New Guy Here.

[dbolemiss]

First post, so take it easy on me.

I'm wanting to get a Chameleon and like everything else I do, I try to study up on it before rushing in and buying something and trying to figure it out. I've always found that a forum with real people have the best advice, which lead me here,lol.

I'm just now getting out of the iguanas and have fell in love with the Chameleons. So I have a cage ( 21"x48"x18" 21 is high, 48 long, and 18 wide) just sitting here with lights, timer, temp & humidity, glass with a hole in the bottom and a double screen top.
From my reading it seems that a taller cage would be better but I'm guessing I can start off with this one, maybe put a divider in it if I end up with a smaller Chameleon to start with.
I'm just going to try and put the cage together the best I can before picking a chameleon out. Thinking all i need left is some plants and maybe setup a mister (I normaly hand mist).

So in the near future I'll be in the market and would rather buy from a breeder on here. I was thinking of a Panther but maybe my first go around I'll try a Veiled.

Thanks for all the usefull info on this site and now I have some more reading to do,lol.

 

[Rune]

If you get a baby under about 5 months you need a small cage so he can find his food and if he falls it wont crush him since babys are a lil clumsy.
Then you need to go to a bigger cage.
I suggest vieleds because they are almost as pretty as panthers and they are more hardy. Its good for the first time since chams can be a little confusing to take care of.
Can you please tell me what lights you are going to use?
Do you have the powders already?
And, do you have questions at all?
Good luck!

 

[yokman]

turn your cage on its side and make it 4 foot tall.

 

[chamzilla91]

Welcome to the forum. This is by far the best place on chameleon information. Both veiled or panthers would be a good starter chameleon as they are fairly hardy. You will need a cage that is made completely out of screen, a flourescent linear tube reptisun or reptiglo 5.0 bulb, basking bulb, a live plant preferrably a schefflera arboricola. Ficus benjamina. Pothos. Or hibiscus, some vines for ur guy to climb around on. Suppliments you would need include repcal calcium without d3, repcal calium with d3, and herptivite. You willa lso need to gutload your feeders (crickets, roaches, silkworms, superworms, hornworms) a dripper and a hand mister. lllreptile.com has everything you would need for cheap prices. Tikitikireptile.com has an awesome bloodline of veiled chameleons if you wanna check them out

 

[Ace]

Welcome

dont worry, we'll make sure to be on you like there is no tomorrow , jk haha

you can go for panther if you want, my thing is go for something you want to keep that is still doable

veileds, panthers, and even jacksons are doable...just need to fine the correct info and apply it

yourr best bet is to ask questions

but to give you an idea you need to know about

caging
lights (need two)(heat and uvb)
plants(safe/nontoxic, live/fake)
supplements(powders for vitamins and minerals)
feeders(gutloading, types of bugs, etc)
watering (spray/dripper)
temps/humidity

thats only the basics haha goodluck, dont worry its alot easier than it looks, mostly its all about routine and being consistent

 

[Ekproject]

turn your cage on its side and make it 4 foot tall.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Also welcome. Good that youbare doing lots of research first. Most people dont. Or not enough. I definetly didnt do enough. Im lucky my cham forgave me. I still learn stuff every day. This site is amazing. Any questions just ask. Also i wouldnt worry about a "starter chameleon" get the type you want. Just prepare yourself.

 

[suzi]

Welcome to the forum! Don't worry too much about which one you get because this is soo addicting you will have them all! Lol seriously though this is an excellent forum with an unlimited amount of info for you! It's good stuff! Enjoy the journey!

 

[mbondy]

Welcome to the forum! Don't worry too much about which one you get because this is soo addicting you will have them all! Lol seriously though this is an excellent forum with an unlimited amount of info for you! It's good stuff! Enjoy the journey!

Good luck, this place is great! And seriously after having one you'll want another and another. I'm planning on getting my first Jackson in the next few months

 

[Elizadolots]

If you can flip the cage and maintain ventilation, then that's for sure the best way to go. I'm trying to envision the cage and not doing a good job. Could you post a picture?

You are so right that a forum with real people is the best place. You will just sort of be forced to search through stuff.

One suggestion I would make is to look at the Moderators profiles and, if they have blogs, read through those. Also, read the links in the top threads of this forum. Invaluable information is available there.

 

[dbolemiss]

Still trying to feel my way around your forum.

I like your idea yokman, about turning the cage on its side (even though I have a nice stand its setting on,lol). What about what Chamzilla91 said "You will need a cage that is made completely out of screen" ?

as far as lights I have a 24" flourescent and a couple of the double regular fixtures (had the red and normal bulbs in them) and a couple singles laying around. I'm going to have to check on what all bulbs I have left and I think I read on here that the night bulbs (red) are no good for chameleons?

No powders or any of that yet, just want to get the cage "right" first and take my time doing that (we have a family vacation coming up and I dont want to leave the little guy alone or with someone else just starting out).

Thanks for all the fast replies, I knew I had found the right place

 

[laurie]

Welcome to the forum. I would try to go easy on you but it would ruin my reputation of being mean. As long as you are looking at what you are doing now, are willing to get your set up so that it works for a chameleon, then you will do fine.

Getting a veiled or a panther is something you should decide based on which one you want to own for the long haul. Why get a chameleon that isn't the one you will love? For the most part panthers and veileds are cared for much - well for me exactly- the same. Don't let that decide for you. If you can raise one you can raise the other. Just my thoughts.

