New Chameleon Enclosure Questions!

[CheekyMinx]

Hey there! So I recently brought home my little guy and have a couple of questions. As of now, I am keeping him in a glass tank but was planning on getting a vertical screened one later on. However, I have had trouble getting the humidity up and I'm now questioning whether or not a screened cage would work well. I live in Alberta, so it's pretty damn cold and dry. The lid is barred, and he actually seems to really enjoy climbing across it- even sleeps hanging from it! But anyway. Is it necessary to get a screened cage or could I get away with glass? I was thinking of putting a fan near the top to blow across for air circulation. The temperature is perfect, though. Oh, and I should specify that it is not a fish tank, it is definitely for reptiles.

And any good tips to increase humidity? I've been misting quite a lot, and for water to drink I have a water bottle on top of the cage lid with a hole on the bottom and a needle for the water to run down (don't worry, the needle is not in the cage and he can't get to it) with a bowl at the bottom of the tank to collect the water.
Oh, and while I'm here, I may as well ask if it's normal for chameleons to sit right under their lights, both UVB and heat. Cause he seems to climb on to the roof and hang under them.. I just worry about him getting burnt or something silly like going blind..

Any input is greatly appreciated as this is my first chameleon, though I've had a bearded dragon but am quickly learning they are VERY different in their needs.
Thanks!!

 

[Meow Kitty]

Welcome, First yes its perfectly normal for babies to crawl all over their roofs of the cage. Just make sure the heat lamp cant burn him. And its very debatable about being able to use glass enclosures. Chameleons are Arboreal and can get nasty respiratory infections from not having enough air circulation. I live in the desert and I've been experimenting with "hybrid" cages where 3 sides are solid while the front and top are mesh. It holds humidity way better then completely screen and he doesnt seem to have a problem with air circulation. (this is an adult cage and is massive for a smaller cage i would have considered a small computer fan to pull cool air in from the base.) If your having problems with humidity adding live plants to your enclosure such as Schuflerras, and pothos can help. With your bowl at the bottom make sure he cant drown in it i put a fake plant going in from the edge of the bowl so if he falls in he can crawl out.

Hope i helped

 

[CheekyMinx]

Welcome, First yes its perfectly normal for babies to crawl all over their roofs of the cage. Just make sure the heat lamp cant burn him. And its very debatable about being able to use glass enclosures. Chameleons are Arboreal and can get nasty respiratory infections from not having enough air circulation. I live in the desert and I've been experimenting with "hybrid" cages where 3 sides are solid while the front and top are mesh. It holds humidity way better then completely screen and he doesnt seem to have a problem with air circulation. (this is an adult cage and is massive for a smaller cage i would have considered a small computer fan to pull cool air in from the base.) If your having problems with humidity adding live plants to your enclosure such as Schuflerras, and pothos can help. With your bowl at the bottom make sure he cant drown in it i put a fake plant going in from the edge of the bowl so if he falls in he can crawl out.

Hope i helped

Thank you for the input! I have added a plant just in case he falls in the bowl. My humidity is slowly climbing, it's around 60 right now so I think he should be okay. Thanks again!

 

[camimom]

remove the bowl completely.
even if you place a plant near it, your baby can still get in and drown.
if you need something to collect water, get plant, and let the water drip down into the pot with the roots.

as for a glass terrarium, its hard to regulate temperature in them, so screen is best. not to mention, you wont find a glass cage big enough fr him once he is an adult that isnt like sevearl hundred dollars.

 

[Lovereps]

Hey there! So I recently brought home my little guy and have a couple of questions. As of now, I am keeping him in a glass tank but was planning on getting a vertical screened one later on. However, I have had trouble getting the humidity up and I'm now questioning whether or not a screened cage would work well. I live in Alberta, so it's pretty damn cold and dry. The lid is barred, and he actually seems to really enjoy climbing across it- even sleeps hanging from it! But anyway. Is it necessary to get a screened cage or could I get away with glass? I was thinking of putting a fan near the top to blow across for air circulation. The temperature is perfect, though. Oh, and I should specify that it is not a fish tank, it is definitely for reptiles.

Congrats on your new cham and for finding this forum.
Too often petsellers give seriously bad misinformation on cham keeping, which then leads to heartbreak if not corrected in time.
Copying, pasting and filling in the answers to all the questions in this linked post https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
will allow others to look at your care and see if everything is as it should be to keep your cham healthy.

As for screened versus glass enclosures designed for reptiles (NOT aquariums), you'll find this thread of interest:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/everyone-who-knows-you-cant-keep-chams-glass-31937/
The author is a biologist with a personal interest in chams.
Montane chameleons are those which live in the mountains in their native habitat.

And any good tips to increase humidity? I've been misting quite a lot, and for water to drink I have a water bottle on top of the cage lid with a hole on the bottom and a needle for the water to run down (don't worry, the needle is not in the cage and he can't get to it) with a bowl at the bottom of the tank to collect the water.
Oh, and while I'm here, I may as well ask if it's normal for chameleons to sit right under their lights, both UVB and heat. Cause he seems to climb on to the roof and hang under them.. I just worry about him getting burnt or something silly like going blind..

Assuming your UVB bulb is of a strength designed for chameleons, rather than the strength used for beardies and desert dwellers, your cham should be ok being close to it.
As for the basking light, if it isn't too hot, he will likely be okay making brief trips directly beneath it on the screen.
You'll want to be sure that the basking area and the enclosure itself are the right temperatures for him.
Live plants help keep the humidity up.

Any input is greatly appreciated as this is my first chameleon, though I've had a bearded dragon but am quickly learning they are VERY different in their needs.
Thanks!!

Sadly, bearded dragons and chameleons are polar opposites when it comes to tolerance for mistakes in care.

As others have said, eliminating the bowl is best.
A tray beneath the enclosure to catch the water, with a hose leading to another container , is one common solution.

 

[CheekyMinx]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies! I've gone through all your advice and the links provided and after doing quite a bit of reading, I think it would be best to construct a new enclosure more suitable for him as soon as possible. My dad's a carpenter so I will enlist his help

The thing I'm wondering is if I were to make the supports from wood, would it not soak in and perhaps mold? That may be a stupid question, but I just want to do it right.

 

[Lovereps]

The thing I'm wondering is if I were to make the supports from wood, would it not soak in and perhaps mold? That may be a stupid question, but I just want to do it right.

Not stupid questions at all. That's a valid concern.
You can have a look at the waterproofing people have applied to their wood framed enclosures by using the search button or just browsing the forum pages.

I just use aluminum framing and screens and pre-made cages are always an option like :
http://www.diycages.com/
or
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/-/24-x-24-x-48-inch-aluminum-screen-cage/
In Canada :

http://www.trinitychameleons.com/