danTHAman152000
Member
Hello everyone, just wanted to provide an update on my free range set up. In the past, my two year old veiled (Foley) lived on three artificial trees that stood on a piece of wood that was sitting on top of a small end table. This provided a little island for him. It was nice but a little bit of a pain to move and took up a lot of space in the garage. I decided I needed to rethink my approach, and was also considering purchasing a second chameleon.
Here is what I came up with:
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/e9wfd6xizuteqvc/AACA3pfFdMCegrKfq1k-k_Xha
My girlfriend ended up surprising me with a little "blue bar ambilobe" from the Anaheim show a few weeks ago... meet Fowler!
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/eh4j0qk15v0wsyr/AAAgKmp1qXe9s_XLDEffoZYta
I had postponed buying some legit lights from Todd at LightYourReptiles.com, which ended up being a good thing. I decided to buy the 72" quad bulb set up, and have it suspended over a dividing wall so each chameleon can have 36" of lights. Huge improvement over my single 24" 10.0 bulb I had. The output on these lights are insane. I feel like I could supplement my chameleon budget by implementing a large grow operation under these monster lights!
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/jvy3ivunuas4ckn/AAClaYqvBNSDABdPfSQBV7DCa
Went to the local nursery and bought several pothos, a couple money trees, an umbrella tree, and ficus tree in order to supplement their free ranges.
I ended up using L brackets to mount wired shelving to the wall and also dividing wall for extra support. This way, the little buggers aren't able to climb down at all.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/qx7h30trur7zhnl/AAAvrTJ0dco14Lyk2p9M4Fkha
Currently, the veiled's set up still has an artificial tree, but I plan on removing that soon and putting a low shelf and getting maybe a taller ficus. So far the plants are doing really well under the one 6500K bulb and one 12%.
I had some how accumulated three portable clothes hangers over the years and realized the slick poles will prevent my chameleon from climbing down. So I assembled these, used some green plastic garden sticks and bamboo for support (oh and a lot of high end zip ties), and was able to easily hang plants and even put a large potted plant. Great, easy, cheap, portable free range. So I use these for them to get outside time. After I had everything set up, I saw at home depot they carried the wired shelving like I had used. This would be a good option to have laid out on the bottom to support the plants, instead of using the bamboo like I had. It's pretty cheap and can be cut with bolt cutters so I might end up picking up a piece and swapping that out. Either way, I like these garden sticks and bamboo because they offer good support and some flex as well.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/u88a2dq4f8ok9ei/AABR3WqspF3QCtrrWiyfKv_Za
I have started positioning their two outside setups close so they can see each other so I can get an idea about whether or not these boys will get along. Fowler is still a baby so this may change in the future but they both could see each other at one point and neither of them reacted. So that's a plus. If they are able to tolerate each other, then I can just put these outside set ups next to their dividing wall inside, and be able to provide 100% more free range (they'd be able to see each other, but there would also be the portion behind the dividing wall).
Anyways, no biggie if they do not like each other.
Another note... I started to focus on hand feeding, and oh my the attitude of my veiled has changed almost 180 degrees. Before, he would never allow me to touch him. Now he comes running when he sees my hand, with or without food in it. I found making a bridge with my arm and holding a cricket far away and having him come run onto me is the easiest way to move him around from setup to setup.
I also have a Large Zilla cage that I want to keep a little setup in so I can put the guys in one at a time and unleash some flies. I have about 1500 spikes with their names on them!
I have a couple really nice (expensive, $25 each) sticks I just bought from a local reptile shop. My gosh, this stuff should be easier to get. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places! Anyways, between those and tens of vines I have, I think their set up is pretty comfortable. I am excited to say that little Fowler will have the luxury of free ranging from an early age. These boys are so happy, they eat from my hand, drink and poop in front of me, and don't even try to get off their enclosures.
One time, Foley was able to get down off his tree and onto the bottom border. He then shimmied his way all the way around, past the dividing wall, and was hanging out under Fowler's set up. Luckily, I had strategically left no way for Fowler to get down. Since then, I fixed the small area that Foley was able to sneak by. That's why I will remove that tree, add another shelf, and add another real plant so there will be no way for him to get down at all.
