large outdoor enclosure for veiled and jacksons

[jvillereptile]

im looking to get back into chameleons after several years of not owning them. this time i have moved to an area where i can build a greenhouse style outdoor enclosure. the total dimension is going to be 8ft long by 6ft wide by 6ft high. it with be made with screen all the way around since i live in florida with a 2ft wall around the bottom to keep animals out, winter time ill drop vinyl down the side and heat lamps. im thinking of getting 10 veiled and 10 jacksons and have the cage split in half to seperate them.

 

[qdude46]

That is way to many, if anything two might be to much of each species.

 

[Carlton]

im looking to get back into chameleons after several years of not owning them. this time i have moved to an area where i can build a greenhouse style outdoor enclosure. the total dimension is going to be 8ft long by 6ft wide by 6ft high. it with be made with screen all the way around since i live in florida with a 2ft wall around the bottom to keep animals out, winter time ill drop vinyl down the side and heat lamps. im thinking of getting 10 veiled and 10 jacksons and have the cage split in half to seperate them.

So you would end up with two enclosures each measuring 4x3x3 feet. That's large enough to house one male of each species per side. You won't be able to house a pair of either in those spaces, as they won't be able to escape from each other when necessary.

 

[MSAquatics]

In a greenhouse, you would have to be very careful not to overheat the Jackson's. 10 of each would be fine if they are all in individual cages, but you couldn't let them all free range together for many reasons, most of all it would be much too stressful on the males even if they didn't turn it into a war zone.

Leland

 

[melble68]

im looking to get back into chameleons after several years of not owning them. this time i have moved to an area where i can build a greenhouse style outdoor enclosure. the total dimension is going to be 8ft long by 6ft wide by 6ft high. it with be made with screen all the way around since i live in florida with a 2ft wall around the bottom to keep animals out, winter time ill drop vinyl down the side and heat lamps. im thinking of getting 10 veiled and 10 jacksons and have the cage split in half to seperate them.

Dr. O has an incredible outdoor enclosure that he houses numerous smaller cages in. He's in Melbourne and still has IMHO huge stress issues w/ heating it in the winter time, eventhough that is a short period for him. You really shouldn't be housing all of them in the same enclosure like that. The stress on them all being together will not be healthy. You should re-think your plans. Individual cages for each cham is the direction to go. You also want to dial in the actual husbandry requirements for the different species you are planning on getting. Veileds and Jacksons have somewhat different requirements. Not trying to discourage you in your endeavor, just making sure you are on the right track. I'm in Tampa, and I'm not comfortable w/ 365 days outside. I have a 6x6x3 outdoor enclosure for just one male Nosy Be.

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Yes, as previously said, all the chameleons need to be housed separately.

 

[jvillereptile]

it would be 4x6x6 for each group or ill completely make 2 8x6x6 its completely screen during the summer and in the shade so no direct sunlight beaming down on them im getting mostly females with a couple males. since the females do better together then multiple males. it is not my first time with chameleons

 

[qdude46]

Are you still getting multiple ones?

 

[jvillereptile]

my first endeavor with them kept them in individual enclosures and they were more stressed that way then when i gave them free range in a room. my idea is to let them live naturally and feel like they are in the natural environment

 

[Action Jackson]

my first endeavor with them kept them in individual enclosures and they were more stressed that way then when i gave them free range in a room. my idea is to let them live naturally and feel like they are in the natural environment

I've been down that road. In the end it's best to house them individually, even baby Jackson's should be raised individually. There are always dominate ones getting more food and stressing the others out.

 

[qdude46]

I understand that but that's not that much room for that many chameleons.

 

[melble68]

it would be 4x6x6 for each group or ill completely make 2 8x6x6 its completely screen during the summer and in the shade so no direct sunlight beaming down on them im getting mostly females with a couple males. since the females do better together then multiple males. it is not my first time with chameleons

No one is discrediting your past experience, but you don't want to introduce the un-necessary stress of housing multiples. Only time I heard of multiple females doing ok is when they're from the same clutch and even then there are always a few that don't like each other.

 

[MSAquatics]

It's been my experience that females do not get along at all, and they can't be housed with males, or they will become gravid too early, and cause complications, and/or show aggression towards the males. You need to have ways to control and monitor the temperatures, keeping it in the shade won't work by itself.

Leland

 

[jvillereptile]

i have everything set for temperature control, watering and feeding i even have half the plants already for them. at the moment the im still deciding if i want to keep both species again so it would be just an 8x6x6 for the veiled chameleon.

 

[melble68]

I hope you take everyone's advice. Plurals is definitely not healthy for either species.