An Odd Question...

[Winpooh718]

I'm not quite sure how to broach this -- perhaps peculiar -- question, but, here goes...

My male veiled chameleon, Sir Ziggy, who is approximately 6 / 7 months old, has a habit of hanging from the top of his cage in a pose more apropos for a Playgirl shoot.

Is he using the light to dry off? Is he stuck, and can't release his foot? Is he showing off his junk?

My other male does this too, so I'm thinking is it a dude thing? Like when they need to spread their legs as wide as a canyon, and you know they don't need that much room? I'm thinking the ladies here should understand the leg room thing.

It certainly doesn't look comfortable!

No offense meant to any of the dudes here, of course...

 

[Theveiled]

Do you have a basking branch? If so how thick is it? It looks like he is trying to grip better on the plant so he is using thr screen. Thats what I think. those flimsy plastic plants are hard to hold on to.

 

[Randall-the-Chameleon]

His claws appear stuck this happens to Randall not long ago. Reach over the top of the cage and push on his claws from the outside. Try to push one side of the foots claws away from the other If the come loose quickly push the other before he breaks the claws. Also he needs a solid branch were he is standing.

 

[Decadancin]

Yep, as stated he could just be needing a good perch to bask from. A solid vine and some large leaves will allow for basking as well as security.

 

[marley patches]

this is only one picture of marley hanging out LOL , he hangs in some weird positions a lot of times , even sleeps upside down at times

 

[Joleen]

Here is a veiled chameleon at Petco( I work as a dog groomer at Petco) Conrad Hilton was a return that was switched by the customer. Customer bought two baby chameleons during 50% off reptile sale then returned an older Cham of unknown age and source. This guy does a similar hind leg hiked up pose. I considered buying him but as there is much I do not know about his upbringing have decided against purchasing him and having my first chameleon experience go wrong.

 

[Theveiled]

Here is a veiled chameleon at Petco( I work as a dog groomer at Petco) Conrad Hilton was a return that was switched by the customer. Customer bought two baby chameleons during 50% off reptile sale then returned an older Cham of unknown age and source. This guy does a similar hind leg hiked up pose. I considered buying him but as there is much I do not know about his upbringing have decided against purchasing him and having my first chameleon experience go wrong.

I bought my first cham from petco and i did have a lot of work to to with him. But I have to say, hes the sweetest!

 

[Winpooh718]

Do you have a basking branch? If so how thick is it? It looks like he is trying to grip better on the plant so he is using thr screen. Thats what I think. those flimsy plastic plants are harbrd to hold on to.

They cant worry about myla

Do you have a basking branch? If so how thick is it? It looks like he is trying to grip better on the plant so he is using thr screen. Thats what I think. those flimsy plastic plants are hard to hold on to.

I actually have a basking bridge, created using a large bird rope ladder.

Yes, Theveiled, Sir Ziggy is hanging on to his favorite plastic plant, all of my chameleons love them. They love their umbrella trees for hiding and sleeping, and they access the smaller plants (ficus, pothos and hibiscus) on the floor of the enclosures via long vines.

 

[Winpooh718]

View attachment 167456this is only one picture of marley hanging out LOL , he hangs in some weird positions a lot of times , even sleeps upside down at times

I love it! Glad to know my Ziggy is a normal pre-teen.

Sir Ziggy loves walking on the ceiling, and I noticed Lord Charmander does the same, even in his new 24"×24"×48" cage.

 

[Winpooh718]

I took this picture before I finished hanging more vines.

I got lucky that these 3 (Lady Jade, Sir Ziggy and Lord Charmander) figured out one food cup has water, one has worms and the other has mixed greens.

 

[Chameleomom]

one food cup has water

Chameleons don't drink from a water cup. You have to have a mister or a dripper station

 

[Joleen]

So the chameleons use the various bridges and ladders? That was a feature I was planning to add to my ongoing chameleon enclosure initial setup but was wondering if they actually use such furniture? Have you ever tried the lizard ladders made of mesh?

 

[Winpooh718]

Chameleons don't drink from a water cup. You have to have a mister or a dripper station

I had heard that chameleons don't recognize standing water, but, my chameleons drink it from their bird dish.

I have 2 of the "Little Dripper" and my chameleons drink from the bird dish.

Are you saying that I should remove the water bowls and put back the "Little Dripper" systems?

Not arguing, just want to understand why a tiny tub of water is so bad as opposed to a hose dripping water.

 

[Winpooh718]

Here is a veiled chameleon at Petco( I work as a dog groomer at Petco) Conrad Hilton was a return that was switched by the customer. Customer bought two baby chameleons during 50% off reptile sale then returned an older Cham of unknown age and source. This guy does a similar hind leg hiked up pose. I considered buying him but as there is much I do not know about his upbringing have decided against purchasing him and having my first chameleon experience go wrong.

I understand, no pets that

 

[PJK]

Chameleons don't drink from a water cup. You have to have a mister or a dripper station

I can personally attest to that not being true

 

[PJK]

I had heard that chameleons don't recognize standing water, but, my chameleons drink it from their bird dish.

I have 2 of the "Little Dripper" and my chameleons drink from the bird dish.

Are you saying that I should remove the water bowls and put back the "Little Dripper" systems?

Not arguing, just want to understand why a tiny tub of water is so bad as opposed to a hose dripping water.

Its not don't worry. Lots of people have drank the kool-aid on this one. plenty of chams will happily drink water from a glass or a dish. you can also teach them how to relatively easily if its a young animal. Lots of people have heard the misinformation on this one and haven't even bothered trying it. That being said. Some are just stubborn and wont do it. Best way is to use a refractive glass that is under the lights so it sparkles. Also many will end up defecating in it, so it must be changed regularly.

 

[Winpooh718]

Wow!

Its not don't worry. Lots of people have drank the kool-aid on this one. plenty of chams will happily drink water from a glass or a dish. you can also teach them how to relatively easily if its a young animal. Lots of people have heard the misinformation on this one and haven't even bothered trying it. That being said. Some are just stubborn and wont do it. Best way is to use a refractive glass that is under the lights so it sparkles. Also many will end up defecating in it, so it must be changed regularly.

Hey PJK!

I agree! If a chameleon can drink from a cup, why not let it?

 

[PJK]

Wow!


Hey PJK!

I agree! If a chameleon can drink from a cup, why not let it?

Exactly

 

[jajeanpierre]

Wow!


Hey PJK!

I agree! If a chameleon can drink from a cup, why not let it?

There is no reason not to allow a chameleon to drink from a cup of clean water, but few actually will drink from a cup. The risk is that novices will think that their chameleon will recognize a bowl of water as drinkable and drink if thirsty. That is just not the case. They might die of thirst sitting beside a bowl of water.

There are many benefits to misting besides supplying drinking water. They need mist to clean their eyes. Do you notice all the eye problems people post about? I bet a large number of them would be eliminated with an automatic mister that ran for a few minutes at a time.

 

[vtcowgirl]

So the chameleons use the various bridges and ladders? That was a feature I was planning to add to my ongoing chameleon enclosure initial setup but was wondering if they actually use such furniture? Have you ever tried the lizard ladders made of mesh?

I bought a couple of the wooden ladders but didn't end up putting them in. Maybe I will reconsider!