New enclosure (I know glass is frowned upon)
- Thread starter Vnessinessa
- Start date
Goose502
Chameleon Enthusiast
Looks better, more plants! Just jam a ton in there. I’d cap that PVC too, wouldn’t want anything climbing in and rotting at the bottom.
Vnessinessa
Member
Wow... I never thought about the PVC. Thank you! I will try to add more plants, but I am almost out of room! I was just hoping they would grow....but I will look into it
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'd also add some thicker branches of something other tham bamboo.
All branches look quite thin now and he will be able to wrap his paws around it. Thicker branches he will need to rely on his nails more wearing them down so they don't become to long.
Bamboo is a hard material he won't be able to grip on thicker branches so you need a softer wood. Luckily it grows for free outdoors.
All branches look quite thin now and he will be able to wrap his paws around it. Thicker branches he will need to rely on his nails more wearing them down so they don't become to long.
Bamboo is a hard material he won't be able to grip on thicker branches so you need a softer wood. Luckily it grows for free outdoors.
So, great thread so far, and I don't have too much to add, but I'm going to chime in on the burns.
It is possible that the setup is not ideal for basking even with the correct temps. It also has to do with how the animal self-regulates temps. Chameleons will bask until they feel that it is the correct body temperature. Under natural conditions this is easy because the sun is pretty consistent over the entire body. With our enclosures it is pin-point heat sources and that can make it difficult for them to know when it is too hot because they are not sensing that they have warmed up over all the surfaces. The prolonged exposure can lead to burns. That is why I think it is important to have a larger basking area if possible (a higher wattage bulb farther away creating a wider hot zone that is a bit more consistent). Spots closer to the heat source (generally casque, spines and tops of leg joints) will get burns faster than most other spots during this type of lighting, so it may not always be a good idea to raise the branches closer. Just be careful that your chameleon doesn't climb the screen on top because that will be much hotter than desired. It is a balancing act for sure!
It is possible that the setup is not ideal for basking even with the correct temps. It also has to do with how the animal self-regulates temps. Chameleons will bask until they feel that it is the correct body temperature. Under natural conditions this is easy because the sun is pretty consistent over the entire body. With our enclosures it is pin-point heat sources and that can make it difficult for them to know when it is too hot because they are not sensing that they have warmed up over all the surfaces. The prolonged exposure can lead to burns. That is why I think it is important to have a larger basking area if possible (a higher wattage bulb farther away creating a wider hot zone that is a bit more consistent). Spots closer to the heat source (generally casque, spines and tops of leg joints) will get burns faster than most other spots during this type of lighting, so it may not always be a good idea to raise the branches closer. Just be careful that your chameleon doesn't climb the screen on top because that will be much hotter than desired. It is a balancing act for sure!
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
True, for larger reptiles it's also prefered to have 2 or more baskinglights so the body warms up more easily.... So if you jave that double dome 2 lower wattage baskinglights next to eachother would work great too.So, great thread so far, and I don't have too much to add, but I'm going to chime in on the burns.
It is possible that the setup is not ideal for basking even with the correct temps. It also has to do with how the animal self-regulates temps. Chameleons will bask until they feel that it is the correct body temperature. Under natural conditions this is easy because the sun is pretty consistent over the entire body. With our enclosures it is pin-point heat sources and that can make it difficult for them to know when it is too hot because they are not sensing that they have warmed up over all the surfaces. The prolonged exposure can lead to burns. That is why I think it is important to have a larger basking area if possible (a higher wattage bulb farther away creating a wider hot zone that is a bit more consistent). Spots closer to the heat source (generally casque, spines and tops of leg joints) will get burns faster than most other spots during this type of lighting, so it may not always be a good idea to raise the branches closer. Just be careful that your chameleon doesn't climb the screen on top because that will be much hotter than desired. It is a balancing act for sure!
Pamquick66
New Member
Hi any way to find out what in the Dudes substrate to make your own?
krikinit
Chameleon Enthusiast
Glass is how the UK keepers do it. Your environment dictates what you do. I have all screened cages. all of them are covered on 3 sides to boost humidity. Glass would look better than what i have now. Glass looks so clean.
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
This thread is old.
Biodudes forest soil is a play on ABG mix. Check the bioactive guide in my signature.
Goose502
Chameleon Enthusiast
He carries like 4 blends depending on the environment you need to simulate. Of course they’re proprietary, but I’m sure they are simple clones of the known ABG mix. His soils are expensive but worth it. His YouTube tutorials are priceless. I’ve purchased a ton of stuff from him, he’s a good dude, and his business operates very well.
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ehh going to diverge from you there.
He joined the Bioactive Facebook group, asked question for all the soil mixes, stole all the recipes from files and begun selling them, advertised his site on there with said soil mixes, that he stole and then left.
Not a good dude, half his stuff is seriously marked up Chinese products. And he stole all the things that isn't. He has a horrid reputation in the bioactive groups.
Granted that's a morale issue, I take with him. I'm not sure how reliable of a business he operates.
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