Reptile & Amphibian Forums

which is less stress for Cyrus tonight?

It took me longer to get Cyrus' big cage all set up and now it is bedtime. He is not happy and doesn't know where to go. I planned to have him in there about 4 hours ago (it is now 6:00 EST). I dismantled his smaller cage (yeah, yeah, I know - stupid). He LOVES his jungle gym and I am thinking about letting him sleep up there for the night since it is at least familiar. The problems would be that the room gets pretty chilly at night, and he will be out in the open, and I will be in here with lights on, though I can keep that to a minimum. He will be perfectly safe b/c he can get no where except along his vine - plus he'll be sleeping.

So which? Force him to find a place to sleep in his new cage or let him feel safe even if a bit chilly and be up a while longer?

thanks
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - swifty and blotcha for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she's back!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

I'd say go with the less stressful option. He can handle a buit chilly for one night, but the stress of moving to a new cage may cause more prolems down the line. If he's anyhting like the kids I work with, a move to a new place w/o the chance to familiarize causes lots of sleeplessness. If you think he is safe on his jungle gym, I'd say keep him there. (Please note the the preceeding opinion is just an opinion, and in no way expert .)
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0.0.2 Crested Gecko (Anton (or Angelina) & Harley)
1.1 Crazy dogs (Alex & Sadie)
0.2 Vacationing Kitties (Puddy, PeeWee)
0.1 Amazing Wife =o)
Charlie - RIP 9-8-05 (Veiled Cham)

thanks for the quick reply

yeah, he looked really baffled in his cage (even though I took part of his gym and hung it in the cage) so I set up the gym and led it into the cage so he can decide.

When I had Luna and her gym setup I always had to have the door open so she could get to it and thought it would be cool to have the little swinging panel at the bottom of the cage (I have the 2x2x4 with door and two panels) at the top so I could keep it open and let her come and go - so I did it this time. Here's a pic I just took and you can see him in the middle of the vine. He is usually up near the ceiling above the live plant. I put a cup of crix, mealies or other feeders in a little cup and stick it in the middle of that plant - it's fun.

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - swifty and blotcha for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she's back!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

That's what I was thinking....don't need to suggest it anymore.

Anyway, not that I have much experience yet but, if he stays in the middle of the vine and you are concerned about the temperature, you could put a small heater closeby to warm up a little the area. ?

Chiara
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1.1 Skipper & Sunshine - Veiled Chameleons
1.1 Jimmy & Hydra - Water Dragons
1.0 Trionix - Smooth soft shell turtle
1.0 Apalone - Spiny texas soft shell turtle
0.1 Irish Brook M - Standardbred mare (retired racehorse)
1.0 Sir Edward - Ragdoll cat, sire
0.3 Shannan, Jalisse, Slick - cats
?.? Some fish

Sweet...definately a jungle gym in the sky. What lucky kids you have (and had LUNA RIP). Sooooo---what did he choose?

Kris
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2.1 Black Labs Tucker, Raider and Lacey
1.0 Lepoard Gecko Kumar (Another lost pet RIP and party on with Harold!)
3.0 Horses Smoothie, Rocky and Bogey
1.1 Ferrets Tank and Ellie (The fun fuzzies)
1.1 Veiled Chams Squiggy and Pudge (may she RIP)
0.1 Snowflake Cornsnake Lucky

him falling ? LOL I guess it's just the Mother in me, hehehheee
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

I have that worry too. But its more because I dont trust my shoddy worksmanship rather than not trusting their abilities...
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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

Eve & Will,

With those tight little feet gripping that vine? No way! Around 1:00a.m. I went into the office and turned on the light - DUH, usually everyone is covered up - and woke him up. :-/ I ended up placing him in the cage knowing (thinking?) he would go right back to sleep, which he did. I left the "upper door" open for him and sure enough, this morning he was out on his vine. Hopefully once the cage is all set he will be happy to stay in it. I wouldn't worry about him being out cruising all day (btw, I only let him do that when I am home) except he will not be getting any UVB. I think with the big bushy scheff in the cage and all his highwyas and byways set up he'll be OK and the "gym" will be a treat
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - swifty and blotcha for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she's back!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet