Sleeping on Floor

[Stuey!]

I just have a simple question, is it normal for a chameleon to somtimes sleep no the floor of its cage? I have a glass aquarium with a screen top. I turned of his lights and went downstairs to watch TV and when i came back up just now, he was asleep on the floor. I took some pics cause my camera was right on my desk and i woke him up taking the pics. He doesnt seem to be moving. Hes just sitting there looking around. by the way, the white wood underneath him is under the glass.

sorry the pics arnt that good my camera isnt working that well.

 

[Stuey!]

Wait, he moved up to sleep in the ivy, im probobly just worrying to much but hes never done that before and it doesn seem normal to me

 

[kinyonga]

Was he on the floor when the lights went off?

 

[Stuey!]

yea, all the lights were off and he was asleep.

 

[Stuey!]

He constantly is walking around on the cage floor now scratching at the walls. He is male 5 months old i can still see the tarsel spurs or whatever they're called. he is being very active.
i thought he might want to get out so i took him out of the cage and he got mad hissed ta me and turned brown. I put him bakc in he started dong it again and turned green. I set him on the other side of the glass and he started clawing at it again. I see his reflection i sthat the problem? he seem prety determind to get at the glass...

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."yea, all the lights were off and he was asleep"...what I was asking is...was he on the floor and then the lights went off?

You said..." i can still see the tarsel spurs "...you will always be able to see the tarsal spurs. They will appear to be bigger as he gets older.

If he was paying attention to his reflection he would be acting aggressively towards it....puffing up, swaying, hissing, holding his hand up close to his chest, coiling and uncoiling his tail.

 

[Stuey!]

no he wasnt on the flor when the lights whent off, ok about the tarsul spurs cause i thought i read it was harder to tell when they get older. No he doesnt act agresive he just scratches at the glass he is a calm green. he isnt puffed up but now hes a litle brown cause he sees me. Im gonna work un building a screen cage for him sometim ethis week and see how that changes hs behavior

 

[lele]

how big is this tank?

Stuey - at 5 months your cham should be in a fully screened cage, or at least have 2 sides and top screen. He may be seeing his reflection which he will think is another cham and see it as an adversary. Still a little young to react too strongly but you never know. The other MAJOR problem with glass is that it can hold in way too much heat, not give enough of a gradient (where he can bask and then wander to cool off). How big is the tank? What are his temps and how are you measuring them (those strips and stick on things are not reliable.

The other problem is that they are good for holding in better humidity for babies, but as they get older this can become a problem if the tank does not have ample time to dry out - esp. before lights out.

What are you using for UVB? Feeders? Gutload? Supplements?

Although your pics were quite blurry he looks pretty thin. Is his casque full and straight and eye nice and bulging? Can you post some better pics of him?

You can get an inexpensive screen cage for him for now (unless you think you can build him one right away) in order to get him out of this tank and then work on a nice big one (min. 2x2x4) to move him into in the next couple months.

lele

 

[Jordan]

Bottom line as Lele said he needs more territory. He is probably on the ground looking to move else where, to find better territory. It is pretty common for a lot of reptiles to stay one place while they are small and weaker. Then as they mature and get older they go out on their own to claim their own territory.

 

[Stuey!]

ok thanks, i was worried he may be sick or somthing. Yeah im gong to the hardwear store tomorow to buy some wood and other things to make a cage.