Check list
- Thread starter Kimmers
- Start date
KingJulian
New Member
•Appropriately sized screen enclosure (tank acceptable for pygmy chameleons)
•Live nontoxic plants such as Hibiscus, Ficus, Schefflera, Pothos, etc. View All Safe Plants
•Ample horizontal and vertical branches of varying diameters
•Fluorescent Hood and appropriately sized Reptisun 5.0 UVB bulb
•Incandescent dome and incandescent bulb of appropriate wattage
•Drip system
•Clean hand held misting bottle or pump style garden sprayer
•Healthy cricket gutload and a container for housing and feeding crickets
•Calcium supplements like Minerall or Repcal with D3 for indoor enclosures
•Vitamin supplements like Vitall or Herptivite
This is a good checklist for a panther. I currently have a 1 1/2 year old blue bar ambilobe. We have him in a 2x2x4 foot SCREENED cage. Panthers must have airflow. If you get a baby, you need a much smaller cage, or he wont be able to catch his food. We have a nice tall umbrella plant with lots of vines for climbing. We also have 2 pieces of bamboo horizontally so he has a nice basking spots. We have an exo terra monsoon mister, a little dripper, and a spray bottle for misting. We mist about 4 times a day. Some people put waterfalls in the cage, but its not a good idea because its a breeding ground for bacteria. They don't drink standing water, they drink the drops of water on the leaves. We don't have anything on the bottom of the cage, we just wipe up the water with paper towels. We have a regular house bulb, I think its a 75 watt, and a 5.0 UVB. I attached a pic of our cage, since I know how frustrating it is to get a visual image. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
•Live nontoxic plants such as Hibiscus, Ficus, Schefflera, Pothos, etc. View All Safe Plants
•Ample horizontal and vertical branches of varying diameters
•Fluorescent Hood and appropriately sized Reptisun 5.0 UVB bulb
•Incandescent dome and incandescent bulb of appropriate wattage
•Drip system
•Clean hand held misting bottle or pump style garden sprayer
•Healthy cricket gutload and a container for housing and feeding crickets
•Calcium supplements like Minerall or Repcal with D3 for indoor enclosures
•Vitamin supplements like Vitall or Herptivite
This is a good checklist for a panther. I currently have a 1 1/2 year old blue bar ambilobe. We have him in a 2x2x4 foot SCREENED cage. Panthers must have airflow. If you get a baby, you need a much smaller cage, or he wont be able to catch his food. We have a nice tall umbrella plant with lots of vines for climbing. We also have 2 pieces of bamboo horizontally so he has a nice basking spots. We have an exo terra monsoon mister, a little dripper, and a spray bottle for misting. We mist about 4 times a day. Some people put waterfalls in the cage, but its not a good idea because its a breeding ground for bacteria. They don't drink standing water, they drink the drops of water on the leaves. We don't have anything on the bottom of the cage, we just wipe up the water with paper towels. We have a regular house bulb, I think its a 75 watt, and a 5.0 UVB. I attached a pic of our cage, since I know how frustrating it is to get a visual image. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you for this. I had everything on your list on my list. (proud little pat on my back )
My only other issue aside from the decision to make a commitment to proper care for the lifetime of the animal is a cricket source of an appropriate size for a baby cham. My options locally are small, large and idk. (A small mom/pop shop employee actually said when I called, "I didn't know they come in different sizes." o.0) I know I can order other foods but understand that the size would not be appropriate to start. I can order small crickets too but it seems the min. quantity is way more than i need and they'll not live long enough to take advantage of the quantity. It's a conundrum.
My only other issue aside from the decision to make a commitment to proper care for the lifetime of the animal is a cricket source of an appropriate size for a baby cham. My options locally are small, large and idk. (A small mom/pop shop employee actually said when I called, "I didn't know they come in different sizes." o.0) I know I can order other foods but understand that the size would not be appropriate to start. I can order small crickets too but it seems the min. quantity is way more than i need and they'll not live long enough to take advantage of the quantity. It's a conundrum.
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
You can always order crickets online, starting in quantities of 250 usually. That's not as many as it sounds, especially for a baby, who might be eating between 15-20 a day. At most that's 2 weeks of food. And by ordering online from insect breeders you get a better selection of sizes, so you could even order one size down, so they don't outgrow what your baby can eat by the time it's 2 weeks later.
Usually, even though you add shipping the price per cricket is still much better than at a pet store. And the more crickets you get the better that price per cricket gets.
Just some things to consider! The only time getting crickets might be a problem would be during winter, depending on how horrible it is to get anything shipped to you with the cold. In that case, you might want to look into breeding your own bugs like roaches for those months.
Usually, even though you add shipping the price per cricket is still much better than at a pet store. And the more crickets you get the better that price per cricket gets.
Just some things to consider! The only time getting crickets might be a problem would be during winter, depending on how horrible it is to get anything shipped to you with the cold. In that case, you might want to look into breeding your own bugs like roaches for those months.
Oh! I assumed there would be a huge die-off before I was able to use even half of them.
Well then. I need to think about commitment. I've thought about this on and off for a few years. And there is a reptile show coming up in the Twin Cities. I know I don't have to decide by then but ...
And thanks for the information!
Well then. I need to think about commitment. I've thought about this on and off for a few years. And there is a reptile show coming up in the Twin Cities. I know I don't have to decide by then but ...
And thanks for the information!
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
Some will die off, but if you keep them with lots of fresh air and fresh food/water the grand majority of them (especially when they're young crickets) will do well. Most of us get a plastic storage bin from Walmart/Target and cut out large panels from the lid and maybe 1-2 of the sides and glue metal screen to it to make large windows. This keeps the air circulating in the bin and they will last a lot longer. Cleanliness seems to really make the difference with crickets.
You can also get tiny superworms, and they live for months and months, so they are a great treat/back-up feeder to have. And most online bug breeders can also send you tiny silk and hornworms, which will be small enough for a tipical 2-3 month old baby.
Good luck deciding!
You can also get tiny superworms, and they live for months and months, so they are a great treat/back-up feeder to have. And most online bug breeders can also send you tiny silk and hornworms, which will be small enough for a tipical 2-3 month old baby.
Good luck deciding!
Olimpia - I have that information printed from another source. Those supplies are on my list.
gdude46 - No, I guess I don't know what age. I know I mean very young. And I know young ones need a smaller cage so they can find their prey. Hmmm, I'm not even sure what age they should be before adoption. Can you tell me?
gdude46 - No, I guess I don't know what age. I know I mean very young. And I know young ones need a smaller cage so they can find their prey. Hmmm, I'm not even sure what age they should be before adoption. Can you tell me?
