Do chams normally explore the ground?

[Mark_C]

Curious.
I did some cage work today while he sat in his basking spot and watched.
When done, his plants were replaced in a different way.
He purposely came down to the floor, wandered around between everything, looked at the pots, climbed on em a bit.
The he went back up to his chill out spot.
He's eating plenty, dinking, and seems in great health.
It looked exactly like he went down to check everything out, decided it was OK, and went back to doing cham stuff.
Is this normal behavior?

 

[MissSkittles]

Curious.
I did some cage work today while he sat in his basking spot and watched.
When done, his plants were replaced in a different way.
He purposely came down to the floor, wandered around between everything, looked at the pots, climbed on em a bit.
The he went back up to his chill out spot.
He's eating plenty, dinking, and seems in great health.
It looked exactly like he went down to check everything out, decided it was OK, and went back to doing cham stuff.
Is this normal behavior?

My male chameleons do their ‘rounds’ and regularly patrol just about every inch of their enclosures. I will find them close to the ground, but I think they are hunting for isopods (am bioactive).

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I'm not sure what's 'normal' in this case, and I expect some may do it but others not(?)

Ol' Mr. GrumpyPants occasionally tours the bottom, but I have some branches & dowels down there, so he uses them. If he falls he'll walk on the floor, but only long enough to haul himself up the dide of a plant pot and make his way back up into the canopy.

But come to think of it, when I replaced the dead ficus tree with a mass cane he checked stuff out a few times too.

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

Mine occasionally walks on the bottom. Low key I think he does it to get my attention to let him out of his enclosure.

 

[Ambilobe123]

Mine occasionally walks on the bottom. Low key I think he does it to get my attention to let him out of his enclosure.View attachment 320208

Typically chams want to stay in the enclosure.. if they want to come out that means the enclosure is too small/not enough cover.

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

Typically chams want to stay in the enclosure.. if they want to come out that means the enclosure is too small/not enough cover.

For the first 5 months he didn’t want to come out of his enclosure. Then he did. I have a money tree by my living room window that gets direct sunlight for a good portion of the day. And it’s on the 2nd floor so he gets to look down at everything going on.
His enclosure is not small and it has enough coverage. I think he just likes being nosy and looking out the window

 

[Ambilobe123]

For the first 5 months he didn’t want to come out of his enclosure. Then he did. I have a money tree by my living room window that gets direct sunlight for a good portion of the day. And it’s on the 2nd floor so he gets to look down at everything going on.
His enclosure is not small and it has enough coverage. I think he just likes being nosy and looking out the window
View attachment 320216

Good to know, guess you just have a special little guy. Beautiful enclosure, btw.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Typically chams want to stay in the enclosure.. if they want to come out that means the enclosure is too small/not enough cover.

... Or they just want to climb on Missus' plant table.

Mr. GrumpyPants is in a 48 x 24 x 48, and I'm pretty sure he's got enough cover...

... but he still charges up my arm when it comes close enough to him.

From my own experience, and those of others, I think it depends on whether they've been allowed out, and how those experiences have gone.

As I've noted on occasion...

How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm After They've Seen Paree? ​

They're all different individuals.

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

@Klyde O'Scope same..mine will reach for us any chance he gets.
Bummer that we can’t add video clips.
It definitely took time to gain his trust but it was worth it.

 

[Lindasjackson]

My guy mostly stays in the canopy of his tree patrolling the branches I have there. The other day I found him on a much lower branch about a foot off the floor of his enclosure. That’s very rare that he does that.

 

[Ares05]

My boy will quickly patrol the bottom of his enclosure, just doing his rounds, then go back up to his chill spots. He's perfectly healthy and just something he does time to time. Wouldn't worry about it.