Cage Rack
- Thread starter Mike Fisher
- Start date
junglefries
Avid Member
Urrgghhhhh!
Mike Fisher
Established Member
Thanks everybody! It sure takes a long time to set them up. Two days of cleaning the dust and cobwebs and planting them. I've got about two to three months before I have to set up the baby rack. It looks the same only smaller. Pretty much looks like the Dragon Strand setup but with planting tubs on each enclosure.
These breeder rack setups are pretty much common practice these days, but when I built them, they were state of the art. 20 years later, they are still in really good shape, but I did have to repair some screen. I got careless with them in storage because I never planned on breeding chameleons again.
At one point I advertised 80 cages and all of the lights for $500 on Craigslist. I got zero response, so I came very close to throwing them in a dumpster. I already did that with the larger cages because I needed the space. I'm sure glad I have them still.
These breeder rack setups are pretty much common practice these days, but when I built them, they were state of the art. 20 years later, they are still in really good shape, but I did have to repair some screen. I got careless with them in storage because I never planned on breeding chameleons again.
At one point I advertised 80 cages and all of the lights for $500 on Craigslist. I got zero response, so I came very close to throwing them in a dumpster. I already did that with the larger cages because I needed the space. I'm sure glad I have them still.
Mike Fisher
Established Member
They are just T12 shoplight fixtures with 6500K bulbs. I'm planning on going T5 HO, but can't decide if I want to buy fixtures or DIY them. If I DIY it actually costs more, but the components are better because they'll all be waterproof and I can mount the ballasts remotely. Yes, not using UV lamps at all, never used em. I know controversial.... never had one case of MBD though. And my Kinyongias are breeding indoors under these lights.
The "basking" bulbs are just par38 LED's, 125W equivalent 5000K. That's all I do for summer with montanes. In winter, I switch them out for 50W halogens. The neat thing about the LED spots....You don't need a hood reflector, you can just set the light directly on top of the screen. I'm still using a few reflectors, but it might actually shorten bulb life with LED's because they trap heat. People who believe that LED's are not a source of heat have never tried to unscrew a hot one. The heatsinks will burn you. They put out just enough heat for summer use for my setup.
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Mike Fisher
Established Member
Thanks! Dimensions are 16X16X24 with a 6" deep planting tub underneath. The tubs are built into the cage and make up the floor. I used to use pots inside them and just use the tubs for water control. I stopped doing that after I lost a gravid female quadricornis that got trapped in a head down position in the corner behind a pot. She suffocated from the pressure of the egg mass. That's when I switched to fully planted.
frankpayne32
Avid Member
Love your set up. Old school.
junglefries
Avid Member
Don't beat yourself up over the uvb. I use old t8 48" 5.0 bulbs across my baby bins, so not too much uvb. I did read in the old (2009) cham books that they can handle it, but it still makes one nervous. Sometimes i alternate with a reg daylight bulb, outside, or even just with skylights. Trying to make sure acclimated to all types and making sure not too much of any one light. I haven't noticed any differences in the older ones being raised under any type or length of time with certain bulbs. I feel like the use of smaller variable feeders and the way we pay extra attention to proper gutloads of our baby feeders makes more of a difference. It just all works out. I would be more freaked out on the 2-10 month period of growths. In the wild, it seems they would be really competing to find a good food source and probably hiding more than basking. Instinct would prevent them from exposing themselves too much. Right?
Mike Fisher
Established Member
I never have, just everyone else lol. I use natural supplements with a low level of D3 on a daily basis. Never had a problem, even with fast growing species. With my current breeding program, they are all montane, so mostly shade dwelling anyway. Sticking with what works for me. T5 HO will be the next upgrade.
Mike Fisher
Established Member
Thanks Frank!
junglefries
Avid Member
You will definitely enjoy the upgrade. Sooo much more light. I do with my jacksons, use more timers. The brightest lights are only on from 11am-3pm. They seemed to religate to the darker sides of the cages, even with only one T5 HO 5.0 and one 6500k. The ones with just a 5.0 really move about. Currently observing both setups and individuals, to see who likes what and when. Having to watch a lot of security footage, as they can be shy little buggers. But, i feel as though all this writing is a waste and you know this already. Curious as to what you would recommend for a jax' supplement regimen.
Mike Fisher
Established Member
I supplement all montanes the same. I've not noticed a difference even with certain species like T. perreti that have been published to be sensitive to certain vitamins. They were actually suffering from hypovitaminosis when I acquired them.
If you want my recommendation for vitamin supplements that comes close to what I use and is available commercially, look here: http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=257 Yes, it is a bearded dragon site, but relevant to chameleons too.
Look at the ingredient list...All organic. See, when you use all organic, you can dust your feeders with much less likelyhood of overdose or sensitivity compared to synthetic. That's my secret to supplements. Get some. Also, the probiotics are good too. Never hear anyone talk about that, but I use them on occasion. Like a couple times a month on feeders.
Note that if you get the vitamins, you can add calcium carbonate in a 4:1 ratio and use it every day if you want. If you use the straight vitamin powder, they recommend ~ twice weekly. I've always maintained that administering a constant low dose of vitamins is much better for them than infrequent high dosing. I firmly believe that is where people are seeing problems with vitamin sensitivity.
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junglefries
Avid Member
vitamins
Thanx. I have read about the vitamins, Ca Carbonate, etc..., but all the books i have are 2009 or abouts, i believe. There really doesn't seem to be a superbook recently published, that i am aware of. Having glaucoma, reading for hours on the internet isn't plausible for me. I usually read on my phone 4" away from my face, usually while hot tubbing my feet and back. (Thanx mom and dad for that wonderful dna you gave me). I was afraid to venture into any of those suggestions, being as a lot of info in those books has changed or been proven completely false. Speaking of phone use: Lots of users will now understand why some of my posts seem to be off. I usually read the thread while newly posted, write something, finish up later on post and then hit send when picking up phone hours later. That is why, most have figured out an issue by then, when it seems i am asking something completely late or not on topic any longer. For those posts, i do apologize. At least some people can get a chuckle from us late to the party.
Thanx. I have read about the vitamins, Ca Carbonate, etc..., but all the books i have are 2009 or abouts, i believe. There really doesn't seem to be a superbook recently published, that i am aware of. Having glaucoma, reading for hours on the internet isn't plausible for me. I usually read on my phone 4" away from my face, usually while hot tubbing my feet and back. (Thanx mom and dad for that wonderful dna you gave me). I was afraid to venture into any of those suggestions, being as a lot of info in those books has changed or been proven completely false. Speaking of phone use: Lots of users will now understand why some of my posts seem to be off. I usually read the thread while newly posted, write something, finish up later on post and then hit send when picking up phone hours later. That is why, most have figured out an issue by then, when it seems i am asking something completely late or not on topic any longer. For those posts, i do apologize. At least some people can get a chuckle from us late to the party.
shaneofall
Member
I expected to hear corn-cob and vita-lites were still in good shape too. Those are old! But nice ones.
Mike Fisher
Established Member
Mike
I love your rack system. Thanks for sending me that info on them a while back. It's proving to be very helpful as I'm in the process of setting up a ton of new cages.
Well done!!!!
Thanks, and glad to be of help! Post some photos of your setup when you get it done.
