Free Ranging Pygmy's

[mika]

I was wondering since we can free range veileds, does anyone free range their pygmy's?

Or have them out in the open instead of in a glass aquarium?

Pics?

 

[Tygerr]

Would be quite an interesting concept. I would expect that the biggest challenge would be keeping the humidity high enough. It's much harder to create a consistent micro-climate without glass walls.

 

[SoCaliSon]

Aren't affraid of losing the little guys... I would feel horrible if I accidentally stepped on one. I wouldn't free range these guys... they are too tiny... and are not as aboreal as the Veileds who when free ranged just look for the highest spot to climb up and kick it. Pygmy's are actually found on the forest floor climbing around in leaves and twigs... so I imagine if you free ranged them they would just be roaming the floor in your house.

 

[mika]

I guess I'm having a problem with them not getting good ol sunshine & just getting fluorescent tube lighting.

I heard my brookesia would also go up bushes that are 3 feet high.

I would think in the wild eventhough the forest is dense the rays of the sun would still hit the bottom of the forest.

The brookesia I have lives in a deciduous forest which means when all the leaves fall he'd get hit with direct sunlight if moves around.

Any ideas? Half plexiglass? Half open? or half screen?

Half something?

 

[mika]

I would feel horrible if I accidentally stepped on one.

I forgot who it was but I think one of the members here actually stepped on em but they lived..hahaha

I thought it was funny but of course I would be horrified if it happened to me too.

 

[mika]

How about the front & top all screen ( a little plexi to hold the substrate), the sides all plexiglass.

Anybody see a problem with this? Would this be enough to sustain a consistent micro climate?

 

[SoCaliSon]

How about the front & top all screen ( a little plexi to hold the substrate), the sides all plexiglass.

Anybody see a problem with this? Would this be enough to sustain a consistent micro climate?

I'm trying to picture this and it sounds like a little screen/plexi enclosure...
Something like this sounds like it would make more sense than actually free ranging. Having not kept Pygmys I am not an expert on their enclosure needs, But I would imagine that the open screen would make it harder to manage the micro envirnment. It seems like the glass tanks have been the preferd enclosure for keeping these guys, and probably for a lot of good reasons that I yet to become familiar with... I know that I have been contimplating making a Pygmy setup out of a big 60 gal glass terrarium, I thought it would be cool to get a little forest floor going in there and keep a nice sized colony of them... But I have to focus on my other Cham endevours I have started beofre I get going on this.

Maybe some experienced Brev Heads will chime in with some info.

Also I noticed we are fairly close... Let me know if you get this going ... I would love to come check it out.

 

[Nicodemayo]

I forgot who it was but I think one of the members here actually stepped on em but they lived..hahaha

I thought it was funny but of course I would be horrified if it happened to me too.

It was a girl that stepped on her jacksons

 

[reyesjoshuacruz]

ive been toying around with this idea for some time, the key is going to be low shrubs.


im planning on using something similar to a kiddie pool out side, something that is too tall and slick for them to crawl up,

 

[mika]

A densely planted kiddie pool? Do you have brevs?

Maybe I can check out your setup since you live in the OC..

We can brainstorm..lol

 

[reyesjoshuacruz]

i dont have it setup yet, for now just the enclosure i posted about. i might be moving to anyone of like 10 places so i dont want to set up up yet, but i might be getting an acre of prop to raise chams in free range. do you have pics of your enclosure?

 

[pygmy leaf chameleon]

Aren't affraid of losing the little guys... I would feel horrible if I accidentally stepped on one. I wouldn't free range these guys... they are too tiny... and are not as aboreal as the Veileds who when free ranged just look for the highest spot to climb up and kick it. Pygmy's are actually found on the forest floor climbing around in leaves and twigs... so I imagine if you free ranged them they would just be roaming the floor in your house.

This is very true. I do not suggest free ranging the Pygmy Chameleons because i tried that and when I cam back from school I hear my mom screaming and there was a Rhampholeon Temporalis roaming the floor on the other side of the house. I still do not get how such a slow and laid back animal could squeeze through the wires of a cage jump or fall down my desk walk out of my room, go through the hallway and get to the other side of my house. Never under estimate a Pygmy Chamelon no matter how small or how slow and lazy it could appear.

 

[phelsumatic]

I know this an older post but depending on where you live this is a very good Idea.I do it with all mine rham's,brookesia all benefit from atleast some access to natural light weekly.The best thing i have used is a horse troff they are cheap and sturdy plus you can cover with a wider type mesh so light gets in but nothing else can get in except food.
I put mine outdoors during florida winters and I also add dogfood in a small cup to attract flies.
Goodluck

 

[Ange]

So is it best to keep Pygmy's in an aquarium?

 

[summoner12]

So is it best to keep Pygmy's in an aquarium?

Yes.................

 

[Meximeleon]

I have my Pygmy chameleons in a 38 gallon reptarium planted without any trouble. free ranging a pygmy is crazy lol mine would probably go for a swim in my aquapod.