Critique?

[lizzietheveiled]

This is my first cham do I wanted to make sure my cage is okay. He seems to be very happy so far. Sometimes when I spray him he will climb the wall and roof. I would love to know everyones opinion on how I could do better.

Hes a 5 1/2 inch veiled chameleon.
Temp in the cage is usually anywhere from 70-80
Humidity is anywhere from 40%-70%
Its 36Lx24Hx18W
I have a uvb floresant light(I know theyre bad, Im gonna get a better one when I have the money. Then we have a normal light and then a basking light. Both are set at medium strength during the day and then the basking light is on low at night.

 

[FSchams]

you need some vines and what plant is that are you sure it is on the safe list?

 

[lizzietheveiled]

Theyre asparigus (sp?). It was on the safe plant list and was all I could find in the moment. our first plant had died tragically. We were gonna get a bunch of vines to go around the cage.

 

[FSchams]

Ok, you must take out the red buld and just use a regular 40w house hold buld for basking and there must not be any light on at night

 

[lizzietheveiled]

Okay thank you! Its gets cold in the room, lower than 70 I believe because my boyfriend likes it cold. Do you think that would be okay for him?

 

[FSchams]

That is stil ok if the tems get below 55 you can just get a ceramic heat emiter

 

[carol5208]

Go to home depot or lowes or even walmat. Get either an umbrella plant(aka sheffelera) or a pothos or a ficus. You need many vines and branches for him to climb. Those plants in there are no good and do not have branches on the plants themselves for climbing. You need to have a horizontal branch and have that about 6-8 inches underneath your basking light so he can warm up. It is hard to tell from your pic, but I believe that is an all screen cage right? Those plants you are using have those little spiky leaves and your chameleon might eat them which could prove harmful to him. As the other member said, no lights at night and get rid of the red light. how do you plan on providing water? On the home page go to the Chameleon Care Resources and then click on care sheets, and then Veilds and it will give you all the info you need to keep your chameleon healthy.

 

[Mike Fisher]

Think of it this way, if you were a chameleon, would you be happy in there?

Here's my constructive advice: Search this forum for new enclosure threads. Some people have the most incredible setups that look straight from nature. Try to emulate them as best you can.

When it is done correctly, it should look like a little piece of jungle with lots of foliage with broad leaves for your guy to drink from and branches of differing diameter for him to reach everywhere in his enclosure without resorting to climbing on the floor.

You should have some tube style florescent bulbs, one of them being UVB. You only need one of those fixtures that you currently have on top and the general rule is it should be towards one corner with an angled branch under it.

No funky colored bulbs, unless you are trying to emulate Mars, and all lights off at night. Veileds like a strong night drop in temperature.

Good luck.

 

[nick barta]

Here are some suggestions:

Your basking branches need to be within 6 inches or so of the basking bulb.Your cham cannot digest food if he can't get warm enough.

Give him LOTS of horizontal branches in the upper 1/2 of the cage.

Put your plants on inverted buckets or plant pots to get your foliage up higher. When the plants get taller you can pull the pots out.

Pathos is the BEST plant ever; takes lots or little water, creates vine highways, and grows fast, especially if you have a plant grow light.

 

[Tyaeda]

Chameleon enclosures should be taller than they are wide. Your cham is still small, but once he gets bigger he'll need more room. Definitely add more branches. Ditch the red light.... they don't do anything for chams, because they can see colour, and prefer total darkness at night. I'll admit it's sometimes hard to find a schefflera.. I couldn't find one at the big box stores, and had to go to a local garden specialty store to find it. It cost $20.

I use the same light fixtures as you, and they work fine.

 

[lizzietheveiled]

Thank you everybody for all your help. I obviously need to do some fixing up but thats why I posted Ill post pictures up when I add the plants to the cage.

I will take away the red light, Im a little sore about it because the bulb and everything cost so much. No lights at night anymore either

And Im gonna make his cage taller when he gets a little older, his breeder said to do wider first just in cage he fell it wouldnt be that long of a fall.