Bioactive Build
- Thread starter Dbash44
- Start date
Dbash44
Avid Member
It’s really just a small detail that I overlooked, too. I saw someone spray paint the ones they make for customers. Since I can’t spray paint at the place I live (I got in trouble last time) I used a “brush on” version. It’s not perfect since you can see brush strokes, but it looks a heck of a lot better than the ugly yellow foam. I chose the oil based because it won’t come off with water. They make glass paint that works, but the craft stores near me that have it aren’t open. The one I used is nice because I scraped off the edges with my glass scraper pretty easily to line up with the foam on the inside.Will definitely be painting the sides now! I didn't even think about this
hiddenflaws
Avid Member
Oooo, might have to get me some black spray paint bottles? Or maybe I should get really creative and use a lavender color! Lmao
I love how it's looking so far though! Excited to see more pioctures
Dbash44
Avid Member
If you really wanted to embrace your artistic side you could just paint a jungle scape on the sides with glass paint. The kind they sell at Michaels. You can order on amazon if you wanna spend the money and time. It’ll probably scratch off after time tho.
Dbash44
Avid Member
Okay y’all. Super close on this. Made some abg mix with coco husk, fur bark, charcoal and sphagnum moss. Going to add my leaf litter once I get the plants in. Have custodian fuel coming in the mail today so I’ll probably add that as well. Basically giving my microfauna a buffet in hopes they reproduce and thrive.
Pictures are hard to focus with the bright light in the cage, but in person it’s very well lit with some shadowy places. Might play around the the shelves on the floor a bit more.
Pictures are hard to focus with the bright light in the cage, but in person it’s very well lit with some shadowy places. Might play around the the shelves on the floor a bit more.
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Dbash44
Avid Member
I'm nearly finished with the build. Got most of my plants in. I had to sacrifice some of them since there was no room.
After planting all the plants there was something that wasn't sitting right with me. I spoke with Mike Tyluta aka "graphic phoenix" who suggested I take out the white branches I originally had. I did this and added a bunch of branches in their places. It looks a lot better to me and will give the eventual cham resident of the enclosure some more places to climb on.
I still have a few more tweaks and have to clean it up a bit, but here's what I've got:
After planting all the plants there was something that wasn't sitting right with me. I spoke with Mike Tyluta aka "graphic phoenix" who suggested I take out the white branches I originally had. I did this and added a bunch of branches in their places. It looks a lot better to me and will give the eventual cham resident of the enclosure some more places to climb on.
I still have a few more tweaks and have to clean it up a bit, but here's what I've got:
hiddenflaws
Avid Member
and I am so jealous of how it turned out! You did an amazing job!
Dbash44
Avid Member
Aw thank you! Not quite done yet and still gotta make sure everything survives after the next few weeks.
hiddenflaws
Avid Member
Aw thank you! Not quite done yet and still gotta make sure everything survives after the next few weeks.
The same goes here. I finished mine for the most part as well today! Fingers crossed for the both of us.
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Good job! If you still have the extra plants, you could make a free range!
Dbash44
Avid Member
I have some bad news.
I mist the enclosure every night before I turn off the lights. Tonight when I got home from the office I was exhausted and I pulled a really dumb, lazy move.
When coming into the room tonight I set down a spray bottle of water that I don’t typically use in order to tweak some things in the enclosure. I didn’t notice I’d left an identical spray bottle of pine sol in the room yesterday after I cleaned.
I mistakingly grabbed the wrong bottle of fluid and sprayed the enclosure down halfway with pine sol before I smelled it and noticed what I’d done wrong.
I immediately rinsed the enclosure with water to get the pine sol off the plants
I’m too paranoid to let this enclosure continue to grow in now that pine sol is permanently in it. Luckily I haven’t added my custodians so they aren’t harmed. I’ll end up having to soak these plants and redo most of the enclosure.
I’m really bummed but it’s probably going to turn out better next time since I have an idea of what I’m shooting for.
Stay tuned for the redo of this build
I mist the enclosure every night before I turn off the lights. Tonight when I got home from the office I was exhausted and I pulled a really dumb, lazy move.
When coming into the room tonight I set down a spray bottle of water that I don’t typically use in order to tweak some things in the enclosure. I didn’t notice I’d left an identical spray bottle of pine sol in the room yesterday after I cleaned.
I mistakingly grabbed the wrong bottle of fluid and sprayed the enclosure down halfway with pine sol before I smelled it and noticed what I’d done wrong.
I immediately rinsed the enclosure with water to get the pine sol off the plants
I’m too paranoid to let this enclosure continue to grow in now that pine sol is permanently in it. Luckily I haven’t added my custodians so they aren’t harmed. I’ll end up having to soak these plants and redo most of the enclosure.
I’m really bummed but it’s probably going to turn out better next time since I have an idea of what I’m shooting for.
Stay tuned for the redo of this build
Reptofreak
Chameleon Enthusiast
Looks amazing! Great job!
hiddenflaws
Avid Member
Really sad that this happened to you! I know you worked really hard on this. I'm just as exited to see the new one as I was with this one. ?
Dbash44
Avid Member
Alrighty time to get back at it. Unfortunately for my wallet I spent another $60 on plants because I didn’t like the ones I originally got as much as I had thought. Picked up some jumbo cork bark pieces and on my way to get the rest of the materials now. I figure I’ll just add to this thread to keep everything consolidated.
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smcwilliams
Member
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Connorology
Avid Member
I know I am a couple days late on the toxic plant discussion, but FWIW I am of the opinion that the safe plant lists I see floating around are overly conservative for non-foliage eating species. I've seen quite a few plants labeled as toxic that I believe to be harmless. I suspect the lists are derived from keeper experience and maybe ASPCA poison control info derived from dogs and cats. Per my exotic veterinarian faculty members, there really aren't any good resources that have anything approaching a comprehensive evidence-based list of what's toxic to reptiles and what is not, because there isn't really any research into it.
While it is better safe than sorry, you're likely going to be fine using aroid plants with calcium oxalates as their only toxin, and this encompasses a lot of plants you might want to use. Golden pothos is an aroid plant labeled as safe by all lists despite having calcium oxalate crystals (basically a local irritant), but I've seen Alocasia, Philodendron, and Monstera all labeled as toxic despite being from the same family and having the same toxin as pothos. I have used all three without incident. My panther chameleon does not munch on leaves, and I have yet to see a wayward feeder try to take a bite out of one of the aroids, so the odds of getting a contamination are essentially zero before even considering the fact I don't consider these plants to be very toxic (some keepers report their veileds actively eating the leaves without incident).
TLDR - Be smart about your plant selection and don't do anything totally crazy, but remember the lists aren't really based on much. I'd be fairly conservative with a veiled that eats foliage, but with a chameleon that never eats foliage I don't think it makes sense to worry about which ficus or aroid you're going to use. And if anyone is aware of actual plant poisonings of chameleons beyond ficus sap in the eye (which I have heard can be a problem), please shoot me a DM, I would be interested to know.
Dbash44
Avid Member
Very nice! If I ever to do a giant cage like that I'll definitely be calling you and your buddy. I like the custom tree of life you guys carved out for the front.
He's just proud of his work. Maybe he's a bit of a showoff, too.
