Cage
- Thread starter Flacon67
- Start date
CamrynTheCham22
Avid Member
It looks pretty good so far. I think you should add another plant maybe hanging from the top to add some more coverage and a few more horizontal sticks/branches just for more filler. Is your cham female or male?
He is a male I believe... well I have a fake pothos and a thicker larger fake vine coming soon
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
Your going to need zip ties to keep the vines on the cage it’s the best way to attach them
I have some already attached
Ok thanks, I’ll be sure to put a pic with the finished thing
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
Looking forward to seeing finished out come. I love seeing the set up for these little ones. Good luckOk thanks, I’ll be sure to put a pic with the finished thing
Syreptyon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Respectfully, you have been misled by Camryn. This enclosure still needs a lot of work to be appropriate for a chameleon. But that's okay, it's a work in progress!
The big problem you have right now is that you're hardly using any of the volume of the enclosure. The great thing about the screen enclosure is that they're HUGE! Always remind yourself of the following: "Empty space is wasted space." So as of right now about 2/3-3/4 of your enclosure is wasted space that is totally inaccessible to a chameleon.
Here's what you need to do:
(1) Add way more foliage (preferably live plants). Chams need lots of places to hide to feel secure and right now there are almost no options for it to feel safe. You want it to be bursting with green.
(2) Add way more vines/branches/horizontal perches of your choosing. Since chams are arboreal, they want to be as high up as possible. Having just one vine is not even close to enough, unfortunately. You want several horizontal options at all different elevations throughout the enclosure. Sticks, branches, vines, whatever you want. Right now your cham only has one option really and that's not fair to him/her. Especially in the top half of the enclosure, it should be full of horizontal options going all the way from the left side of the cage to the right. You can secure branches with zipties, garden wire, thumb tacs, etc.
(3) What is the substrate on the bottom? If it is bark or coco fiber or any natural material like that, it needs to be removed. It will do nothing there other than harbor harmful bacteria and make your chameleon sick. Bare bottom enclosures are the safest method (other than bioactive)
(4) Your UVB light needs to be changed. Yours is a compact model which will do your chameleon no good. You need a linear model like the Reptisun or Arcadia bulbs. Remember, you need the long bulbs, not the small spiral "compact" ones
The big problem you have right now is that you're hardly using any of the volume of the enclosure. The great thing about the screen enclosure is that they're HUGE! Always remind yourself of the following: "Empty space is wasted space." So as of right now about 2/3-3/4 of your enclosure is wasted space that is totally inaccessible to a chameleon.
Here's what you need to do:
(1) Add way more foliage (preferably live plants). Chams need lots of places to hide to feel secure and right now there are almost no options for it to feel safe. You want it to be bursting with green.
(2) Add way more vines/branches/horizontal perches of your choosing. Since chams are arboreal, they want to be as high up as possible. Having just one vine is not even close to enough, unfortunately. You want several horizontal options at all different elevations throughout the enclosure. Sticks, branches, vines, whatever you want. Right now your cham only has one option really and that's not fair to him/her. Especially in the top half of the enclosure, it should be full of horizontal options going all the way from the left side of the cage to the right. You can secure branches with zipties, garden wire, thumb tacs, etc.
(3) What is the substrate on the bottom? If it is bark or coco fiber or any natural material like that, it needs to be removed. It will do nothing there other than harbor harmful bacteria and make your chameleon sick. Bare bottom enclosures are the safest method (other than bioactive)
(4) Your UVB light needs to be changed. Yours is a compact model which will do your chameleon no good. You need a linear model like the Reptisun or Arcadia bulbs. Remember, you need the long bulbs, not the small spiral "compact" ones
Well. About the tube bulbs. My dad thinks it’s a waste. I told him no it’s not but he said he has a rly powerful one that he used when he raised koi and fish. I said it was to strong and he didn’t listen.. so there should be no substrate at the bottom? And I have one more vine and one more fake plant. Where do u think I should put it?
Syreptyon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Okay firstly... You need fight your dad about the light. This is really non-optional and your chameleon will get metabolic bone disease and ultimately die if you don't get the right light. I know it's annoying to have to pay for another light, but it's going to cost you hundreds of dollars more in the long run in vet bills, etc. if you don't provide the correct lighting. I really can't stress this enough. Chameleons are NOTHING like koi and your dad simply cannot compare them. One is a fish and one is a reptile.... Other reptiles can't even be compared to chameleons! They are very much their own unique animal with very specific needs.
Correct, no substrate at the bottom is preferred. you can line it with paper towels if you like, but they need to be changed daily to prevent bacterial growth.
Place the other vine up about 1/4 of the way from the top of the cage. Position it so the it provides a horizontal line for your chameleon to sit on going from all the way on the left to all the way on the right. Place the fake plant wherever you like, as it won't really do anything useful for the chameleon. 2 vines still won't be enough, though. I have like 16 in my panther cham's cage. You want to create a sort of ladder effect going from top-to-bottom in the cage so your chameleon can utilize all the volume. And if you don't want to pay for more pre-made fake vines, then you can just go collect some branches outside! They look wonderful and cost you nothing
P.S. But seriously, convince your dad about the light. Send him here if you have to! It's super important.
Ok. I’m going to draw something out tell me what u thinkOkay firstly... You need fight your dad about the light. This is really non-optional and your chameleon will get metabolic bone disease and ultimately die if you don't get the right light. I know it's annoying to have to pay for another light, but it's going to cost you hundreds of dollars more in the long run in vet bills, etc. if you don't provide the correct lighting. I really can't stress this enough. Chameleons are NOTHING like koi and your dad simply cannot compare them. One is a fish and one is a reptile.... Other reptiles can't even be compared to chameleons! They are very much their own unique animal with very specific needs.
Correct, no substrate at the bottom is preferred. you can line it with paper towels if you like, but they need to be changed daily to prevent bacterial growth.
Place the other vine up about 1/4 of the way from the top of the cage. Position it so the it provides a horizontal line for your chameleon to sit on going from all the way on the left to all the way on the right. Place the fake plant wherever you like, as it won't really do anything useful for the chameleon. 2 vines still won't be enough, though. I have like 16 in my panther cham's cage. You want to create a sort of ladder effect going from top-to-bottom in the cage so your chameleon can utilize all the volume. And if you don't want to pay for more pre-made fake vines, then you can just go collect some branches outside! They look wonderful and cost you nothing
P.S. But seriously, convince your dad about the light. Send him here if you have to! It's super important.
Syreptyon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Good plan!
Syreptyon
Chameleon Enthusiast
That's the right idea! You probably won't be able to achieve all that with just one vine, but using a couple different things will let you achieve the same effect
Char333p
Avid Member
Looks beautiful, just two suggestions. you can keep the double fixture but get the linear UVB bulbs, give chameleon full coverage no matter where he is. Those spiral UVBs only project straight downward. And the thing that matters most is the top half of the enclosure. Chameleons like to be higher up and spends most of its time from mid to top. So at least a few more branches or vines going left to right. Think like a jungle gym for him. and you want him to have access from one branch/vine to another, at and from all different angles.. left to right. diagonally. up and down. ect. besides that looks nice!
we really need to focus on whats best for the chameleon than what looks nice from a viewing angle.
we really need to focus on whats best for the chameleon than what looks nice from a viewing angle.
Capsicums&Reptiles
Established Member
I know it's off topic,but,is there anyway you could point in the direction of where you got that tree in the middle?
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