About to buy...

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

A few notes and I'll let others fill-in the rest ... What part of the world are you located?

If money is a concern then:
Home Depot for 50W-75W small Philips flood (basking) lights ~$4ea.
12 hours a day for all lighting. Reptisun 5.0 tubes from either www.lllreptile.com or www.bigappleherp.com Often on sale for $14ea. and they match each others sales!

No nighttime heat unless under 60F.
Get $7 pump-up ~1qt spray bottle at Home Depot. The middle one: http://rlflomaster.com/sprayers/hand.htm
Cricket keeper without any fancy cardboard tubes. Use replaceable egg crate.
Most chameleon keepers don't use water additives.
Skip the dish and make something nice to hang high-up from branch if necessary.
Both Rep-Cal with and without Vitamin D3. Or Miner-All (I) and (O). Buy Herptivite too.
No substrate at all including green "carpet". You'll want to let any (consider it contaminated) water drain-out completely into a drain pan and then to a bucket with lid.
www.cricketfood.com or http://www.reptayls.com/supplies.html for gutload.
Mist systems - start with www.pro-products.com and http://www.mistking.com/

 

[TRI0N]

Location: Atascadero, CA (North America)

This is a very hot and humid zone. Though winter nights and some days can be very cold. My home office is very humid due to the 5 computer systems I have running at all times so it being a low traffic area (no pets or kids allowed) and warm during all times of the day so I believe this will be an excellent location in my home for him.

Excellent links and Info! As for the water I think perhaps I should just get a neutralizer without additives? Just to remove toxic additives in tap water. What about Britta filtered water?

I am a very nit picky person. Tidy and care alot about my pets and money is not a concern here. I will pay what is needed to make any pet I have or my family memebers pets happy and healthy. Having 2 dogs (German Shepard & Chihuahua), 1 Hamster (daughters) 1 Chinchilla (wifes) and a sea water tank. This will be the 1st exotic pet I have had for along time since my Iguna that lived over 10 years with me before in a huge porch encloseure that I made. So I'm very concerened about it being comfortable and stress free as possible.

 

[TRI0N]

Oh snap! As you said no heat unless needed. I understand that but what I'm concerend about is if the IR light I picked it okay. Please give input on this.. I would like to know if such things are dangerous or not ideal so I can make sure that if any added heat is done right at night time.

 

[mudfish]

This is a great thread... I have been researching and trying to get everything I may need for the last few weeks, and it seems most of what a beginner needs can be found in this thread...

I can't wait to finish setting up my enclosure and get my cham, this place is great...

 

[Dave Weldon]

...but what I'm concerned about is if the IR light I picked is okay...

Howdy,
Ceramic heaters like the one you picked will do the job. Several reptile accessory companies make them.

http://www.zoomed.com/html/ceramic_heat_emitters.php

 

[TRI0N]

Mudfish don't want to disrupt my topic but... Is that a clock on your cock? Doh!

 

[TRI0N]

Got Most of the Supplies

Okay here are a few pics of the supplies I got. Terraium that I pointed out from Lilreptile ordered and should be here this week. Fluker Digital Temp and Humidity sensors ordered as well as the misting system. I decided to buy 2 misting system so have 1 at top misting and one half-way down the habitat misting.

These are fully programable misters that can mist at any time frame and length so any input on misting times would be great to know.

I did get a water neutralizer that added no supliments to the water as recommended and gut loader for the crickets and plenty of it.

Ok and now for some pics.

2 Zoo Med 10" Clamp Lamps Fixture Pro with Dimmers, Zoo Med IR Heat Lamp Bulb 100 W(For cold nights if needed), Zoo Med Basking Lamp Bulb 100 W. Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB (Fixture on Order)

Zoo Med Reptivite Dust, Exo Terra Aquatizer (Water Neutralizer no Additives), Zoo Med The Big Dripper.

