My cham seems scared to climb on the cage

Rhino

Member
I've noticed for the last 3 days, my female panther seems uncomfortable with climbing on the cage. Up until Sunday, she would attack crickets no matter where they were. Now she stays about 4 inches from the cage and picks them off from there. When she does get on the cage, she is very methodical and does not go very far. Her back left leg seems to not hold on well or she has trouble getting her claws through the holes of the cage. Her leg makes a motion like it can't hold onto the cage.

She doesn't seem to be missing her nails. I was home all day sunday, she didn't fall as far as I know.

Any thoughts on this? She's eating well but if a cricket goes to the top of the cage, she will wait for it to come down before she picks it off.
 
I'll post a picture when I can, she's going through a shed right now so she isn't very happy. Hopefully I'll get a picture today
 
Here are the photos inwas able to get of her
 

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Yes, as above, your cage needs more horizontal branches at a variety of levels. When panthers are younger and lighter they climb more, as they mature they spend less time on the walls. They also get lazier in general and when well fed and no longer growing won't work as hard to eat. I would still keep an eye on her limbs for problems and be sure she is getting enough calcium, D3 and UVB just in case this is an early sign of MBD.
 
Thanks for the advice, and thanks to @JacksJill for the great idea to use chair legs to hold the branches in place. I started on updating the cage this weekend. I didn't get it all done yet but here are the 2 new branches and you can see how they are held in place with the caps and floral wire.
 

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Nice work! Is she getting around more now?

Yes she is, and she is using the cage more as well. Still not as much as she used to but she's willing to. Once the 14 inches of snow we got yesterday clears, I'll go branch hunting to find some more branches that fit the chair caps I purchased (4 different sizes.)

Thanks again for the advice!
 
Yes, I soaked them all in a 90% water, 10% bleach solution for 24 hours and then I baked them in the oven @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
. Great just making sure. Well done. Liking those improvements btw. They look great. But I would suggest maybe making a branch that connects the levels so your cham doesn’t always have to use the side of the enclosure since they do get lazier haha
 
. Great just making sure. Well done. Liking those improvements btw. They look great. But I would suggest maybe making a branch that connects the levels so your cham doesn’t always have to use the side of the enclosure since they do get lazier haha

I appreciate it. I have more to add, I just have to find the time to do it. She has a real temper and doesn't like me invading her privacy. So the stars need to align in order for me to be ready to add to her enclosure and for her not to be on her branches so I can add to it.
 
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