New Cham owner
- Thread starter Staystrongchey
- Start date
Staystrongchey
New Member
I think he loves being held Because I will stick my hand in the cage and offer my finger to him and he will climb right onto it and then he crawled up my arm and just sits on my shoulder Is that a good sign
Awww congrats! That is the way my guy is. If I walk by his enclosure he will come to the front. If I open the door he comes straight onto my hand. He is not much for sitting still though. I have noticed in the last two months that he prefers me over my 14 year old daughter. What type of enclosure did you get him?
A cautionary statement about chameleons that eagerly crawl out of their enclosure - rule out every possible reason they don't want to stay before thinking about its emotional impact on you.
Many times they crawl out, not because they "like" you, but because something could be improved in their enclosure.
If they crawl up your arm to your head or shoulder, it could be because the enclosure is near the ground and chameleons feel more secure when they are higher than their potential predators (you or another pet).
The classic checklist includes humidity gradients, heat gradients, and UVB gradients. They could be leaving so quickly because they have not found their goldilocks spot, and they are chronically searching for it...
I'm not saying that chameleons don't have a personality (they do!). Just be thoughtful before thinking they are cuddly! Cuddly chameleons usually live short lives...
Many times they crawl out, not because they "like" you, but because something could be improved in their enclosure.
If they crawl up your arm to your head or shoulder, it could be because the enclosure is near the ground and chameleons feel more secure when they are higher than their potential predators (you or another pet).
The classic checklist includes humidity gradients, heat gradients, and UVB gradients. They could be leaving so quickly because they have not found their goldilocks spot, and they are chronically searching for it...
I'm not saying that chameleons don't have a personality (they do!). Just be thoughtful before thinking they are cuddly! Cuddly chameleons usually live short lives...
@Dridrop12 Well my enclosure is now too small for him as I am waiting on my larger one to be built. But he has done this since I got him (day 1) when he was 4 months old. Now 6 months old. I have live pothos plants, lots of horizontal branches, misting 4 times a day (have a mistking for new enclosure), have a little dripper as well, cage sits on a 3 foot cabinet, basking is running 82-84 degrees, ambient is sitting at 72 degrees, Humidity levels have a rise to 70 and fall to 40 between misting and drying out, lighting is a quad fixture with 1 arcadia uvb 6% T5 bulb 2 daylight bulbs and a plant pro bulb. So out of this information what am I doing wrong...that I am mistaking him liking me for improper husbandry. I am not trying to give him a short life.
That sounds like a really good foundation. The key trick is often the gradient. Pockets of heat and cool, humid and dry, lots of UVB exposure and very little, and every combination thereof. Chameleons can be very picky about their environment, and it is a fun challenge to get them to settle down.
It sounds like your little guy/gal is just young and acclimating to a new home. Good luck!
It sounds like your little guy/gal is just young and acclimating to a new home. Good luck!
Staystrongchey
New Member
I got a glass enclosure 29 gallon he’s so precious I like watching him eat it’s pretty impressive
Staystrongchey
New Member
salty dog
Chameleon Enthusiast
When you look at your cage,think forest canopy, trees, vines, plants & dripping water, their feet and hands are made to grip branches, veilds also eat plants sometimes, so there is a cham safe plant list on this site, I would get a new cage, preferrably 24 x24x28, you need a uv light 10.0 linear light t-5 or t-8 or your cham will die
Lennoncham
Chameleon Enthusiast
Congrats and welcome to the forums.
That is not a suitable enclose for a chameleon. They need something taller then wide. You should upgrade to a 24x24x48 cage. Also get a t5 5.0 or 10.0 uvb bulb. Lots more vines and branches. Lots of horizontal branches. Live plants. And a misting system.
I suggest you read over the caresheet if you haven’t already.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
That is not a suitable enclose for a chameleon. They need something taller then wide. You should upgrade to a 24x24x48 cage. Also get a t5 5.0 or 10.0 uvb bulb. Lots more vines and branches. Lots of horizontal branches. Live plants. And a misting system.
I suggest you read over the caresheet if you haven’t already.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
Everything stated above is spot on and is suggested with the best of intentions.
Staystrongchey
New Member
OK for starters the water dish is to catch the water coming from the dripper so it doesn’t completely soak the ground No I have not gotten live plants I have ordered them and I’m waiting for them to come in because I don’t want to give him anything that would kill him or be poisonous to him
