Chameleon Shower

[Heika]

" you get what you pay for "

Well, that is true. And, for what it is, it works very well. It is also expandable, reliable and silent. This system will also hook into a water line pretty easily, eliminating the garden sprayer and making a water pump unnecessary. I think I would rather run a water line and continue using my simple, albeit cheap, system. Perhaps you can tell me what the advantage would be to moving to the system you are endorsing besides the obvious one that I have to pressurize my garden sprayer every day? My system was $130.00 less than the one you are endorsing, is infinitely better than the habba mister, and I run it at least an hour a day, usually an hour and 20 minutes. My chameleon appears to be happy, healthy and hydrated. How would moving to a pump driven system for my single chameleon improve his life?

Heika

 

[zero742]

How many misters would be appropriate for a cage with the dimensions 28"x16.5"x30"? I think I might build one of the ones Heika recommended...seems pretty easy, and since I am on a college student budget, it fits perfectly.

 

[ChamFreak]

Well to start off, I am not endorsing this company. I am simiply pleased with it and would like to share my success with others. 2nd to add, I wouldnt suggest upgrading if you have 1 cham and you have it and it works well for you. I know some cham owners have multiple setups and this can support many cages/setups. I also know the nozzels are plastic where cloud top uses stainless steel and can conserve water better with less water yet just as affective. I also know it pure automatic and you can leave outta town not worry about your chams mist's. Also only need to refill reserve 1 time a week. The system has warrenty and comes with many things usefull! Agian, I would think you or other people with system that work should run out and get one but, if your getting your 1st might as well spend extra 70 and have super system.

 

[ChamFreak]

How many misters would be appropriate for a cage with the dimensions 28"x16.5"x30"? I think I might build one of the ones Heika recommended...seems pretty easy, and since I am on a college student budget, it fits perfectly.

honestly... 1-2

 

[DanielleB]

I am going to agree with the college student budget- I do not have $200 extra upfront, but I can slowly piece together a misting system for him for cheaper.
I looked at that basking lizard website and their starter kit interests me as well as their timer....anyone have any input on it?

 

[DanielleB]

I use a homemade misting system that uses a garden sprayer to hold the water.

What timer and sprinkler valve did you use? or even features you like

 

[zero742]

So whats the better choice, a humidifier system or a misting system? If one is better than the other, and if so how much better? Just trying to make a few last choices before the weeks end when the new cham comes home!

 

[ChamFreak]

So whats the better choice, a humidifier system or a misting system?

it's easy in my mind... I know humidifiers hard to keep humidity up. and mist systems are much more dense in weight. its also personal prefrence. I am sure you will hear different answers.

My vote = Misting systems.

 

[DanielleB]

I am going with misting systems as well. I just have a humidifier laying around that I am going to stick in as well, just because winter air in Wisconsin can get very dry. I bought one of those misting systems from basking lizards.com....so lets see how that one works out. My dad has a couple modifications that I am going to add as well if they work.

 

[Heika]

What timer and sprinkler valve did you use? or even features you like

I am using the Orbit 4 station timer, and a Rainbird sprinkler valve. I really like the timer, it is easy to program. It allows for 4 automated start times during the day, and I use them all. You can set it for however long you want it to run. I do 10 min, 20 min, 20 min, and then 10 min. It is also easy to manually initiate a cycle, and I do that whenever he looks bored..

I really enjoyed putting the system together, it was fun. Keep a lighter on hand, the tubing is HARD to fit over the barbs, and heating the ends of them helped. Another mistake I made when I bought all the stuff for mine was buying a garden sprayer that had a pressure release valve on the wand, not on the side of the sprayer itself. I got the whole thing put together, and then realized that I couldn't release the pressure on it except by running the sprinkler heads continuously until all the water and the pressure was drained. I had to go buy a different sprayer.. Another bit of advise is to test the system somewhere where it doesn't matter if it leaks. I used plumber's tape to wrap around all of the screw on connections, but I didn't use enough. Water squirted everywhere until I got the whole thing water tight. It doesn't leak at all now.

