I know this is horrible but ...

[mreinsteiner]

I'm in the process of building a really nice enclosure for my chameleon Dax... but for the time being I'm stuck with a all Glass 40 Gallon Terrarium with a screen top (I know I'm horrible and you should never keep a Chameleon in an Aquarium but until my build is complete, about a month, it's all I have so please don't chastise me too much). Does anyone have any tips on draining water form Misting? The Terrarium is not mine or I would drill holes all around the bottom. Right now I'm using a Coconut husk sub strait, an umbrella plant, and a jade plant some branches some fake plants/vines I hand mist often (3-4 times a day for about a min each time). The sub strait is too damp, and I'm worried about bacteria. I have no problem keeping the temp and humidity correct, if anything it is really easy. My Chameleon is just under 2 month old.

 

[carol5208]

Well you are not all that bad, because you are building him a new home! I would get rid of the substrate. You wouldn't want your cham to eat any of it not to mention what you said about it getting wet and yucky!!!

 

[mreinsteiner]

Well you are not all that bad, because you are building him a new home! I would get rid of the substrate. You wouldn't want your cham to eat any of it not to mention what you said about it getting wet and yucky!!!

Would you suggest putting anything down instead of substrate? Paper towels, newspaper? I think the moist substrate is the main reason my humidity stays fairly consistent (80-90 right after misting, 60 for about an hour after misting, then it averages 40 between misting). I just want to make sure he is as comfortable as possible until I get my new enclosure finished. Right now every time I clean the terrarium (2-4 times a week depending on how much he eats/poops and if he sheds), I ring out the substrate and it seems to help.

 

[carol5208]

Well I have screen cages with either a treated wood bottom or some type of formica that came with with the cage. Many members use paper towels. I do not as i live in Florida and honestly humidity is never an issue for me thank god. Even with the AC running non stop my cage still holds almost at 60%. As far as that substrate, I don't know how stringy and loose it is, but you always have to be careful of your chameleon eating it, either purposely or accidently while shooting for prey. That would be another concern of mine besides the soggy bacteria breeding ground.

 

[Cainschams]

http://chameleonnews.com/10JulAndersonGlass.html

Hopefully this helps

 

[mreinsteiner]

Well I have screen cages with either a treated wood bottom or some type of formica that came with with the cage. Many members use paper towels. I do not as i live in Florida and honestly humidity is never an issue for me thank god. Even with the AC running non stop my cage still holds almost at 60%. As far as that substrate, I don't know how stringy and loose it is, but you always have to be careful of your chameleon eating it, either purposely or accidently while shooting for prey. That would be another concern of mine besides the soggy bacteria breeding ground.

Thanks! I think I'm going to line the bottom with paper towels, just to make cleaning easier. I didn't really think of it before, but the potted dirt from my two plants will probably help quite a bit with the humidity. The pots are tall enough I really haven't had a problem with crickets hanging out there. And even if a few do hang out there, I'm yet to see Dax eat one from in there, probably just too much work for him.

 

[carol5208]

ah, one more thing! If you have the potted plants and the dirt is exposed then you will want to cover the dirt up as some chameleons eat dirt too! The consensus is that is not good for them. Not sure what the reasoning is and maybe someone else has that answer?But I would imagine it is not good on the digestion system. So I would just cover the dirt up with LARGE rocks. nothing small that your chameleon could injest just in case a cricket is sitting on one of those little rocks and your cham shoots his tongue at the cricket! I know alot of precautions! But all things we have to learn!!!

 

[mreinsteiner]

http://chameleonnews.com/10JulAndersonGlass.html

Hopefully this helps

WOW that link was GREAT!!!!! Thank you soo much.

I'm going to quote my favorite part that helped me the most in case someone else is in my situation.

"First, I have found that it is best to fully plant each glass terrarium with live plants, much like you would for a pygmy chameleon terrarium. I use an inch to an inch and a half layer of hydroton pebbles on the bottom for drainage, which I then cover with a layer of plastic window screen to maintain separation between the layers. I then plant a variety of live plants in the terrarium using organic potting soil. I try to have a combination of plants that will provide ground cover as well as arboreal foliage. I then seed the enclosure with springtails to act as a natural cleaning crew.


While some may claim that planting the terrarium poses a risk of ingestion of the substrate and subsequent impaction, I argue that there is no more risk of impaction then there would be for pygmy chameleons, which are routinely housed in fully planted enclosures, and that the benefits outweigh the risks as long as you are careful to observe your animals. By planting the enclosure, the plants grow better and remain fuller, there is natural drainage and no water buildup in the bottom of the enclosure, there are increased humidity levels in the enclosure, and it provides for a nicer looking setup in general that both you and your animal will appreciate. Of course, if an animal is observed actively consuming the soil, that animal should be housed in an enclosure without a soil substrate, but this is a rare occurrence and usually indicative of a nutritional issue that needs to be addressed. "

 

[mreinsteiner]

ah, one more thing! If you have the potted plants and the dirt is exposed then you will want to cover the dirt up as some chameleons eat dirt too! The consensus is that is not good for them. Not sure what the reasoning is and maybe someone else has that answer?But I would imagine it is not good on the digestion system. So I would just cover the dirt up with LARGE rocks. nothing small that your chameleon could injest just in case a cricket is sitting on one of those little rocks and your cham shoots his tongue at the cricket! I know alot of precautions! But all things we have to learn!!!

