Enclosure complete - advice?

[RPCV]

After 3 months of tinkering and scouring this site for valuable advice Mad Eye's enclosure is complete for now (I think & hope). Any advice related to chameleon health on things I might be missing or could improve upon would be appreciated. Features summarized as follows and in the photos below:

- Size: 30" x 18" x 48" all screen
- Lighting: Zoo Med combo hood with ReptiSun 5.0 tube, 75 W incandescent bulb on right side, 40 W on left and 6500K cfl in middle
- Basking: 81 degrees F at left basking spot, 86 degrees F at right basking spot
- Plants: Pothos near top (grown to hang down), schlefflera on bottom (to grow up)
- Moisture: hand mist 2x/day, little dripper, ultrasonic humidifier (winter only)
- Moisture control: dripper onto dowel rod, runs down rod, hits a twist tie, travels down tie and drops into small plastic tray at bottom (never more than 1" standing water, emptied daily)
- Other: Elmers foam poster board velcroed to back to prevent mist from hitting wall. Detachable foam boards for both sides to retain heat/humidity (winter only).
- Monitoring - Digital temp./humidity and occasionally borrowing thermal imaging camera and advanced hygrometer from work.

Enclosure:

Top basking/dripping area:

Mad Eye hating the camera:

 

[pssh]

I might add another plant til those grow in, but I love what you're doing with the pothos! I'm trying to grow one up similarly to that.

I would also be careful about the standing water even if it is an inch just becaus your Cham is still small. A little screen or cloth would be a quick fix.

 

[chams1]

I agree with pssh (but forgot to mention it before). Once that pothos grows in, it will be really great because you can string up the limbs of it for more climbing. Maybe another one underneath the thing that's holding the pothos? (they have some really nice pothos that just came in at Home Depot....)

 

[glaceauz]

where'd you get that holder the pothos is in? its awesome

 

[boj3434]

Great looking setup and I really like the holder of the pothos I think once that grows your cage will be amazing. Great job

 

[kpritch17]

It looks good. Just out of curiosity, why do you have 2 basking spots and a compact fluorescent light?

 

[chams1]

where'd you get that holder the pothos is in? its awesome

They ONLY make them in Illinois, so you can't have them. [kidding] I have only seen them at nurseries or actual "plant" retailers, not Home Depot or Lowe's.

 

[Kevy Baby]

(they have some really nice pothos that just came in at Home Depot....)

Always, always, always wash any plant before putting in with your Reps - especially ones from Home Despot. You want to make sure to get all the pesticides off.

My $0.02

 

[RPCV]

It looks good. Just out of curiosity, why do you have 2 basking spots and a compact fluorescent light?

The CFL is a 6500K which is for the plants (not heat or UVB). Two basking spots simply because the 30 inch length of the enclosure. They bulbs are 24 inches a part and provide variety (one is 40 W the other is 75 W.

Thank you for bringing this up! I had not tought about it. Does anybody know (not think) that two incandesent bulbs, a 6500K CFL and 5.0 tube would be a problem with too much light (foot candles/lumens)? Keeping in mind that this is a 30 inch linear fixture with horizontal bulbs not a dome so the radient/reflected light would be more distributed and less focused.

 

[RPCV]

They ONLY make them in Illinois, so you can't have them. [kidding] I have only seen them at nurseries or actual "plant" retailers, not Home Depot or Lowe's.

Yep - found it at a local greenhouse/nursery. Saw it, loved it and had to have one! Did some research and found out they are made locally in the Chicago area and sold to smaller establishments and come in various heights from 24 inches up to 48 inches.

So..in order to get these out to those who want them I guess we would need to find an entrepeneur, who is in the Chicago area, with an interest in chameleons and a business background....perhaps someone who is already selling chams and related products, travels to shows and has developed a strong network. I have no idea who this might be .

 

[chams1]

So..in order to get these out to those who want them I guess we would need to find an entrepeneur, who is in the Chicago area, with an interest in chameleons and a business background....perhaps someone who is already selling chams and related products, travels to shows and has developed a strong network. I have no idea who this might be .

Very subtle. I can't imagine who that would be either.... Believe me, I have thought about it many times. I have one of these (I think it's only 12" high) and I did notice that it was made locally. I just may have to go pick a few of these up and take them to the show on Sunday..... One more thing to pack and drag with me.

 

[kpritch17]

The CFL is a 6500K which is for the plants (not heat or UVB). Two basking spots simply because the 30 inch length of the enclosure. They bulbs are 24 inches a part and provide variety (one is 40 W the other is 75 W.

Thank you for bringing this up! I had not tought about it. Does anybody know (not think) that two incandesent bulbs, a 6500K CFL and 5.0 tube would be a problem with too much light (foot candles/lumens)? Keeping in mind that this is a 30 inch linear fixture with horizontal bulbs not a dome so the radient/reflected light would be more distributed and less focused.

Oh okay. I have no idea if there can be too much light, but the enclosure looks good! Great job.

 

[glaceauz]

Yep - found it at a local greenhouse/nursery. Saw it, loved it and had to have one! Did some research and found out they are made locally in the Chicago area and sold to smaller establishments and come in various heights from 24 inches up to 48 inches.

So..in order to get these out to those who want them I guess we would need to find an entrepeneur, who is in the Chicago area, with an interest in chameleons and a business background....perhaps someone who is already selling chams and related products, travels to shows and has developed a strong network. I have no idea who this might be .

lol thanks, ill look into it, i wish i still lived up in IL