My chameleon is a little too active?

[Jaimy]

Hi,

So I got my Panther chameleon one week ago. He is 8 months old and lives in a reptibreeze Xl, the UVB is a Arcadia T5 6%, humidity 50-60% during the day and 70%> at night. (I build the walls myself with foam, dirt, tile grout ect to keep the humidity in.). He also has a dripper for easy water excess.
The breeder told me he was handeld every day so he’s uses to people and is calm when handeld, but I got him at an expo and I didn’t know the breeder so I dont know if that true or not.
Now he looks very calm, havent seen his stress colors yet, he did close his eyes a lot in the car on the way home but that could just be stress.
He spends a lot of time basking, the basking temp is around 28°c. (overall temp is 20°c) But he also spends a lot of time exploring his cage, I even saw him walk on the ground once.

He’s eating good he’s getting his insects with Repti calcium without D3 and I even saw him drinking for some time.

I’m taking him to a vet this weekend for a checkup but I just wanted multiple opinions. I also think hes a bit skinny.

Am I just being paranoid or is his behaviour a bit odd for a new chameleon? Please let me know!

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. Your chameleon may be active and overly friendly/wanting to come out because he is unhappy with his enclosure. Chameleons are arboreal and need lots of branches and/or vines to travel on. All of that empty air space is being wasted. I love the look and see that you prefer a natural aesthetic. You can use natural branches that you can collect - avoid pine and other sappy or aromatic wood. Give a good little scrub with some dish soap, rinse very well and let dry (in the sun if possible) and they’re good to go. I keep whatever doesn’t come off with a gentle scrub, like lichen on the branches. Fill that space, give lots of plant cover too so he has places to hide, take shade, etc. A vining plant like pothos is excellent. Is that a waterfall I see? Those are not advised as they tend to just become bacterial pools and your cham should be drinking droplets off the leaves when you mist. Also, that’s a cute little hide, but chams don’t use those. Are you fully bioactive - drainage layer, clean up crew, etc? Also, what multivitamin and vitamin D3 will you be using?

 

[MissSkittles]

I forgot to address him closing his eyes on the ride home. There could be at least 3 reasons for that - when overly stressed to their max, they will close their eyes and just shut down, waiting for death to take them - they could be quite sick - they could have a problem with their eyes or even sinuses. I suspect it was the first, but definitely watch and if he closes his eyes during the day and has no stressors, make a vet appointment.

 

[Jaimy]

Hi. Your chameleon may be active and overly friendly/wanting to come out because he is unhappy with his enclosure. Chameleons are arboreal and need lots of branches and/or vines to travel on. All of that empty air space is being wasted. I love the look and see that you prefer a natural aesthetic. You can use natural branches that you can collect - avoid pine and other sappy or aromatic wood. Give a good little scrub with some dish soap, rinse very well and let dry (in the sun if possible) and they’re good to go. I keep whatever doesn’t come off with a gentle scrub, like lichen on the branches. Fill that space, give lots of plant cover too so he has places to hide, take shade, etc. A vining plant like pothos is excellent. Is that a waterfall I see? Those are not advised as they tend to just become bacterial pools and your cham should be drinking droplets off the leaves when you mist. Also, that’s a cute little hide, but chams don’t use those. Are you fully bioactive - drainage layer, clean up crew, etc? Also, what multivitamin and vitamin D3 will you be using?

Hi, thnx will definitely get more branches and plants you’re totally right he’s in the open 24/7 and is probally uncomfy.

No it’s not a waterfall it’s a dripper with a pump, the water gets tossed every two days. Also not a hide, but sure looks that way! It was for a plant but the plant died so i took it out. Will replace soon. I am fully bioactive. Multivitamin i will be using is reptivite with D3 twice a month. Thnx for your tips!

 

[MissSkittles]

Great! I’d love to see it after you add more plants and branches. I forgot to say that your cham is gorgeous!

 

[Jaimy]

Great! I’d love to see it after you add more plants and branches. I forgot to say that your cham is gorgeous!

 

[Beppo]

Great! I’d love to see it after you add more plants and branches. I forgot to say that your cham is gorgeous!

Me too! It's really beautiful and will be top notch with some branches

 

[kinyonga]

What’s the brown stuff on some of the rocks and wood pieces in the cage?
I’m concerned that it’s something that he could ingest and end up impacted. Worried about the moss for that too.
pits a shame because the cage looks so nice that way…but I would remove it.

 

[Jaimy]

What’s the brown stuff on some of the rocks and wood pieces in the cage?
I’m concerned that it’s something that he could ingest and end up impacted. Worried about the moss for that too.
pits a shame because the cage looks so nice that way…but I would remove it.

Wdym brown stuff?

 

[kinyonga]

In the 3rd photo, his feet are on what looks like a rock with something on it…what is that?

 

[Jaimy]

In the 3rd photo, his feet are on what looks like a rock with something on it…what is that?

Oh its not a rock I made that with foam, on top of it is dirt. Eco earth to be exact

 

[Jaimy]

Great! I’d love to see it after you add more plants and branches. I forgot to say that your cham is gorgeous!

too! It's really beautiful and will be top notch with some branches

Hi, thnx will definitely get more branches and plants you’re totally right he’s in the open 24/7 and is probally uncomfy.

No it’s not a waterfall it’s a dripper with a pump, the water gets tossed every two days. Also not a hide, but sure looks that way! It was for a plant but the plant died so i took it out. Will replace soon. I am fully bioactive. Multivitamin i will be using is reptivite with D3 twice a month. Thnx for your tips!

Small update, will add more to the bottom also.

 

[MissSkittles]

Here’s a pic of one of my enclosures to give you an idea. It usually is fuller with plants but I had just needed to trim back the pothos that tries to take over the enclosure. I use branches of varied diameters to help exercise and stretch those little mitten feet and have tried to recreate the branch density of a full tree. *is a double wide enclosure so you can see the fake plants on the outside of one of the doors.

 

[Beppo]

Here’s a pic of one of my enclosures to give you an idea. It usually is fuller with plants but I had just needed to trim back the pothos that tries to take over the enclosure. I use branches of varied diameters to help exercise and stretch those little mitten feet and have tried to recreate the branch density of a full tree. *is a double wide enclosure so you can see the fake plants on the outside of one of the doors. View attachment 335707

Beautiful!

 

[Lindasjackson]

Beautiful

Here’s a pic of one of my enclosures to give you an idea. It usually is fuller with plants but I had just needed to trim back the pothos that tries to take over the enclosure. I use branches of varied diameters to help exercise and stretch those little mitten feet and have tried to recreate the branch density of a full tree. *is a double wide enclosure so you can see the fake plants on the outside of one of the doors. View attachment 335707

beautiful!

 

[Jaimy]

Here’s a pic of one of my enclosures to give you an idea. It usually is fuller with plants but I had just needed to trim back the pothos that tries to take over the enclosure. I use branches of varied diameters to help exercise and stretch those little mitten feet and have tried to recreate the branch density of a full tree. *is a double wide enclosure so you can see the fake plants on the outside of one of the doors. View attachment 335707

Should prob cut the pothos a bit, still need to add a plant too the bottom

 

[crablekris]

Should prob cut the pothos a bit, still need to add a plant too the bottom

Ooh a schefflera or a ficus would probably be nice coming up from the bottom!

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

He most likely closed his eyes during the ride home because of the low humidity. And his eyes were drying up.
I have a small spider plant that has the roots wrapped in moss that I keep inside his travel container. Helps keep the humidity up.
Nice enclosure.
I think it has too many branches. What if he hurts his tongue shooting it for food?