Tastes of freedom desirable if they make cage time miserable?

[GrogStudio]

About three months ago I took home a 4ish month old veiled chameleon (Grog) to live in my art studio. I understood that veileds generally are shy and don’t like to be handled. I figured I would take care of his needs as best I could, admire him as I sculpted, and we would peacefully live parallel lives.

But I seem to have ended up with the Magellan of chameleons. Grog begs me to let him out anytime I am remotely near his cage (if he had a tin cup he’d be running it across the proverbial bars). He seems to love being out—turns happy colors, eats anything I offer him from my hand. Unfortunately, when he is out he’s not content to bask, for example, on the nice live ficus tree I bought him with a heat lamp over it. Maybe 5 minutes of basking and he’s scampering down the trunk in search of adventure. He'll kamikaze right off the lip of the planter if I let him. And there's a lot of trouble he can get into in my studio. He also does everything he can to avoid going back in his cage.

I'm thinking about screening in a little balcony off my studio for some outside time but he's still going to have to spend time in his cage, especially in the winter. MY QUESTION IS: do experts think little tastes of free range freedom are desirable if they makes cage time more unpleasant?

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon– Male veiled in my home about 3 months.

Handling– I’ve had him out of his cage about 10 - 20 times?

Feeding – Mainly crickets. I have a dubia colony and Grog has eaten about 5 total . Also feed superworms regularly and he’s had reptiworms. I handfeed meal worms—his favorite. He happily eats red pepper, yams, and carrots (a couple of small slivers every couple of days) so I gutload mostly with greens (e.g., dandelion, collards) and bug burger. He cup feeds some but loves to hunt so I release a couple of crickets in AM (never see them by PM) and sometimes waxworm moths.

Supplements – Reptivite calcium daily, reptivite mulitvitamin and flukers calcium with D3 2x/ month.

Watering – I mist 2-4 times daily depending on cage humidity and set up drippers for about an hour 2x/ day. Rarely see him drink.

Fecal Description – Black w/ white urate. If I see any hint of yellow I soak his veggies super well and increase mistings.

History - I had no intention of getting a chameleon but he was in a way-too-small glass cage (about 8 inches square) at a petshop and he convinced me to try to do better by him. (I know purchasing in petshop has complex ethics).

Cage Info:
Cage Type – Handbuilt screen and pvc, about 48 x 25 x 25.
Lighting – 100 watt heat bulb on a dimmer and 5.0 UVB tube by reptisun.
Temperature – Ambient temp around 70 but there are lots of cool spots if he wants as the cage if FULL of live plants. Basking about 85. Lowest overnight 62 (higher in summer). Have digital probes for temp and humidity.
Humidity – Now that summer is here and I have swamp cooler, can keep around 45-55. A challenge keeping above 35 between mistings in summer but I do have a fogger and room humidifier to help.
Plants – Pothos, shefflera and rubber plant.
Placement – Cage is in my studio so I keep an eye on temp and humidity all day and he sees me regularly.

Location - Colorado

I’ve learned a TON on this forum- what a great resource. Any advice is most appreciated but I am admittedly a novice so take it easy on me!

 

[Fogerty]

My 6 to 7 month male veiled has the exact same personality, sticks his nose up at Dubia and Hornworms , loves crickets and supers, and Blue bottle Flies (Mantisplace) ,best way to get supplements in him. Wants Freedom bad, got real upset when I put another small cage in front of his open window, he sits and looks longingly out all day, never wants back in the cage, Moves around like crazy outside, just sits forlornly when caged basking or looking out the window. when outside He watches my eyes ,and If I turn my head he runs and when I look back at him he stops and does the leaf walk, he wants to get away so bad , I feel guilty when I put him back in. Any outside time is good especially if it is sunny, as long as it is safe and you don't have any toxic plants within striking distance. You did him a great service rescuing him from pet store hell, be happy about that. My guy also loves handling and freedom.

 

[Devokid]

I have found that spending time outside is always beneficial. There is nothing like the real sun to provide the UV they need, plus all of mine have loved the increased room.

 

[GrogStudio]

Thanks for the input.

...Any outside time is good especially if it is sunny

I have found that spending time outside is always beneficial

Thanks for the replies/ support.

When I moved Grog to his mansion, he seemed pretty happy. I didn't take him out for the first 3 or so weeks. Now that I've taken him out once, he seems less content and ALWAYS wants out again. I guess my challenge is to find ways for him to spend a good chunk of time out and about. Maybe when he gets older and more used to being out he'll chill!

