Chameleon pulled out her claw and is now sleeping at the bottom of the cage please help!

[ERKleRose]

I don’t want to rush you, but I would try to decide as quickly as possible, as she needs lots of husbandry changes along with possible vet care (that can get expensive) in the future.

If you keep her, you can take her outside for natural uvb and even have an outdoor cage!

 

[MissSkittles]

As I kept learning, I kept improving. This is just some of my enclosures to show you what the goal is like.

 

[loonipper]

As I kept learning, I kept improving. This is just some of my enclosures to show you what the goal is like.
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Oh wow! How should I hang the sticks?

 

[ERKleRose]

You can use fishing line, zip ties, or push pins (directly into the middle in the end of the branch only). You can attach them with any of those straight to the screen or use garden trellis/build a structure with sticks to attach the branches to

 

[loonipper]

You can use fishing line, zip ties, or push pins (directly into the middle in the end of the branch only). You can attach them with any of those straight to the screen or use garden trellis/build a structure with sticks to attach the branches to

Ok and should I get fake vines? and for drainage, could I just take any semi deep 24x24 tray and put it at the bottom

 

[MissSkittles]

I use very thin wires (with the sharp ends on the outside of the enclosure) or you could use fishing line. I attached some sticks to the frame corner supports and then put a stick between two, making an ‘H’ that I then was able to attach more sticks and vines to. Lately I’ve been using garden trellis, that again is attached to the frame with thin wire. Often I use what I have.

 

[ERKleRose]

Ok and should I get fake vines? and for drainage, could I just take any semi deep 24x24 tray and put it at the bottom

You can get a couple if you want, just no Exo Terra or moss vines, or any fake vines with fake leaves on them. Fluker’s Bend-A-Branch are good fake vines, but if/once they start to deteriorate (pieces/chunks falling off, wire exposed), you need to toss and replace them

It’d need to go underneath the cage. What I do for non bioactive cages is before assembling the cage, I use anodized aluminum window screen and spline to screen in the bottom section of the cage (there’s a space there for spline). Then I use cut up pieces of pvc pipe with at least one notch in the bottom (I use a dremel tool, this helps the water drain) to give support to plant pots in the cage above. You can use a shop vac to clear all of the standing water if you can’t fit a bucket to catch the drainage water below that

 

[loonipper]

Just wanna give you guys an update, I have ordered a 2x2x4 cage and it comes in soon and I have got live plants ready for her cage. I also made a lay bin and got new lights and a grow bulb. I will send you guys a picture of her cage when I have everything!

 

[ERKleRose]

That’s awesome!

 

[ERKleRose]

How is she doing?

 

[loonipper]

How is she doing?

She seems to be doing pretty good although she hasn't eaten for 2 days at least that I've seen

 

[MissSkittles]

Do you have a feeding station for her? If not, you can easily make one. There’s all different ways to do it depending on what materials you have available. I like the shooting gallery style and here is one I made with a plastic food container.

I can’t remember if it was from a frozen dinner or not. I cut about 2/3 of the bottom out and sanded the sides until they were not sharp. I think I also put a thin bead of hot glue on the edges too. Some use heat to dull edges but I’ve never been good at that. It goes on the inside of the screen (door is easiest place to put it) and held in place with thumbtacks at or just below basking level. I cut little pieces of eraser to stick on the pointy ends of the tacks. The bugs usually climb the screen and are easily seen by the chameleon but it’s not so easy for them to escape (except bsfl wriggle out in seconds). Do make sure there’s a branch or vine in front of it for the chameleon to sit on while eating.
A much simpler feeding station would be just a tall deli cup attached to a branch, again around basking level. Poke some small holes in the bottom so the water from misting can drain out. The main idea is for the bugs to remain somewhat contained and your cham to know where its food will always be. It also makes it easier for you to determine if she’s been eating and how much.
Have you checked with your family and friends who may have some plants that they can give you some clippings from to start some plants for your girl? It’s super easy to do with pothos, heart leaf philodendron (not on the list but I use with my veileds), tradescantia zebrina and several others - just sit the cut ends in a cup of water and over a couple of weeks they’ll grow some roots.

 

[MzLaurie]

Did you actually see the the nail in the screen? I imagine she pulled it out trying to dig in the fake carpet. That needs to go. Many times a female will think the floor of the cage is the floor of the forest and will try to dig and when they can't will just drop eggs and go into stress. You need to get a monstera p!ant in a good size pot that she can climb on and dig in if she won't use the lay bin. In the wild, chams will dig till they hit the roots of plants and lay them there. that way they won't get washed away and the babies can climb up the roots to gets out. Also if she digs, you know ahe is ready to lay. Get a curtain or open up a box to wrap around the cage to give her privacy. She will lay much better with privacy and won't have to be looking around for danger the whole time. She has very long nails which will get caught in anything woven so please remove that carpet. Also its easier to keep it clean. I keep !my feeding dishes up high in the branches too. I never put the feeders on the ground. I think she may be ready to lay or is in a lot of pain from the nail which is why she is on the ground.