I am not using the sprinkler heads that are sold on the basking lizards site, and if you could let me know how they work, I would appreciate it. I am using Mist&Cool misting nozzles on mine that require these little inline tees and elbows. The nozzles screw into them. I was using barbed sprinkler heads initially, but they really do clog on a fairly regular basis in my house. I like that I can unscrew the Mist&Cool ones and clean them out easily. The big problem for me is cat hair which somehow invades the system! I really need to buy an inline filter. Here is the Mist&Cool site: http://cloudburst.com/mistcool.html

Heika

 

[DanielleB]

I read somewhere that you can use a small coffee filter for an inline filter....I have no clue where it goes or what it does, I just remember reading it

 

[zero742]

Just a little piece of advice. I went out to my neighborhood Lowe's to find all the parts for the misting system according to the directions from the Basking Lizards site, and I must say that was quite a blunder. Instead of paying around 50 or 60 for the kit including the timer and sprinkler valve, I payed exactly $97.24. Needless to say I promptly came home and ordered the parts from Basking Lizards instead. The only parts that I found were cheaper in Lowe's were the sprinkler time and inline sprinkler valve, only because they were made by Rainbird and not Orbit. Otherwise, if anyone is thinking about trying what I just tried, save your time, sanity(parts were hard to find, had to "make" others), and money and just buy it from their site. I'm gonna go take a nap, my head hurts.

 

[ChamFreak]

well, if anyone else is gonna do this I am little lost... Just a little.... By purchacing and caring for chams I thought it would be exspensive and knew I needed to care for my cham.
In my OWN opinion, I would rather spend extra 70 dollars and get a automatic pump and 5 gallon reserve. Also has better mist sprinklers.
Please dont mis understand me, I think that setup is great but, I would rather spend extra 70.

 

[DanielleB]

In my OWN opinion, I would rather spend extra 70 dollars and get a automatic pump and 5 gallon reserve. Also has better mist sprinklers.
Please dont mis understand me, I think that setup is great but, I would rather spend extra 70.

Yup, you have said that already, but I bought the whole system for 75 including shipping and going to home depot for the pressurized sprayer thing. I can not afford a $200-300 automatic misting system.
I am glad for you to have the extra money, but I am a college student with a limited income and want to enjoy a chameleon. I can not get the top notch stuff for him, but he seems very happy (see first post) even though his cage is made of up scrap 2x4s that are a little warped and there is duct tape sealing the screening for crickets, and bungees instead of a latch and hinge (they work nice with keeping the door flush).
I mean you can press that brand as much as you want, but not everyone has the finances for it. Chameleons are expensive yes, as any pet is, but it does not have to be so expensive.

I think totally for him, except for food, I spent $100 (including his price, cage dripper, vines etc). Add $75 on that for the misting system.
So you can see my point with not spending all that money. The misting system would cost more than I ever have spent on him.
I can see the point if you are a breeder or can not pump the mister every morning, but for us that do not mind the extra work for a single chameleon, I think it will work well.

 

[DanielleB]

Okay I used the system from basking lizards.com I like their kit and it is definately cheaper than buying parts singly from a store. What actually cost the most was the pressurized sprayer with release valve. Since it is winter up here no one carries them and I had to pay $35 for one. I tried 8 stores and only one had the release valve.
I highly suggest wrapping everything in teflon tape.

As for the fogger ends they have : they are not the greatest. They are good if you want a mist in a direct water spot, but do not cover a great radius. This works fine for me, but might not be as good for others.

 

[Brad]

thanks for the update

 

[Heika]

I highly suggest wrapping everything in teflon tape.

Yeah, I wrapped.. and then took everything apart and rewrapped.

As for the fogger ends they have : they are not the greatest. They are good if you want a mist in a direct water spot, but do not cover a great radius. This works fine for me, but might not be as good for others.

Thanks for that assessment, I was considering ordering some when the ones I am using now are all worn out. I think I will just buy more of them, I really do like them.

I didn't order the kit from basking lizards, I bought everything here in town at local hardware stores. I live in an agricultural area and had no problem, with the exception of finding tiny misting heads. A new place moved in downtown, a discount store with all sorts of hardware type gadgets and gizmos. They have everything needed for a full set up, and I think it would have been much less expensive there.. maybe half price. Funny how that happens...

Heika

 

[zero742]

Yeah the misting heads that come with the kit from baskinglizards are ok, but I think in the very very near future I am going to grab some that spray in a radius, instead of just a stream. My sprayer actually ended up being the cheapest part out of my entire system. I grabbed one on clearance at Lowes for $10! Only problem was I had to add an inline quick release valve because it already had a built in 1/4 inch adapter for a hose built into the side. Whatever it was cheaper and worked out better!