Spike, Just Because <3
- Thread starter Steve A
- Start date
Steve A
Chameleon Enthusiast
tyHe’s so cute!! I love seeing their colors come in.
He is also about to shed at any moment now. So maybe even more beautiful colors soon!
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
I feel like this is a National Geographic photo shoot of an elusive and rare animal through the branches. The solitary Spike chameleon has never been photographed until now, in his wild habitat. Lol he’s so cute
Steve A
Chameleon Enthusiast
lol I was trying to go for that!! Spike hangs out at the top of his enclosure SO much! And usually when he's exploring the areas below that surface I'm at work. So It's hard for me to get these shots usually lol I got real lucky today.
Which.... ever since I started turning his basking light off at 2pm, he's REALLY been more active for a much longer period of time! But also could be coincidence I guess because of him aging/getting used to things?
lurker9090
Established Member
spike really is the cutest omg! COLOURSSS coming in!!
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
Was he just hanging around the basking area all day?
Steve A
Chameleon Enthusiast
Nah. To be honest he really isn't there much at all. He does a lot of his basking in the center of the cage, or close to the basking area. He also always explores pretty much the entire surface area of the top of his enclosure.
And he does explore the middle portions (not the lower) of his enclosure. Just not nearly as much.
edit: In fact even in the morning when he first basks initially.... he usually isn't directly under the basking light (set at 80f). He is to the side of it. Definitely getting some of that basking light but not right under it by any means. He does go directly under it once in a while.
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
That’s really interesting. Bert likes it warmer at about 84 and hangs out for a good 3 hours. Then he explores and spends his afternoons in the front top and middle. He sleeps in the top front left. This is really fun talking about the differences between clutch mates. I got 10 horn worms, so many crickets and super worms and black soldier fly larvae are coming in the mail.
Steve A
Chameleon Enthusiast
Spike sleeps in the "back" of his cage, behind all the cover. If you are looking at the cage from the front, he's a little to the right. 3/4 the way down. But he also has at least 2 places he likes to sleep (in the same general area though).
I had my basking temps at 84-85f. Not only was this causing him to open his mouth quite a bit, but even once I turned his basking down to 80f (only yawns/stretchs now... isn't getting too hot), he still was cutting his days real short. Retreating to his "resting" area (but not sleeping) around 3-3:30pm (lights go on at 7am, off at 7pm).
It's been like 2 weeks now I think and ever since I started shutting off his basking like completely at 2pm, he's been exploring more, and hanging out in his enclosure much longer for most days, not going to his rest spot until around 4-5pm.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
I install car stereos. All i see is zip ties with tails cut at 45 degree angle to mess with the next guy who puts his hand in the cage
Steve A
Chameleon Enthusiast
In my defense sometimes its so tight between branches it's hard to get a good angle and I just gotta get what I can getI install car stereos. All i see is zip ties with tails cut at 45 degree angle to mess with the next guy who puts his hand in the cage
Sherbertsmysunshine
Chameleon Enthusiast
He's so pretty! I love his blue coming in 
I love his blue coming in 
Camiezone
Avid Member
I also use zipties, but I don't cut the ends off, that way they don't have that sharp edge n the babies love to swing from them. I was suggested to burn the cut end to make smooth, but the amount of zipties I use, I'd probably burn my mesh or something, lol. Home depots most regular customer! The one who's always in the plant area or clearance plant area, one Simi dead plant is a chams dream.
Steve A
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yeah I was thinking of this as I was doing it. IDK why but I just felt like it was still better to cut them. So what I did with as many as I could was, twist them so that the sharp end is in the least likely spot for him to get cut on and tried to cut them down as short as I could. I actually didn't want him climbing on them because I felt like with it being a thin plastic it could potentially cut his feet and/or he could slip off them. But maybe I was just being paranoid lol
PrincessSpaz
Established Member
Steve A
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yeah that sounds like it would be another thing to give me a heart attack while I'm watching him at work lol!The ziptie end won't cut them, it's so funny when they swing from it to reach another branch. He looks great (from what I can see) enclosure is really nice. Your doing great job
The ziptie end won't cut them, it's so funny when they swing from it to reach another branch. He looks great (from what I can see) enclosure is really nice. Your doing great job
I clean cut my zip ties with a razor blade... So there is no sharp edge hanging out.