Which ever type of chameleon you purchase try your very best to get a captive bred (c/b) from a good breeder. We have several people here who can help you. I will be happy to help you locate just what you want. I don't have any to sell but I do know people.

Just keep reading, ask all the questions you can think of, yes some are stupid, but we are nice and won't say so.

Glad you joined us and I am happy to help in any way I can.

 

[Elizadolots]

The "all screen cage" is sort of a board recommendation because it's usually easy. But, in some environments, people are forced to cover as many as 3 sides with plastic because it turns out they can't maintain humidity.

So, the reality is, a glass/screen combo or a predominately glass cage can work well as long as the ventilation is good.

Good ventilation means the air can move into the enclosure at or near the bottom of the enclosure and be drawn up and out at the top.

It's possible to achieve the same sort of ventilation horizontally by having a fully vented top and positioning the lights off to one side.

You can, in fact, make most situations work, there might just be more effort for some situations.

By the way, Laurie is not, to my knowledge, mean. I think she manufactured that reputation in her mind. In reality, she's very kind and extremely knowledgeable and absolutely someone you should look to for information and help.

 

[laurie]

The "all screen cage" is sort of a board recommendation because it's usually easy. But, in some environments, people are forced to cover as many as 3 sides with plastic because it turns out they can't maintain humidity.

By the way, Laurie is not, to my knowledge, mean. I think she manufactured that reputation in her mind. In reality, she's very kind and extremely knowledgeable and absolutely someone you should look to for information and help.

OH NO!! Go ahead, what do I owe you? That is way too nice of you. Thanks, I hope I can live up to your expectations.

 

[suzi]

QUOTE

By the way, Laurie is not, to my knowledge, mean. I think she manufactured that reputation in her mind. In reality, she's very kind and extremely knowledgeable and absolutely someone you should look to for information and help.[/QUOTE]

Agreed! I don't know about anybody else but I am voting for Laurie for president!

 

[franticurchin]

if you decide to turn your cage on its side you are going to have a problem if the uvb light has to go through glass and you dont have a uvb meter cause most glass / plastic will not let the uvb through and you will end up with a cham with mbd. so if it has to go through glass and no meter = dont do it buy something else. cause lights in the cage imo are a bad idea

p.s. welcome

 

[Elizadolots]

OH NO!! Go ahead, what do I owe you? That is way too nice of you. Thanks, I hope I can live up to your expectations.

Oh, please..my expectations are based on 3 years of reading your posts. You don't owe me, I owe you.

if you decide to turn your cage on its side you are going to have a problem if the uvb light has to go through glass and you dont have a uvb meter cause most glass / plastic will not let the uvb through and you will end up with a cham with mbd. so if it has to go through glass and no meter = dont do it buy something else. cause lights in the cage imo are a bad idea

p.s. welcome

I totally spaced on that, but you are right! That's a hugely important thing to consider.

However, it is possible to make a horizontal cage work. Kinyonga is the expert on that.

 

[laurie]

QUOTE

By the way, Laurie is not, to my knowledge, mean. I think she manufactured that reputation in her mind. In reality, she's very kind and extremely knowledgeable and absolutely someone you should look to for information and help.

Agreed! I don't know about anybody else but I am voting for Laurie for president![/QUOTE]

You guys need to stop, soon I will have a head as big as my foot still is from my fall. lol

Truthfully I still learn from all of you. Sometimes it is the 20th time you have read the same information, but it just finally clicks. I admit to spending a lot of happy hours on the forum almost every day.

 

[dbolemiss]

The "all screen cage" is sort of a board recommendation because it's usually easy. But, in some environments, people are forced to cover as many as 3 sides with plastic because it turns out they can't maintain humidity.

So, the reality is, a glass/screen combo or a predominately glass cage can work well as long as the ventilation is good.

Good ventilation means the air can move into the enclosure at or near the bottom of the enclosure and be drawn up and out at the top.

It's possible to achieve the same sort of ventilation horizontally by having a fully vented top and positioning the lights off to one side.

You can, in fact, make most situations work, there might just be more effort for some situations.

By the way, Laurie is not, to my knowledge, mean. I think she manufactured that reputation in her mind. In reality, she's very kind and extremely knowledgeable and absolutely someone you should look to for information and help.

Thanks for the info, as for a picture of the cage i'm trying to work with, maybe I can get it tomorrow.

But its a rectangle, being longer than tall (as it sits now). The top is all screen with a seam in the middle so each side of the top can slide in and out separately. If I was to stand it up on end the "front" (which was the top) would be all screen and the other sides all glass.

Do you think I can get proper ventilation with this?

And thanks for the offer Laurie, Might take you up on it when I'm ready for the little devil.

 

[Elizadolots]

I think it would be challenging to make that work. I'm not saying it could not be done.

Would the "top" now be all screen? You mentioned a "hole" .

 

[dbolemiss]

I think it would be challenging to make that work. I'm not saying it could not be done.

Would the "top" now be all screen? You mentioned a "hole" .

The hole is what is in the bottom as it sets now, its to help change sand out.


I think I might just try to build a custom cage I like custom things). I'm not a big fan of those little all screen cages I see.

Time to do a little looking around for plans and what size screen it'll take.

Thank you so much for your help Elizadolots.