Exo Terra Vines and Silk Leaves. I have my nursery I buy plants from getting me a Ficus and 2 Pothos Plants to place inside the habitat.

Cricket Keeper (150) and Gutload.

Comments always welcome!

Cheers!

TRI0N

 

[TRI0N]

Female Question

Females: Okay so what should I do in the event that I decide to go with a female? I have read that you should have a pan of Calcium rich sand for them to lay their eggs in or she will die if they don't have sand to lay their eggs into. Now should I have such sand in the cage at all times in a 1 x 1 foot tray or should this be placed in the cage during certian months that she is expected to lay them?

Anyways it would be good to know this information to schedule the placement of the sand.

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."so what should I do in the event that I decide to go with a female? I have read that you should have a pan of Calcium rich sand for them to lay their eggs in or she will die if they don't have sand to lay their eggs into"....why would you think the sand has to be "calcium rich"? What a female needs if she is producing eggs is a suitable (in her opinion) place to lay the eggs...if you don't want to risk her becoming eggbound. Eggbinding occurs most often due to lack of a suitable place to lay the eggs and due to poor husbandry. There are instances where fused eggs, malformed eggs, and reproductive system problems can lead to eggbinding too....but they are not that common.

You said..."Now should I have such sand in the cage at all times in a 1 x 1 foot tray or should this be placed in the cage during certian months that she is expected to lay them?"...I leave a container of washed sandbox sand in the cages of all sexually mature egglaying females all the time so that they have a place to start to dig to show you that they are ready to lay eggs. The containers I use in the cages are big enough (when empty) for the female to fit into with a couple of inches to spare on all sides (including above her). I fill them about 2/3rds full. I have a 65 liter rubbermaid container that I fill about half full of washed sandbox sand. I add a branch or two to this. You can put a stone or plant in if you want to because some females like to lay their eggs near one...but make sure that they can't dig under the rock. You don't want them to undermine it and get squashed. I cut a large hole in the lid and put screen over it. I put the chameleon in the rubbermaid container of sand when she is intent on digging and put the lid on the container. I put a light over the screened part of the lid....but be sure that you don't "cook" her by having it get too hot inside the container. You can water her and feed her when she is inside...but don't leave any uneaten insects in there with her. Don't watch her while she is digging either....it can make her feel that the site she has chosen isn't a safe place to lay eggs and she will abandon the hole....if she does this often enough, it can lead to eggbinding.

Anyways it would be good to know this information to schedule the placement of the sand.

 

[Screameleons]

Everyone here is leading you in the right direction. In addition to all the links posted by the members, please check out this guide to setting up an enclosure for a panther chameleon. If you follow this guide step-by-step you should have a good start.

Panther Chameleon Setup Guide

 

[Screameleons]

One comment about the plastic vines

They are a bit too thin. In general, chameleons like to hide so try to provide them with adequate foliage. Thick big leaves work best. The idea is that they should be able to hide completely out of view. The vines in those packages would leave the chameleon exposed all day, which is stressful on the panther chameleon.

If you are going with fake vines, look for items that resemble the pothos plant or a ficus tree.

 

[TRI0N]

Okay got my habitat (reptarium) but not happy with it being a zipper enclosure so I'm going to order a cage. Now Julirs pointed out this cage:

Screen

I'm about to order this one but I have a question reguarding it. It comes in black or silver. Now black is cool but I have this feeling that silver helps distribure light a little but I'm sure it doesn't distribute rays but if it disrtibutes light it might be worth getting silver. Input needed and any pro's/con's of each color would be great.


The Reptarium I got will be used for him as I need to clean his cage or arrange things around like rotating plants and such in his main cage.

Reptarium

PS I will post pictures of the final setup of the habitat to get opinions before I bring the little fella home. I might go with a Veiled now becasue they just look so dark cute and well Panthers are not avaible from my local dealer as in store displayed. I want to see it before I buy it. Too picky? Perhaps but its my nature.

