Top of cage

[Achesher]

I just received my Cham from Kammers this morning.. Got him in his cage he's eatin about 8 maybe 10 crickets already. My only concern is him staying on the top of the cage...upside down...he's eatin most of his crickets this way...is there anything wrong with him or my setup..is this just maybe his way of being comfortable? Just a really curious new Cham owner! Thanks for any info

 

[slinko9]

I too am experiencing this with my new cham, a 5 week old male veiled! I was told to keep the enclosure around 70ish top to bottom until he is around 3 months old, which means he doesnt have a very powerful basking light, if I go over 25 watts, it increases the top of the cage to 85ish,, scared to be doing something wrong!!! But Id really like to see him in the plants that are in there!!!
Oh ya,,he comes down into the foliage to sleep tho!!!

 

[Achesher]

Well see if my little guys comes down tonight when his light goes off...he is still hanging upside down...on the top of the cage...I just feel like I would get sick of hanging upside down for so long..... :/

 

[camimom]

Hes fine.

Babies hang upside down all the time.


And they are SUPPOSED to spend their time at the top of the cage.

If he was on the bottom, id be worried.

Hes normal.

 

[camimom]

Is your basking light directly on the screen?

if so, this can cause burns if that mesh gets too hot.

What is your current basking temp? from a branch, not directly under the light?

 

[Jac1582]

Yeah he's fine they all do that as babies, especially if you just got him today and he's adjusting, he's scared and nervous about his surroundings. Over the next few days he'll spend a lil less time on the ceiling like that

 

[Benton1576]

Heres a really simple trick to stop them being able to get up. Firstly, lower the branches and chop the plants down so they cant reach up and grab the mesh directly. Secondly, cover the sizes, back and front with plastic Clear PVC on the inside. it needs to go at the top, and about 12 inches deep. They cant climb it as its too slippy.

Like this:

 

[Achesher]

I'm glad to hear this isn't far from normal. I knew if he was at the bottom of the cage that would be a problem..just didn't think he would be so...into being upside down lol. For my basking light I went with a ceramic bulb it is 89-91 degrees on the branch under the basking light..I realize the screen right under the basking spot is hot...but I think he noticed that also and he hasn't crawled on the screen directly under the basking bulb....I think he knows it'll be to hot...he's been just hangin under his reptisun 5.0 since he was unboxed this morning...as for the plexiglas trick I will keep that in mind if he doesn't come down..he ate about 8-10 crickets in just a couple hrs...he is 3.5 months old...that's a good daily intake?

 

[camimom]

the bug intake is good.

as for the basking spot, i would still raise the light up off the screen. they dont always know the 'its hot dont touch that' thing. ive seen many a cham get burned that way.