New to Chams, is he healthy?

[CalamityCrow]

Stones are okay if he can't eat them. Suuuper excited to see what you do with his new enclosure!

Oh and also above mentioned 90-95 basking temp.... That's too warm, especially with that big 'ol casque of his - that walks the line of thermal burn territory and those can get nasty. I keep my panther at a max of 83, for which I am glad because the booger has recently been screen climbing. I'm just waiting for a burn on his belly.... I don't even know how he gets up there! The only screen is the very bottom and the ceiling.

 

[Yonmerkaba]

Here is a link to a care guide provided by chameleon academy for veiled chameleons. I would recommend sticking to these

https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Veiled-Care-Summary-2022C.pdf

 

[Professor Stitch Witch]

Here is a link to a care guide provided by chameleon academy for veiled chameleons. I would recommend sticking to these

https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Veiled-Care-Summary-2022C.pdf



View attachment 355828

Super helpful, thank you! Thanks also to @CalamityCrow.

I just finished repotting everything in plastic pots which I've slipped into some really cool and rustic-looking clay vessels we got today. Will share some pics of the plants soon. @Chancla is setting up the new enclosure right now, so we'll get to work on adding plants etc. soon.

 

[Professor Stitch Witch]

These are the smallest of the rocks. Tried to use the biggest ones I could find. All washed (water only) and set out in the sun for a bit.

 

[Beman]

These are the smallest of the rocks. Tried to use the biggest ones I could find. All washed (water only) and set out in the sun for a bit.

These are a good size. I try to only use rocks that are over an inch in total diameter. Smaller ones a cham could accidentally ingest.

 

[Professor Stitch Witch]

Hi all! Would love some early feedback on the plant set up so far. I’ve used all Cham-friendly plants and have them at various heights using bricks and cleaned terracotta pots. Want to be sure this is safe for him, though. They feel quite sturdy to me and I made sure they were flat across the gridded tray we got.

Will add our large branches, vines, and some additional foliage soon!

 

[CalamityCrow]

Hi all! Would love some early feedback on the plant set up so far. I’ve used all Cham-friendly plants and have them at various heights using bricks and cleaned terracotta pots. Want to be sure this is safe for him, though. They feel quite sturdy to me and I made sure they were flat across the gridded tray we got.

Will add our large branches, vines, and some additional foliage soon!

Howdy! My only initial concern would be the fiber wrap you have on the back right area. I'd be worried the little fibers might fall off, and when chams shed they rub their faces and eyes on things to get rid of the skin. If those little fibers shed off, they can cause debris to get caught in eyes. I think it's also possible that little toenails might get caught and pulled as well.

I'd also have zero fake plants on the inside of the enclosure - if your guy nibbles that, he could have an impaction.

The fake plants though, can absolutely be attached on the outside of the enclosure to give your guy more privacy where he can't bite them.

I'm not an expert though, so hopefully @MissSkittles and @Beman chime in on jt as well.

Everything else though? Looking great! Can't wait to see the horizontal sticks and pothos accessories you continue to add!

 

[Professor Stitch Witch]

Howdy! My only initial concern would be the fiber wrap you have on the back right area. I'd be worried the little fibers might fall off, and when chams shed they rub their faces and eyes on things to get rid of the skin. If those little fibers shed off, they can cause debris to get caught in eyes. I think it's also possible that little toenails might get caught and pulled as well.

I'd also have zero fake plants on the inside of the enclosure - if your guy nibbles that, he could have an impaction.

The fake plants though, can absolutely be attached on the outside of the enclosure to give your guy more privacy where he can't bite them.

I'm not an expert though, so hopefully @MissSkittles and @Beman chime in on jt as well.

Everything else though? Looking great! Can't wait to see the horizontal sticks and pothos accessories you continue to add!

Super helpful! Thanks for the feedback. The wrap is a PEVA shower curtain. What are your thoughts on that? We attached it on the outside of the enclosure to help keep the misting off of the walls as we're putting this in a corner area.

Will remove the fake plant to the outside to give the dude some more privacy.

 

[Beman]

So you want height which is the struggle of course unless you use something like lattice for your back and two sides. Anchor this to your cage frame from the inside. Then you build a network of real branches attached to the lattice with zipties. @MissSkittles can post some pics for you of this. You can then attach in pots to this frame work.

Note I do not recognize all of the plants your using as veiled tested plants. Make sure you stick to these types if this set up is for a veiled.

 

[MissSkittles]

Super helpful! Thanks for the feedback. The wrap is a PEVA shower curtain. What are your thoughts on that? We attached it on the outside of the enclosure to help keep the misting off of the walls as we're putting this in a corner area.

Will remove the fake plant to the outside to give the dude some more privacy.

