Silly behavior

[JlaPinska]

So I have my cham in front of a window. In a high traffic area actually which i know is NOT recommended because they stress easily but my only other option was to put him in my bedroom which is really dry due to multiple vents and a fan i keep on at night. he seems fine with the normal traffic of everyday life.

But something i can't get over is that is'e like he BEGS for me to open the blinds. He loves to look out the window. He will just sit there, staring, and waiting for me to open them.

I can't tell if he is happy when they are open, or upset! He brightens up and stares out the window when i open them. But if he sees someone or something, he turns dark and starts bobbing and weaving.

Normal? Should i always just keep them shut? I have kept them shut most of this week but he continues to beg. So i just opened them. Now he's happily basking and looking outside. . .

Do i just have a weirdo?

He doesn't like to poop on his plants either. He poops in the same spot every time. I might as well draw a target...

 

[Carlton]

But something i can't get over is that is'e like he BEGS for me to open the blinds. He loves to look out the window. He will just sit there, staring, and waiting for me to open them.

I can't tell if he is happy when they are open, or upset! He brightens up and stares out the window when i open them. But if he sees someone or something, he turns dark and starts bobbing and weaving.


He doesn't like to poop on his plants either. He poops in the same spot every time. I might as well draw a target...

I think you are misinterpreting his behavior at the window. He isn't begging for you to open the blind, he's probably wondering why the view changes so drastically (he doesn't understand what the blind is for...he just knows the view appears and disappears).

When the blind is up his view is probably a lot brighter and more stimulating. Chams show their reactivity to stimuli (sort of medium level stress...not all stress is bad) with brighter color. Then if something more exciting or alarming moves into his view he continues to react to the rising stress (turning dark, bobbing and weaving). Eventually he may get less reactive to daily routine activity. If he continues to turn dark, rock, or hide, maybe you need to provide more visual cover or drape a thin cloth over part of the cage so he feels less exposed.

The pooping thing is pretty normal for many chams.

 

[JlaPinska]

you are most likely right as this is my first cham and i am still learning. it just seems like begging to me. all i know is he does seem happier when it's open. but i can't leave it open too long because of the live plants in his cage they don't tolerate direct sunlight very well.


i left them shut all week, until today i decided to open them. no bobbing just fired up brightly and both eyes looking straight out.

the day he was bobbing, the neighbor was out walking her dog lol. i decided not to open them as often to minimize possible stress from that.

nothing seems to bother him much. he has cage aggression and doesnt like to come out but when he does he's fine and will eat directly from one hand while resting on the other. i take him out about once a week for 15mins or so, hand feed a couple bugs, and then throw the rest in his cage and he springs to action hunting them down. eats like a champ.

i just think the window thing is silly. someone told me i would have lots of fun scrubbing his plants and vines of poo but turns out he poops on the same spot. i use paper towels and it makes it so easy to keep clean!


**edited to clarify i feed him every day but only handle him once a week just incase that sounded confusing lol

 

[JlaPinska]

him earlier...lol.