Why’s my chameleon still digging?

[Bigbrothet1$$]

I’ve had my chameleon for 2 months give or take and I noticed that it started to dig in his enclosure. I asked about it before and the only thing I could really do is get a somewhat bigger enclose (photos bellow). So now he’s in a 5 foot high enclosure that’s about 18in long and wide. It’s bio active and the soil is soft so it’s easy for my cham to dig in it. But he only digs in the same spot and I don’t understand why. If anyone has any ideas please let me know.

 

[Beman]

So I am willing to bet he is digging in the back side of the cage that is towards the window. He wants out. He sees the outside as being better than the inside because you have him in front of a window. The cage is not set up with enough plants that have height for him to move in and out of. So everything is very exposed for him. With Chams it is honestly better to have cages moved away from windows. For multiple reasons though. Near a window your ambient temps change and if a window gets full sun this can be very harmful heating up the area far too much.

Yes, the cage is too small. Males need the depth and width not just the height. This is why you were told before to look into the 2x2x4 foot enclosure.

If the bottom dirt layer is not truly bio active with drainage layer and clean up crew you are going to get bacteria growth which is not healthy for the cham.

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

I didn’t know that about windows, that’s good to know is. I do have isopods and spring tails inside the cage though as my clean up crew. My only problem though is that what would I use as a replacement sun for the plants? And I am planning on getting a much bigger cage ( aka the 2x2x4), my only problem is money but I’ll get him the proper size in about a month to a month and a half.

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

So I am willing to bet he is digging in the back side of the cage that is towards the window. He wants out. He sees the outside as being better than the inside because you have him in front of a window. The cage is not set up with enough plants that have height for him to move in and out of. So everything is very exposed for him. With Chams it is honestly better to have cages moved away from windows. For multiple reasons though. Near a window your ambient temps change and if a window gets full sun this can be very harmful heating up the area far too much.

Yes, the cage is too small. Males need the depth and width not just the height. This is why you were told before to look into the 2x2x4 foot enclosure.

If the bottom dirt layer is not truly bio active with drainage layer and clean up crew you are going to get bacteria growth which is not healthy for the cham.

I didn’t know that about windows, that’s good to know is. I do have isopods and spring tails inside the cage though as my clean up crew. My only problem though is that what would I use as a replacement sun for the plants? And I am planning on getting a much bigger cage ( aka the 2x2x4), my only problem is money but I’ll get him the proper size in about a month to a month and a half.

 

[ehdee6]

You'll want a plant grow light to also go over your cage. The most recommended is Arcadia jungle dawn. Some people use the Sansi brand from Amazon as an affordable option. You'll want something that's 6500k and full spectrum. NO NOT buy any that have vibrant blue or red in them. Theses colored lights damage your chams eyes. So nothing that shines like this:

 

[Beman]

I didn’t know that about windows, that’s good to know is. I do have isopods and spring tails inside the cage though as my clean up crew. My only problem though is that what would I use as a replacement sun for the plants? And I am planning on getting a much bigger cage ( aka the 2x2x4), my only problem is money but I’ll get him the proper size in about a month to a month and a half.

Do you have the drainage layer though... Normally people use the clay balls for this... It sits at the bottom for the water to seep into so that the dirt does not get disgusting.


Yep move him away from the window. You may find that his colors get a bit more brighter being away from the window instead of the dark muted colors. Try to find a tall centerpiece plant. See image below.

No worries about sun with the plants you have pothos literally can be in a room away from a window and still thrive. Highly recommend a jungle dawn LED plant light when you get to that point.
If you have not found this husbandry program I highly recommend it. It will walk you through proper set up as well. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

Do you have the drainage layer though... Normally people use the clay balls for this... It sits at the bottom for the water to seep into so that the dirt does not get disgusting.


Yep move him away from the window. You may find that his colors get a bit more brighter being away from the window instead of the dark muted colors. Try to find a tall centerpiece plant. See image below.

No worries about sun with the plants you have pothos literally can be in a room away from a window and still thrive. Highly recommend a jungle dawn LED plant light when you get to that point.
If you have not found this husbandry program I highly recommend it. It will walk you through proper set up as well. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/


View attachment 364060

I couldn’t find those little ball thingys in any store and they were TK expensive online so I used some river stones and a lot of sand as my drainage layer (mostly because it won’t mold and it’ll hold the moisture and eventually dry up).I can also definitely move him away from the window. And I’ll certainly get a nice center plant when I’m able to.

 

[MissSkittles]

I couldn’t find those little ball thingys in any store and they were TK expensive online so I used some river stones and a lot of sand as my drainage layer (mostly because it won’t mold and it’ll hold the moisture and eventually dry up).I can also definitely move him away from the window. And I’ll certainly get a nice center plant when I’m able to.

I’ve had to order the clay balls from on line, which hasn’t always been convenient or economical. Lava rock can be used instead of the clay balls, and that is what I’ve used in all of my chameleon enclosures. (The leopard geckos got the clay balls in their tanks)
I’m afraid I lack pics but this is what I’ve done in setting up my screened enclosures. I have combined two XL ReptiBreezes (or similar) and they sit on a heavy duty strength shelving unit. I have med to heavy weight plastic tarp beneath the enclosures. I use ReptiBreeze substrate trays in the bottom and more plastic tarp on top of those to bridge the space between them. Fabric root pouches with a layer of lava rock, covered with landscape fabric to keep the layers separate. Then I add all my soils and additives, like charcoal, sand, coco coir, orchid bark, organic soil, a bit of cut up sphagnum moss and I mix it all up and have at a depth of at least 5-6” or more, depending on the plant roots. Add my clean up crew, provide a few pieces of cork bark half rounds for the, to hide beneath and a nice thick layer of leaf litter. Depending on which plants you choose, you may be able to use a less expensive/weaker plant light, like a Sansi 35w screw in bulb. I have a money plant that is growing like crazy beneath one of those.

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

Do you have the drainage layer though... Normally people use the clay balls for this... It sits at the bottom for the water to seep into so that the dirt does not get disgusting.


Yep move him away from the window. You may find that his colors get a bit more brighter being away from the window instead of the dark muted colors. Try to find a tall centerpiece plant. See image below.

No worries about sun with the plants you have pothos literally can be in a room away from a window and still thrive. Highly recommend a jungle dawn LED plant light when you get to that point.
If you have not found this husbandry program I highly recommend it. It will walk you through proper set up as well. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/


View attachment 364060

I got the money tree and I have the plant grow light on the way

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

You'll want a plant grow light to also go over your cage. The most recommended is Arcadia jungle dawn. Some people use the Sansi brand from Amazon as an affordable option. You'll want something that's 6500k and full spectrum. NO NOT buy any that have vibrant blue or red in them. Theses colored lights damage your chams eyes. So nothing that shines like this:

View attachment 364059

Does it have to be 6500? Or is 6000 ok?

 

[ehdee6]

Does it have to be 6500? Or is 6000 ok?

6000 or even 5000 is ok for most chameleon plants. The "k" is just a reference to what the plants like... for instance, is it a less sunny shade loving plant? It can probably live off the UVB light you have. Does it like full sun? You'll want to give it between 5000 to 6000 "K".

 

[Bigbrothet1$$]

6000 or even 5000 is ok for most chameleon plants. The "k" is just a reference to what the plants like... for instance, is it a less sunny shade loving plant? It can probably live off the UVB light you have. Does it like full sun? You'll want to give it between 5000 to 6000 "K".View attachment 364087

Thank you!!!