Getting ready for a juv melleri or possibly veiled

[mastert]

hi im new to this and am preparing a set up for my first cham. i'd appreciate it if you guys would look over my list and give me your opinions. thanks

A 3x2x4.5' all screen enclosure to be handbuilt
warm mist humidifier
75(or 100?) watt nocturnal light and reflector controled by temp gauge
a 20 in full spectrum UV light with reflector controlled by timer
temp and hygrometer
big dripper system
and a ficus plant along with some branches and vines varied throughout the cage.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

The requirements for veileds are different from what is required for a meller's chameleon.
First I think you should decide which species you are creating the environment for.

-Brad

 

[mastert]

yeah very true, i've decided to go with a 5 or 6 month jackson

 

[Julirs]

Jackson's have entirely different requirements. They are a cooler species that require a little more humidity and water then the others mentioned.

 

[ciafardo 4]

if this is your first time owning a chameleon i would recomend a male veiled they are a really beautiful chameleon and more forgiving of mistakes made by first timers just an opinion

 

[ciafardo 4]

oh and they are mostly all captive bred witch is a big plus

 

[mastert]

thanks, so a male veiled it is. just wondering if a humidifier and a dripper will suffice, if so should i use a cool or warm humidifier?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I don't use a humidifier.
In what part of the world do you live?

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

-Brad

 

[mastert]

i live near palm springs,CA.It's A very dry and hot desert if you're not familiar with it

 

[summoner12]

Jackson's have entirely different requirements. They are a cooler species that require a little more humidity and water then the others mentioned.

Jacksoni and Melleri require a similar environment. They are both montane species and thrive well in the same conditions.

My suggestion for a first cham would be a Veiled or Panther. They can take a bit more of a beating from a new keeper who is still learning the ropes. I would not buy a Melleri since they are normally wild caught and will require one or two vet visits and come with parasites that need to be exterminated. Plus Melleri aren't as simple when it comes to housing. They are quite large animals when mature. I am not claiming to be an expert Melleri keeper... but I do have three and would encourage anyone considering a Melleri to first care for a Jackson or other montane species first. Chams in general are similar but still each species requires something different. If you can keep a Jackson's enclosure at a consistent level of high humidity and cool temps you will be in a better position for keeping a Melleri.

 

[summoner12]

thanks, so a male veiled it is. just wondering if a humidifier and a dripper will suffice, if so should i use a cool or warm humidifier?

Cool mist works well. I use a Vick's 5100N model. Worked well... for some reason its giving me some troubles right now. You will need one, I know how dry palm springs can be. You may not need to run one 24/7 if you have an auto mister and the room you keep your cham in is not very large. I assume you use central air or some kind of A/C due to the heat? If so you will need to keep an eye on humidity.

 

[mastert]

ok thanks, but my question is..... will my supplies work for a veiled. also i've decided to use an auto mister instead of a humidifier because that seems to be be what most people prefer

 

[summoner12]

Hope this helps.

ok thanks, but my question is..... will my supplies work for a veiled. also i've decided to use an auto mister instead of a humidifier because that seems to be be what most people prefer

1. A 3x2x4.5' all screen enclosure to be handbuilt
2. warm mist humidifier
3. 75(or 100?) watt nocturnal light and reflector controled by temp gauge
4. a 20 in full spectrum UV light with reflector controlled by timer
5. temp and hygrometer
6. big dripper system
7. and a ficus plant along with some branches and vines varied throughout the cage.

#1 Will depend on the age of the veiled you get. Start with something small if you plan to buy a young cham.
#2 Will work for bringing up the humidity in the room.
#3 Needs to be a day time lamp. You can use a 60w flood lamp from Home Depot
#4 What kind of UV lamp? There are all kinds of UV lamps. What you want is a ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 linear tube, NOT a compact (screw in type of lamp). Check out the UV Guide website for UV info.
#5 Are great to have.
#6 Great for providing a water supply in between misting
#7 Be sure to re-pot the plant and remove any fertilizer balls (those little white things) some people say you should bake sticks for a bit in the oven at around 350-400 degrees.

 

[Drone]

I live in Riverside and I am taking care of my first cham, Evo, male Panther.

I have a humidifier he loves on dry days/nights... which during the winter is frequent. I also use the vicks 5100N

I wish I had an automatic misting system setup, and furthermore an auto-humidity system that turns on based on humidity. Plan on setting that up eventually, when I switch to his next cage. Also auto timing the lights would be sweet.

young chams use a smaller cage, adults need a larger one. For panthers it tends to be about 9 months or so when you change .... veiled im not so sure.

I use


http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...ceramic-bulbs/-/zoo-med-50-watt-basking-bulb/

can not put it directly on screen too powerful


and if necessary have a
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...ramic-bulbs/-/zoo-med-60-watt-ceramic-heater/

used it twice but it tends to be too powerful.

with 2x
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...tures/-/zoo-med-black-ceramic-mini-clip-lamp/

hope that helps