Still searching for solution to nose rubbing Cham

[luckykarma]

I posted in the past and wanted to give an update and throw some lame brain ideas out there.

I have a Panther who is free range and has decided no cage no matter how big can contain him. Consequently he rubs his nose and chin raw.

I've gone to coated chicken wire although smaller so he couldn't run against the plastic screening. No luck.

I bought soft plastic netting sold to keep birds off trees and wrapped one of the ficus with it outside. He went crazy after 10 minutes trying to get off the tree rubbing his nose raw again. A real feat considering how soft this netting is.

Its just started since he reached a year a couple months ago. Inside he's range free and decides the entire place is his to roam although goes back to his tree in the afternoon and stays there.

I need to be able to leave him outside in a sunning cage during the day so he gets the good rays besides the UVB inside. This isn't possible unless he's supervised free range outside and that's a career.

OK - how bout some tape to put on his nose and chin? Would that work? I would use surgical non ultra adhesive so it would come off without hurting him. At the same time I don't want him rubbing it off.

I'm just out of ideas.

 

[Dean Pulcini]

Don't give him anything to look at you have to make his enclosure the only place he wants to be so no views of trees,grass, bushes or anything else just a wall or fence . This happens alot with WC chameleons unfortunately some chameleons never adjust to captivity.

 

[luckykarma]

He's CBB. I've have to figure out how his view can be blocked and still allow him to have sun.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Do you know whether Elizabethan collars are ever used on chameleons? Don't know what the real veterinarian name is for the device. But it may do the trick. Of course, the casque is an issue on a veiled, so the collar's design would have to be a bit on the bizarre side. They can be made at home using thin, flexible plastic attached to a collar around the animals neck. Are you familiar with this sort of device? They generally extend just beyond the length of the nose and prevent chewing and rubbing.

We had this same issue with our male veiled. We were forced to free roam him. He chose a window location. We then built a new bay window location for him to live in. Fortunately, as long as he is free roamed indoors, he does not rub when he is in an outdoor cage situation.

 

[luckykarma]

That's a great idea. Its a Panther not a Veil. As mentioned he was always cool until he hit 1 year. None of the others who are also free range do this. They may try to scratch at the screen but eventually give up and settle in for sun.

I wonder how I would attach it to his neck? Maybe a velcro band? I'll think on this one.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

That's a great idea. Its a Panther not a Veil. As mentioned he was always cool until he hit 1 year. None of the others who are also free range do this. They may try to scratch at the screen but eventually give up and settle in for sun.

I wonder how I would attach it to his neck? Maybe a velcro band? I'll think on this one.

They do sell little collars for iguanas and such. You cut the plastic shield to a circular pattern, with the center cut out, and cut holes in the plastic where it would attach to the collar and weave the collar through the holes. We had to make one for our dog once.

I see now that you did say the cham is a panther. Guess I was looking at your avatar and presumed a veiled. Let me know if you figure anything out.

Our veiled started the rubbing when he became sexually mature. The vet explained that he was in-season and wanting to get out and search for a mate.

 

[luckykarma]

I've been wondering if its mating season. He roams constantly. My other Panther who never roams except from the tree across the vine bridge to the open window is also roaming a bit.

This guy is all over the house. Now the only place he'll settle is in our bedroom on the heavy drapes rod. He just completely lays down and lets his feet dangle. Its hysterical if it wasn't such a pain getting him UVBs. I opened the window and showed him he could get rays there. He'll do it for 10 minutes or so and then climb back up the drapes. He still gets full sunlight at least an hour a day and then his UVB for 4 hours. I just would rather he gets the normal 4-6 hours full sun.

 

[budthecham]

try a bird cage, thats what i keep my cham in... i tihnk it was originally for a parakeet... i actually found it dumped on the side of the road took it home powerwashed it and spray painted it it looks awesome. 2x2x4 its real good size

i dont tihnk a cham could hurt themselfs on a bird cage the grids are usually larger, and some are metal vertical bars

 

[luckykarma]

My friend who owns a pet store recommended that. I'll give it a try.

