Enclosure thoughts?

[Kasi]

I got organic soil, I got spider plants, I got a weeping ficus (fig?) Whatever its called, I'm probably going to get one more spider plant, and I have a pothos.

Heat lamp 100 w bulb for heat, and a t5 uvb long strip.

I clean up water every day from the mister that lands on a metal tray underneath.

Yes I know the wood needs sealed.

NO the light is not technically inside, there's mesh underneath so he can't get to the light (didn't want hims to get burned)

Is there anything else I need for my guy? I'm just trying to give him the bestist life.

He seems to like climbing on the sides of the cage and the hanger on the baskets.

There's also soil everywhere and I don't know what to do about that, I'm terrified he's going to ingest it.

Thanks for the thoughts!

ps, his butts a bit peely

 

[Beman]

Hi there. Welcome to the forum. So the biggest issue in the way you have the lighting set up is the heat fixture inside. Even with the screen in between. The reason why I am saying this is the UVB then ends up way too far away. With a 5.0 T5HO bulb and fixture you need 8-9 inches to the closest basking branches to put the cham in the UVI level they need to prevent MBD. So this may mean making it so you can put the UVB in on that same divider piece that goes below the heat fixture. Then measure your distances to the branches below to ensure they are 8-9 inches.

Double check your temps. If he screen climbs and gets below the heat fixture the result would be a major thermal burn from a 100Watt bulb.

 

[Chameleoking]

That is s real nice setup. Looks big too. Do you know what the basking temp is. I see your basking branch is spaced... What two feet from the basking light. You don't need 100 watts for basking. Just a 65 watt or maybe even 70 watt. With 65 or 70 you will prevent burns to the caspue and back. Also you will be able to fill in more space with plants and get your basking branch about 9 inches from basking light.

 

[Kasi]

Hi there. Welcome to the forum. So the biggest issue in the way you have the lighting set up is the heat fixture inside. Even with the screen in between. The reason why I am saying this is the UVB then ends up way too far away. With a 5.0 T5HO bulb and fixture you need 8-9 inches to the closest basking branches to put the cham in the UVI level they need to prevent MBD. So this may mean making it so you can put the UVB in on that same divider piece that goes below the heat fixture. Then measure your distances to the branches below to ensure they are 8-9 inches.

Double check your temps. If he screen climbs and gets below the heat fixture the result would be a major thermal burn from a 100Watt bulb.

Thank you, I wasn't 100% sure on that one, I will definitely move it down to the second layer

 

[Kasi]

That is s real nice setup. Looks big too. Do you know what the basking temp is. I see your basking branch is spaced... What two feet from the basking light. You don't need 100 watts for basking. Just a 65 watt or maybe even 70 watt. With 65 or 70 you will prevent burns to the caspue and back. Also you will be able to fill in more space with plants and get your basking branch about 9 inches from basking light.

It's about 85 according to the temp gage, and I have one more branch I will stick in there a bit below the light thank you!!

 

[Beman]

Thank you, I wasn't 100% sure on that one, I will definitely move it down to the second layer

Then measure after you want 8-9 inches to the highest branches below it. Make sure you have branches that run parallel to it as well so he can bask comfortably.

Get a gauge with a probe on it to put the probe below the heat fixture on the branch. This will give you an accurate reading. The analog gauges are not accurate and will give you ambient within a few degrees but you want more of a spot on 80-85 max basking for a Veiled male.

The more branches the better IMO. Look into some of the larger centerpiece plants. They sell them at local nursery and lowes type stores in their indoor plants section.

This is a great site as well to learn accurate husbandry from.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[Kasi]

Then measure after you want 8-9 inches to the highest branches below it. Make sure you have branches that run parallel to it as well so he can bask comfortably.

Get a gauge with a probe on it to put the probe below the heat fixture on the branch. This will give you an accurate reading. The analog gauges are not accurate and will give you ambient within a few degrees but you want more of a spot on 80-85 max basking for a Veiled male.

The more branches the better IMO. Look into some of the larger centerpiece plants. They sell them at local nursery and lowes type stores in their indoor plants section.

This is a great site as well to learn accurate husbandry from.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

View attachment 324070

Thank you!

I moved it down, and I'm going to get a 70 watt bulb and then move the lights over to more of the center afterwards.

I've been on the hunt for a nice centerpiece plant, but no where I've looked has any big enough (the enclosures about 5 feet tall) so my plan would be at least a three foot tall center and that's the struggle I'm having in finding one.

Anywho, thank you so much for your help!

 

[Kasi]

Thank you!

I moved it down, and I'm going to get a 70 watt bulb and then move the lights over to more of the center afterwards.

I've been on the hunt for a nice centerpiece plant, but no where I've looked has any big enough (the enclosures about 5 feet tall) so my plan would be at least a three foot tall center and that's the struggle I'm having in finding one.

Anywho, thank you so much for your help!

Here's the pic, I also added a closer branch!

 

[Beman]

Thank you!

I moved it down, and I'm going to get a 70 watt bulb and then move the lights over to more of the center afterwards.

I've been on the hunt for a nice centerpiece plant, but no where I've looked has any big enough (the enclosures about 5 feet tall) so my plan would be at least a three foot tall center and that's the struggle I'm having in finding one.

Anywho, thank you so much for your help!

Flip a pot over that is the same dimension or larger then your potted plant and then set the plant on that. You can get another foot in height that way if it is a decent pot size. The other option are those kitchen organizers that go in your pantry. @MissSkittles may have the link for them.

 

[Beman]

Here's the pic, I also added a closer branch!

Much better... Add a ton more branches all different diameters as well.

 

[MissSkittles]

The other option are those kitchen organizers that go in your pantry. @MissSkittles may have the link for them.

Not sure which you mean, but there are lots of options. https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Wire+pantry+organizer

 

[OldWorldChams]

I would move all of those mid level branches near the top or back so you have room to fill up the middle with a large plant. A good schefflera can be found at the big hardware stores. Hibiscus are in stock now and are good but tend to drop leaves indoors. Fill it up with foliage.

 

[Kasi]

I would move all of those mid level branches near the top or back so you have room to fill up the middle with a large plant. A good schefflera can be found at the big hardware stores. Hibiscus are in stock now and are good but tend to drop leaves indoors. Fill it up with foliage.
View attachment 324089

Been working on finding a big enough for the enclosure (this thing is huge), I've been hunting hut everything around isn't really big enough for climbing. But there's enough room without moving the branches (also super wide), but thank you for the thoughts

 

[Multivitamins]

I'm going to say that pothos are far more ideal than spider plants for they vine more and have a leaf shape that provides drinking surface and shade in a more advantageous way than spider plants, they are very aesthetically pleasing and can work in harmony but the pothos will be strong enough to train around branches and have it vine around and allow the cham to climb on where the pups off the spider plant just don't have the same strength and usefulness

and for bonus points, they propagate sooo easily just cut it near the node and drop it in water give it a few weeks you'll have roots and a new plant to use as filler