My first enclosure

[gracieovoxo]

I just made my chameleon enclosure. I haven’t gotten my Cham yet I wanted someone to review it and tell me if there’s anything I could do better or change. It’s 4ft tall 3ft wide 2ft deep. I was thinking on adding fake plants for more foliage at the top until my plants grow in and I’m working on something so that I can raise it off of the ground. Thank you

 

[AmandaS]

Looks great. No need to add artificial foliage. There's plenty of hiding spots. How far is the highest branch from the uv light? Do you have a temperature probe in there?

 

[gracieovoxo]

Looks great. No need to add artificial foliage. There's plenty of hiding spots. How far is the highest branch from the uv light? Do you have a temperature probe in there?

i am using a temperature gun. the branch near the uvb bulb is about 8inches

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I just made my chameleon enclosure. I haven’t gotten my Cham yet I wanted someone to review it and tell me if there’s anything I could do better or change.

Excellent! That's exactly what I did.

It’s 4ft tall 3ft wide 2ft deep. I was thinking on adding fake plants for more foliage at the top until my plants grow in and I’m working on something so that I can raise it off of the ground. Thank you

Check garage sales, flea markets, Craig's List, curbs, etc...
There are many options/possibilities.
https://www.google.com/search?q=24+...VnU98KHZ1kCk4Q_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1024&bih=625

29"-30" is an optimum height. It will put the basking zone at or above most peoples' eye level, which is where chameleons feel safer.

i am using a temperature gun. the branch near the uvb bulb is about 8inches

It would behoove you to add a couple/few digital hygrometer/thermometers with probes at various levels—one at the basking site. You can get 5 for less than the cost of a temp gun; they're more accurate and more versatile. These just came back in-stock.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Y6CYVT9/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/my-home-made-enclosure.182780/page-2#post-1670406

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I just made my chameleon enclosure. I haven’t gotten my Cham yet I wanted someone to review it and tell me if there’s anything I could do better or change.

Excellent! That's exactly what I did.

It’s 4ft tall 3ft wide 2ft deep. I was thinking on adding fake plants for more foliage at the top until my plants grow in and I’m working on something so that I can raise it off of the ground. Thank you

Check garage sales, flea markets, Craig's List, curbs, etc...
There are many options/possibilities.
https://www.google.com/search?q=24+...VnU98KHZ1kCk4Q_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1024&bih=625

29"-30" is an optimum height. It will put the basking zone at or above most peoples' eye level, which is where chameleons feel safer.

 

[Horaceunit]

Not sure if you want to go this far, but this is what I am looking at. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-So...Unfinished-Sink-Base-Stock-Cabinet/1003204664
Just need a piece of plywood for a top and then paint or stain everything and you have storage underneath and easy access from the back for wires and hoses.

 

[Beman]

i am using a temperature gun. the branch near the uvb bulb is about 8inches

That is going to be too close with the type of screen you used on the top. What UVB bulb strength are you using and is it a T5?
What species of cham are you putting in there?

 

[ERKleRose]

Welcome on here! The cage looks amazing! I would replace the Exo Terra fake vines with a safe option, like live vines, dead live vines, or safe fake vines, like Fluker's. You'll want to get a digital thermometer with a probe for the basking spot measuring, as temp guns measure surface temps, while basking is an air temp. You'll place the probe where the top of your cham's back will be when he/she is on his/her basking branch. Having a couple digital thermometer/hygrometer combos placed throughout the cage will be super helpful, as well. Do you have a drainage system?

 

[ERKleRose]

Also, what is the size of the gaps in the hardware cloth on the top of the enclosure?

 

[gracieovoxo]

Welcome on here! The cage looks amazing! I would replace the Exo Terra fake vines with a safe option, like live vines, dead live vines, or safe fake vines, like Fluker's. You'll want to get a digital thermometer with a probe for the basking spot measuring, as temp guns measure surface temps, while basking is an air temp. You'll place the probe where the top of your cham's back will be when he/she is on his/her basking branch. Having a couple digital thermometer/hygrometer combos placed throughout the cage will be super helpful, as well. Do you have a drainage system?

i have holes drilled in the bottom so that when its raised i can put a bucket below it and maybe pbc so i cant control where the water is going.

 

[gracieovoxo]

Also, what is the size of the gaps in the hardware cloth on the top of the enclosure?

im confused on what cloth your referring to?

 

[gracieovoxo]

That is going to be too close with the type of screen you used on the top. What UVB bulb strength are you using and is it a T5?
What species of cham are you putting in there?

its a T5. i have a solar meter, i was getting a 3.0 when i measured it, which is what most people recommend for the uvb spot should i still move it?. its a panther chameleon, ambanja.

 

[ERKleRose]

im confused on what cloth your referring to?

The screen you used for the top of the enclosure. If you're getting a UVI level of 3, though, no need to worry about it (except for escaped feeders).

 

[gracieovoxo]

Not sure if you want to go this far, but this is what I am looking at. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-So...Unfinished-Sink-Base-Stock-Cabinet/1003204664
Just need a piece of plywood for a top and then paint or stain everything and you have storage underneath and easy access from the back for wires and hoses.

Thank you. i think i might go with that option

 

[ERKleRose]

What is the UVI level at the top of the cage (from the inside)?

 

[gracieovoxo]

What is the UVI level at the top of the cage (from the inside)?

The very top is at 9.0. (no branches reach this high)

 

[ERKleRose]

If your chameleon will be young when you get him/her, they'll find a way to get to the top, probably by climbing the background. Because babies/juveniles go through a screen climbing phase, you'll want the top of the enclosure to have a max UVI reading of 6 to prevent overexposure. Could you raise up the UVB bulb?

 

[gracieovoxo]

If your chameleon will be young when you get him/her, they'll find a way to get to the top, probably by climbing the background. Because babies/juveniles go through a screen climbing phase, you'll want the top of the enclosure to have a max UVI reading of 6 to prevent overexposure. Could you raise up the UVB bulb?

i dont have anything to raise it right now but i will do something to raise it higher. what about my basking bulb? should i raise that too?

 

[gracieovoxo]

If your chameleon will be young when you get him/her, they'll find a way to get to the top, probably by climbing the background. Because babies/juveniles go through a screen climbing phase, you'll want the top of the enclosure to have a max UVI reading of 6 to prevent overexposure. Could you raise up the UVB bulb?

hes going to be 3 months

 

[Horaceunit]

Thank you. i think i might go with that option

I'm leaning that way too. I was also thinking about a bathroom vanity without a sink but so far most of them tend to be more expensive. The ones that are in the same price range as the kitchen ones come with a sink which we wouldn't need for our application. So the kitchen one without a sink is perfect. Screw a piece of plywood on top and good to go! I'll be painting mine as well but you could also stain and polyurethane it, or even just slap on a couple of coats of polyurethane if the color works as is.