chameleon trying to escape

kidchameleon · 03-17-04, 06:20 PM

it seems that whenever i open the door on my cage, my chameleon comes and tries to get out. sometimes he'll be walking around in the plants and i wont even see him. and then i start misting and the next thing i know he is climbing on top of the door. its really strange, it seems as if he waits for me to open the door so he can get out. the temperatures, humidity, etc are all right. sometimes, he'll even be basking and then try to get out. or he'll sit there while i mist him directly, and once i stop he goes and tries to get out.

if anyone has had this happen to them before, or know why he might be doing it, let me know.

Bartman · 03-17-04, 06:30 PM

Im not expert but ive heard they like to be higher then anything in the room as it makes them feel safe. How high is your tank, if it meets the right measurments then its no biggy...if i was him id wanna get out too

Collide · 03-17-04, 06:46 PM

Yes it usually means they dont like there cage for soem reasion, they feel low and want to get high something. how high is he what does he do when he gets out? does he go high? head for a window? head for a big plant? Sometimes those can be clues lol. find out where is stops moving and investigat the location. dubble check your set up. oh and veilds dont like to be misted in my experience soo they might try to run from that.

Bartman · 03-17-04, 06:50 PM

Could it also be that hes looking for food?

Just trying to see what it could be...good advice though from collide, see where hes heading

Collide · 03-17-04, 06:56 PM

Looking for food is usually evedant they sould be pasing there cage constantly never stoping constantly looking for food, it could be a reasion but id put the others first. Iv seen my male veild run out on me with food in my hand egnoreing it because he was scared of a cat in the window. jsut a example

kidchameleon · 03-17-04, 07:51 PM

his actual cage is 2x2x4, but its on a two foot stand, so hes about 6 feet in the air. and the door that he is climbing on is the same size as the cage. he just climbs on top of it and sits there. he doesnt really do anything. it just scares me cause i think what if he falls off?

and collide - hes a jackson, and there are not plants in my room other than his cage, or anything higher that he can get on from his cage. and actually, the only higher thing in my room is my the top of my blinds, which is only a few inches higher, so i dont really know what hes doing, or trying to get too.

Collide · 03-17-04, 08:59 PM

lol well i think that he is trying to get to the top of the doore lol my female veild always climpes on her doore just sits there lol its higher then the cage try and let him roam arond a bit (supervised) its good will give him some excersize. if he wants out let him out for a bit if u can let him roam cant hurt.

kidchameleon · 03-17-04, 09:44 PM

well, i wood let him climb on my blinds(thats pretty much the only thing he can climb on maybe), but i dont think he would be able to hold on to them, and i wouldnt want him to fall into my snapping turtle tank, because that wouldnt be too good.

meow_mix450 · 03-17-04, 11:23 PM

lol thats what my chameleon does, if he doesnt like the cage, he would come out and run around me, and would try to get out of the cage, cause he doesnt like it, so i fix it up a little and he was fine

How big is your little guy???

Meow

choriona · 03-18-04, 11:52 AM

Could it be that he percieves you as a threat and is trying to escape whenever you come near his otherwise happy home?
Does he keep one eye on you while he walks, or is he just running straight ahead?

kidchameleon · 03-18-04, 04:59 PM

he doesnt really run, he just walks over adn the next thing i know he is climbing on top of the door. and he doesnt keep on eye steadily on me, they're both wandering around.

choriona · 03-19-04, 12:06 PM

I'd say he just wants to check things out then. Sounds like he is comfortable with you being there, so he is not trying to get out of harms way.
Do you have plants in your house that you can take him out on to hang out for the day? Preferably in the sun. Give him a little vacation? Show him that yes there are other places around, but the area he has is really the best.

Have you ever tried leaving his door open and watching where he goes to? Just sit and watch if you have time. (with no other dangers around like other pets etc.) If he has already established his territory in the cage, perhaps he wants to inspect the surroundings. He'll soon realize that food, water and heat are all concentrated in that area. If you do that more and more, you may have the beginnings of a free roamer. (BUt, i'm not saying you have to graduate to that if you don't want to.)

All of my chams are free roamers, but they stay put in their territories. I even have 3 chams in one room, separated by visual barriers. They think their happy little homes are just perfect and have no clue about their neighbors.

kidchameleon · 03-19-04, 03:33 PM

well, i have one schefflera plant, but its really small. im not even sure if the plant limbs are strong enough to safely support him. other than that, no i dont have any other plants. and right now its still a bit chilly so i cant put him infront of an open window or something. i just have to wait another couple weeks, and then ill see how he likes it.
thanks