Need a little help
- Thread starter Tortdad
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Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
I read through the FAQ section and care sheets but do you have a "begainer mistakes" type thread pinned you that you send rookies like me .
It's not usually the enclosure it's self . It's usually how it's set up . If you head into petsmart/petco likely the enclosure will be a box 10 by 10 no uvb no misting System , substrate on the bottom along with a water bowl . With a vine 2 inches high and maybe a fake leaf . It's horrible those poor poor babies. They will be gut loading their crickets with flaker which is crap . There nothing good about those places .
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes either climist or mistingking . I have climist I love it but I hear the same with keepers loving mistingking .
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
If you end up buying the dragonstrands are awesome . You will pay more but so very worth it .
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
You don't have to worry about substrate as much. People blow it up for nothing. Some of the most successful keepers use substrate. A healthy cham, just like a healthy human will pass stuff. The point is to avoid rocks, bark, etc that can choke and impact. Many reptiles including Chams will even eat soil(most likely for minerals). If you have fine particles, well draining soil, And some leaf litter with a clean up crew you'll be set. You seem like a guy capable of this. It's like with reef aquariums, beneficial bacteria inhabits the soil and keeps it free of dangerous bacteria build up. The springtails and and isos clean up poop, dead feeders, mold, etc. It still helps to spot clean where you see it, but it enriches their environments tremendously IMO. I'm not saying throw anything on the bottom, but doing it right is worth it. You can drain it like dart keepers do, or simple like a flower pot. Dart keepers were the first to recognize the benefits of this, everyone else is a little late to the show. If you like substrate do it.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Mistking system is awesome, like @Kristen Wilkins said dragonstrand are well worth it if you go that route. I have the clearsided atrium and have free ranges built from 80$ wire shelves(suggested to me by the great extensionofgreen)
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
@jamest0o0 you use the bio substrate right ? I want to get more info on the clean up crew . I believe @Andee uses them as well .
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
THe other thing with veiled their Notorious for eating their plans . Real plants are suggested . Also helps with humidity and holds moisture much better .
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yeah, a lot of what I do is advice taken from the amazing @Extensionofgreen, I've been reading some different things about it as well. I'm convinced it's the way to go if someone likes to. I got into it because I always liked how reefs aquariums worked and it's basically the same thing on land. Sure you can go barebottom, but the bioactive's benefits outweigh the negatives IMO. We hear a lot about impaction, but it's mainly with the crap that pet stores sell like bark, reptisand, and the other junk. Just do some reading on it before throwing stuff together. I totally understand the paranoia of having a Cham die because it ate a small rock or chunk of bark.
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
I believe with what @jamest0o0 used is a bio substrate . Seeing more and more with keepers .
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
Like you said it's bark or sand . Not what you are using . That maintains it's self if used Correctly . Yes their would be a lot of Benefit . I believe @Extensionofgreen is away right now . I don't think can chim in on this .
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
What kind of cleaning crew are we talking about (not able to read the entire thread at the moment)? I use everything from 4 different types of beetles to tropical springtails in my substrate enclosures and isopods.
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes for substrate . Do you use all 4 at same time different times ? Do you keep thinking in all the time ? Are you using same substrate at @jamest0o0 uses ? Sorry Andee for all the questions .
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yeah, btw I agree with @Kristen Wilkins With being careful with substrate, a lot of times it's good for us to just recommend no substrate because some people will take that as, oh let's dump a bag of gravel and reptibark in the cage lol. But you seem like someone that might appreciate a solid bioactive?
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
We see the bark a lot with new keepers . I even used it initially with Frances and I research for 2 years .
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
no I do not use bioactive substrate since they are for my roach bins, I probably make my own somehow though with everything I have in it. My beetles etc, are only for the substrateless enclosures. My isopods and springtails do best in humid and substrate full enclosures. I have cultures going of my isopods, I don't need to do that for my springtails, they are so prolific. But if you are talking about chameleon enclosures they need something entirely different as far as substrate and levels etc. They need bioactive soil and several drainage layers. There is usually around... like 4 levels that go into bioactive set ups I think with humid enclosures.
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