Why bother with big cages?

[okiroo]

I must be around the most abnormal chameleons on the face of this planet. Mine use almost every square inch of the cage daily. The only ones i dont see utilizing the cage to the fullest are panther females or sick animals.

IMO if your chameleon is not roaming at some point daily something is not right. Cold temps, cage placement, not enough limbs, vines, foliage, (basic stimulation), pressure from another animal, new to the surroundings, health issues and this list can keep going. When they stay in one spot or only move a couple times a day. I immediately look for problems and keep an eye on them.

i agree. mine like to climb EVERYWHERE they have favorite spots but they also have lots of trees ect.

 

[Aussie]

The overall room temp might be too low and they're all just hanging out at the top because that's the only place its warm enough. I noticed that if the room temp isn't high enough my cham will only ever sit at the top of his cage. I raised the room temp a few degrees and he immediately started to crawl all over his cage and explore more. Now he sits under the light for 20 minutes, goes for cruise around his cage and then back under the light for a bit. Idk what your temps are or anything but it might be worth a try to raise the room temp/create a better temp gradient.

 

[DekuScrub]

I must be around the most abnormal chameleons on the face of this planet. Mine use almost every square inch of the cage daily. The only ones i dont see utilizing the cage to the fullest are panther females or sick animals.

IMO if your chameleon is not roaming at some point daily something is not right. Cold temps, cage placement, not enough limbs, vines, foliage, (basic stimulation), pressure from another animal, new to the surroundings, health issues and this list can keep going. When they stay in one spot or only move a couple times a day. I immediately look for problems and keep an eye on them.

being overly active (restlessness) is a bad sign. just as siting in one spot is a bad sign. it just depends to what degree. if theyre restless enough to screen climb and rub their rostrums. theyre probably trying to get outside of the cage or cant find a comfortable spot within. if theyre sitting in one spot like a turd and dont move to eat or drink theyre prolly sick. all depends on "to what degree"

 

[Ace]

being overly active (restlessness) is a bad sign. just as siting in one spot is a bad sign. it just depends to what degree. if theyre restless enough to screen climb and rub their rostrums. theyre probably trying to get outside of the cage or cant find a comfortable spot within. if theyre sitting in one spot like a turd and dont move to eat or drink theyre prolly sick. all depends on "to what degree"

i rather have a restless cham then a sluggish cham...bigger cage/or interior cage decorating is better then a trip to a vet lol

 

[DekuScrub]

i rather have a restless cham then a sluggish cham...bigger cage/or interior cage decorating is better then a trip to a vet lol

agreed, its just hard to assess to what degree these chams are exhibiting these "symptoms". telling someone ther cham should be moving more is an unwarranted accusation when you cant really asses to what degree they are or arent moving about. just one of those things its difficult to be presumptive about over these here interwebs.

 

[Seeco]

Seeco, thats a lot of foliage. Do you have to hang from the roof to access the enclosures?

Ya it is a real jungle. I just squeeze in there and there are natural little paths in to the cages. I get pretty wet going in there.

Back to the point those cages are about 7 ft off the ground. To do anything other than change out the food bowls I use a 2 step ladder.

They really like it in those cages -- staring down at me wondering what is for lunch.

 

[Solid Snake]

Ya it is a real jungle. I just squeeze in there and there are natural little paths in to the cages. I get pretty wet going in there.

Back to the point those cages are about 7 ft off the ground. To do anything other than change out the food bowls I use a 2 step ladder.

They really like it in those cages -- staring down at me wondering what is for lunch.

I am planning on attempting something similar soon.

I like the idea.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

being overly active (restlessness) is a bad sign. just as siting in one spot is a bad sign. it just depends to what degree. if theyre restless enough to screen climb and rub their rostrums. theyre probably trying to get outside of the cage or cant find a comfortable spot within. if theyre sitting in one spot like a turd and dont move to eat or drink theyre prolly sick. all depends on "to what degree"

Where did you find information that chameleons moving a lot through out the day is a bad sign. Most chameleons start the day by charging their batteries by basking. Then spend the rest of the day moving around hunting. That kind of movement is healthy and natural.

As well the chameleons that have been seen that were in the worst conditions are chameleons that are being kept in over crowded cages that were much to small at wholesalers. Many long time chameleon keepers quit the hobby in the late 1990's because of the atrocities chameleons went through before they found a home. Mostly these negatives came from the exports and wholesale importer due to cage that were to small and overcrowded. I absolutely recommend lager cages if you can accommodate them.

I had a male Ambanja Panther in a 2X2X3 screen cage inside my greenhouse for about 5 years. I regularly allowed him to free range the greenhouse and without a doubt he was at his best when he was allowed to free range the greenhouse not when he was inside his 2X2X3. I hope this answers some of your questions.

Jeremy

 

[Ace]

Where did you find information that chameleons moving a lot through out the day is a bad sign. Most chameleons start the day by charging their batteries by basking. Then spend the rest of the day moving around hunting. That kind of movement is healthy and natural.

