how oftern?
- Thread starter danni
- Start date
Lizardlover
New Member
I clean poop every time it falls, but I only take out everything about once a month, if your cham isnt to fiesty, im sure he enjoy sitting on a stick or vine somewhere in your house
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Twice a year I remove everything and clean the cages.
Spot cleaning happens much more often.
-Brad
Spot cleaning happens much more often.
-Brad
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
These are very clean animals.
Things to be concerned about would be dead/rotting feeders, excessive water on the floor, fecal matter, etc.
It's very easy to wipe down the floor with vinegar once a week, but taking everything out, displacing the animal, etc. is not necessary and causes a lot of stress.
Once in the spring and once in the fall.
-Brad
Things to be concerned about would be dead/rotting feeders, excessive water on the floor, fecal matter, etc.
It's very easy to wipe down the floor with vinegar once a week, but taking everything out, displacing the animal, etc. is not necessary and causes a lot of stress.
Once in the spring and once in the fall.
-Brad
Grizz
New Member
personaly i clean mine with steam cleaner once a week. once a month i take my veiled out and everything else. soak vines and fake plants in very light water bleach mixture. i remove poo every day and clean tub in bottom of cage. it is easy to clean tub it is removable. when i steam clean i leave him inside he doesnt seem to mind infact he will go to area i just cleaned allowing me to clean every where. my steam cleaner has a small tip so it takes about an hour to do whole area. i also cycle plants so i can clean out any urate that gets stuck on leaves. after my bout with pinworms and coccidia, i dont take any chances.
danni
New Member
yes, still in the glass tank - but, my husband has removed the doors & we've added mesh to the front.
i have spoken to breders over here in england & they said humidity is an issue with an all mesh viv over here.
i've been looking on the net at other viv's, but they are wood sides, bottom & top, with a half mesh back & glass fronts & i cant see how different they would be to a glass tank - am i wrong?
also the heating worried me a little in these tanks, as the basking light was in the tank, so the cham could easily get burnt.
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
How did you replace the glass doors? I'm interested as Lily is in an exoterra terarrium - she always has been. Don't have any issues with it - she's quite often out sitting on the back of the chair or on someone's shoulder anyway! In the summer I fix wire mesh to the front so she doesn't overheat. She also has a wire cage that she sunbathes in when its warm enough to go outside. She loves it! They do 'proper' basking in direct sun outside - its great to see!
She's very healthy even after laying 103 eggs the day before Christmas Eve!! In this recent cold spell I've had to increase her heat as she was way too cold and that was in glass. I think she would have died of cold by now if she was in an all mesh cage!
She's very healthy even after laying 103 eggs the day before Christmas Eve!! In this recent cold spell I've had to increase her heat as she was way too cold and that was in glass. I think she would have died of cold by now if she was in an all mesh cage!
danni
New Member
i'm really please you've said that abou the exo terra - i've been really cobcerned about them, as my 1st cham died.
not too sure what hubby did, but we've just use gaffa tape to stick the mesh round, so i just peel it off & restick it - it doesnt look the best thought!!!!!!
what is your basking heat?
do you use a heat mat too?
i have one, but read a post yesterday saying that you shouldnt use them, so i turned ot off - shuld i turn it back on?????
not too sure what hubby did, but we've just use gaffa tape to stick the mesh round, so i just peel it off & restick it - it doesnt look the best thought!!!!!!
what is your basking heat?
do you use a heat mat too?
i have one, but read a post yesterday saying that you shouldnt use them, so i turned ot off - shuld i turn it back on?????
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
Chameleons don't need heat mats - they like to bask under a light (simulating the sun). Lily's lights are in the extoterra hood (came as part of the housing package) and she's also got an extra desk lamp above the mesh at the back too at the moment. She was quite cold before - I thought she was ill cos her eyes were sunk in a bit too and she wasn't eating - had me worried for a couple of days! No probs since she's had a bit more warmth. They also need heat for digestion. A good sunbathe and misting in the garden in the summer usually guarantees a good poop!! 
I thought all was okay as it is reported that to limit diet and temps can stop them producing eggs. She wasn't eating much and her temps were cooler but this was also probably why she wasn't eating! Seems to be quite difficult to get the balance right!! I didn't have any trouble with her temps in the summer - just since the cold spell we've been having here in the UK!
Also, I think the exo's are used more over here than they are in America or Canada. With regard to cleaning it I remove everything and clean every couple of weeks as the water marks from misting dry white on the glass! In the summer Lily goes outside to sunbathe while I clean, but in winter she goes in her outside cage in a warmer part of the room or in the porch (indoors) if its warm enough. I just use hot water and a sponge/scourer pad and finish off with an antibacterial reptile spray and kitchen roll to dry the glass.
I thought all was okay as it is reported that to limit diet and temps can stop them producing eggs. She wasn't eating much and her temps were cooler but this was also probably why she wasn't eating!
Seems to be quite difficult to get the balance right!! I didn't have any trouble with her temps in the summer - just since the cold spell we've been having here in the UK!Also, I think the exo's are used more over here than they are in America or Canada. With regard to cleaning it I remove everything and clean every couple of weeks as the water marks from misting dry white on the glass! In the summer Lily goes outside to sunbathe while I clean, but in winter she goes in her outside cage in a warmer part of the room or in the porch (indoors) if its warm enough. I just use hot water and a sponge/scourer pad and finish off with an antibacterial reptile spray and kitchen roll to dry the glass.
danni
New Member
monty has a ceramic basking lamp whcih is 86.
i changed his uvb lights today from coiled to stip lights, which are in a hood, it does have a space for a little round heat lap, but didnt buy that i was told as i had the ceramic there was no need for it.
would you think he need thats too?
his viv is quite near a rad & other readings in his tank rang from 70
gonna get him a flexi for the summer so he can go out side f0r a few hours - didnt thnk of putting him in 1 for cleaning of the viv tough - good idea!!!!!
might get hubby to put the doors back on for me as your cham seems very happy & healthy in your glass tank x
i changed his uvb lights today from coiled to stip lights, which are in a hood, it does have a space for a little round heat lap, but didnt buy that i was told as i had the ceramic there was no need for it.
would you think he need thats too?
his viv is quite near a rad & other readings in his tank rang from 70
gonna get him a flexi for the summer so he can go out side f0r a few hours - didnt thnk of putting him in 1 for cleaning of the viv tough - good idea!!!!!
might get hubby to put the doors back on for me as your cham seems very happy & healthy in your glass tank x
