How do you guys get your chams back in their cage?

[pssh]

Pan's too fussy to free range (and I'm afraid it's too stressful for him) so I've been letting Hyperion free range the last couple days with the window open. Today it was just past bed time for him so I tried to put him back in his cage, but he is so docile/didn't want to that he just held onto my arm for a long time. He was on my arm for so long that he tried to go to sleep on it (very unlike him, but when he's sleepy, he's sleepy!) I finally got him in, but he looked so incredibly 'unhappy' to go back! Is there a trick or will this always be a struggle?

 

[Warrix642]

I would use a cricket as a treat to get his attention.

Dustin

 

[Vegas Chad]

#1: Grip, grab and or hold chameleon.
#2: Open cage door.(you may also make this step#1.)
#3: Insert chameleon into cage.
#4: Close door.

 

[warpdrive]

Ok, that's it. You spoiled him. His life will never be the same in a cage now.
He now thinks he belongs out of his cage. What will you do? I wonder how long it will take you to give in?
Hahahaha

Harry

 

[ajacobson]

They hate going back into the cages! I usually put them with a leaf near their front, then nudge them slightly. Usually they get back on the leaf.

 

[Syn]

Wrap them in a towel, throw into cage.

Okay not really.

 

[pssh]

He doesn't like crickets much... I feel bad when I nudge him and prod him because it seems to scare him, so I don't do it but he won't get off! I don't think my mom wants him to permanently free range... I'd free range all my animals if I could.

I sat there with my arm in the cage for a looooong time and he finally got in after I started to poke his nose on a vine for what seemed like forever. Then he settled in and went to sleep.

 

[Chamero]

Maybe put him back in his cage earlier before he starts to fall asleep.

 

[billbuckner]

Wrap them in a towel, throw into cage.

Okay not really.

bahahah, heck yeah!

 

[michelle g]

I have no advise as my cham is only 6 weeks old but some of the suggestions really made me giggle.
Hope you find a good way to coax him.
I love sleepy chams though, as soon as Freddy's light goes off he makes his way to a certain perch he has now claimed as his bedroom and starts snoozing. I wish I could fall asleep like that! x

 

[jpm995]

It's easier if he's on your hand, not arm. You can position him over a branch and lower your hand. Once their out they like it.

 

[pantherlover]

ya, similar to the previous post. when my female doesnt wanna go back in, i put my hand in the back of the cage under a vine or branch so that when she wants to crawl back up my arm, she has to climb over the branch. thats when i lower my arm & shut the door. she pouts & puts on her best puppy face but it is what it is. since shes really been wanting to come out her interest in feeders has declined tho.

 

[draetish]

Why not just take him out in the evening and let him go to sleep there. In the morning while he is not warmed up, gently get him on your hand and put him under his basking light, he'll appreciate it. Start a routine and he will get use to it, Rocko did.

 

[hallenhe]

I free range my chameleons, but have sometimes found them settling in unusual spots for the night and moved them to places I feel are "better". In my experience, sleepy chams are very uncooperative - you may be able to pick them up, but they just want to sleep and cling on reflexively, refusing to go to the effort of waking up and grabbing anything else; I've had to gently disengage one foot at a time and situate them on an appropriate branch.
I suspect what you may have experienced with Hyperion is not so much reluctance to go in the cage per say as reluctance to be disturbed past his bedtime. You can test this by trying to put him back before he starts settling down.

 

[pssh]

Thanks guys. He still doesn't like going back in, but I had never met so much resistance. He started out on my hand, but rested his belly on my wrist and Put his head on my arm. I tried lowering my hand with his head over a branch (which was not easy to Get on the branch in the first place) and he just let his head bend back a bit.

 

[Carlton]

Or you could do what I've almost done and simply fall asleep in your chair along with him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind (it's easier if you aren't under 30!). I've also nodded off while holding my ball python "lap snake".

 

[Miss Lily]

Both mine love to be out and about, but they usually want to go back when they get a bit chilly. Tommy is really hard to put back in sometimes - he grips so hard and does a u-turn on my hand! I find taking him outside (he doesn't like the garden!) makes him more than happy to go back to the safety of his cage, lol!