As well the chameleons that have been seen that were in the worst conditions are chameleons that are being kept in over crowded cages that were much to small at wholesalers. Many long time chameleon keepers quit the hobby in the late 1990's because of the atrocities chameleons went through before they found a home. Mostly these negatives came from the exports and wholesale importer due to cage that were to small and overcrowded. I absolutely recommend lager cages if you can accommodate them.

I had a male Ambanja Panther in a 2X2X3 screen cage inside my greenhouse for about 5 years. I regularly allowed him to free range the greenhouse and without a doubt he was at his best when he was allowed to free range the greenhouse not when he was inside his 2X2X3. I hope this answers some of your questions.

Jeremy

Got any room for my cham in your greenhouse? lol

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Got any room for my cham in your greenhouse? lol

How much rent are you going to pay me?

 

[Yoshi and Daredevil]

you really should not be housing your chameleons together. Not a healthy environment. Also if you are free ranging feeders, remove the substrate. It is an accident waiting to happen....

They were actually bought in the same cage. They never fight, in fact they sit next to eachother sometimes with no problems. And what is a Substrate?

 

[DekuScrub]

Where did you find information that chameleons moving a lot through out the day is a bad sign. Most chameleons start the day by charging their batteries by basking. Then spend the rest of the day moving around hunting. That kind of movement is healthy and natural.

As well the chameleons that have been seen that were in the worst conditions are chameleons that are being kept in over crowded cages that were much to small at wholesalers. Many long time chameleon keepers quit the hobby in the late 1990's because of the atrocities chameleons went through before they found a home. Mostly these negatives came from the exports and wholesale importer due to cage that were to small and overcrowded. I absolutely recommend lager cages if you can accommodate them.

I had a male Ambanja Panther in a 2X2X3 screen cage inside my greenhouse for about 5 years. I regularly allowed him to free range the greenhouse and without a doubt he was at his best when he was allowed to free range the greenhouse not when he was inside his 2X2X3. I hope this answers some of your questions.

Jeremy

i was saying that being overly active is a bad sign in regards to restless behavior. restless behavior such as screen climbing, and rubbing their noses.

and i "found" this information by experience. ive had a few chams on occasion exhibit this overactive behavior when theyre either visually exposed to another chameleon and want to get at them (for mating or territorial dispute) or when they saw some location outside of their cage they wanted to get to (like a hanging plant placed too close to the cage, or a feeder bin within eyesight) or something outside of their cage they want to get away from.

my point was simply this, its hard to assess the situation when youre not aware of potential variables. and i wasnt saying being active and traversing the cage is a bad thing, in fact its reason for less concern than a sedentary animal. but if your chameleon can be overactive becuase of bad reasons, not just because he enjoys exploring, hunting, and thermo regulating. but becuase of some malignant factor. and that a healthy medium between turd on a stick and screen climber is ideal.

it was an "im just sayin" sort of comment. nothing anyone said gave me any reason to believe this was the case nor was i suggesting it may be

 

[Lizardlover]

I have a male Oustalet's who free-ranges the back yard 24/7. He goes from 8 ft to practically the ground as he basks, thermoregulates, and "hunts" (I feed him but he does find treats occasionally). To claim that a chameleon will not use their entire enclosure indicates to me that there is something wrong. I have never had a chameleon that will not go exploring in their enclosure.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

i was saying that being overly active is a bad sign in regards to restless behavior. restless behavior such as screen climbing, and rubbing their noses.

and i "found" this information by experience. ive had a few chams on occasion exhibit this overactive behavior when theyre either visually exposed to another chameleon and want to get at them (for mating or territorial dispute) or when they saw some location outside of their cage they wanted to get to (like a hanging plant placed too close to the cage, or a feeder bin within eyesight) or something outside of their cage they want to get away from.

my point was simply this, its hard to assess the situation when youre not aware of potential variables. and i wasnt saying being active and traversing the cage is a bad thing, in fact its reason for less concern than a sedentary animal. but if your chameleon can be overactive becuase of bad reasons, not just because he enjoys exploring, hunting, and thermo regulating. but becuase of some malignant factor. and that a healthy medium between turd on a stick and screen climber is ideal.

it was an "im just sayin" sort of comment. nothing anyone said gave me any reason to believe this was the case nor was i suggesting it may be

Most times I find screen climbing is from visual sight of another chameleon. However the main reason is that the cage is too small and the chameleon wants to explore and exercise.

I have a male Oustalet's who free-ranges the back yard 24/7. He goes from 8 ft to practically the ground as he basks, thermoregulates, and "hunts" (I feed him but he does find treats occasionally). To claim that a chameleon will not use their entire enclosure indicates to me that there is something wrong. I have never had a chameleon that will not go exploring in their enclosure.

I concur with you. My chameleons normally eventually explore all of their cage.