Want to freerange but my chameleon is a roamer - any suggestions?

[JasonSinger]

Hi everyone:

I have recently cleared out the majority of the room (Storage closet) Andrew is housed in and couldnt help but think about setting up a free range for the entire room. The problem I am having is he seems to be an explorer ... to the MAX. I have had other chameleons who would do the occasional enclosure rounds sporadically, but he seems to just love trucking - he is never sitting on the bottom and he is very well fed but he is just constantly up and down up and down ... is there any way to create something so he cant escape the free range?

Thanks

 

[pssh]

Use plastic or some other solid, slick material and make a little fence. It has to be tall enough that he can't reach the top when he stands up on his back legs. It also has to be far enough away that he can't get to it from a plant, even if he decided to jump off the plant to make a break for more freedom. I would see if he leaves the free range first. He may just roam his cage because he wants more room.

 

[JasonSinger]

That's actually what I was thinking - he isn't full grown yet and he is in a cage that's 24x24x36 - we just ordered his full size cage yesterday (24x24x48) bc regardless I would keep the cage as part of the free range and have vines to plants etc. I really think he just loves to explore ... but thats just me

 

[laurie]

I agree give him a day or two and see if he settles in. What kind is he? In my experience a veiled doesn't ever stay in one place, although I did have one who went to the top of the cage frame work and pretty much stayed there. But that did give him about 20' to walk around about the rest of the world.

 

[JasonSinger]

Oh well we havent moved him yet ... we are just waiting on the cage ... and he is an 8-month old panther.

 

[laurie]

Oh well we havent moved him yet ... we are just waiting on the cage ... and he is an 8-month old panther.

Panthers don't seem to roam nearly as bad as veiled. After he explores the entire area you can most likely get him to stay in one area, but never forget he may at any time go check out the boundaries of his world.

 

[jannb]

I free range all of my animals even my tiny one month old veiled. As your chameleon gets older he will settle some but will always do some exploring. You will need to cham proof his room and any other areas that you will allow him to free range in and when you are not home to supervise close his door and confine him to his room. Just be very careful when you open the door to go in his room because he could be right behind the door and you could injury him. You also have to be very care not to step on him when you allowing him to free range your entire house. If you have guess over or just don’t have time to watch him then shut his door and confine him to his room. Also do you have any other pets that could harm your cham when free ranging? If you do you would want to keep him in his room with the door closed at all times.

Pictures of my free ranges are in the links below.
First the one month old baby:https://www.chameleonforums.com/ellys-5-weeks-old-new-pics-49309/
This link is to my other lizard’s free ranges: https://www.chameleonforums.com/members/jannb-albums-free-ranges.html

 

[kinyonga]

You can get a kiddie swimming pool and put a ficus in the middle of it as long as the pool you chose is tall enough that he can't climb over the sides of it.

Like this only deeper...
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/05/bureauweenies_d.html

 

[Carlton]

You can get a kiddie swimming pool and put a ficus in the middle of it as long as the pool you chose is tall enough that he can't climb over the sides of it.

Like this only deeper...
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/05/bureauweenies_d.html

When you first set up the free range your cham will probably wander until it realizes everything it wants (except a gorgeous woman/man) is already available without going far. Take advantage of a window as that will attract them most of the time. Once they settle into a nice space they will tend to stay put if it offers heat, light, height, security, food, and water.

I've used stock tanks, even a ring of taller cardboard boxes or plastic crates with plastic sheeting wrapped over them (so the cham can't get any purchase on the inside to climb out), but not a kiddie pool. Something about the garish graphics scares me away from the ones I see in stores

I've free ranged melleri in a room but when I wasn't home to keep track of them I put a smooth cardboard barrier in the doorway to keep them inside. Works great!