not exactly a free range - more of a perch

[lysinlight87]

Hi,

My male veiled is 6 months old and likes to explore. I let him out to explore the living room but there are few surfaces he can gain purchase on, which seems to confuse him.
He has a ficus but rarely stays put, and ends up walking across the floor. I'd like to arrange something like a perch with some branches and things to climb on, in the hope he would stay there.
I like to have him out and watch him roam, he also shows his best colours when doing this.
I'm not a creative person- can anyone give me any tips? I don't have huge floor space, but I would like to have him elevated and give him interesting things to do.
I can't free-range him because I have a cat. When he's out, I have to supervise closely & shut the cat out.

 

[Lathelia]

I've created a free range for my boy not so long ago. He loves to explore too. I started with putting a ficus in a corner he seemed to like the most. Then slowely I started adding things like rope, uvb, basking bulb and some fake plants. He really loves it and sometimes I leave him there over a night. I dont have a picture, but there are plenty of those in this section of a forum.

 

[lysinlight87]

ah cool, so vines and plants are the way to go I wouldn't be happy to let him out for longer than hour, not at the moment anyway, so I'm not gonna worry about heat/uvb just yet. My mine concern is giving him appropriate things to climb on- he just can't work out why he can't grip the coffee table!

 

[Lathelia]

Oh I know... You should definately supervise him at the begining. Give him something he can climb on and go as high as possible without being in danger. If you reach the point when you know he can be safe on his own you can leave him, but make sure your cat won't be able to get to the same room!

 

[mjhough]

Hey I was just thinking of ways to do a free range and being an ex bird owner made me think of bird perches/stands they come in all different kinds of shapes you can add rope for vines a pohtos plant can easily be hung from one also.

 

[Lathelia]

Hey I was just thinking of ways to do a free range and being an ex bird owner made me think of bird perches/stands they come in all different kinds of shapes you can add rope for vines a pohtos plant can easily be hung from one also.

That's a good idea. I'm actually using something like this in my terrarium:

 

[lysinlight87]

parrot toys, inspired!! I can get those really easily & set them up for him

 

[mjhough]

That's a good idea. I'm actually using something like this in my terrarium:

I have something very similar in zebs Viv. He loves them... I think im going to try a free range set up with a perch this up coming wk ill post some pictures

 

[pssh]

You can even suspend a nice big branch from the ceiling and add a pothos for foliage. Then he wouldn't be able to get down to the floor if you dont want him to.

 

[Millerj0469]

I tried that but my cham is crazy and would jump off of it. I hope my next cham won't be a jumper.

 

[schmidt1894]

You can even suspend a nice big branch from the ceiling and add a pothos for foliage. Then he wouldn't be able to get down to the floor if you dont want him to.

that's an amazing idea!!

 

[Nrupaw]

I came up my own little contraption. https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleon-perch-project-92870/. See if this works for ya

My Jackson's Chameleon seems to love it. he likes to climb to the highest point on the branch and sleep the night. He turns lime green the moment he's walking around on the branches.

He hasn't tried to climb down as yet, however I make sure he's only on the perch when i am home (evenings/weekends).

Getting him back in his cage in the mornings is proving to be a challenge. Initially for the first couple days, he's go back in by himself and bask under his basking light. Nowadays, he doesn't like to go that and I have to have him climb onto my hand so I can move him into his cage and close the door behind him.

Lesson Learned - I have come to the realization that Chameleons (atleast mine) is happiest when he is perched over everyone's line of sight. If he's perched at your level or below, they seem to be threatened