Outside Oustelet's

[TyrionLannister]

so I decided to take my 8month old oustelet's Cham outside for the first time, and it was very stressful for both of us. I realized I couldn't let him on any trees( bc I wouldn't be able to get him out again) so I set him on the grass and sat down near him. He just stayed there and turned very dark. He eventually got a lot of white and black coloring( he looked PISSED) and started waving his body back and forth. I look up and realize there's a big black BIRD on the fence next to us staring at him, so I quickly have my Cham climb on my arm and go inside. He almost fell off of my arm as we were going in, and I swear he practically JUMPED back in his cage. I know he was stressed because of the bird, but he was already stressed way before that. Any similar experiences?? If not, please tell me what I did wrong.

 

[KapitalJ]

lol.... I brought my guy outside to a plant I had ready for him this past weekend. He turned all sorts of colors, walked up and down the plant, then jumped out of the planter onto the ground turned crazy dark, flattened hid body out and started running across my backyard. We scooped him up of the ground to put him back inside. While we were bringing him in he ave ever seen!! Silly fugger! I want to try again, but dont want to be stressing him out!!

 

[cyberlocc]

I wouldnt suggest that. Birds will eat your cham free ranging outside is a bad idea, just build a cheap tube cage from hardware cloth or something.

 

[TyrionLannister]

I wouldnt suggest that. Birds will eat your cham free ranging outside is a bad idea, just build a cheap tube cage from hardware cloth or something.

I'll definitely do that, but I didn't really think it'd be that stressful if I was right by him, oh boy I was wrong

 

[Alex21]

It sounds normal, when i had my jackson the first time I took him outside he did the same thing. It took him a couple times to get used to it, I think it may have been the wind lol. I also recommend getting him a potted tree for him to sit on. I use a hibiscus tree, easy for him to hide from things so he doesnt stress so much an its easy to get him out.

AN NEVER LEAVE THEM ALONE OUTSIDE

 

[Andee]

I have an outdoor cage with some vines and fake plants. But my chameleons have no fear with being outside. Yet I never leave them alone on a plant outside or on the ground, definitely not on the ground. Being on the ground will make them terrified. And being outside without a cage is like asking for a bird to eat them or for them to disappear. I can't tell you how many chameleons I have heard of disappearing outside and not being found or not being found until several months later.

 

[cyberlocc]

The stress is likely it doesnt feel safe in the open. I just put my little girl outside in the cage I built for the first time today and she is loving it. It is a 48 inch tall 24x24 with alumiun screen and 1/2 hardware cloth, made of 2x2 frame.

Key is feeling safe I would think.

I found a huge branch with like a 4 inch wide on the bottom and some small 1 inches coming off all over in difeent directions. I cut the 1 inche(ish) branches to fill the cage. Put that in there with a pothos and some fake plants and have a huge fake tree that should be here tomorrow.

Wish I could take pics but my phone is broken .

 

[Andee]

Why does your phone have to be broken T^T it sounds so awesome Cyberlocc .____.

 

[cyberlocc]

Why does your phone have to be broken T^T it sounds so awesome Cyberlocc .____.

I will use the wifes, when she gets home. Her camera sucks though and I aint got the tree yet . But tomorrow the tree should be here, its a 48 inch dracena so I am going to have to cut it down.

When that is in there though it will look so good . I did a much better job on this cage then I did the inside one lol (also made of wood).

 

[leedragon]

so I decided to take my 8month old oustelet's Cham outside for the first time, and it was very stressful for both of us. I realized I couldn't let him on any trees( bc I wouldn't be able to get him out again) so I set him on the grass and sat down near him. He just stayed there and turned very dark. He eventually got a lot of white and black coloring( he looked PISSED) and started waving his body back and forth. I look up and realize there's a big black BIRD on the fence next to us staring at him, so I quickly have my Cham climb on my arm and go inside. He almost fell off of my arm as we were going in, and I swear he practically JUMPED back in his cage. I know he was stressed because of the bird, but he was already stressed way before that. Any similar experiences?? If not, please tell me what I did wrong.

get a flexarium or a mesh cage to have outside, put some branches and foliage so he feels safe and let him be there.

 

[Carlton]

I'll definitely do that, but I didn't really think it'd be that stressful if I was right by him, oh boy I was wrong

Being in clear view on the ground in a strange place for the first time was the initial trigger. No cham chooses to be on the ground. The bird...who knows.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I'll definitely do that, but I didn't really think it'd be that stressful if I was right by him, oh boy I was wrong

Of course it was that stressfull! You set it all up to be about as stressful an adventure as it could get for him. What does a chameleon need to feel safe? They want cover and height so they can move anywhere within their space, vertically and horizontally. Exposed to a predator out in the open on the ground where they can only move on a plane rather than in 360 degrees is about the worst situation they could ever find themselves in. There is nothing in a chameleon's nature that would ever suggest your presence would reassure him. If anything, in his mind he will now be dealing with another predator, you.

I might be wrong, but I can't think of any species of animal that in a stressful situation will override their survival instincts and be reassured by human that does not also have a strong social structure and was nurtured by its mother. Chameleons are not social other than to breed and they don't nurture their young. Your presence would only add another stressor because you were busy trying to catch him up (hunt and kill him in his mind) to prevent his escape. Many animals that normally accept guidance and "trust" humans, especially prey animals which a chameleon definitely is, will revert to a very natural response fight or flight response when faced with danger and rely solely on their own wits to save themselves. Example: Horses will panic and flee when faced with danger.

Next time you want to take him out, set up an outdoor cage with lots of cover--more than you have at home because he will be dealing with all kinds of new predators he has never seen before, everything from birds to squirrels and cars. Don't trust your chameleon on your shoulder--a crow, raven, Coopers or Sharp-Shinned hawk will take him right off your shoulder.