Need a little help

[Kristen Wilkins]

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.

Thank you @Andee for the info .

 

[jamest0o0]

I use hydro balls - landscaping cloth - sunshine mix - leaf litter. I know over in Europe they use Arcadia earth mix.

 

[jamest0o0]

Springtails and isopods like andee said are the key cleaners

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I use hydro balls - landscaping cloth - sunshine mix - leaf litter. I know over in Europe they use Arcadia earth mix.

So as @Andee says it's 4 layers ? Do you have drainage and every layer ?

 

[Andee]

The bottom two layers @jamest0o0 are usually the most important, then you want to get a good mixed substrate, there are like 3-4 out there I would recommend. And then leaves like oak leaves are usually recommended to feed the cleaners crews and help with keeping the bioactive substrate going because they rot and provide beneficial things that way. (I have been intoxicated by gluten otherwise my post would be longer and include more technicalities but brain is stupid)

 

[jamest0o0]

You mean hydro balls as bottom later @Andee? I've been reading 2 different books about bioactive and the idea doesn't focus as much on the layers, rather the aeration(from my readings). The layers help achieve that though to give the bacteria places to colonize. I use sunshine mix that Mr extensionofgreen recommended. Expensive, but top notch.

 

[jamest0o0]

@Kristen Wilkins well with my one cage it's Hydroballs-ABG-soil-leaf litter... going to change them all to just hydro- sunshine mix - leaf litter

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

@Kristen Wilkins well with my one cage it's Hydroballs-ABG-soil-leaf litter... going to change them all to just hydro- sunshine mix - leaf litter

This is pretty exciting . Do you have a thread on this ? If not you should start one as you go along . It would be so helpful with newbies to this way of keeping chameleon. Clearly has so Many benefits .

 

[Tortdad]

Have you guys ever converted something into a cage, like this china hutch?

I was thinking take all the glass shelves out, revive the glass from the door and replace with screen, revmove rhe light it comes with and vent the top.

Waterproof the bottom with either marine grade paint or pond liner. Then I can decide substrate or not. I can add drains on the bottom, one on each side draining into a bucket in the side cabinet things leaving the center drawers intact for whatever I need to store.

Thoughts?
It's listed on Craigslist for like $200 so I know I can get it cheaper

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Have you guys ever converted something into a cage, like this china hutch?

I was thinking take all the glass shelves out, revive the glass from the door and replace with screen, revmove rhe light it comes with and vent the top.

Waterproof the bottom with either marine grade paint or pond liner. Then I can decide substrate or not. I can add drains on the bottom, one on each side draining into a bucket in the side cabinet things leaving the center drawers intact for whatever I need to store.

Thoughts?
It's listed on Craigslist for like $200 so I know I can get it cheaper

Yes absolutely theirs been lots of keepers that have done so . @Decadancin has a pretty sweet converted cabinet .

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Have you guys ever converted something into a cage, like this china hutch?

I was thinking take all the glass shelves out, revive the glass from the door and replace with screen, revmove rhe light it comes with and vent the top.

Waterproof the bottom with either marine grade paint or pond liner. Then I can decide substrate or not. I can add drains on the bottom, one on each side draining into a bucket in the side cabinet things leaving the center drawers intact for whatever I need to store.

Thoughts?
It's listed on Craigslist for like $200 so I know I can get it cheaper

Big bird cages as well are common .

 

[Kat_72]

I don't mind substrate as I know it would help hold humidity. Then the question is how do you have a drain if you have a substrate?

I have the carpet stuff that came with my Cham kit and I modified it to fit around my plant base. Most of the water drains down my pot into the bin but not all and I am a newbie to so I clean it regularly to keep the water collecting low. I would think the substrate would be the same. If your craftier than me you could always make a false floor and all the drainage would collect under that to pull away and empty out. My theory was the plant base would pull down the plastic floor enough to drain and so far it working pretty well. Look up dragonstrand cages online they have the best ones out there. For what I spent on my set up I could of bought theirs and no need to modify as it has drainage and ledges built in for branches. Use live plants that's a biggie. And you will want a misting system I am using a mist king it's not cheap but imagine standing there with spray bottle misting for 5-10 minutes. I have a baby panther from Kammerflage Kreations. You want a veiled it may be different for the duration of misting. There's so much info to learn really. But heat, humidity, UVA and UVB and calcium with and without d3, gutloaded feeders etc. are the basics good luck and read a lot.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I have the carpet stuff that came with my Cham kit and I modified it to fit around my plant base. Most of the water drains down my pot into the bin but not all and I am a newbie to so I clean it regularly to keep the water collecting low. I would think the substrate would be the same. If your craftier than me you could always make a false floor and all the drainage would collect under that to pull away and empty out. My theory was the plant base would pull down the plastic floor enough to drain and so far it working pretty well. Look up dragonstrand cages online they have the best ones out there. For what I spent on my set up I could of bought theirs and no need to modify as it has drainage and ledges built in for branches. Use live plants that's a biggie. And you will want a misting system I am using a mist king it's not cheap but imagine standing there with spray bottle misting for 5-10 minutes. I have a baby panther from Kammerflage Kreations. You want a veiled it may be different for the duration of misting. There's so much info to learn really. But heat, humidity, UVA and UVB and calcium with and without d3, gutloaded feeders etc. are the basics good luck and read a lot.

Care for a veiled and a panther are about same .

 

[Tortdad]

I think I'm going to try and get this on the cheep. It's missing the shelves, which I'd be taking out anyways and already has mesh instead of glass on the doors. I'm sure the meat is like chick wire which is too big but I can pull it off and screen it.

 

[Tortdad]

I could modify real good and cheaper than starting from scratch plus my wife won't complain about the way it looks since it's a real piece of furniture, not something I made from 2x4s and painted

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I think I'm going to try and get this on the cheep. It's missing the shelves, which I'd be taking out anyways and already has mesh instead of glass on the doors. I'm sure the meat is like chick wire which is too big but I can pull it off and screen it.

Sounds awesome !!.

 

[Tortdad]

I'm playing let's make a deal with them right now.

I can see the orginal listing was $250 but they dropped it to $200 a few days ago. I'm being a cheepscate and offered $100 which they of course declined. I'm hoping to score it for $150

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I'm playing let's make a deal with them right now.

I can see the orginal listing was $250 but they dropped it to $200 a few days ago. I'm being a cheepscate and offered $100 which they of course declined. I'm hoping to score it for $150

That will be beautiful , all done .

 

[Tortdad]

Yeah I can put a false bottom on it... basically where the curtains are and put the drain there with the buckets and the misting system. I can cover that section of the doors with bamboo so you don't see the Buckets.

 

[JacksJill]

If you convert a cabinet you will really need to spend some effort water proofing the interior if you want it to last. There are several ways to do it that incorporate drainage. i.e. pond liner, pvc sheeting, silicone caulking, pond foam etc.