Why’s my baby chameleon digging?

[Gloriawood]

Man I can’t wait to get a taller enclosure , and I’m thinking of getting some plants to put outside so he can climb outside during the summer (in a controlled environment if ). Do you think that would be a good idea?

Outside time is great if you do it right! You have to be so so careful. I have read stories on here of people losing their chams in their yard and them being taken by hawks. A good option might be to put the small enclosure you have now as an outside one when you upgrade. That way you don’t have to worry about predators or him getting lost. Another option is free range inside. Look around here on the forum for free range ideas. You mentioned getting a tree outside his enclosure, this is totally a good free range option. We even have some members here who free range 24/7. It just takes time and effort to do it the right way. If you want to do either of these, there are plenty of people here who can help you set it up the right way so your little guy is safe and happy!

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

Outside time is great if you do it right! You have to be so so careful. I have read stories on here of people losing their chams in their yard and them being taken by hawks. A good option might be to put the small enclosure you have now as an outside one when you upgrade. That way you don’t have to worry about predators or him getting lost. Another option is free range inside. Look around here on the forum for free range ideas. You mentioned getting a tree outside his enclosure, this is totally a good free range option. We even have some members here who free range 24/7. It just takes time and effort to do it the right way. If you want to do either of these, there are plenty of people here who can help you set it up the right way so your little guy is safe and happy!

Oohhhhh I’m so gonna look into the free range inside

 

[MzLaurie]

Yes I agree. My pathos is too big for any cage so I drape the long vines on sticks that I have secured across the windows. So it’s a real jungle gym.

Right? I was so excited to get these plants. I also found a really nice Money Tree.. in the grocery store! It was $15 but I splurged. Also some Maidenhair ferns at Walmart for 5.98. I was able to divide that into 2 little pots. Right now I just have all the new plants (washed and repotted in organic soil) sitting around on the outside of the small enclosure she is still in. I am working on her new set up, it's just taking a while cuz I went back to work after being off a month. I have a Sansi grow bulb up there now so hoping it makes everything thrive. One thing I worry about with hanging the plants tho, is how close they can be to the basking lamp before they get too hot. I don't know anything about these creeping figs.. can they stand a lot of warmth and brightness? The maidenhair ferns seem to need filtered light so I have them lower down. Almost ALL of my plastic plants are out of there now except for one strand that is wrapped around the wire holding the dripper. I was so happy last night when she was snuggled down into the natural leaves of the schefflera sound asleep

well I keep my boys basking spot about 6” down and 6-8” from the front door and right next to the left wall if you are looking at the cage. I have a rubber tree in the back area and have hung a plant in the middle towards the front the have monstera off the bottom to fill lower and right side. That way if I want to feed him by hand, he is close enough. Hopefully the vines will use the hanging pot to creep upward. You can also train the long strands of vine to go where you want. As long as nothing is getting direct basking, it should be ok. I have been seeing organic soil change lately. They like to add a lot of wood chips which I always worry about cause they are too lite and will go right down the gullet if a cricket hops on one. So I sift the top soil of all my plants. No chips, bark, small rocks, or perlite allowed. A colander works well to sift dry soil.! If you have vinyl on two sides, sunlight from a window won’t help your plants and you will need a plant light. They have bulbs that will go into dome housing or linier bulbs for floresant hoods. You want a daylight bulb or a pink one, no red or blue cause it can hurt the chameleons eyes. Mine is 22” and soft pink and work well enough. Your water dropper should be positioned above a plant so the water drips onto the leaves. Sound like it’s really coming together for you. Make sure there are many ways for your girl to get to the bottom of the cage and the lay bin. I set a small potted plant at one side of the bin and my girl would dig under it. Some people actually plant a plant in the bin as many chams like to dig in roots. When she laid eggs I made a privacy thing with a box that was about two feet high and went around three sides then I put mirrors on top so I could see her without moving the barrier. That worked good.

