She wont come out

warpdrive

Avid Member
Hi everyone,

well, I didn't want to post that I mated Laurie and Splat. I didn't want to jinx anything. but I got a problem.

about 18 days ago I placed Laurie in Splat's cage. she was receptive for the first time in her life and never laid any infertal eggs before.
I did not see them do it regardless that I was mostly around. this was also the first time that she was willing to go anywhere near Splat or his cage and both seemed to enjoy the company. both showed no signs of agression in any way toward each other.

since I didn't feel that they did it, I removed her and put her back in her cage before lights out. she was then placed in Splats cage the next day again.
once again, I don't think that they did it. so she was placed back in her cage.

the next day I desided to put Splat in Laurie's cage. they seemed to love basking together, but again, I don't think they did it.

a friend of mine said that I should try keeping Lauri in Splat's cage untill she doesn't want to be there any more. so I did. after 3 days I saw a drastic color change in her...for the first time it looked like she was displaying gravid colors. so I took her out and put her in her cage. I fixed her laying bin to make sure she could dig properly if needed. (after that day, she no longer showed gravid colors, at least, I'm no longer sure)

besides putting her on the scale every 3 days I watched her closely. she wanted out so bad it's not funny. she one time jumped on my back while I turned around to get her more food...jumped from the open cage to my back. it was so hard getting her to go back in every time I fed her or fixed something in her cage. but I thought nothing of it.

two days ago or so, I had a few loose houseflys in her room. I left her door open to alow them to maybe fly inside so she can eat them. I didn't have any fear of her leaving her cage...not her style. (I have left her on a free range area many times without her ever leaving. many times I would find her in the same spot I left her in after 8 to 10 hours. same thing with her cage if left open.)
I came back to check on her about an hour later. she wasn't in her cage. for the first time she must have climbed down and I found her across the room climbing up my other dresser heading for the crickets. :p
I just thought she was being opertunistic.

then, the next day I put her on the free range in my living room not far from Splat's cage. she never trys to explore beyond the walking area set up for them so I turned my back to her and went on my computer. the next thing you know I herd a sound that I heard once before. it sounded like when Splat fell off the couch and landed on the floor (the free range is slightly behind my couch and over hangs the couch. and yes they can get to the couch if they want to.). I turned around and she was not on the free range. I looked behind the couch and found nothing, but she had to be someplace.
then, I found her climbing up the wires of Splat's lights. she must have went down to the couch, walked across the top to the closet part near splat's cage, then leaped to the floor and walked a bit to Splat's light wires.

so today she was on the free range again and I had what might be an infection in my ear or an alergic reaction. my face blew up on the right side big time right by my jaw and ear. I had to goto work in a moment and freaked out at what I looked like so I just grabed her and put her in sSplat's cage for a moment so I can get dressed and get some claritin at my store in hopes that it was just an alergic reactin so I just opend Splat's cage and she ran inside FAST. once dressed I tryed to take her out and she hated going onto my hand. as I would take her out from the back of the cage she would turn around and go back inside the cage. 5 times I tryed to remove her. she always ran back inside. I couldn't get her out. so I left her inside and ran to my store.

my store manager let me go home a drop early so I can go to the doctor in the morning before I have to be in for work. I made it home before lights out and again tryed to remove her. again she wont come out. I didn't want to force her. I didn't want to hurt her in any way. so I left her in there and the lights went out shortly.

I am in deep dodo as I have to go to the Doctor first thing in the morning and then head into work. I might have no choice but to leave before the lights come on and might not even be able to feed/water them...no biggie, but I have a zoo besides them. my face is not better, and if I eat it gets worce. that's not my concern right this moment as I'm sure this is some kind of ear infection or infection of my jaw (the inside of my mouth is fine. no tooth ache or any problems eatting or drinking or breathing. no fevor. drinking soup sucks, but whatever).


my question is why is she acting this way? it's like she has been trying to find or get back in Splat's cage and now that she's in it, she doesn't want out.

sorry for the long winded post,
Harry
 
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Some chameleons react that way when you separate them. They might be one of those pairs that do okay housed together (not in a normal sized cage of course!) Isn't that odd? :) I can't remember who, but some one on here removed a female from the cage and she started acting funny so he put her back and the pair got along together just fine and she went back to normal.

