Padding bottom of cage?

[Rambo]

My cham falls every now and then.. he climbs on the sides of this mesh enclosure and its not very good place to climb i dont think, and as a result, he has fell a few times. Can i pad the bottom with something? basically its just plastic trashbag and kinda thick carpet.

Also, do you guys put tons of branches in your enclosures? i have quite a few but there is still a good amount of open space inside. Im thinking he might be falling because of lack of branches too. he only falls when hes climbin on the mesh.

thanks

 

[Syn]

There is most likely something causing him to fall - missing fingernails, MBD, there's probably something wrong with you aren't seeing. No healthy cham should fall often enough to require padding..

he only falls when hes climbin on the mesh.

What kind of mesh is this?

PLEASE fill this out.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Location - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
• Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

 

[Lancecham]

Utilze the open space in the cage with branches. He will more likely spend less time on the side of the screen cage. Are his nails ok?

 

[Rambo]

he isnt missing any nails, hes very active.

Cage Type - Black mesh, 3'x3'x5'
Humidity - 50 % maybe? i mist quite often
Plants - Ficus
Location - its on the carpet floor
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - veiled cham, 3 yrs old, ive had it for 2 months
Handling - only twice since i got it. rarely.
Feeding - 20 crickets every other, supers in b/w, fruit, he also eats the ficus plant.
Supplements - dustin the crickets everytime with calcium powder.
Watering - drip cup on top of enclosure. rarely see him drink though.
Fecal Description - brown hard stuff and white softer stuff
Current Problem - Falls

ill post a pic next.
thanks

 

[jmdavis]

What type of lighting do you have??

he isnt missing any nails, hes very active.

Cage Type - Black mesh, 3'x3'x5'
Humidity - 50 % maybe? i mist quite often
Plants - Ficus
Location - its on the carpet floor
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - veiled cham, 3 yrs old, ive had it for 2 months
Handling - only twice since i got it. rarely.
Feeding - 20 crickets every other, supers in b/w, fruit, he also eats the ficus plant.
Supplements - dustin the crickets everytime with calcium powder.
Watering - drip cup on top of enclosure. rarely see him drink though.
Fecal Description - brown hard stuff and white softer stuff
Current Problem - Falls

ill post a pic next.
thanks

 

[Rambo]

I got a flororsecent UV light and a heat lamp.

 

[Syn]

Get more plants. Unless your ficus is huge he needs a few hanging plants as well.

Eating the ficus? It's (not completely proven to, but) known to cause eye irritation.

 

[Rambo]

Do any of you guys use padding of some sort?? artifical or natural?

ya he eats the ficus leaves and ive been meaning to get another plant in there too. ill get another soon

 

[jmdavis]

i don't think that eating the ficus is what causes the eye problems. its when they rub there eyes on the plant and get the sap in them is what causes it.

 

[Syn]

i don't think that eating the ficus is what causes the eye problems. its when they rub there eyes on the plant and get the sap in them is what causes it.

Yeah I forgot to add that haha. I'm just saying. The fact the chameleon is EATING the ficus will probably make the likelihood of that happening a bit larger.

 

[jmdavis]

Gotcha!!!!

 

[Rambo]

i think his eyes are fine man and im pretty sure hes healthy.. no padding ideas?

and now that i think about it. he only fell once off the mesh. but a couple times off branches i had tried to tie in there.. the tape snapped a couple times when he had fallen

 

[jmdavis]

i have no experience in padding of any sort. I think that the problem that your going to have with padding is its going to hold water which will be a breeding ground for bacteria to grow. That's the last thing you want is a cage full of harmful bacteria. Just give him lots and lots of things to climb on and he should stay off the screen

 

[Syn]

i think his eyes are fine man and im pretty sure hes healthy.. no padding ideas?

and now that i think about it. he only fell once off the mesh. but a couple times off branches i had tried to tie in there.. the tape snapped a couple times when he had fallen

Try going to a hardware store and looking for.. gosh what was it called.. it's a thin metal wire that you can use that should fit through your mesh so you can hold the branches..

 

[jmdavis]

Try going to a hardware store and looking for.. gosh what was it called.. it's a thin metal wire that you can use that should fit through your mesh so you can hold the branches..

I use small zip ties from lowes or you could use bread ties

 

[Syn]

I use small zip ties from lowes or you could use bread ties

Well you COULD I suppose.. depends on if they are strong enough to HOLD it lol!

 

[moody232002]

i have the floor of mine covered in asparagus ferns so if Mista falls which i have only seen him do once it is a softer landing

 

[Syn]

i have the floor of mine covered in asparagus ferns so if Mista falls which i have only seen him do once it is a softer landing

General rule is no substrate.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I would be inclined to put in more vines and branches in positions he likes, so he will choose to climb those instead of the screen mesh. There is a danger of the chameleon loosing a toenail or toe falling from a screen mesh. (one reason I dont use screen mesh!)

You could put a big folded bath towel on the bottom of the cage, to lessen the impact of a fall. the towel would have to be cleaned at least weekly, maybe more often depending on how wet and dirty it gets.

 

[Syn]

I'd like to add to Sandra's post I HAVE seen chameleons take a bite out of paper towels but I'm not too sure about a bath towel.