 

[Eileen]

Yes I agree. My pathos is too big for any cage so I drape the long vines on sticks that I have secured across the windows. So it’s a real jungle gym.

well I keep my boys basking spot about 6” down and 6-8” from the front door and right next to the left wall if you are looking at the cage. I have a rubber tree in the back area and have hung a plant in the middle towards the front the have monstera off the bottom to fill lower and right side. That way if I want to feed him by hand, he is close enough. Hopefully the vines will use the hanging pot to creep upward. You can also train the long strands of vine to go where you want. As long as nothing is getting direct basking, it should be ok. I have been seeing organic soil change lately. They like to add a lot of wood chips which I always worry about cause they are too lite and will go right down the gullet if a cricket hops on one. So I sift the top soil of all my plants. No chips, bark, small rocks, or perlite allowed. A colander works well to sift dry soil.! If you have vinyl on two sides, sunlight from a window won’t help your plants and you will need a plant light. They have bulbs that will go into dome housing or linier bulbs for floresant hoods. You want a daylight bulb or a pink one, no red or blue cause it can hurt the chameleons eyes. Mine is 22” and soft pink and work well enough. Your water dropper should be positioned above a plant so the water drips onto the leaves. Sound like it’s really coming together for you. Make sure there are many ways for your girl to get to the bottom of the cage and the lay bin. I set a small potted plant at one side of the bin and my girl would dig under it. Some people actually plant a plant in the bin as many chams like to dig in roots. When she laid eggs I made a privacy thing with a box that was about two feet high and went around three sides then I put mirrors on top so I could see her without moving the barrier. That worked good.

thank you for the tips. I have her home mostly done now and she is moved over. I only need to add a couple of her favorite sticks that she had in her old place but I'm waiting for her to go to sleep.

I think I'm doing everything right.. I hope! I agree about the soil. TOO much bark, and I did the same thing.. sifted it out. The last couple of times I got some zoo med reptisoil. It seems really nice.

But OK.. here is my big concern! I have been thinking all this time that we could use creeping fig, or climbing fig.. Ficus Pumila.. so I got 3 of them and had them in there. Now I am reading places that they are toxic, and should never be used for chameleons. so I quickly pulled all of them put of there. ARE THEY SAFE or NOT?

 

[Gloriawood]

Oohhhhh I’m so gonna look into the free range inside

Awesome! Main thing to keep in mind is that he will still need UVB light if he is there for extended time and make sure no other pets (if you have any) are around.

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

Outside time is great if you do it right! You have to be so so careful. I have read stories on here of people losing their chams in their yard and them being taken by hawks. A good option might be to put the small enclosure you have now as an outside one when you upgrade. That way you don’t have to worry about predators or him getting lost. Another option is free range inside. Look around here on the forum for free range ideas. You mentioned getting a tree outside his enclosure, this is totally a good free range option. We even have some members here who free range 24/7. It just takes time and effort to do it the right way. If you want to do either of these, there are plenty of people here who can help you set it up the right way so your little guy is safe and happy!

I definitely like the free range idea, but my only worry is idk how to keep moisture . When in the cage I can monitor it and keep it at a good level but idk how if I ever take him out.

 

[isaiah33]

thank you for the tips. I have her home mostly done now and she is moved over. I only need to add a couple of her favorite sticks that she had in her old place but I'm waiting for her to go to sleep.

I think I'm doing everything right.. I hope! I agree about the soil. TOO much bark, and I did the same thing.. sifted it out. The last couple of times I got some zoo med reptisoil. It seems really nice.

But OK.. here is my big concern! I have been thinking all this time that we could use creeping fig, or climbing fig.. Ficus Pumila.. so I got 3 of them and had them in there. Now I am reading places that they are toxic, and should never be used for chameleons. so I quickly pulled all of them put of there. ARE THEY SAFE or NOT?

All 3 should be safe I have used creeping figs and I think they are amazing.

 

[Eileen]

All 3 should be safe I have used creeping figs and I think they are amazing.

Thank you!!!!

 

[Gloriawood]

I definitely like the free range idea, but my only worry is idk how to keep moisture . When in the cage I can monitor it and keep it at a good level but idk how if I ever take him out.

So I’m not familiar with the details of free range since I don’t do it myself (dogs and cats would not allow that ) but I would think that if it’s just for a short time, it wouldn’t be an issue. I know one post I saw a while back had their free range connected to their enclosure by a vine. When they needed to close the enclosure door, they just detached the vine and shut it. I would just start by putting ‘free range’ in the search bar and start looking at posts.

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

So I’m not familiar with the details of free range since I don’t do it myself (dogs and cats would not allow that ) but I would think that if it’s just for a short time, it wouldn’t be an issue. I know one post I saw a while back had their free range connected to their enclosure by a vine. When they needed to close the enclosure door, they just detached the vine and shut it. I would just start by putting ‘free range’ in the search bar and start looking at posts.

Ooohhhh will do! Thank you!