Epic Parsonii Enclosure: Part 1

[Extensionofgreen]

I added some more vines and some bromeliads to the enclosure.

 

[savage13]

Man now that a enclosure! Great job bro..How your animals doing in there new home?

 

[Extensionofgreen]

They have both increased their appetites and appear much more active, though not restless. They don't avoid, nor associate with one another and I'm anxiously watching them for signs of hopefully successful cohabitation.

 

[savage13]

That good to hear wish you nothing but the best..

 

[Dirtydominican77]

That is a gorgeous place for any animal to live in. Can't wait to see it all grown out in a few weeks with all that gorgeous lighting that enclosure is getting. Congratulations on an awesome enclosure.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Great build! Your enclosure looks like it is going to be a great home for your Orange Eye White Lip pair.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Here are some updates. I've added 2 additional mist nozzles and will be adding 2 more Jungle Dawns, as soon as they arrive. These pictures show views from one side to the other, showing just how much cover and room to avoid one another there is. There are also photos of my gardenia budding, a hibiscus flower soon to open, and new growth on the ficus 'Alii', and general shots of plant happiness. I keep adding and moving plants, planters, and equipment, as well as pruning, nearly once a week, to perfect the interior. Both parsonii are making great strides in food intake and weight increase, since being moved in. Enjoy!

 

[Extensionofgreen]

The last 3.
Gardenias are super hard indoors and even harder to bloom, but not for this enclosure!

 

[Daschmidt]

Phase 2 and things are moving at a snail's pace, but progress is being seen. There's a lot more behind the scenes work, such as loading and unloading 60+ bags of potting mix, finding out your help forgets or never hears half of your discussions, after things are already partially built.....the usual.
Gonna be the end of the week, I bet, before plants and lights are in place.
We are going to fix the crooked stud and put doors and a roof on, tomorrow.

Jolie freeholee that thing is huge are you going to be able to walk into it? Like a greenhouse in your house lol

 

[Duma]

You must have the secret touch for gardenias Mine hated it inside the cage

 

[guanagator]

Awesome enclosure you have cultivated, lucky chameleons!

 

[Extensionofgreen]

A few more shots. The clamp light in the lower, front, left corner is just temporary and isn't hot to the touch. It will be replaced by a proper, hung from the ceiling, Jungle Dawn, in the next few days. The parsons don't utilize that area, at this point, anyway, but I wanted to point out that it is not a hot basking bulb and poses no danger to them. It's a low wattage, cool running LED bulb, just throwing some light on a vine I planted that was dropping leaves.

The hibiscus bloom opened, and you can see the female parsons, in one of the shots.

Someone asked if you could walk inside the enclosure. You could have, before the plants and vines were secured. It's a bit tight, now.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

You must have the secret touch for gardenias Mine hated it inside the cage

Plenty of light, acidic soil, a night drop to 65-70F, and treating for spider mites, before planting in the enclosure, is all I've done. The 3 obstacles chameleon keepers face are 1) lower than adequate light, 2) overwatering, 3) soil mix that isn't well aerated. People are also terrified of fertilizer and pesticides, with good reason, but some understanding of fertilizer, the properties of specific pesticides, and the proper use of them is safe and important for healthy plants. Healthy conditions for tropical plants will likely be healthy for the chameleons. They appreciate the light, air circulation, and healthy foliage of an enclosure that doesn't skimp on the needs of the plants, too.

 

[KapitalJ]

this enclosure is too bad ass!!!!!

 

[Jonr78]

This is really amazing thanks for sharing

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I thought I had update this thread, when I rearranged the landscaping. I'll include those shots now! I replanted the enclosure in late August.
The reason I'm posting again isn't to share the updated planting in August, but to show the start of a new enclosure, with a better lay out and with some additional accommodations for hanging potted plants and to allow more space for the growing pair.
Features will include:
1,765 watts of lighting
16'x4'x6'10" dimensions
Trellis surrounding both sides and back
A false bottom with a pump for unlimited misting
A pair of dowels for hanging trailing plants, in order to create a visual barrier, effectively giving the enclosure 2 living areas of 8' each, that are divided by a living wall of foliage, they can pass through

Ventilation fans at the top, drawing air in from vents behind the the trellises in the enclosure and out through the top, cooling the light fixtures as well

Insect-tight, seamless walls

No obtrusive lights in the interior, all are contained in a canopy, with large screen maximizing light transfer, but fine screen above, preventing insect escape, while allowing heat to escape

Downward mounted mist nozzles, so less tubes, errant misting, and other hassles associated with my current set-up

Clear, waterproof doors, rather than screen, for increases humidity and no worry of mist escaping. The current set up gets mist blown by the fans, going outside the cage, through the screen doors.

The planting will be more interesting, with several unique species being used to fill things in.

Below are the photos of the updated planting, which has filled in a lot, since then. After are the humble beginnings of the new, larger enclosure.
Stay tuned!!!

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Phenominal!!!!

 

[Replife]

Wow you just don't stop do you !! I have just seen this thread for the first time a DAME!!! It has been awesome seeing where you started and have ended up and now you start another one KaBOoM mind blown lol for real tho I wish I could come home to that every day it's like cham paradise I absolutely love your work

 

[xrowdac]

EPic cage..build...

 

[Navymancdf]

Tht looks great. You did a great job