Transferring from one cage to another

[Rwfeath92]

Hey everyone, I’m looking for a little advice. I’m in the final stages of building a new enclosure for my adult male veiled chameleon Cali. It’s a 2x2x4 screened bioactive enclosure and I have a question:

What’s the best way to transfer him from one to another? I (so far) have been mostly hands off with him. Mainly because I don’t want to stress him out. He tolerates me cleaning his cage regularly and he will eat out of my hand if I offer it to him.

So far I’ve been slowly trying to get him used to walking into my hand/arm. He has been willing to do so until he gets to the “threshold” of his cage. After that he will turn around and go back if the cricket is too far away for him to strike.

I’m assuming I should basically stay the course and just continue to work and encourage him to trust leaving his current enclosure. I just don’t want him to feel forced out of it in any manner.

Also another question:

Should I take any steps to acclimate him to the new enclosure? Let him explore for a bit and then just kind of see how he’s behaving?

As for the new cage specifics are as follows:

2’x2’x4’ screened

-24” t5ho w/10.0 uvb
-60w basking bulb (just a regular household bulb)
-auto mist system

-dwarf umbrella tree
-pothos
-various vines, perches, and additional artificial foliage

-CuC are springtails and canyon isos

-humidity has been stable for the last few weeks that the enclosure has been set up and basking spot is right around 85-90. Ambient sits around 75-80. Humidity during the day is stable at 50 and at night typically 65-70 (considering trying to fog)


Any advice or tips you may have is much appreciate. Cali and I thank you!

 

[Rwfeath92]

Also I should mention that I’m in no hurry to transfer him, just happy with where the new enclosure is at as far as temps/humidity so I want to begin the process. Ultimately I want it to be on his terms

 

[Graves923]

Use a strong stick or branch. Get him to crawl onto the branch you are holding and move him before he decides to go back to his territory.

 

[Rwfeath92]

Update: Cali has moved into his new home and boy is he a happy camper

 

[KobaOregonherper]

Hey everyone, I’m looking for a little advice. I’m in the final stages of building a new enclosure for my adult male veiled chameleon Cali. It’s a 2x2x4 screened bioactive enclosure and I have a question:

What’s the best way to transfer him from one to another? I (so far) have been mostly hands off with him. Mainly because I don’t want to stress him out. He tolerates me cleaning his cage regularly and he will eat out of my hand if I offer it to him.

So far I’ve been slowly trying to get him used to walking into my hand/arm. He has been willing to do so until he gets to the “threshold” of his cage. After that he will turn around and go back if the cricket is too far away for him to strike.

I’m assuming I should basically stay the course and just continue to work and encourage him to trust leaving his current enclosure. I just don’t want him to feel forced out of it in any manner.

Also another question:

Should I take any steps to acclimate him to the new enclosure? Let him explore for a bit and then just kind of see how he’s behaving?

As for the new cage specifics are as follows:

2’x2’x4’ screened

-24” t5ho w/10.0 uvb
-60w basking bulb (just a regular household bulb)
-auto mist system

-dwarf umbrella tree
-pothos
-various vines, perches, and additional artificial foliage

-CuC are springtails and canyon isos

-humidity has been stable for the last few weeks that the enclosure has been set up and basking spot is right around 85-90. Ambient sits around 75-80. Humidity during the day is stable at 50 and at night typically 65-70 (considering trying to fog)


Any advice or tips you may have is much appreciate. Cali and I thank you!

I used a long branch and moved him to his new enclosure that way. Id also recommend leaving him be for atleast a week. It takes a chameleon some time to feel safe in a new encloser, regardless of how use to you they are. Theyre not huge fans of change.

 

[Rwfeath92]

I used a long branch and moved him to his new enclosure that way. Id also recommend leaving him be for atleast a week. It takes a chameleon some time to feel safe in a new encloser, regardless of how use to you they are. Theyre not huge fans of change.

That’s what I did also. Once he started to turn around I just scooted him out of the cage and then he calmed right down. He did a thorough exploration of his new surroundings and then promptly pooped. So I think we’re off to a good start but he’s fast asleep right now in the same corner of the cage he slept in as his old one

 

[KobaOregonherper]

That’s what I did also. Once he started to turn around I just scooted him out of the cage and then he calmed right down. He did a thorough exploration of his new surroundings and then promptly pooped. So I think we’re off to a good start but he’s fast asleep right now in the same corner of the cage he slept in as his old one

Christened with poop, nice. So far so good it sounds like!