No substrate

[magicalminky]

Ive just removed the substrate from my chameleons enclosure due to comments on here, only hes still walking on the ground alot and im worried that the lights will cause it to get hot?? Also is there anything else i could put on the base? It looks so bare! Thanks for any input!

 

[chameleonkev]

Bare is good it's easy to keep clean and how hot is the viv? Basking temp and ambient temp?

 

[magicalminky]

Nearly 30 and 20 at night. Probably a bit silly of me thinking it'll get hot but wanted to check, hes sliding himself round now, maybe jes enjoying it!!

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

Celcius or fahrenheit?

 

[Olimpia]

Is 30C the ambient temperature or just the basking temperature? If it is the ambient temperature in the whole cage, something needs to be changed, that's too warm.

 

[magicalminky]

30c with the nasking lamp on, less lower down though as its an exo terra enclosure so has ventilation mear the bottom.

 

[juju]

temps seem fine to me i dont think there will be a problem as long as u have some foliage blocking the light a bit.

 

[magicalminky]

Ok, thanks!! This site is brilliant by the way, so many great ideas and info! Thanks!

 

[Swayne8998]

30c with the nasking lamp on, less lower down though as its an exo terra enclosure so has ventilation mear the bottom.

Is it a glass enclosure? I'm sure you probably won't like hearing this, but glass enclosures are very bad and you will most likely have to upgrade in a month or so anyway, depending on the age of your cham.

 

[Nate135]

Also is there anything else i could put on the base? It looks so bare!

U can put paper towels on the bottom but no substrate cuz the cham can accidentally swallow things

 

[Olimpia]

Is it a glass enclosure? I'm sure you probably won't like hearing this, but glass enclosures are very bad and you will most likely have to upgrade in a month or so anyway, depending on the age of your cham.

U can put paper towels on the bottom but no substrate cuz the cham can accidentally swallow things

No and no. In climates like those in Europe, Canada, or the North of the US, glass vivariums (not aquariums) still provide adequate ventilation and an environment where it is easier to keep temperatures and humidity steady throughout the year. In Europe in particular, just about everyone uses glass enclosures extensively with great success. So no, they are not bad, depending on circumstance. Aquariums are the less desirable choice.

And no, paper towel is worse than something particulate like soil. Paper towel does not dissolve when wet and breaks apart like toilet paper does, and so if your chameleon ever eats a chunk of it it will remain intact and stands a much higher chance of becoming stuck. I think you're better off having a tank full of fine, organic soil than a tank full of paper towels.


To the OP - if you want to put something on the bottom for aesthetic reasons, you're going to have to get a little creative. A good idea I've seen is finding a length of that artificial grass they sell at home improvement stores. Some looks very cheap and artificial but others look very good for not a lot of money. You would cut out what you need, lay it down, and then remove it when ever you want to clean the tank. Large river rocks also look nice but add a lot of weight to the tank.

 

[Swayne8998]

No and no. In climates like those in Europe, Canada, or the North of the US, glass vivariums (not aquariums) still provide adequate ventilation and an environment where it is easier to keep temperatures and humidity steady throughout the year. In Europe in particular, just about everyone uses glass enclosures extensively with great success. So no, they are not bad, depending on circumstance. Aquariums are the less desirable choice.

And no, paper towel is worse than something particulate like soil. Paper towel does not dissolve when wet and breaks apart like toilet paper does, and so if your chameleon ever eats a chunk of it it will remain intact and stands a much higher chance of becoming stuck. I think you're better off having a tank full of fine, organic soil than a tank full of paper towels.


To the OP - if you want to put something on the bottom for aesthetic reasons, you're going to have to get a little creative. A good idea I've seen is finding a length of that artificial grass they sell at home improvement stores. Some looks very cheap and artificial but others look very good for not a lot of money. You would cut out what you need, lay it down, and then remove it when ever you want to clean the tank. Large river rocks also look nice but add a lot of weight to the tank.

...Ok, but his location was not listed. Maybe you say that because he reads in Celcius, or you know his location?

And paper towels are a great choice to use, IMHO. I would be surprised if I saw a cham taking in mouthfulls of paper towel. And if you change them frequently, that reduces the risk of them ingesting them at all, in that worse-case scenario. You can also drill a hole in the bottom of the cage, and slope down so the water will drain into a 5gal bucket or something of the sort. I also use the paper towels to avoid the bottom of my cage warping, etc. because I have a custom cage. Please don't assume that I am trying to pick a fight or anything, it's all IMHO and what I have learned from experience.

EDIT: I do realize that in those climates glass enclosures can work great. Again, I did not know the location.

 

[Nate135]

And no, paper towel is worse than something particulate like soil. Paper towel does not dissolve when wet and breaks apart like toilet paper does, and so if your chameleon ever eats a chunk of it it will remain intact and stands a much higher chance of becoming stuck. I think you're better off having a tank full of fine, organic soil than a tank full of paper towels.

I've never seen a paper towel break apart like toilet paper. Especially when its just spread out on a flat surface where water is dripping on it. If nothing is pulling on it besides the chameleon occasionally walking on it, I dont see it breaking apart at all. This is just my opinion from experience. I have also had cages with nothing on the bottom so I am not saying the paper towel idea is better than others

 

[studio2eight]

Repti-Carpet

I use something called Repti-Carpet, it comes in a roll.

I just cut it to the size of the cage and can get about 3 out of one roll. I just change them out and wash them when I clean the cage. It is green so it looks nice and it's nothing they can swallow.

 

[Nate135]

I use something called Repti-Carpet, it comes in a roll.

I just cut it to the size of the cage and can get about 3 out of one roll. I just change them out and wash them when I clean the cage. It is green so it looks nice and it's nothing they can swallow.

This sounds like the best option cuz u already know its cham safe and its washable and reusable. Good input

 

[Alexl]

Maybe you want to take a look at this very nice thread, especially at the last pages with a discussion about using substrate. I'm really confused about using artificial green paper instead of natural plants and natural soil (not those "reptile grounds" sold in stores).

 

[carol5208]

ask Hoj about using paper towel. If I am not mistaken his chameleon got a mouthful of it when he shot at a cricket. I would not use it.

 

[Swayne8998]

This sounds like the best option cuz u already know its cham safe and its washable and reusable. Good input

The only thing is it's higher maintenance. If you do not wash it frequently, it can be a HUGE problem with mold and bacteria.

ask Hoj about using paper towel. If I am not mistaken his chameleon got a mouthful of it when he shot at a cricket. I would not use it.

I actually have sorta seen this with my veiled. He shot at a cricket that was on paper towel. No mouthfulls of that. Not saying that that couldn't happen, but like another member said, it would be pretty weak paper towel to break apart like that. But I don't free-range feeders also, I cup feed. So the paper towel situation works great for me

EDIT: The reason the cricket was out in the cage was because it jumped out of the cup.

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Honestly if you can get the finest organic soil I would put that in the bottom. If not I would get like a reptibreeze cage and just make holes for drainage and just do it that way. No need for a substrate really. To be honest I didnt read the post lol but I read your first question.