What should I do???

[AmenBrotherBen]

I've had my Veiled Chameleon for almost two weeks and he was doing great at first and was almost always a light green color. Then I realized an air vent above his cage so I moved his cage to the other side of the room on a taller table, and ever since then he's been black/brown for the most part. Should I move him back or what? I realllllllly don't want him to die...

 

[carol5208]

Well I wouldn't leave him under an air vent. By moving his cage, you probably disrupted his surroundings again, just as he was getting settled in. Is there anything that he can view from the move that he could not view before? Sometimes they are scared by the funniest things. My one chameleon hated my lawn mower and when it was in the yard he would change crazy colors. I took me awhile to figure out it was actually the lawnmower(it was red) and I am not sure if the color of the mower did it or what. I would not really worry about it too much. Did the temperature change and get colder to where you moved the cage, or is it the same?

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

Well I wouldn't leave him under an air vent. By moving his cage, you probably disrupted his surroundings again, just as he was getting settled in. Is there anything that he can view from the move that he could not view before? Sometimes they are scared by the funniest things. My one chameleon hated my lawn mower and when it was in the yard he would change crazy colors. I took me awhile to figure out it was actually the lawnmower(it was red) and I am not sure if the color of the mower did it or what. I would not really worry about it too much. Did the temperature change and get colder to where you moved the cage, or is it the same?

It's about the same in temperature. He can see a mirror but I checked if he could see himself and and he can't. Also my whole room is red, is that a problem?

 

[misshissingroaches]

I have heard that chameleons are sensitive to the color red.........

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

I have heard that chameleons are sensitive to the color red.........

Like as in I should take him to a different room?

 

[Kate]

If he could see the colour red in his original position and didn't react it probably isn't the colour of the room. As Carol said it could be that he is not happy that his living area has been changed. Mine gets grumpy if I change a dead plant for a new one. Could the temp or humidity have changed? Are there any other pets in the room?

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

If he could see the colour red in his original position and didn't react it probably isn't the colour of the room. As Carol said it could be that he is not happy that his living area has been changed. Mine gets grumpy if I change a dead plant for a new one. Could the temp or humidity have changed? Are there any other pets in the room?

Yeah I have a leopard gecko, a tank of hermit crabs and red claws crabs and a tank of glofish. Which I know the glofish don't scare him because I let him out of the cage and let him climb on a bananna tree and he acted like he wanted to eat one (but I didn't let him because I didn't want him to get hurt). Also I noticed he got all happy and turned light green when he was on the bananna tree. So does he hate his cage or something?

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

I love him and don't want him to stress...

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

I kinda want someone to answer me... :|

 

[Kate]

Could be something he is seeing. Has he got lots of foliage for him to hide in? Did you disturb his viv when you moved him?

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

Could be something he is seeing. Has he got lots of foliage for him to hide in? Did you disturb his viv when you moved him?

Yeah I've got a Yucca plant (which I think is great for him while he's young because it's so leafy). Also I've got some fake vines. What's VIV mean?

 

[Kate]

Vivarium.(cage)

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

Vivarium.(cage)

Oh ok! Ha ha! Ummm not really that I can think of.

 

[Chameleon Creator]

Well why don't you just move him back to where he was and see how he reacts? Maybe him turning color after the move is purely coincidental?
When I had my veiled and she turned brown I would mist her directly with a spray bottle and she loved it, turned bright green within a minute.
Just some things to consider.
Did you change his diet? Is the room a different temp over there? Is there the same air flow where you moved him?

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

Could be something he is seeing. Has he got lots of foliage for him to hide in? Did you disturb his viv when you moved him?

Well why don't you just move him back to where he was and see how he reacts? Maybe him turning color after the move is purely coincidental?
When I had my veiled and she turned brown I would mist her directly with a spray bottle and she loved it, turned bright green within a minute.
Just some things to consider.
Did you change his diet? Is the room a different temp over there? Is there the same air flow where you moved him?

It should all be pretty much the same except it's not directly under an air vent. Do les he like the air vent?

 

[Thegreatfonz]

You can just put a plant and a vine into a cage and think the chameleons going to be happy. They like to navigate their way from bottom to top and all around again so you NEED to provide more options other than just a plant and a vine.

Look at these cages for inspiration..https://www.chameleonforums.com/official-enclosure-picture-thread-2-post-your-pics-94781/

 

[Carlton]

It should all be pretty much the same except it's not directly under an air vent. Do les he like the air vent?

So possibly the solution could be to put the cage back where it was originally and diffuse the draft from the air vent so it doesn't blow on the cage directly (if that was why you moved it). I know there are things you can attach to the vent to change the direction of airflow. Or, drape something clear on that side of the cage?

 

[Chameleon Creator]

It should all be pretty much the same except it's not directly under an air vent. Do les he like the air vent?

It's very possible, the only way to find out is move him under it again lol. Or maybe he's just stressed from you moving his cage. Whenever I moved the cage my veiled was in she would take a couple days to adjust
Also, when they bask under the heat lamp and uv they turn dark, this is to better absorb the lighting

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

You can just put a plant and a vine into a cage and think the chameleons going to be happy. They like to navigate their way from bottom to top and all around again so you NEED to provide more options other than just a plant and a vine.

Look at these cages for inspiration..https://www.chameleonforums.com/official-enclosure-picture-thread-2-post-your-pics-94781/

Like did you look at mine and think that? And if so what else are you thinking?

 

[AmenBrotherBen]

So possibly the solution could be to put the cage back where it was originally and diffuse the draft from the air vent so it doesn't blow on the cage directly (if that was why you moved it). I know there are things you can attach to the vent to change the direction of airflow. Or, drape something clear on that side of the cage?

He's actually turned green later on in the day let's just see what tomorrow is like...