 

[lbesok]

I've experimented with a bird style cage for my Melleri earlier this summer. My deceased She-ra loved rubbing when she wasn't content. I tried placing her in one of these metal cages, and she still managed to bloody herself up.
I know that this would prob be too small, but occasionally I use the soft, mesh, collapsible hampers from Walgreen's as a travel cage for some of my smaller females. This mesh is very soft, and I could see it not affecting the cham to rub on it. Maybe you could try finding something made out of this material a bit larger for him? I think that some sort of mesh cloth may be your solution Good luck, I'm sorry to hear he's rubbing.

 

[luckykarma]

I was afraid of that. Honestly if he bloodied himself on that soft bird netting I guess a metal cage would be a challenge he was up to.

The collar idea is winning but I worry when he climbs around the tree in there it will be a problem.

 

[lbesok]

I wonder if you could try to seal it medically some how.....like with liquid band aid or something similar. When She-ra bloodied herself up Silvadene sealed it up pretty good, but she could still eventually rub it off. My man suggested maybe trying a REALLY large cage that he's more content in (but I have a feeling he's too smart for that).
I suppose you could think a bit more abstractly....I think if you tubbed him in a big plastic tub, then you have the greenhouse effect factor of him burning up in their outside..... Could you try a big card board box, and maybe leave the top open and punch some holes in the side for ventilation? IDK how much harm cardboard would cause. Our melleri cage has plastic laminate on the sides and back, but IDK ventilation wise if this would be a good idea or not (Vega is shown in the pic).

Shesh, I hope you come up with something......
Also you don't think you could just hang a UVB light from the ceiling above the curtain rod? I understand that the natural sun is much more beneficial.

 

[Sepioteuthis]

I wonder if the stress outweighs the benefit of sunlight. Even if you can stop him from damaging himself while rubbing, you're not taking away his reason to rub. He just doesn't want to be caged.
Unfortunately some captive reptiles just don't do well outside. Our iguana has this to; inside he's fairly tame, but as soon as you take him outside he becomes completely wild. He'll do anything to climb the nearest tree and trying to contain him results in alligator death rolls and biting - things he never does inside. In the end the stress and possible injury is just too high a price to pay.

 

[lanceman]

There is always glass i know its taboo for most of u. But can be done u wouldnt beable to keep that outside but would fix your inside probs. pm me if u want some tips on glass cage.

 

[studiocham]

How long is the chameleon in question? If a small chameleon, you could set up a free range with bushy live plants inside one of those mini-kiddie pools or even a black "pond liner" tub.

The chameleon is going to rub everything it meets now, the pattern is there, and it's hard to get past until it heals and feels secure in general. A contained free range will give it time to heal and the psychological boost. This is what I have done with rostrum-rubbers, and it works great, provided all the other needs are met: water, food, humidity, air flow/freshness, light, temp, hiding places in plants, traffic outside the cage, etc.

Have you been treating the wound with a topical?

 

[Cainschams]

I was also going to suggest the kiddie pool idea. I dont know how tall they make them though. If you could find one that he cant climb the sides then it would work. I would be a little worried about leaving him out there even still but if you really want him to get the benefits of sun then maybe build a cage around the pool incase he escapes. Then you could leave for a while and not have to worry. I know that he doesnt like to be caged and dont know if this would defeat the purpose but if he couldnt get to it to rub then it may work. Also if you were going to go with this idea the cage would not have to be elaborate. I would go the cheapest route and make a pvc frame and use the wide pvc netting. It zip ties really easily and wouldnt take very long to build. I would also stake it down and make sure there are no holes along the ground incase he gets out of the pool.

 

[luckykarma]

All great ideas.

This guy is 18" 197 grams 14.5 months old. As mentioned its a recent development.

For topical I just use neosporim(sp). When we got back from the show I put him out on a big potted tree we have and I swear I thought I caught him rubbing his nose once. May be wrong or it may be a little itchy as its healing.

As we move into winter I'm hoping he'll eventually be so happy to be getting some sun in the days its warm enough to go outside that he'll calm down. I'm also hoping its hormones driving the show and he'll calm down.

I thought about the liquid bandaid too. I think he'd rub it right off thought. Still may do it for inside to make sure it heals properly.