I think the fiber wrap @CalamityCrow was referring to was the cocoa coir that is training the vine upwards. I have used coir panels with my chameleons before and they were ok. If exposed to heavy moisture it may start to grow things or rot. My panels weren’t up long enough to do either of those things…maybe 8 months or so. Have we directed you to how to best hang branches and plants with a screen enclosure? It’s easiest to attach things with the enclosure taken apart. There are Dragon Ledges https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ which are better than sliced bread. I didn’t have time to get some so used scrap garden trellis and was so pleased with the result, that I’ve bought trellis panels to use when setting up more enclosures. Cut just a bit smaller than each side/back and take into account the space of them butting up against each other. I sand smooth any sharper edges. Drill some tiny holes in the trellis end where I’ll be attaching it to the enclosure frame with thin wires. I also add some small screws (at least 2 per frame piece) to help hold the panel and prevent slippage. Keep all sharp edges and wire ends on the outside. Including pics below of both an enclosure set up with dragon ledges and one with trellis. The one with trellis is double sized, bioactive and for a panther (was just set up). I also use the double pot method. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[MissSkittles]

So you want height which is the struggle of course unless you use something like lattice for your back and two sides. Anchor this to your cage frame from the inside. Then you build a network of real branches attached to the lattice with zipties. @MissSkittles can post some pics for you of this. You can then attach in pots to this frame work.

Note I do not recognize all of the plants your using as veiled tested plants. Make sure you stick to these types if this set up is for a veiled.

View attachment 355837

lol lol lol You posted at the same time I was attaching the pics.

 

[Beman]

lol lol lol You posted at the same time I was attaching the pics.

I think we are now functioning off the same husbandry brain.

 

[Professor Stitch Witch]

Thanks all! We’re working on sticks now! (Had to get more zip ties) For reference, the plants are: spider plant, prayer plant, umbrella plant, and philodendron (basically the same as pothos as some of us chatted about earlier today. Anchored 4 larger sticks in each corner and now we’re working on the diagonals and horizontals.

Might take out my new “plant pole” and have that little plant hang and dangle instead since it’s so long. (Will use my pole on my other phils)

 

[Professor Stitch Witch]

I think the fiber wrap @CalamityCrow was referring to was the cocoa coir that is training the vine upwards. I have used coir panels with my chameleons before and they were ok. If exposed to heavy moisture it may start to grow things or rot. My panels weren’t up long enough to do either of those things…maybe 8 months or so. Have we directed you to how to best hang branches and plants with a screen enclosure? It’s easiest to attach things with the enclosure taken apart. There are Dragon Ledges https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ which are better than sliced bread. I didn’t have time to get some so used scrap garden trellis and was so pleased with the result, that I’ve bought trellis panels to use when setting up more enclosures. Cut just a bit smaller than each side/back and take into account the space of them butting up against each other. I sand smooth any sharper edges. Drill some tiny holes in the trellis end where I’ll be attaching it to the enclosure frame with thin wires. I also add some small screws (at least 2 per frame piece) to help hold the panel and prevent slippage. Keep all sharp edges and wire ends on the outside. Including pics below of both an enclosure set up with dragon ledges and one with trellis. The one with trellis is double sized, bioactive and for a panther (was just set up). I also use the double pot method. Hope this helps a bit.
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Gorgeous! So helpful!

 

[Beman]

So I had a bad experience with a spider plant and a veiled... I had one bite it off low and then started gagging on it as part of it was swallowed and the other was stuck sticking out the mouth. I was home and able to step in to pull the piece up out of his throat but had I not been it may have turned into a very bad situation. So just be cautious. They are like toddlers and get into and eat everything.

 

[Ghostbirb]

So I had a bad experience with a spider plant and a veiled... I had one bite it off low and then started gagging on it as part of it was swallowed and the other was stuck sticking out the mouth. I was home and able to step in to pull the piece up out of his throat but had I not been it may have turned into a very bad situation. So just be cautious. They are like toddlers and get into and eat everything.

Woah that’s scary. I have two spider plants in my cage and my girl has never gotten into them. Tho her tastes might lean towards the larger leafed plants.

 

[Professor Stitch Witch]

Oh no! I might take that one out. Secured zip ties so it’s back to stick securing!

 

[Chancla]

Hey gang! I decided to pick up some 24”x36” sheets of coroplast (corrugated plastic) with the thought of lining two interior walls with it or, alternatively, cutting and bending them to adhere to the corners to prevent our branches/twigs from piercing the mesh.

Does anyone have experience with specifically lining the inside with this material?

 

[Beman]

Woah that’s scary. I have two spider plants in my cage and my girl has never gotten into them. Tho her tastes might lean towards the larger leafed plants.

Oh no! I might take that one out. Secured zip ties so it’s back to stick securing!

I know others that have used them without issue and their veileds do not seem to bother them choosing other plants in the cage. I just did not happen to have that experience lol.

 

[Chancla]

Progress! Feeling good about the structure, but would love any feedback. Going to be starting to reintroduce plants here soon.