Chris Anderson
Dr. House of Chameleons
There is a widespread negative stigma and general misconception, particularly amongst US chameleon keepers, that you can not keep chameleons in glass enclosures. I thought I'd make this post to hopefully dispel that myth and talk about the use of glass enclosures for chameleons.
First, I'd like to differentiate between aquariums and glass terrariums. Aquariums are designed to hold water and keep fish. They are not designed for airflow and even with screen tops, a large portion of the aquarium get very poor airflow. Glass terrariums are not designed to keep fish and are designed for airflow. They typically have wire mesh venting at the top of the enclosure and venting at the bottom. These vents create a chimney effect where as air warms in the enclosure, it rises drawing fresh air into the enclosure through the vent at the bottom of the enclosure. Thus, the enclosure is designed for airflow throughout the enclosure.
Aquariums are not good chameleon enclosures. While some terrestrial species (pygmy chameleons) can be kept in them, this is simply because they live close to the ground and the top of the enclosure is not far from the bottom of the cage and some airflow is being exchanged. For arboreal species, however, the distance between the source of fresh air and the bottom of the cage is larger and thus, it is not ideal for chameleons.
Breeders in Europe have kept many chameleon species in glass terrariums for decades with excellent results. In the US, glass terrariums have not been commercially available until recently. Up until this point, a glass enclosure meant an aquarium and the majority of US keepers didn't know the distinction between glass terrariums and glass aquariums, glass was glass.
A couple years ago I was introduced to the Exo-Terra Glass Terrariums at a show while I was helping Mike at FL Chams. Mike decided to pick one up as a display enclosure for his Brookesia stumpffi and over the next year I was impressed by how they ended up doing in it and how simple caring for them in these enclosures was. I was so impressed, in fact, I started to wonder if you could keep more arboreal species in them so a year ago, I got a couple and started keeping Rhampholeon spinosus in them since they are a more arboreal pygmy that is typically kept in screen enclosures. I liked how they did so I then decided to try raising baby true chameleons in them. The Rh. spinosus have been in these enclosures for a year now and are doing great. The babies I raised in them did very well and are now in new homes.
While raising a couple clutches of babies in the Exo-Terra Glass Terrariums, I decided to start trying adults of some of the smaller montane species. I gradually started keeping more and more species in them and I've been completely pleased with the results. All the adults I have in them look great and seem very happy. It has now progressed and this is part of my montane setup:
In these enclosures I am keeping a variety of Rhampholeon, Brookesia, Bradypodion, Trioceros and Kinyongia species. I have enclosures of the following dimensions: 12x12x18" (for newborn baby chameleons), 18x18x18" (for terrestrial pygmy species and older babies), 36x18x18" (for terrestrial pygmy species and older babies), 18x18x24" (for adult arboreal species), and 36x18x24" (currently housing a Boelen's Python but I may get more to house slightly larger arboreal species). Size wise, I have up to adult male T. montium in the 18x18x24" enclosures and would consider slightly larger species in the 36x18x24" model. I have all of them fully planted with organic soil over a layer of drainage, just like you would plant a typical pygmy enclosure, and I couldn't be more pleased with how everyone looks.
One thing that is very important to note, however, is that when you use these types of enclosures, you do have to change your husbandry. When I kept my montane species in screen enclosures or even in enclosures with 3 solid sides, I misted heavily multiple times a day. in these enclosures, I mist every enclosure for a minute or two once a day and that is it. Because these enclosures hold humidity much better, the chameleons don't need to be watered as much and if you do, you risk fungal and respiratory infections. Even with misting only a single time a day in these enclosures, I've had excellent success with species with high water requirements and babies.
Anyway, these terrariums aren't for every species but for smaller montane species, I'm very pleased with them. I'm now trying to find a terrarium large enough to house C. parsonii.
Chris
First, I'd like to differentiate between aquariums and glass terrariums. Aquariums are designed to hold water and keep fish. They are not designed for airflow and even with screen tops, a large portion of the aquarium get very poor airflow. Glass terrariums are not designed to keep fish and are designed for airflow. They typically have wire mesh venting at the top of the enclosure and venting at the bottom. These vents create a chimney effect where as air warms in the enclosure, it rises drawing fresh air into the enclosure through the vent at the bottom of the enclosure. Thus, the enclosure is designed for airflow throughout the enclosure.
Aquariums are not good chameleon enclosures. While some terrestrial species (pygmy chameleons) can be kept in them, this is simply because they live close to the ground and the top of the enclosure is not far from the bottom of the cage and some airflow is being exchanged. For arboreal species, however, the distance between the source of fresh air and the bottom of the cage is larger and thus, it is not ideal for chameleons.
Breeders in Europe have kept many chameleon species in glass terrariums for decades with excellent results. In the US, glass terrariums have not been commercially available until recently. Up until this point, a glass enclosure meant an aquarium and the majority of US keepers didn't know the distinction between glass terrariums and glass aquariums, glass was glass.
A couple years ago I was introduced to the Exo-Terra Glass Terrariums at a show while I was helping Mike at FL Chams. Mike decided to pick one up as a display enclosure for his Brookesia stumpffi and over the next year I was impressed by how they ended up doing in it and how simple caring for them in these enclosures was. I was so impressed, in fact, I started to wonder if you could keep more arboreal species in them so a year ago, I got a couple and started keeping Rhampholeon spinosus in them since they are a more arboreal pygmy that is typically kept in screen enclosures. I liked how they did so I then decided to try raising baby true chameleons in them. The Rh. spinosus have been in these enclosures for a year now and are doing great. The babies I raised in them did very well and are now in new homes.
While raising a couple clutches of babies in the Exo-Terra Glass Terrariums, I decided to start trying adults of some of the smaller montane species. I gradually started keeping more and more species in them and I've been completely pleased with the results. All the adults I have in them look great and seem very happy. It has now progressed and this is part of my montane setup:
In these enclosures I am keeping a variety of Rhampholeon, Brookesia, Bradypodion, Trioceros and Kinyongia species. I have enclosures of the following dimensions: 12x12x18" (for newborn baby chameleons), 18x18x18" (for terrestrial pygmy species and older babies), 36x18x18" (for terrestrial pygmy species and older babies), 18x18x24" (for adult arboreal species), and 36x18x24" (currently housing a Boelen's Python but I may get more to house slightly larger arboreal species). Size wise, I have up to adult male T. montium in the 18x18x24" enclosures and would consider slightly larger species in the 36x18x24" model. I have all of them fully planted with organic soil over a layer of drainage, just like you would plant a typical pygmy enclosure, and I couldn't be more pleased with how everyone looks.
One thing that is very important to note, however, is that when you use these types of enclosures, you do have to change your husbandry. When I kept my montane species in screen enclosures or even in enclosures with 3 solid sides, I misted heavily multiple times a day. in these enclosures, I mist every enclosure for a minute or two once a day and that is it. Because these enclosures hold humidity much better, the chameleons don't need to be watered as much and if you do, you risk fungal and respiratory infections. Even with misting only a single time a day in these enclosures, I've had excellent success with species with high water requirements and babies.
Anyway, these terrariums aren't for every species but for smaller montane species, I'm very pleased with them. I'm now trying to find a terrarium large enough to house C. parsonii.
Chris
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