Mess or glass

[Heidila]

Do chamelons need mesh housing or is glass with mess top ok. If mesh how do you keep humidity right in winter

 

[Tony_S]

I'll start the debate.

Most people use a 24"x24"x48" screen enclosure. Those having low humidity issues wrap a plastic such as a shower curtain around 3 of the sides to hold the humidity in.

Live plants also help with keeping the humidity up.

There are also enclosures that have 3 solid sides and the 4th side and top in screen.

Then there are the all glass with a screen top terrariums.

Depending on your daytime room humidity. Most can get away with just using a fogger at night to raise just the nighttime humidity.

 

[Tony_S]

Here is a nice enclosure thread to give you idea's of what people are doing.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/show-me-your-enclosures.169718/#post-1490334

 

[Lennoncham]

You can use glass with mesh top but it has to be something like an exoterra with the vent on the bottom. The heat lamp on the top will creat a chimney effect and pull fresh air through the bottom vent.

 

[AnamCara]

What matters is that your humidity and temps are at the right levels for your chameleon and that you have good airflow like @Lennoncham mentioned--so whatever helps you achieve that. I'm in Colorado with an all mesh screen and it's a bit of a pain to get humidity up so I wish I would have gone with a closed side enclosure or pond foamed the planters in.

 

[kinyonga]

@Heidila
Where do you live?
Do you have air conditioning?

 

[Heidila]

@Heidila
Where do you live?
Do you have air conditioning?

I live in uk and have no air con

 

[Rst_Cham]

What matters is that your humidity and temps are at the right levels for your chameleon and that you have good airflow like @Lennoncham mentioned--so whatever helps you achieve that. I'm in Colorado with an all mesh screen and it's a bit of a pain to get humidity up so I wish I would have gone with a closed side enclosure or pond foamed the planters in.

Agree, if I had to do it over again in knowing what I know now and being in Colorado too, I would not have gone with screen. I would have done a large exo Terra and gone bio active like @Tony_S is doing. Some day.

 

[Chameleomom]

I have the large Exo Terra and I love it. Stays stable all year long

 

[SharpShooter]

I love the large Extra Tall's from Exo Terra. I've always gone with bio active setups and once setup and running for a while, they are very stable.

Downside is the weight, espiecially when loaded with drainage, soil, plants etc. You certainly can't move them!

I'm in the UK as well OP.

 

[Chameleomom]

Here is mine. hope this helps

 

[SharpShooter]

Nice



That's one of mine

 

[kinyonga]

I live in Canada and over my 25+ years of keeping chameleons! I have tried cages that are all screen, ones with screen fronts and lids with the rest glass, all glass-walled cages with screen lids, etc and the ones that I have found work the best in my climate are the exoterra glass ones with the front vents and a screen lid. They allow for good circulation and by having the glass sides help to keep the cages warm and humid enough in the winters here. There is no single answer...we all have to look at what works in our situation/climate.
Hope this helps!

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/terrariums.php