 

[Julirs]

I think Silver or Black would completely be your preference. Since the lighting is coming from the top it really won't matter which you choose. The aluminum is not all that shiny, so I wouldn't think it would reflect much of anything. I currently use Reptariums and the other screen cages and like both of them. Your Reptarium will be great for some outdoor sunning and like you said for cage cleanings, etc. As for the vines, I have used them in the past but will not use them going forwards. All of my chams eat plants and I am afraid they will attempt to eat the plastic. Real plants are so much less expensive and better all around. I do like the fake vines and use them in all cages. http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...nd-accessories/-/exo-terra-jungle-vine-large/
As far as Veiled or Panther-also completely your choice. One strong recommendation that I have is to get one from a breeder. It does not matter if you do not have one near you, chameleons ship overnight absolutley fine. The animals are so much healthier and having been gotten off to a much better start will be healthier for you in the future. 5 of mine came UPS and started eating right out of the box. http://market.kingsnake.com/index.php?cat=52 is a great place to shop. I would truly also say get a male-not worrying about the egg thing is a good thing. One more thing ( )--the Reptarium that you ordered as far as size is suitable for a cham older than 4-5 months. If you get one around 2 months you will need something much smaller as they need to be able to find food. Getting multiple cages is fine to, because chams are addicting and you will more than likely get another one soon!

 

[stevereecy]

I'm about to buy my first chameleon (Panther) and would like a few tips on doing so.. I plan to buy everything he will need right off without delay.

Now for a few questions on a Aquarium I have my eyes on but first let me say that my tempature zone here is very Hot during the summer and "can" get very cold during the winter time but warm during the day.

The aquarium I'm looking at is a double door front that is about 2 feet high and 18" width by 18" depth. I like this enclosure due to its easy access. But I've been hearing mixed recomendations. Some people say buy screen while others say buy glass to increase humidity. I really like the aquarium but the health of the pet is far more important.

I plan to buy several types of lights and timers. This it will allow me to set different lights (UV/B Basking) to come on during day and night enviorments so that he will have the right lighting and heat created witout having to remember to change the lights. I think I will buy 3 that I will swap lets say A and B for Warm Seasons and C and B for Cold Seasons that will (in attempt) to maintain the enviorment he requires. Oh did I say he? Yes I thinking it will be best suited with a male so correct me now if I'm wrong.

Also I was thinking of installing a misting system that will spray the inside several times a day such as tube system you would find in a garden with a misting atachment on it with a Rain Bird timer that I can make it spay 2 to 3 times a day to help humidity levels and water build-up on the plants.

One one question I have about ice cubes is regarding tempature.. Isn't dripping ice cubs a little too cold? I see people say use Ice cube position above leaves to capture the water. While others say they use a dripper with warm water. I have this feeling ice cubes aren't that great of an idea and second even if there are, ice cube obviously need to be treated either boiled water then frozen or de-clorineze them? However I have not seen anyone say this should be done. I know tap water has clorine in it and shouldn't be used as drinking water for such pets.

Type: Why panther? Well from what I have read Panthers are more of the lower hight type that live in bushes rather then higher up in trees and don't require a huge climb zone. This better fits my arrangement where I want to keep him in my home office where the pets (dogs, cats, hamsters, Chicillie and kids okay kids arn't pets but still) won't be around to stress the heck out of my exotic pet. Correct me if I'm wrong. So a 2.5 Aquarium I think will do the trick.

Okay the key to me is that I'm willing to spend money to make a happy pet. Exo Terra is what I have in mind for my Aquarium. Perhaps I should be saying Habitat rather then Aquarium so I will say habitat from here. Exo Terra also make a screen version of the glass one that I like. Let me pimp a few links at the 2 that have my eyes on. Also even though these have a rock like background in them I was also thinking of attaching green plant like aquarium decall side on the outside to reduce reflection that (from what I hear) will stress him out.

