It's finished, he's in, so critique my enclosure please!

[SliK JiM]

The reason I came on was to post these pictures, but it just slipped my mind! Got too busy typing! LOL!

(the flash makes the fake plants look a lot more garish than they are!)

The vines and stuff that you can see still are right at the front, so it doesn't look like there's that much coverage but there is.

(just to give you an idea of my view through the mesh)

Here he is just negotiating his way to the top:

I'm still on the look out for a pothos, so when I get that, I'll move the fake plants at the top right, and put it in there!

 

[CleaTheChameleon]

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I love the finished project

 

[adamkwas]

WOW!!! That's one large, beautiful, enclosure! I bet your cham is in heaven!



Nice work,
Adam

 

[gad58y]

that viv is stunning james,b&q is the place to go for pothos(devils ivy)
i paid £12 for a 3ft tall one last week.



graeme

 

[HairyScaryMark]

I have to say, out of all the enclosures I've seen on here this is one of the ones that's impressed me the most. Not many people seem to do planted bottoms in mesh cages and the whole thing seems to be thought out really well.

Yesterday, I thought I didn't have enough space for something like this but if I consider the space underneath the cage is effectively useless and instead just use the full height potential and some of the space around it is effectively wasted by having the cage on a desk I could fit something bigger in a similar space. If you don't mind me asking. How much did it cost to build this?

I am also interested to know if you eventually add a pipe or similar for some drainage or if it ends up being a problem one way or another. Also, what misting system are you using?

If I get some spare time and money next year I might consider doing something of this variety.

 

[SliK JiM]

that viv is stunning james,b&q is the place to go for pothos(devils ivy)
i paid £12 for a 3ft tall one last week.

graeme

Sweet! I'll check it out when I get my car back from the garage! Managed to hit a patch of fresh snow today, and skidded into a hedge! Me and the car are fine, but I'm having it checked out just in case (I did break the back light which is a tad annoying!)!

I have to say, out of all the enclosures I've seen on here this is one of the ones that's impressed me the most. Not many people seem to do planted bottoms in mesh cages and the whole thing seems to be thought out really well.

Yesterday, I thought I didn't have enough space for something like this but if I consider the space underneath the cage is effectively useless and instead just use the full height potential and some of the space around it is effectively wasted by having the cage on a desk I could fit something bigger in a similar space. If you don't mind me asking. How much did it cost to build this?

I am also interested to know if you eventually add a pipe or similar for some drainage or if it ends up being a problem one way or another. Also, what misting system are you using?

If I get some spare time and money next year I might consider doing something of this variety.

I've been planning this build for months! So thought out is one thing it definitely is!

In total, I think its about £125-£150. I had the plants/vines and stuff from his old setup, but had to buy the two new flourescent fittings, bulbs, soil and all the wood and mesh. The most expensive thing (in terms of actual money spent) was the mesh at £50, but I have at least half of the amount I bought left, for some future builds.... So, it's probably only around £100-£125 for this build.

I did add a pipe in the end, but probably not where you expect! I decided to put one inside the base, so it is visible above the soil (but tucked away discretely in the corner). The idea is that it goes down into the hydroton layer so I can see how high the water level is, and if necessary, I can stick some smaller polytubing down it and syphon out the water. Each hydroton layer holds 35L, giving a total of 70L in the hydroton layers alone. Not to mention the retention in the soil and stuff. I should hopefully not need to empty it often or at all!

The misting system is one i build myself! Bought 2 nozzles from mistking and adapted a pump sprayer to provide the pressure. Works a treat!

I should eventually produce a guide to how I did it, so if you need some inspiration in the future, I'll send you a copy of it!

 

[ijmccollum]

I am just way impressed -- BRAVO!

 

[OOOst16]

yea now thats more lioke it....now you have the coverage you need gratz.

 

[HairyScaryMark]

70 L does sound like an awful lot of water. I have a friend who used to work as a plumber and he said that they used to use 'Henry' Hoovers to suck out water. It might be possible to attach such a thing to a pipe going to the bottom and suck out water to maintain the life of your drainage even further although you could argue by the time you've filled up all 70L (if that ever happens), you probably need to do some cleaning anyway.

 

[DGray]

fiddle-leaved figs?

Is that a fiddle-leaf fig in the way back? If so that is highly toxic if ingested.

Very nice cage none-the less, pothos all the way.

I agree that the cage and decor are great. I like it heavily "forested" too.

I am a bit concerned about a veiled with a "fiddle-leaved fig". _Ficus lyrata_ is among the most toxic of all the figs tested in a veterinary study, although that study was done on rats. I personally would not take the chance on that plant.

 

[SliK JiM]

70 L does sound like an awful lot of water. I have a friend who used to work as a plumber and he said that they used to use 'Henry' Hoovers to suck out water. It might be possible to attach such a thing to a pipe going to the bottom and suck out water to maintain the life of your drainage even further although you could argue by the time you've filled up all 70L (if that ever happens), you probably need to do some cleaning anyway.

I might attach a little pump to it I the need ever arrises, but at the moment simply syphoning off the water works! I had to test it out before hand t make sure it would work!

I agree that the cage and decor are great. I like it heavily "forested" too.

