Outing goes wrong!!

[Psychobunny]

So, I have had Smeagol long enough now to get him used to me, eating out of my hand and stuff, so I decided to let him out of his cage to wander.

Everything went wrong, Murphy's Law was in full swing!!

First, I left his door open and placed a 3' tall fake (but very good quality) tree
in front.
He stared at it for several minutes before slowly wandering over to it.

He got on the fake tree and climbed around for a while, then found the side of
his cage and climbed around until he finally stoped at the back edge and sort of froze there.

He was there, clinging to the corner of his cage for some time until I decided to check him out.
I had spent an hour or so arranging vines and stuff for him to climb on, so there were vines all over the house!

When I went to check him out, he pulled the famous "scuicide drop" and landed behind a coutch. Totally unfazed by the fall, he took off running on the floor.

He was running away from me but I finally got him on my hand.
He was very upset with me, puffing up, hissing, didnt try to bite though.
He calmed down once he was in my hand and I slowly put him back in his familiar home.
For the next hour or so he played the "you cant see me, I'm a stick" thing with his body skinny and narrow and tail straight out like an arrow.

He moved very little, and would do the "swaying in the breeze" bit while giving me dirty looks.

Anyway, he finally calmed down and I hand fed him his favorite, wax worms (cheesecake for lizards and I think I am forgiven

So, his first time out was a total failure

Anyone have any idea how I can make this work out better?

 

[d3s5]

Well, since it was "new" territory for him, he was probably very nervous and when you went to check on him he might have thought you were a predator and were going to eat him - even though he knows you! Next time, just let him explore on his own more and be really, really, really patient. Be in the "territory," but don't hover. He may not want to come out the next few times you open the door - but then suddenly one day he may want to. Just make sure everything is safe for him. I know when Phineas was first exploring, he took FOREVER to check every little thing and lick it and look at it and look again and so on and so on. . . And every time I change ANYTHING downstairs the process repeats itself.

 

[Zubi]

My boy was being a little poop out of his cage today too!! He jumped from my arm witch is like 6 feet in the air straight onto the carpet, and when i put him in his cage he goes storming in there almost falling over. 5 minutes later.......he is scratching at the door to come out again

 

[Psychobunny]

Well, since it was "new" territory for him, he was probably very nervous and when you went to check on him he might have thought you were a predator and were going to eat him - even though he knows you! Next time, just let him explore on his own more and be really, really, really patient. Be in the "territory," but don't hover. He may not want to come out the next few times you open the door - but then suddenly one day he may want to. Just make sure everything is safe for him. I know when Phineas was first exploring, he took FOREVER to check every little thing and lick it and look at it and look again and so on and so on. . . And every time I change ANYTHING downstairs the process repeats itself.

Good advise, and you are right.
I tend to be overprotective.
I am sure he would have moved around as he got used to it, I just jumped the gun!!
I will take your suggestions to heart next time

I also know how territorial they are, and any disturbance in their area can cause some stress and hesitation

 

[Psychobunny]

My boy was being a little poop out of his cage today too!! He jumped from my arm witch is like 6 feet in the air straight onto the carpet, and when i put him in his cage he goes storming in there almost falling over. 5 minutes later.......he is scratching at the door to come out again

LOL! I know it's freaky, but they do jump!! lot of ppl are not prepared for
that and it scares the crap out of them.
But it does not harm the cham (usually)

 

[PantherEnvy]

Your baby fell of the bike. Help him get back on the bike and go at it again.

 

[Zubi]

I hope nothing is wrong with him today cuz he looks darker now than normal

 

[Psychobunny]

I hope nothing is wrong with him today cuz he looks darker now than normal

Thanks, but he's okay.
He is always that color when basking.

I have had chams jump before, and they always come out okay.
I think they are built for it as part of evolutionary conditioning, like they are
made of rubber!!
I believe they also may inflate when jumping, but I could be misinformed about that one

 

[Psychobunny]

Your baby fell of the bike. Help him get back on the bike and go at it again.

Right you are, and thanks. I will try again tomorrow

 

[Zubi]

Ya but what if he wasnt ready for it? My boy didnt jump he slipped off of my arm cuz he was trying to reach for something

 

[RealIzeRecognIze]

Yes they puff up and deflate on impact kind of like a cusion and usually they're fine after a fall although im sure its not healthy. Its a defensive mechanism for if a bird or somethin were about to snatch them out of a tree they just look like a falling.leaf.

 

[Psychobunny]

Yes they puff up and deflate on impact kind of like a cusion and usually they're fine after a fall although im sure its not healthy. Its a defensive mechanism for if a bird or somethin were about to snatch them out of a tree they just look like a falling.leaf.

It's a pretty risky defense stratagy, but they really dont have much else, do they!!
They arent much higher up the food chain then the bugs they eat