Here's a photo of my guy plotting his next escape

 

[pigglett79]

You can put a ring of plastic around the bottom of the tree, like make a wall that is high enough that he can't climb it. That way he can't wonder off.

 

[Olimpia]

It seems like your guy is at that 7-8 month mark where they can get a surge of hormones and feel the need to go off to find a female. Most of my young male panthers went through this phase and eventually settled down as their hormones did as well. So it may not be care desperation as much as mating desperation, which will eventually calm down.

 

[GrogStudio]

You can put a ring of plastic around the bottom of the tree, like make a wall that is high enough that he can't climb it. That way he can't wonder off.

Indeed! I looked for a small kiddie pool but they were all too big for my space and had climb-ale looking ridges. So I rigged up this pathetic structure from some photographic paper I had lying around. A sturdier plastic ring would be much better. Maybe that's something I can find at the hardware store?

 

[GrogStudio]

It seems like your guy is at that 7-8 month mark where they can get a surge of hormones and feel the need to go off to find a female. Most of my young male panthers went through this phase and eventually settled down as their hormones did as well. So it may not be care desperation as much as mating desperation, which will eventually calm down.

You may be right! I think he tried to mate with my wrist when I was putting him back in his cage last time he was out. I'd really like to think this isn't cage desperation and the phase will pass. Any guess as to how long until the hormones settle?

 

[jannb]

I've always free ranged all of my chameleons. I've never had a probłem with them looking for a mate at any age but they are just like little children, a puppy, kitten or any young animal. They love to explore and investigate everything. Once they are over a year old they settle down allot and don't explore nearly as much. When they are very young I keep their little tree in a large pot so they can't escape. When they are a little older and bigger I move them to a larger tree with a large plastic corral around it. I do however allow them at this age to explore while I'm watching them. Then after about a year old they are no longer confined to the small area. They still explore some but not that much. Most of the time I work from home and still keep an eye on them. In my opinion a cage is not a natural thing for any animal but I do understand that free range is not for everyone especially if you have small children and or other pets.

I believe that veileds are very territorial and often become cage aggressive.

 

[fleetwoodchams]

Thanks for the replies/ support.

When I moved Grog to his mansion, he seemed pretty happy. I didn't take him out for the first 3 or so weeks. Now that I've taken him out once, he seems less content and ALWAYS wants out again. I guess my challenge is to find ways for him to spend a good chunk of time out and about. Maybe when he gets older and more used to being out he'll chill!

Here's a photo of my guy plotting his next escape

First - Thanks for freeing him from that pet shop hell.
Second I love this photo. His eyes say it all.

My 5 month old ambilobe male Memphis loves to be out of his cage. Granted he lives like a king in there. The biggest the best, yet he will climb the door over and over if he sees me, until you guessed it. I open it and hold him.
Once out he is content being held. I can walk around and do what-ever and he just hangs out.
Hormones certainly do rev them up but also some genuinely like to be held.
Either way you have a great little guy there. : )

 

[Olimpia]

You may be right! I think he tried to mate with my wrist when I was putting him back in his cage last time he was out. I'd really like to think this isn't cage desperation and the phase will pass. Any guess as to how long until the hormones settle?

In the case of my chameleons, usually a couple months. But even the super sociable chameleons, whether they free-ranged full time or not went through a phase where they got more antsy, would try to expand their territory, and seemed like they were looking for something (the ladies!). By 9-10ish months they relaxed back to their more normal selves. The very social ones still wanted to come out or hang out on me, but it wasn't antsy or desperate.

But yea, in my opinion hormones seem to play a big part in behavior at around this age. This is also the age we see where people go "my chameleon was friendly and now he's aggressive! Why?!" and I think it's a surge in hormones and the pressure to find mates, manage a territory, etc.

 

[GrogStudio]

In my opinion a cage is not a natural thing for any animal but I do understand that free range is not for everyone especially if you have small children and or other pets.

Hormones certainly do rev them up but also some genuinely like to be held.
Either way you have a great little guy there. : )

By 9-10ish months they relaxed back to their more normal selves. The very social ones still wanted to come out or hang out on me, but it wasn't antsy or desperate.

SUPER helpful. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. It actually would be possible for Grog to have a lot of free range in my studio. I do have 2 dogs and a cat but they are not allowed in. I just have to try to take it slow and see just how much trouble this adventuresome guy can get into--- see if my fears that he will trapped behind shelving or in baseboard heaters are real or just me being overprotective. Hopefully he will chill a bit-- and I will too!-- and he can have more and more of the freedom he seems to want.