it. It's something I made with the flowers from my wedding. I actually placed him in it one day when I was adding a new plant. He climbed all the way to the top and looked down at me while I had my head in his enclosure.
He did eat at least one or two more crickets.
He has shed twice. First week of July and first week of August. His cast is visibly bigger. His body not as much.
He was eating close to 20 crickets a day. Sometimes only 15 or 17 but most days 20.
3 weeks ago is when we got the big enclosure. That's about when he stopped eating as much. 10-15 a day. It would depend on if I had any hornworms or silkworms. This last week has been when he's just not been interested in it that much. 3-5 a day. Yesterday it was only a hornworm.
I feed him using Tupperware bowl. I place it in some branches and it holds it nice. It's under a branch he can sit on and look down on them.
I put wax worms and bsf larva in a little bird feeder bowl that hangs on the branches.
Handfeed horn and silkworms.
I found a really big Codiaeum variegatum Croton at the plant nursery. I saw on chameleon academy they are marked safe.
He has done a tiny bit of screen climbing today. But not very much. I think the curtains being closed might help a lot.
He has not had any tests done no.
There is something across the room on the wall. It's actually got fake wisteria all over it. It's something I made with the flowers from my wedding. I actually placed him in it one day when I was adding a new plant. He climbed all the way to the top and looked down at me while I had my head in his enclosure.
He did eat at least one or two more crickets.
