Chameleon scratching the sides of the enclosure..why?

[jdub0928]

I have a 2 year old Panther Chameleon.

He lives in an enclosure 2'x2'x4', with a ReptiSun 5.0 tube, a ceramic heater, and a basking bulb. There are vines for him to crawl on to get to all the areas of his cage, an umbrella plant, and a ficus. The bottom of the enclosure has paper towels lining it and the whole set up was cleaned yesterday. Day temperatures are about 85, sometimes slightly higher. Night temperatures are around 70/68. Humidity 60%

For the past week my chameleon has been roaming around the bottom of his enclosure. He has been darker, and I haven't seen him climbing on any of the vines lately. He doesn't get anywhere near the lights so I am worried that he isn't getting the UV that he needs. I put his cage outside today and his coloring got better but he is still scratching at the sides, walking around the bottom. He also hasn't been drinking like he normally does, and doesn't seem hungry either. What is going on? What can I do to try and get him back to normal?

 

[moviemanmania]

Are you sure he's a he?

 

[CarlS85]

environment change?

Anything different outside the cage lately that may be stressing him out? Say with the cage close to a open window during the day, he may be trying to reach the window to see outside. My male will do this, but stops if I close the curtains. Or perhaps a mirror or window that he can see his reflection would stress him out. Temp and humidity seem ok, I would be carefull with the ceramic heating elements. Basking light should be all the heat necessary.

 

[JaxyGirl]

He might be too warm and because of this he's spending most of his time at the bottom of the cage. You don't need a ceramic heater along with your basking light. The basking light should be enough to provide a heating source. Fill out the ask for help form https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ and it will give us all the information we need to help you out. It takes a little time but it's worth it

 

[sandrachameleon]

he may be looking for a mate, and restless for that reason.

are you certain temps are fine? cant hurt to double-check with another temp guage, just to be sure.

 

[warpdrive]

I don't need the forum help form to realize what you said...because you clearly are telling us your ambient temps are, and yes, they are too hot during the day.

If your room temps are really 85F during the day (and sometimes HIGHER), all day long, then yes, he would be trying to find a place far away from your lights and trying to escape the heat.
Adding him then after a week of this, OUTSIDE, with no mention of the outside temps makes me think that the fresh air outside is basically the same temps, and is still too hot.

I'm not saying to others that 85F is way too hot for short times outside to get some real sun.
What I am saying is that your male has been hot for some time and is staying as far down away from your lights (who knows just how hot your basking temps must be as a result of your high ambient temps) as a result to cool off, but you take him outside where the temps are more then likely the same as in your home...thus he acts the same way.

As others have said, you don't need the heater.

If I'm right in understanding what you have been saying, then yes, your temps are way too hot at this time for at least your particular chameleon.

Harry

 

[VeiledOwner87]

cutting out the simples and the obvious, is he about to shed?

 

[sandrachameleon]

...Day temperatures are about 85, sometimes slightly higher

I had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that this was the basking temp. If its the ambient temp, then it is indeed too hot.
good catch Harry

 

[warpdrive]

I had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that this was the basking temp. If its the ambient temp, then it is indeed too hot.
good catch Harry

When a new member doesn't fill out the "how to ask for help" form, it is important that we not only read the post, but reread it and try to "read between the lines" so to speak.

while I could be wrong, he/she stated that the "day" temps are 85F and sometimes higher.
Yes, that could be a reading by the basking bulb but I have to assume that since the didn't use the words "basking temps" and they did use the word "basking" to describe a light source being used, that they know the difference.

What new members also don't realize is that it is IMPORTANT to add your location of where you live by your user name so we don't have to wonder or assume that as well.
Even if not asking for help, it is useful to other members to understand why they are doing some of the things they are for the care and well being of their chameleon(s).
If this person did post their location, then I could have verified the temp by doing a search and thus we wouldn't have to assume anything.

Also, this person stated that they then took their cham outsiade.
So what do new owners do when they take their animal outside to get some sun? THEY PUT THEM IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT WITH NO SHADE.
What they don't realize is that chameleons in general live in the shade and only go into the sunlight to warm up and get some added UVB.
Ill also bet that the plants inside the cage offer little to no shade at the top of the cage and I'll also assume that they didn't place a towel on top of half their cage to offer a shady spot to cool off...and this can only lead to aggravating the situation. Thus the same responce from the chameleon when it was placed outside.

Now let's face it...this is a guessing game at best for us.
Even I'm guessing a lot.
Heck, I could even be wrong.

A reply from the original poster would be nice to clarify some things.

Harry

 

[jdub0928]

When a new member doesn't fill out the "how to ask for help" form, it is important that we not only read the post, but reread it and try to "read between the lines" so to speak.

while I could be wrong, he/she stated that the "day" temps are 85F and sometimes higher.
Yes, that could be a reading by the basking bulb but I have to assume that since the didn't use basking the words "temps" and they did use the word "basking" to describe a light source being used, that they know the difference.

What new members also don't realize is that it is IMPORTANT to add your location of where you live by your user name so we don't have to wonder or assume that as well.
Even if not asking for help, it is useful to other members to understand why they are doing some of the things they are for the care and well being of their chameleon(s).
If this person did post their location, then I could have verified the temp by doing a search and thus we wouldn't have to assume anything.

Also, this person stated that they then took their cham outsiade.
So what do new owners do when they take their animal outside to get some sun? THEY PUT THEM IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT WITH NO SHADE.
What they don't realize is that chameleons in general live in the shade and only go into the sunlight to warm up and get some added UVB.
Ill also bet that the plants inside the cage offer little to no shade at the top of the cage and I'll also assume that they didn't place a towel on top of half their cage to offer a shady spot to cool off...and this can only lead to aggravating the situation. Thus the same responce from the chameleon when it was placed outside.

Now let's face it...this is a guessing game at best for us.
Even I'm guessing a lot.
Heck, I could even be wrong.

A reply from the original poster would be nice to clarify some things.

Harry

Sorry about missing all of that info..I have filled out that form a few times and thought i remembered everything on it..


I am in Santa Cruz, California

The thermometer I was talking about is at the top of the cage so it would be the basking temperature, the thermometer near the bottom of the cage reads 73...I have digital thermometers..

When I take him outside I bring the whole enclosure and put most of it in the shade and leave about 1/4 in the sun.

 

[jdub0928]

Anything different outside the cage lately that may be stressing him out? Say with the cage close to a open window during the day, he may be trying to reach the window to see outside. My male will do this, but stops if I close the curtains. Or perhaps a mirror or window that he can see his reflection would stress him out. Temp and humidity seem ok, I would be carefull with the ceramic heating elements. Basking light should be all the heat necessary.

He isn't near any windows, and there is no mirror that he can see...I have the ceramic bulb because it gets into the low 50's at night, sometimes colder and I thought below 65 was bad for panther chameleons

 

[sandrachameleon]

...I have the ceramic bulb because it gets into the low 50's at night, sometimes colder and I thought below 65 was bad for panther chameleons

I dont let my panthers go below 65F either, though I prefer to use a space heater for the room, rather than ceramic heat emiter bulbs.

If he continues to stay on the bottom of the cage, it may be time for a vet visit.