Todays Fiasco.

[parisaurusrex]

Had to get sir Stardust out of his home today to do some cleaning (its been getting gross, and spot cleaning wasn't doing the trick).
Lets just say he was everything but pleased, he was so upset it made me upset! My heart hurt for the guy, he didn't know what was going on! Although I know he couldn't hear or understand me I kept saying "its okay, its okay! I promise i'm not going to hurt you!" or "hey! you jerk, I'm trying to help YOU out here!"
I had to coax the crap out of him, and he was MAD. This was unfortunately his first time being handled by me other than transporting him from his breeders box to my own when I brought him home. He was real leery of the whole situation, and I don't blame him, he didn't know we weren't going to hurt him! After his episode of displaying how big bad and tough he is, he started to calm down and even came over and sat on my arm for a little bit! He had been on my boyfriends head, scoping everything out, as I was trying to clean and re-set up Ziggy's home as fast as I could. As soon as he caught a glimpse of his home though, he literally jumped off my arm into his schleffera!

Good news: He now has a wandering jew and parlor palm added to his home that already has a schleffera and pothos! (the likes to munch.)
Bad news: He may or may not hate me. and he may or may not be getting very spoiled so he'll come out onto my arm again, because I loved it.



Here's a picture of the brat on my arm, before his leap of desperation. ignore my closet in the background, and the hippo… and my face. Ziggy Stardust will be 11 months old next week!

 

[Lathis]

Photobombed by a hippo!



Have you tried leaving the door open with a vine leading out to see if he will come out on his own? It might take some time, but it would be a lot less stressful on both of you. Lots of people here talk about how territorial their chams are when inside the cage, but once they are out, they calm down.

 

[laurie]

Sorry you both had to suffer that trauma. But it will all get better. The branch allowing him to come out on his own will most likely work, but then he may decide he wants out all time. You both look great in the picture.

 

[NitroRoo]

Haha, I know exactly what you mean. I've only had my cham for a few days, but even just getting her out to set up her enclosure with some real plants instead of the fake ivy she came with was an ordeal. And when I went to put her back, same thing, the leap of faith haha. Good thing she had some soft leaves to land in!

 

[parisaurusrex]

Yes! I've been leaving the door open! I read that on someones blog on here.. I want to say Olimpia's. One time I actually forgot about the door, and left for an hour or so and when i came back i found him across the room inside a lamp! hah!
We've been hand feeding, as well! and when I open up his door to mist he doesn't always run away from me anymore

I'm going to keep up with what I've been doing and hopefully since he's now been out once on his own terms, and once reluctantly.. he will start to get the idea that I don't want to hurt him! Now that it's happened once, all I want is to put him on my arm and stare at him! His colors changed a lot yesterday, but when he was chill, he was gorgeous! He's got some killer turquoise.

Woke up this morning with him on the bottom of his enclosure, staring at me. I think he has some hard feelings Thanks for the replies!!



-okay, I lied! this wasn't the first time handling since I brought him home! I had to pick him up when he escaped, but I don't count that because if I thought he was mad this time.. he was explosive that time! ha! I literally ran from the lamp to his home so I could calm him down and give him some food!!

 

[parisaurusrex]

well, I guess he's comfortable leaving his home now. I went into my room for a bit, so I left his door open and he about RAN to get out! He wasn't exactly pleased with me when I had to rescue him from almost burning himself on his heat lamp. I put him back in his home, and then he turned around and ran right back out and onto my curtains! Glad he's cool leaving it now, we just need to work on his little tude towards me!

 

[NitroRoo]

lol, climbing your curtains, you've created a monster!

 

[teoo OoT]

Photobombed by a hippo!



Have you tried leaving the door open with a vine leading out to see if he will come out on his own? It might take some time, but it would be a lot less stressful on both of you. Lots of people here talk about how territorial their chams are when inside the cage, but once they are out, they calm down.

i like that idea