For everyone who KNOWS you can't keep chams in glass

[Klemins]

I'm now trying to find a terrarium large enough to house C. parsonii.


I've heard of Parsons being kept in 4 by 4 by 2 foot terrariums and seemed to be doing fine. Although with Parsons you can never have a cage that is to big. Could not say how big the Parsons that were being kept in those Terrariums though I think they were mostly temporary or grow out terrariums and not for adult Parsons.

I'm working on a larger terrarium as a sun terrarium for my male Parson.

Since you are in California, I would considering contacting Jason at Protean Terrarium if you're looking for a large, custom terrarium. I had some smaller models built by him which can be seen in the enclosures thread. The prices are extremely fair, and you likely would not have to worry about shipping due to your location. Don't want to seem like a shill, but I don't know anywhere else to get the same type of work for their prices.

 

[luckyy15]

He measures 6 inches head to vent and 11 to 12 inches from head to the tip of his tail. A few times when I open the door to mist his plant he walks straight on my hand even if he is at the back of the cage. Is this most likely because he needs some more space. I
mean he is really friendly I often hand feed him and spot clean the bottom
of his cage and he never hisses or shows and distress or anything he seems to have a really good temperament but just worried it will stress him out if he keeps coming out and being handled. With the uv tube does it sit on the top of the cage not inside ? His lights at the moment are o. Top of the cage

Thanks for your help

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Since you are in California, I would considering contacting Jason at Protean Terrarium if you're looking for a large, custom terrarium. I had some smaller models built by him which can be seen in the enclosures thread. The prices are extremely fair, and you likely would not have to worry about shipping due to your location. Don't want to seem like a shill, but I don't know anywhere else to get the same type of work for their prices.

Thanks Klemins I'm going to call them.

 

[CoppellChameleons]

Thanks

I really appreciate this info. i wanted to do something like this but always feared for their health. So this would work with veileds also right?

 

[Julirs]

I really appreciate this info. i wanted to do something like this but always feared for their health. So this would work with veileds also right?

This will work with young Veileds. There is not an Exoterra made large enough to hold an adult Veiled (some will argue a female will work-I will argue there is not enough vertical height.) You live in Texas-may I ask why you would want to keep in glass?

 

[CoppellChameleons]

Thanks

This will work with young Veileds. There is not an Exoterra made large enough to hold an adult Veiled (some will argue a female will work-I will argue there is not enough vertical height.) You live in Texas-may I ask why you would want to keep in glass?

Thanks for your opinion. I was just curious. Was not intending to do this anytime soon. Just thought the setup was cool. All ours in screened enclosures.

 

[frankpayne32]

This is a duplicate post from another thread on this forum but I thought it applicable to post here.

http://issuu.com/frankpayne/docs/keeping_chameleons_in_glass_enclosures?mode=a_p

Here is an article on my thoughts, research, and experiences on housing chameleons and the misconceptions that many people have on doing so. It is both very similar and different from the excellent article that Chris wrote at the beginning of this thread. I have been thinking about this for several years and have finally been prompted to put pen to paper, so to speak, and share it with the herpetocultural community.

For those of you that don't know me, my name is Frank Payne. I am currently a science teacher (Ecology, Biology, and Physics) living in Pennsylvania. I have a B.S in Biology, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, and am currently pursuing an M.S. in Biology. I have kept literally hundreds of species and thousands of individual reptiles and amphibians both personally and professionally. I was formerly a Senior Herpetology Keeper at Clyde Peeling's Reptiland, an AZA accredited zoological institution with the third largest herpetology collection in the United States. I still work there part time and have been with them for over seven years. Chameleons have always been my favorite group of reptiles. I have successfully kept pardalis, calyptratus, lateralis, quadricornis, brevicaudatus, jacksonii, and recently hoehnelii. I only share all this as I am only recently becoming active in public internet forums and I simply want to add veritas to my article. I invite a discussion on this topic as it is one I have thought a great deal about. Thanks for looking!

 

[ToExXx]

Nice

Nice post, Ive had people on other forums get downright hostlie and insulting about this topic. When I first got my cham I convert my 90g fish tank into a terraruim,not perfect but it worked, this was from the beginning only a temp measure, I filled it with live plants and was able to let his food roam free. I had no ill effects from this setup while I used it, my cham wasnt stessed, he was active, feeding and drinking much more than people led me to beleave he would. It is noteworthy that I had fans to circulate the air as they also kept the hood I had(8 bulb t-5) cool. I transferred him into a Iguanarium that is basically a bird cage in style, open air wide bars, when he got to about 5 inches in length or roughly 6 months old. Some people can be very cruel in thier comments and usually those same people arent very proficient in animal husbandry. Im glad you showed a good example of chams living near glass and provided facts and photos. Gj

 

[NWD]

Cool

Very educational post.

 

[Jweezy]

Peter Kraemer-or anyone who has answer

I was wondering wont the baked cork board mold or collect bacteria?

 

[eisentrauti]

@Jweezy: cork is here in Europe a standard option for terrarium backwalls. It has normally no problems with mold or much water, only feeders like crickets and mechanical load can cause problems. But normally its way better than coconut fibre backwalls. Chameleons can climb very good on it and the females of live bearing species like it to put the fresh borne juveniles on it

 

[Peter Kraemer]

@ Joshua - with normal cork for floors and walls you will get these problems but not with the baked cork.
We mount the cork a little bit over the soil that these have no contact.

Peter

 

[Jweezy]

So there any way i can get that? I live in the US in texas, or should i no put it up, i have a veiled chameleon and i liked how it looked in your cage.
Just wondering if that would be a good idea to put up or not and where i could get some

thanks

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I did not go with the giant glass terrarium that I was aiming for. I did end up going with a 4X2X2 for my male Parsons. I figured going 4X4X2 would not be OK with the landlord as animals are restricted in my apartments.

 

[Julirs]

I do not keep Parsons, but I hardly find that acceptable for one size wise.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

He's captive bred and does not show stress signs and eats roaches out of my hand from this glass terrarium. He drinks well as well and there is nobody in the apartment except me. He has been doing this since 2008. In 2012 when I graduate he is moving into the greenhouse 100%. He has a path and cruise the branches regularly and is more active then obviously you expect.

 

[Texas Ranger]

I do not keep Parsons, but I hardly find that acceptable for one size wise.

I agree. That just doesnt seem right. My male panther is a small species compared to a parsons. And I keep him in a 2x2x4 ft. screen cage. I couldnt imagine him being happy in that type of encloser.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I agree. That just doesnt seem right. My male panther is a small species compared to a parsons. And I keep him in a 2x2x4 ft. screen cage. I couldnt imagine him being happy in that type of encloser.

If you read my other thread about having more horizontal area being more important than vertical areas you would see that horizontal branch paths are more important than vertical and that has been shown with Rhino (that goes for most other chameleons in my opinion as well). Rhino my male has responded quite well to the horizontal and non vertical glass terrarium arrangement. His cage is elevated enough to give him the security of being elevated in a tree meaning a more vertical terrarium is not required. Even though Rhino has done good with this arrangement if this still bothers you Rhinos his second cage is a 7X7X3.5 screen terrarium in a greenhouse to calm ever ones nerves.

Glass terrariums are commonly used for Parsons enclosures in Europe.

 

[Eltortu]

Hey Motherlode, is that a regular t-8 fluorescent light?

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

The fixture is one from the hardware store (not very fancy) and the tube lights are two 5.0 Zoomeds one 2.0 Zoomed and a shop light.