I am a bit concerned about a veiled with a "fiddle-leaved fig". _Ficus lyrata_ is among the most toxic of all the figs tested in a veterinary study, although that study was done on rats. I personally would not take the chance on that plant.

The lyrata is an odd one. Most of the things I've read (before and after a comment from another member on here) and speaking with a friend regarding the matter lead me to believe it's as toxic as the ficus Benjamina or the umbrella plant! I don't want anything in there that could be potentially dangerous to my cham, but he's shown no ill effects and no desire to eat it! I'm sure they will come across such things in the wild and they manage, so even if it were bad would it matter that much? I'll happily take it out if needs be, but it might annoy my Cham as he seems to like that back corner!

What do you think?

 

[DGray]

F. lyrata

Up to you, of course. Calyptratus are such plant eaters, I would err on the safe side and remove it.
In the study I saw the LD50 for rats with F. lyrata was very low (its toxic). The test found F. benjamina was nearly non-toxic to rats. I'll find the citation tonight.

Looks like the good old rubber tree, F. elastica is safe. It does have lots of milky sap, but its not dangerous to mammals, as I recall. Its got big leaves for hiding places...

 

[SliK JiM]

Up to you, of course. Calyptratus are such plant eaters, I would err on the safe side and remove it.
In the study I saw the LD50 for rats with F. lyrata was very low (its toxic). The test found F. benjamina was nearly non-toxic to rats. I'll find the citation tonight.

Looks like the good old rubber tree, F. elastica is safe. It does have lots of milky sap, but its not dangerous to mammals, as I recall. Its got big leaves for hiding places...

Did you manage to find that research? I'm quite looking forward to reading it! I've been reading a few websites, and they all have differing information! Apparently the worst thing that can happen with a lyrata is the sap can be quite bad, which is a common problem with most plants! No adverse effects yet, so it's looking good thus far!

 

[jake01]

What a cham. mansion! Really nice.

 

[Syn]

Does anyone else notice the one eye big one eye small in this picture?

 

[DGray]

F. lyrata reports

OK, I've gotta admit, I can't find the study. I thought I book marked it, but its gone. I'm not willing to look any further, sorry.
The toxic aspects include: furocoumarins, psoralens, and ficin.

The study that I quoted is cited in one of these:

Toxic plants: proceedings of the 18th annual meeting of the Society for Economic Botany (U.S.)
A. Douglas Kinghorn,
1977

Poisonous plants: a handbook for doctors, pharmacists, toxicologists ...
Dietrich Frohne, Hans Jürgen Pfänder
Georg Thieme Verlag, 1986.

Toxicity of houseplants
David G. Spoerke, Susan C. Smolinske
CRC Press, 1990

Clinical veterinary toxicology.
Lorgue, G.; Lechenet, J.; Riviere, A.
1996 Blackwell Publishers, -(), - [English]

Phytochemical and toxicological screening of household ornamental plants potentially toxic to humans. I.
DerMarderosian, A. H.; Giller, F. B.; Roia, F. C. Jr
1976 J Toxicol Environ Health, 1(6)

A rational guide to plant toxicity.
Kingston, R.
1994 Grounds maintenance. Intertec Publ. Overland Park, Kansas

Literature review and clinical management of household ornamental plants potentially toxic to humans.
DerMarderosian, A.; Roia, F. C. Jr
1979 Kinghorn AD (ed) Toxic plants. Columbia University Press. New York,

 

[SliK JiM]

Does anyone else notice the one eye big one eye small in this picture?

It does look bigger in the picture! Not in real life though! Must have just been moving it around when I took the picture!

OK, I've gotta admit, I can't find the study. I thought I book marked it, but its gone. I'm not willing to look any further, sorry.
The toxic aspects include: furocoumarins, psoralens, and ficin.

The study that I quoted is cited in one of these:

Toxic plants: proceedings of the 18th annual meeting of the Society for Economic Botany (U.S.)
A. Douglas Kinghorn,
1977

Poisonous plants: a handbook for doctors, pharmacists, toxicologists ...
Dietrich Frohne, Hans Jürgen Pfänder
Georg Thieme Verlag, 1986.

Toxicity of houseplants
David G. Spoerke, Susan C. Smolinske
CRC Press, 1990

Clinical veterinary toxicology.
Lorgue, G.; Lechenet, J.; Riviere, A.
1996 Blackwell Publishers, -(), - [English]

Phytochemical and toxicological screening of household ornamental plants potentially toxic to humans. I.
DerMarderosian, A. H.; Giller, F. B.; Roia, F. C. Jr
1976 J Toxicol Environ Health, 1(6)

A rational guide to plant toxicity.
Kingston, R.
1994 Grounds maintenance. Intertec Publ. Overland Park, Kansas

Literature review and clinical management of household ornamental plants potentially toxic to humans.
DerMarderosian, A.; Roia, F. C. Jr
1979 Kinghorn AD (ed) Toxic plants. Columbia University Press. New York,

No worries! Just would have been an interesting read! I've read plenty of websites regarding the lyrata now and it 'seems' to be ok. Not noticed any adverse behavior from Dante yet, so I guess in a practical sense it works.