Grumpy in Cage?

[Tash112194]

Have any of you noticed your chameleon just not liking being in a cage?
My veiled chameleon is brownish green all the time, except when I take him out. Then he immediately perks up, is light/bright green, snuggles next to my neck and goes to sleep.
I've had him in different cages, and no matter what he always seems grumpy in them. If I even open the cage door he turns happier colors.

 

[Carlton]

Have any of you noticed your chameleon just not liking being in a cage?
My veiled chameleon is brownish green all the time, except when I take him out. Then he immediately perks up, is light/bright green, snuggles next to my neck and goes to sleep.
I've had him in different cages, and no matter what he always seems grumpy in them. If I even open the cage door he turns happier colors.

Actually IMHO you are misinterpreting what his colors are telling you. A calm unexcited cham sitting securely in its territory will show quieter color. They have no reason to be more visible or to display. When they are active, hunting, interested in something, or being handled, they react to the stimulation with brighter coloration. "Stress" can be good and bad, and stress hormones trigger their color change.

The one thing that concerns me is that he goes to sleep while sitting on you. I doubt he's "snuggling" with you. Most chams are not that needy socially. It could be that he is showing some anxiety by shutting his eyes and freezing. Again, somewhat of a misinterpretation.

 

[lovelychams]

I can relate to what you are talking about, Tash. Pickle can have quite the attitude when he is in his cage, but his demeanor completely changes when he is out of his cage. He seems to be a lot more calm and approachable. I think he just likes to free range. He is a free spirit.

 

[Tash112194]

I can relate to what you are talking about, Tash. Pickle can have quite the attitude when he is in his cage, but his demeanor completely changes when he is out of his cage. He seems to be a lot more calm and approachable. I think he just likes to free range. He is a free spirit.

I'm hoping this is it. I'll take pictures of him tonight, before and after I take him out of his cage. I did some research into their "relaxed" colors, and I had to go through 4 different chameleon sites to find one that said they might be a greenish brown when relaxed.
I'm definitely hoping he's a free spirit and likes me rather than me stressing him out when I think I'm helping lol.

 

[Tash112194]

Pictures

So here's pictures of him in his cage, on my hand, and in my hair.

 

[Forestdellic]

My female is always in drab brown/green color mixed with black in her enclosure. Similar to your first picture. Only she doesn't perk up when she's out of her cage. I have no idea why.

 

[Tash112194]

My fiance had a female too. (Mine is male.) She was always grumpy too, girls are moody like that

 

[Sticktongue]

If he really does "snuggle up to you and go to sleep" then Carlton is correct. He is stressed. Chams just dont do that. Also, it seems like you're searching and searching until you find something that might be the answer that you "want".

". I did some research into their "relaxed" colors, and I had to go through 4 different chameleon sites to find one that said they might be a greenish brown when relaxed."

Sorry not trying to be rude or anything, just want you to take the advise given even if its not the answer you want. He very well might want to be out of the cage, but that doesn't necessarily mean he wants to be handled. I'd suggest setting up a free range for him to be on.

Take this for what ever its worth.

 

[Tash112194]

So it looks like I need to clarify some things. First, obviously "snuggle" is not the correct term for what he does, but he does climb up to my shoulder, and rest on the collar of my hoodie and go to sleep. Second, when he does go to sleep, it is because I have walked into a dark room/am laying on my bed watching TV in the dark, so I do understand the concern of him sleeping if it was with bright lights around. -Also, he does not immediately sleep just because I walk into a darker room, just so I don't have to clarify again, but when it is dark, he will get comfortable and shut his eyes. Third, I only pointed out the number of sites I went to, because previously, I had never heard of "brownish green" being a relaxed color. I had always read/heard/thought that brown was bad, and green was good. So I did more research into it, and on my fourth different chameleon website, I finally found someone saying "a relaxed chameleon may be brownish green". I wasn't only looking for the answer I wanted, I wanted to confirm that there were different opinions on a chameleons relaxed colors. Also fourth, I realize that looking at my posted pictures and reading my original post, the brownish green I described could easily refer to his color in the picture of him on my hand, so I do feel it's possible that I didn't describe him accurately/his level of brownness is in the grumpy range, not the relaxed range when he's in his cage. On top of all of that, my plan is to eventually get him into a free range situation, although I never realized that chameleons could be so particular as to let you know that they want to be free range lol, I think that's pretty cool. I'll definitely be looking around on the forum for the best ways to go free range.