I would set up a larger cage/space for them and keep them separated until you have time to monitor them together. Or I guess you could set up a Webcam or two!
 
:D Awww! Laurie loves her Splat! They sound so cute together! Although I bet she is driving you nuts right now! Maybe you could let them live together if that's what they want? Obviously make sure you are around for a couple of days to separate them if necessary.

I hope you feel better soon and they find out what is causing your pain. At least you have the chams to distract you!
 
Or if it's too much of a pain in the butt, just keep her in her cage. She might start acting differently once she lays. Could be all those pregnant lady hormones! :D
 
Take her out is what I would do. They might act okay for now but it only takes a second for things to go bad and a chameleon gets hurt :/ we tell newbies countless times to house chameleons seperatly and then they say they like it.... then every ones like well how do you know? Any who like I said get I would get her back in her own cage before something goes wrong. Sure its cute and all but its not natural.
 
just came back from my doctor's office...the bum in on vacation and the phone number to reach another doctor is not working on Saturday. great.

no people, I don't want to keep her inside his cage for abnother day. I'm gona try once more to take her out.
I think she wants him to "do it" and maybe he's not responding....that is what I truly belive.

yep, it might be cute for now with no signs of aggestion but she looks more and more like she is now disregarding her own needs to get hooked up and I don't like it.

Harry
 
I'm not sure what species we are talking here but sometimes a complete separation - not just separate cages but complete visual separation for a few months - makes the males more amorous when the time comes. Absence makes the heart grow fonder they say.

I can only go on your description but some of the behaviours she is exhibiting (escaping the free range, not wanting to get picked up) could be fear so don't necessarily assume your pair are friends because she is in the males cage because she ran from something. You did mention other reptiles/pets.

Also remember you are a million times bigger and stronger than the chameleon - just pick her up and take her out! These aren't full grown aggressive alligators or venomous snakes here.
 
I wan't to thank everyone for your replys.
Trace, thanks for the thoughts. PM me if you wana talk more about this.


Sounds like a great excuse to get another male then Harry!:D

omg, please no.

thankfully, she came out just before I ran to work. she aint going anyplace near him again....for a few months anyway.

Harry
 
Harry you are such a pushover. Even little Laurie had you going. Just put her in her cage and follow your normal patterns of letting her out part of the time. It might not have been Splat at all, rather she was enjoying a new place. She will be fine. I am worried more about your face.:(
 
Harry you are such a pushover. Even little Laurie had you going. Just put her in her cage and follow your normal patterns of letting her out part of the time. It might not have been Splat at all, rather she was enjoying a new place. She will be fine. I am worried more about your face.:(

my face is a lot better the swelling is much less then it was the day before. the day before the swelling would go up and down depending how much I used my mouth. eating even a cookie after the swelling went down made it swell back up to when it was at it's worst (when it first blew up.)

today, I forced myself to have a chicken wing after 24 hours of no solids and it didn't get worse. so after work and talking to Frannie I got brave and made a TV dinner (yes, from boston market...what I ate when my face originaly blew up after eating the last bite). the swelling didn't get any worse. maybe it is an ear infection like my RN friend ( regular customer at my store) said it looks like.
all I know is that after taking the claritin I have never breathed better. that stuff opened my nose and alowed me to have the first night's sleep with out post nasal drip. as a result, I almost never coughed the whole day...unreal.
I'm going to talk to my doc on monday and see what he thinks about my swelling and the claritin. boy do I want to breath like that again. I've been breathing with my mouth for years because my nose is always cloged.

my week has been horrable (but youu know that already). my day has been the worst day at work ever. I even cursed out a repair guy after he repeatedly talked to me like I was a retard. the whole store heard me, and I work in a giant sized grocery store that my company calls a "super store". ask anyone, I never behave like this ever. I don't even like to curse in frount of woman and children. but I guess the old me came out. :(

Harry
 
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