Is it normal to be so worried?

[Twigadee]

I'm feeling a bit like a paranoid new parent at the moment.
We've had Rango 4 days, he's pooping and eating and drinking water from leaves, wandering around for a bit but mainly basking up high in his cage.

His colours are good, he's bright green, eyes are big and always moving, at 7 in the evening he takes himself off to under some leaves and curls his tail up - we take this as his sign he's sleeping - and off goes his light.

I'm misting 2-4 times a day depending on humidity levels and everything else is good. Yet I'm sat here just watching him to make sure he's okay.

I did the same thing with my first child (by child #2 I was a dab hand at parenting so much less worried that I'd miss something serious) so I'm assuming it's the whole settling in, getting used to his routine and behaviour thing.

I know I sound like a complete crackpot right now, but tell me it's normal!

 

[carol5208]

It is normal to us fellow chameleon keepers, but others might think we are nuts! I have had many pets in my days and never worried so much about them about as I do my chameleons. I think it comes with the territory!

 

[Twigadee]

Haha! It is so good to know it's normal (for us at least), I've had a whole load of exotic and regular pets before and I've never worried so much about any of them.
Thanks for reassuring me!

 

[PattyCake]

It's totally normal. I know for sure I went through what you're going through. But as long as you take proper care of your child (chameleon), there's absolutely nothing to be worried about

 

[kwengkynator]

Been there, its normal.

 

[aMiseo]

Ive been acting the same way! It's been 2 weeks, and Remy is growing like crazy, eating, pooping, basking. I've been inspecting poop and sitting in from of the cage just to observe and make sure he is comfortable!

 

[mvad]

i'm going through the same thing but only since this Tuesday. I have a juvie veiled and he has already eaten (in two days) a dozen calcium supped dusted crickets and two dubia roaches. I saw his first poop and its brown with a white urate tip so he must be drinking.

-this forum is a absolute and unbelievable resource

 

[zlew]

All my friends think I'm weird for being such an animal lover! I have one panther cham, I will be getting another next sunday, 2 dogs, a rabbit, fish, and on the weekends, I volunteer at a nature center saturday and sunday.

 

[Craigwyatt]

Def totally normal. You sound like you are already doing a great job.

 

[Twigadee]

Thank you all!
It's so good to know I'm not alone, he's a great little buddy so far, the only downside being I work from home and not much work is getting done haha!

 

[CezJr]

Nervous is an understatment, lol, but worth every bit.

 

[Craig94089]

Every single day since I got mine a few months back. The other day I had a conference call and looked up and he had three feet on the door screen and one tippy toe on a branch. I was cringing waiting for a thud, he's a big boy. I have to force myself to walk away or stop looking when he decides to do his crazy antics.

I do the daily checks on eyes, body structure, behavior, and poop and call it a day, otherwise I would go insane and develop OCD watching him 24/7 looking for issues.

 

[lily2521]

Yeah I'm pretty sure at this point my husband thinks I'm nuts I obsess over the cham so much.

He's enjoying him too though, got him to eat a cricket from his hand last night, and I've caught him snapping pictures of Lizzie, so I know there's love there

 

[ZiggyStardust]

I am quite shocked at how paranoid I am over both my chameleons' wellbeing.

We have always had a lot of animals - currently two chameleons, two mediterranean spur thighed tortoises, one elderly cat and one horse!

However, it is my chams that take up the majority of my time, both physically and mentally but it is definitely worth it and I do have a sense of extreme wellbeing to see them both happy, thriving and growing like weeds!!!