Glass: PT-2607
Screen

Need input on this I want to be abolsolutly sure on what I buy. I don't want to hurt my pet in any shape or form. If I want an animal to die is becasue I killed it and plan to eat it. So I have no intention to make any mistakes here.

Yes I plan to buy all the digital metters to monitor all the zones of the habitat so I will be making sure he is one happy guy.


Feeding: Okay my idea is that I will always keep 1 live cricket loose (dusted) in his enviorment at all times while a clear dish will have 2 assorted (dusted) worms a day for him to be on happy fella. No I know that if I just let loose some 6 or more crickets in his habitat they will eat his flesh.. Not my cup of tea. However what would you say on the number of crickets. Like I said I was only planning on letting loose 1 like one at all times. Something he can hunt and be occupied.

Okay I think that will pretty much cover my lets bring him home questions I will have at this time.. Though I will be like asking the sales guy "Anything else I should get?" questions I know the important ones like don't get a heat rock or pad or height of lamps to pet.


Any input on my concers are very welcomed..

Cheers!

TRI0N

Trion,

Buy a screen cage. Glass cages can be used for babies because their own reflection doesn't both them. I personally think glass is actually better for babies, but thats for another thread. If you were getting a baby, I'd say start out with glass and move to screen, but I'd be giving you more advice one how to raise a baby in an aquarium.

If you want a big animal, get a big cage. The size of a cage is a function of the activity level of the animal, and the size of the animal. I raised a basilisk once, and that animal was so active that I had to sell it because no cage was big enough for it. The size cage you're outlining sounds a little small for a female panther, and definitely too small for a male. But its a moot point since you don't want a glass cage anyway. You might consider making your own cage. A nice one is if you take a clothes dresser, remove the drawers, and replace the drawer opening with screen. Cut a large hole in the top of the dresser and do the same. Then, cut a door in the side and attach hinges. You can make something surprisingly nice cage from a dresser you buy at goodwill with some hardwire cloth (mesh) and a good electric staple gun.

FWIW, I've always thought there was too much emphasis on cage height, and not enough on cage length and width. My chameleons spend most of their time at the same elevation, but they move around at that elevation a lot...which is why I think length and width is more important. A 2-ft by 2-ft space is too small, but I personally believe that something 3-feet tall is fine if it is at least 3-feet by 3-feet. Someday, I'll make one of the dresser cages myself.

Lastly, chameleons are cool. You and your friends will love them. But don't underestimate how impressed your friends will be with a really nicely decorated roomy cage for the chameleon. It really adds to the atmosphere to have a full-fledged portion of a rainforest in doors. The bigger, the better. My wife likes going into the chameleon room just to soak in the lighting and the beauty of the plants. Full spectrum lighting and real plants does a lot to brighten your soul on a dreary day. So...if you have limited space, to provide a good naturalistic environment, don't discount other types of chameleons. Smaller ones, that need less space.

Steve

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy Trion,

If you are getting a panther or veiled that is on the larger side of juvenile then you can use a full 2x2x4 screened enclosure from the beginning. Another source for screened enclosures is www.cages.net They have one thing that I've not been able to find anywhere else. They have a no-charge optional 1/8"x1/8" screen and its coated with an enamel or epoxy that makes the surface a little bit less abrasive. The 1/8" screen pitch eliminates the possibility of a toenail getting caught and torn-out (It happens ). Normal aluminum screen is 1/16"x1/16" pitch. Although we don't want our chameleons climbing on the screen, they sill still do it from time to time. A large chameleon can get a nail caught, fall and tear it out - permanently. If you do get an enclosure, buy the optional extra door that gives you easier access to the bottom of the enclosure. I have one of these 2x2x4 cages.net enclosures as well as many of the LLLReptile type enclosures. The cages.net is a little more expensive. They shipped mine, disassembled as usual, in a wooden crate which did sustain damage but none to the enclosure itself.