Also a great idea! I'm so glad I posted this question, I almost didn't out of fear that people would just criticize my Cham's current living arrangement. I live near a river so next time I'm out there I'm going to grab a bucket full of rocks. Even if it was healthy for Cham's to eat dirt, I still like this Idea, just a little more interior decorating for the enclosure.

 

[carol5208]

I would never argue with Chris Anderson! I read all his posts! He is probably one of the most knowledgeable people on here! All his chams do beautifully in glass as he has stated. I have seen on here though people whose chams have eaten dirt, moss and substrate. Some of it accidentally. the choice is really yours, but just be aware that it can happen.

 

[carol5208]

Also a great idea! I'm so glad I posted this question, I almost didn't out of fear that people would just criticize my Cham's current living arrangement. I live near a river so next time I'm out there I'm going to grab a bucket full of rocks. Even if it was healthy for Cham's to eat dirt, I still like this Idea, just a little more interior decorating for the enclosure.

There are many people in the colder climates who house their chams in glass also. The terrariums work well, it is just people who house their chams in tiny fish tanks that we really get on!!!!

 

[Cainschams]

WOW that link was GREAT!!!!! Thank you soo much.

No problem!! Your veiled will outgrow the enclosure eventually. Most do not house the larger species in terrariums just because a custom made one that accommodates the size of the animal would be very expensive. If you decide to set the terrarium up and then re-home your animal to a larger screen cage you will just have to put some pygmys or a smaller cham species in the terrarium

 

[mreinsteiner]

There are many people in the colder climates who house their chams in glass also. The terrariums work well, it is just people who house their chams in tiny fish tanks that we really get on!!!!

No problem!! Your veiled will outgrow the enclosure eventually. Most do not house the larger species in terrariums just because a custom made one that accommodates the size of the animal would be very expensive. If you decide to set the terrarium up and then re-home your animal to a larger screen cage you will just have to put some pygmys or a smaller cham species in the terrarium

I'm one of those people who live in a cold climate. I'm in Montana less than 40 Miles from the Canadian Border. (current temp 30 degrees and snowing) The enclosure I'm building is mostly glass, I've got a 3" screen section all the way around 2" from the bottom and an interchangeable screen/glass door on the left side (Well I'm building two different doors, and I'm switching them out seasonally) and an all screen top. The dimensions of the enclosure I'm building are 2.5' deep x 3' wide x 4.5' tall so it's a bit bigger than the recommended size. The whole thing is going to cost just under $50 (I found some dirt cheap glass at an auction, and my dad is a shop teacher so the wood is half free and the other half is at educators cost , the most expensive part is the screen and varnish)

Unfortunately the 40 gal terrarium I'm using right now isn't mine, and I have to give it back when my new one is done ... no pygmy's for me in the near future. My friend Glen has a fairly large collection of reptiles (no Cham's yet but he's digs mine) and is getting a female bearded dragon for breeding when I give it back.

 

[carol5208]

Sounds like you are going to be providing your cham with a great home. 30 and snowing! OMG I just got done watering my flowers

 

[mreinsteiner]

Sounds like you are going to be providing your cham with a great home. 30 and snowing! OMG I just got done watering my flowers

Ok now I'm Jealous, I'm about to drive 15 miles in a mild blizzard to go pick up some crickets, meal worms, and wax worms (I'm running a few other errands as well like picking the GF up from work). I'm out of crickets, low on meal worms and he's never tried wax worms so i thought i'd get him a treat. Then I'm driving 15 miles back home... in the snow.

ps happy spring for all of you in sane climates

 

[carol5208]

ah, what we won't do for the love of our chameleons!!!!

 

[Midnighthwk]

there u have been chastised

other than that i forgot what i was going to say by the time i got done reading all of the posts.
bet u cant wait till it warms up some.

i left socal (80) to come back to oregon when it was 20 and snowing the day my new guy showed up. but its finaly getting past 40

keep up the hard work

 

[Ta2Smitty]

you could always throw together a screen addition to sit on top of the aquarium extending it up a few feet...

 

[Ta2Smitty]

ahhh it was sunny and 85 today in south Texas...

 

[randomryan007]

terrarium

really and here I was freaking out that my wife spent all this money on a exo-terra terrarium. that mind you the reptile shop recomended for the chameleon she bought. and me freaking out because she started planting plants ect in it. because I thought it was a very bad thing. mind you she has a nice little water fall, a little dripper, a monsoon mister, and for those super dry summers arizona has she even has a fogger. vines and fake plants and real ones 2 uvb bulbs 1 basking bulb, and one night bulb. all combinations that the store recomended. come to find out that all this is ok. 10 yrs ago none of this was ok.

ok I have to give this store credit they have been in strictly the reptile bigness for over 20 yrs and we have shopped there for yrs