Mistakes you've learned from..

[Ladythrasher89]

Hey guys, we are getting ready to get a new chameleon. We had a female veiled who passed away because she was unable to lay her eggs (genetic blockage we found out), but we were never happy with her cage and had a lot of problems with drainage and water. So we are wanting to build our next cage. I was just wondering if there are any mistakes or things that didn't work or were a disaster for you?

We were thinking of building a false bottom out or plastic grating, covering it with a piece of wire mesh and then coconut susbstrate so that the water would flow to a trap under the floor to a tray we can dump. Does this sound possible? What did you guys do for drainage in your cages that works?

 

[Jevin]

Do not use a coconut substrate, it can cause impaction. In the cage I'm building, the bottom is shaped sorta like a sink, with a central screened drain.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

What species are you thinking of getting? Another Veiled?

 

[JacksJill]

Never date a musician... Oh, wait that isn't what you meant
There are several good ways to add drainage. Here is a tread on the subject. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/drainage-systems-for-cages-get-creative.102038/
I use a three drawer storage system by Rubbermaid and drain into a container in the the top drawer. I even keep my misting system in the bottom drawer.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

A panther or a veiled, we aren't sure yet. I want a panther, hubs wants a male veiled. We're thinking a 2Dx2.5Wx4.5H for the cage itself.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Never date a musician... Oh, wait that isn't what you meant
bottom drawer.

Still good advice. Lol.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Do not use a coconut substrate, it can cause impaction. In the cage I'm building, the bottom is shaped sorta like a sink, with a central screened drain.

We used coconut substrate (the exoterra stuff) with our last Cham, I don't think I ever saw her walk on the ground... does it cause impaction from eating it? That's what the reptile place recommended as an easy way to up the humidity. I hated no substrate because the water issues get worse and humidity was harder for me to control, what would you recommend instead?

 

[Jevin]

Yes, it causes impaction by eating it. As for keeping humidity up, it depends on your cage. I use a combination of hand misting and a humidifier to maintain humidity. And have a drainage system built in.

 

[Ladythrasher89]

Yes, it causes impaction by eating it. As for keeping humidity up, it depends on your cage. I use a combination of hand misting and a humidifier to maintain humidity. And have a drainage system built in.

I have a fogged, and misted regularly, still too cold/not humid without substrate in my house. We keep it cold (under 73 in the day). I am trying to figure out drainage. And best cage designs, especially doors now too.

 

[carol5208]

Watching where their tails are before you close the cage door!

 

[bishop]

Nice big cage!!!

My most recent mistake was not properly breaking all the bark off the additional branches/walkways I added to my girl’s cage last week. She had munched on some bark and I was worried about impaction - and looked very uncomfortable last night.

Thankfully, she took a fairly massive dump today, with one of her “capsules” looking quite dense and dry. I was all scheduled to get her an enema at the vet tomorrow, but am glad she got past my foul error. I had been misting her with warm water to help, but I really just think that she had been hunting so much and just needed to pinch a loaf.

Gross, but...

 

[Graves923]

Live plants help tremendously with humidity. Unless you are going to make a bio-active substrate, bare floor is best. Easy to clean, no risk of impaction and feeders cant hide in it. If you have difficulty maintaining humidity like I did, wrap two or three sides of the cage in plastic sheet. I wrapped two sides and not my humidity barely drops below 40% when the cage is bone dry.