Advice?

[Sam Carline]

So I'm new to here and also to chams... So I know the main things I have posted is asking for help but you guys seem to know a lot and are so helpful so I would appreciate some advise if anyone can help.

My gorgeous baby yemen is 11 weeks old, he has just shed for the second time and finished earlier on today, although he does seem to be verrrrrrrry active! This is lovely to see because he is just climbing onto my hand to get out of his tank and he is climbing all over his tank up to the top and right down to the bottom.

I just wanted to know if this was normal? I didn't think they were very active or liked to be handled a lot and I thought that they didn't really walk down to the bottom of their enclosure.

Any advise would be very much appreciated and thank you in advance!

 

[Dgood]

Hello new , I'm new here too I hope I can help. In my opinion I think it's good that he is active, it means he is healthy and most likely hunting for food, or getting some exercise, usually chams are stressed by being handled maybe he wants out because it's too hot?cold? Humid? It could be a number of things but if it seems healthy he is probably just curious I hope this helps a little bit, but hopefully a more experienced member can help out

 

[Veiledtsgnm]

Usually chameleons stay at the top parts of their cage..... What kind of cage is he in? Glass or Screen.... What are the basking temperatures? What are the temps at the bottom of the cage.... A pic of the cage may be a little more helpful...

 

[Sam Carline]

Thank you for replying! He seems really happy and healthy so I'm hoping it's nothing serious. Thanks again

 

[Sam Carline]

Usually chameleons stay at the top parts of their cage..... What kind of cage is he in? Glass or Screen.... What are the basking temperatures? What are the temps at the bottom of the cage.... A pic of the cage may be a little more helpful...

it's a glass cage and i'm not too sureee... the temperature in the cage at the moment is about 72 because it's been a pretty hot day so I thought that he might be hot

 

[KingJulian]

Welcome to the forum It's a very good sign that your cham is active. Sleeping during the day and not moving are usually signs of illness. Mine loves being held, but every cham is different. He is also very curious and climbs all over his cage, top to bottom. As long as yours isn't climbing to the bottom and sitting down there for long periods of time, he should be ok. He's probably just exploring. This is a great place for information. Good luck with your cham

 

[Sam Carline]

Welcome to the forum It's a very good sign that your cham is active. Sleeping during the day and not moving are usually signs of illness. Mine loves being held, but every cham is different. He is also very curious and climbs all over his cage, top to bottom. As long as yours isn't climbing to the bottom and sitting down there for long periods of time, he should be ok. He's probably just exploring. This is a great place for information. Good luck with your cham

It's good to know that, I'm sure he was just being nosey haha. No he walks down there and then just climbs back up again so I'm not tooooo worried thank you so much!

 

[Veiledtsgnm]

I would get your cham a screen cage as veiled chameleons require much air flow.... Plus glass can stress the cham out as it sees its reflection....And me personally I would bring that temperature up to about 80 just to be on the safe side.... Hes probably cold...

 

[little leaf]

welcome to the forums
it sounds you have a very healthy active little one, BUT...he will not stay that way if you are "guessing" at his care - a fish tank is NOT a good cage for a cham- a viv/ is fine as it allows air flow - not sure what you have. as far as holding him, if he is not stressed by it, let him out to play - I hold my babies every day ( had all 4 running lose on the couch last night ) just be sure he can not get lost or fall
here is a care sheet, please read it- it will really help you to care for your cham

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

you are off to a good start

 

[Sam Carline]

welcome to the forums
it sounds you have a very healthy active little one, BUT...he will not stay that way if you are "guessing" at his care - a fish tank is NOT a good cage for a cham- a viv/ is fine as it allows air flow - not sure what you have. as far as holding him, if he is not stressed by it, let him out to play - I hold my babies every day ( had all 4 running lose on the couch last night ) just be sure he can not get lost or fall
here is a care sheet, please read it- it will really help you to care for your cham

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

you are off to a good start

it isn't a fish tank.... i'm not stupid! haha, thank you for your help

 

[Veiledtsgnm]

I don't think she was trying to make you out to be stupid but believe it or not many people when they get their first cham get fish tanks as I did when I got mine... I was so mad because petco told me to buy it... they saud that would be just fine and yet it wasn't... I spent 80 dollars on the darn kit and I had to build a screen cage....

 

[Psychobunny]

Also, those ExoTerra 'terrariums' with the 2 glass door in front are advertised as being for arborial lizards like chameleons.
This is advertizing BS!! those sweat boxes do not provide proper ventilation, and ppl at pets stores should stop pushing them on their customers.

I have a few of the larger ones, so I know how they are designed.

I would very highly recommend you switch to a all screen Reptibreeze.

They are very inexpensive, way cheaper then glass, which explains why pet stores push them, they make more $$

Of course, you can get a glass terrarium to work with chams, but it takes
a lot of planning, calculating, trial and error, and expense.

Also, chams can damage their tongues hitting the hard glass, and some members have reported broken bones.
They can also see their reflection, which sometimes freaks them out because
they think another cham is in there with them.

Also, screen can be climbed, giving your cham much more useable surfaces
to explore and manuver about.

 

[Dgood]

You know they did the same thing to me. The guy at my pet store didn't even tell me what I needed so I got an aquarium, than I got an exxo-terra, . . . . . Now I'm going to build my own screen cage? Wow I should have went to this website in the first place . . . .