Anyways, I hope these pics worked (my originals are way too big and I am not sure how to easily shrink them). Thanks for taking the time to read my notes and feel free to steal ideas or scrutinize them to death!
- dan
Here is what I came up with:
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/e9wfd6xizuteqvc/AACA3pfFdMCegrKfq1k-k_Xha
My girlfriend ended up surprising me with a little "blue bar ambilobe" from the Anaheim show a few weeks ago... meet Fowler!
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/eh4j0qk15v0wsyr/AAAgKmp1qXe9s_XLDEffoZYta
I had postponed buying some legit lights from Todd at LightYourReptiles.com, which ended up being a good thing. I decided to buy the 72" quad bulb set up, and have it suspended over a dividing wall so each chameleon can have 36" of lights. Huge improvement over my single 24" 10.0 bulb I had. The output on these lights are insane. I feel like I could supplement my chameleon budget by implementing a large grow operation under these monster lights!
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/jvy3ivunuas4ckn/AAClaYqvBNSDABdPfSQBV7DCa
Went to the local nursery and bought several pothos, a couple money trees, an umbrella tree, and ficus tree in order to supplement their free ranges.
I ended up using L brackets to mount wired shelving to the wall and also dividing wall for extra support. This way, the little buggers aren't able to climb down at all.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/qx7h30trur7zhnl/AAAvrTJ0dco14Lyk2p9M4Fkha
Currently, the veiled's set up still has an artificial tree, but I plan on removing that soon and putting a low shelf and getting maybe a taller ficus. So far the plants are doing really well under the one 6500K bulb and one 12%.
I had some how accumulated three portable clothes hangers over the years and realized the slick poles will prevent my chameleon from climbing down. So I assembled these, used some green plastic garden sticks and bamboo for support (oh and a lot of high end zip ties), and was able to easily hang plants and even put a large potted plant. Great, easy, cheap, portable free range. So I use these for them to get outside time. After I had everything set up, I saw at home depot they carried the wired shelving like I had used. This would be a good option to have laid out on the bottom to support the plants, instead of using the bamboo like I had. It's pretty cheap and can be cut with bolt cutters so I might end up picking up a piece and swapping that out. Either way, I like these garden sticks and bamboo because they offer good support and some flex as well.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/u88a2dq4f8ok9ei/AABR3WqspF3QCtrrWiyfKv_Za
I have started positioning their two outside setups close so they can see each other so I can get an idea about whether or not these boys will get along. Fowler is still a baby so this may change in the future but they both could see each other at one point and neither of them reacted. So that's a plus. If they are able to tolerate each other, then I can just put these outside set ups next to their dividing wall inside, and be able to provide 100% more free range (they'd be able to see each other, but there would also be the portion behind the dividing wall).
Anyways, no biggie if they do not like each other.
Another note... I started to focus on hand feeding, and oh my the attitude of my veiled has changed almost 180 degrees. Before, he would never allow me to touch him. Now he comes running when he sees my hand, with or without food in it. I found making a bridge with my arm and holding a cricket far away and having him come run onto me is the easiest way to move him around from setup to setup.
I also have a Large Zilla cage that I want to keep a little setup in so I can put the guys in one at a time and unleash some flies. I have about 1500 spikes with their names on them!
I have a couple really nice (expensive, $25 each) sticks I just bought from a local reptile shop. My gosh, this stuff should be easier to get. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places! Anyways, between those and tens of vines I have, I think their set up is pretty comfortable. I am excited to say that little Fowler will have the luxury of free ranging from an early age. These boys are so happy, they eat from my hand, drink and poop in front of me, and don't even try to get off their enclosures.
One time, Foley was able to get down off his tree and onto the bottom border. He then shimmied his way all the way around, past the dividing wall, and was hanging out under Fowler's set up. Luckily, I had strategically left no way for Fowler to get down. Since then, I fixed the small area that Foley was able to sneak by. That's why I will remove that tree, add another shelf, and add another real plant so there will be no way for him to get down at all.
Anyways, I hope these pics worked (my originals are way too big and I am not sure how to easily shrink them). Thanks for taking the time to read my notes and feel free to steal ideas or scrutinize them to death!
- dan
