Showers

[Creampuff]

How do you guys feel about showering with a chameleon. I mean just putting him in the bathroom with you for the steam for about 10- 20 minutes? I have a baby jackson (2 months) and I was reading about everyone showering their chams. I think he's a bit small (He's about 2 inches snout to vent.) for showering atm but what about the steam? You think he would enjoy it?

 

[fabos]

ive put my cages on the sink while i take a shower ... i see no problem with it... but lets see what others say!

 

[marxous]

if you are going to take your cham out of their enclosure and do this be very very very careful, and take all precautions that you can to ensure your chams safety!! I tried this with my baby for the first time about a week ago, and bcause she jumped, the shower misting session resulted in a vets visit. When she jumped she hit the ridge seperating the shower stall from the floor, and broke several ribs. These ribs will never fully heal to their pre injury condition, and while i am fortunate that my cham is still alive, she will have tihs scar to remind me of my carelessness forever. It could have been worse, if they land on their back, a short fall from even 4 feet can be fatal... thus when misting your cham in the shower, keep her low to the ground and secure at all times!!! You MUST be careful, these creatures are so very very delicate, unfortunateally i had to learn this the hard way...

I would say be careful the first time especially, because yours may freak out like mine did the first time, and has the potential to do the unexpected! Also take special care to not directly spray your cham, as the pressure coming out of most showers is considerabally higher than a rain droplet, and the water comes out at higher volumes with more force.

I would reccommend showers, but just be as careful as possible!

good luck!

-Marc

 

[Creampuff]

I REALLY think hes too young for the whole mist and he's not going to be on a plant but this small carry case type thing if anything. I was thinking about just the steam being beneficial and all . And yea I read what happened and I feel so sad for your cham. Its like when I saw a dog with paralyzed legs dragging half its body on wheels Thanks for the replies though.

 

[marxous]

i dont think there is much benifit to showers aside from the fact that you can keep them under high volumes of water for an extended peroid of time, thus promoting them to drink if they are de-hyderated. And i didnt fully read your initial post, i agree i think that this one is too small for a shower as well. I would just mist with hot water to create a nice warm mist =)

 

[Creampuff]

cool cool, how big was your veiled when you first showered?

you may think its crazy but i use brita filtered water ONLY to mist my cham after putting it in the microwave for a minute and 20 seconds b/c its usually ice cold. lol.

 

[marxous]

about 3 inches nose to vent, so i think thats about 5or 6 mos? i dont know how old she is the ppz at the pet store didnt know... ( i know i should have bought it from a breeder... )

 

[roo_71]

How do you guys feel about showering with a chameleon

Sounds kinky.

I’m a big fan of showering chams but your jax is too small for that and for now I wouldn’t bother with the steam in the bathroom either.

Wait until it’s much bigger. Here is the rub on showering …

I do it once a week for my male veiled and male carpet. I get an immediate drinking response from both, they show relaxed colors, clean their eyes the whole time … really seem to dig it.

Showering IMO is a “catch all” and ensures proper hydration but should not be a primary source for water. Showers also help them keep themselves clean, clean their eyes and helps with a stubborn shed or shedding in general.

Put a LARGE plant in the shower and line the bottom of the tub with bubble-wrap – it’s cheap and easy to find. The first several times the cham may get jittery and take a fall – so the bubble wrap should prevent an injury

If you have high water pressure then bounce the water off the wall so it hits the plant. Be SUPER careful with the water temp … barely warm. If you have an old house and when someone flushes the toilet/whatever and it drastically increases the shower temp then you have to be mindful of that.

If excessive water pools and doesn’t drain then you need to do something about that. Any pooling water in the tub could potentially drown the cham. That’s why it’s best to wait until they are bigger.

First few times you need to be sneaky and watch the cham without it seeing you (one eye looking behind the curtain). You have to know how it’s reacting and many times they don’t like it but given a few sessions they may end up really enjoying it. So if after say 7 or 8 attempts the cham doesn’t settle in, dropping/crawling to ground, basically acting pi$$ed then its probably a lost cause but I encourage you to try again several months later. Case in point my female carpet – never would settle in and relax, a stressful event, so I stopped.

Once you are sure the cham has taken to showering then you can consider removing the bubble-wrap but sometimes it just better to be on the safe side.

I strongly feel that the pros outweigh the cons with this routine. Sure you have to handle the cham but kill two birds with one stone and take the time to examine it and make sure there are no burns, lumps, swelling, nail problems, etc.

-roo

 

[Sal]

Roo,

How old/big should a veiled be before starting with showers?

 

[roo_71]

I started at 8 months I think. Its more of size thing then age, just use good judgment.

-roo

 

[Sal]

I see, will do. Cheers!

 

[Creampuff]

When they suck their eyes into their heads thats them cleaning their eyes right? I don't mist him directly but everynow and then it gets him cause I make sure every leaf is sprayed.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

It's touchy. The amount of steam that can accrue in your shower time could be overwhelming to the cham's tiny lung capacity. They can find it suffocatingly uncomfortable.

 

[Creampuff]

eep...that sounds horrible..luckily my showers only last for about 10-15 minutes and arent so very hot

 

[gonzalez6115]

do you have to shower them? mine is over 9 mo old and i haven't showered him. first i ddint know how to and second he doesnt like to be out of his cage. but if i mist him enough direclty will that be ok?

 

[FaunaBgirl]

I wouldn't think a 10 minute shower would be too bothersome to the cham. Have you done it yet? My first chameleon, I used to do that with. But she didn't really like it. I just hot water mist Fractal once a day, early so he has plenty basking time. But not too early. He's definitely not a morning guy. lol