Pulling the trigger on the Atrium Dragon Strand...

[eahoormann]

I REEEAAALLLY want this mammoth... But I'm not sure what I need to do to get ready for this. It seems like such a massive enclosure compared to his current Reptibreeze. Would you recommend just getting the enclosure... setting it up the way we like and then making his transition? I'm also thinking about figuring out some way to put a screen in the bottom a few inches up to create the new 'bottom' of the cage and figuring out a way to make this screen with a bucket under for drainage... does that make sense? His current set up doesn't have a bottom, just screen and I've gotten very used to it and it's simple.

I've looked up all I can on here with other threads and everything... But I need validation.

As always, any and all recommendations and PICTURES are welcome.

 

[jamest0o0]

Just drill holes in the bottom, other than that all I can say is get it! It's awesome and imo a necessary size for our Chams. I like the clearsided one the best, perfect mix of ventilation and humidity control.

 

[JacksJill]

Get me one too!

 

[eahoormann]

Just drill holes in the bottom, other than that all I can say is get it! It's awesome and imo a necessary size for our Chams. I like the clearsided one the best, perfect mix of ventilation and humidity control.

This one right? http://dragonstrand.com/product/large-clearside-atrium-enclosure/

I just love it! I want to get it and put it in our living room for a 'center piece'. The only other concern I have is his sleep schedule. We are sometimes in the living room well past his lights out time. Will he sleep on his own when his lamps go out or do we need to treat him like a baby. That was a question/concern I had in general too-how careful do we need to be (Even now) with his sleep schedule. Once his lights are out and he's asleep.. do we need to leave him be and keep the overhead light off and tip-toe around... or what... ?

Am I making any sense?? I feel so rambly today!

 

[eahoormann]

Get me one too!

I'll get you one if you get me one!!

 

[JacksJill]

I don't do it every night but I do watch TV past lights out occasionally with the rest of the room lights off. He sleeps thru it. He must not like my shows.

 

[JacksJill]

I'll get you one if you get me one!!

Ha! Good one.

 

[eahoormann]

I don't do it every night but I do watch TV past lights out occasionally with the rest of the room lights off. He sleeps thru it. He must not like my shows.

HA! And now that I think about it... he might be better off in the living room. Later at night we mostly go upstairs...

 

[spacecats1001]

This one right? http://dragonstrand.com/product/large-clearside-atrium-enclosure/

I just love it! I want to get it and put it in our living room for a 'center piece'. The only other concern I have is his sleep schedule. We are sometimes in the living room well past his lights out time. Will he sleep on his own when his lamps go out or do we need to treat him like a baby. That was a question/concern I had in general too-how careful do we need to be (Even now) with his sleep schedule. Once his lights are out and he's asleep.. do we need to leave him be and keep the overhead light off and tip-toe around... or what... ?

Am I making any sense?? I feel so rambly today!

I have mine in my living room and this was a worry for me at the beginning too....here is what we did. I set two 1" square blocks across the depth on the top of the cage to hold the light up and also drilled hooks into the ends on the front and the sides in the back. I bought a cheap thick black table cloth off of Amazon and added grommets to it that lined up with the hooks. I just hook the table cloth to his cage every night and he falls right asleep...even with sun still outside. It is dark enough. He is right near the TV and I try to keep it lower at night but I have checked on him and he sleeps through it all. I am at work right now so I don't have close up pic but here is the cage...maybe you can see a bit of whta I am talking about at the top~

Also, I had this set up as much as I could and then placed him in his outdoor cage when I needed to pull things out of his baby cage for the move in day(mister, certain branches etc.)
Have fun! These cages are awesome to play around with!!!

 

[MedicMan1]

I have the large clear side atrium from DragonStrand. It's incredible. I'll link to my video on YouTube. I set it up with a drain and the drip tray. It's extremely low maintenance.

 

[MedicMan1]

 

[eahoormann]

I have mine in my living room and this was a worry for me at the beginning too....here is what we did. I set two 1" square blocks across the depth on the top of the cage to hold the light up and also drilled hooks into the ends on the front and the sides in the back. I bought a cheap thick black table cloth off of Amazon and added grommets to it that lined up with the hooks. I just hook the table cloth to his cage every night and he falls right asleep...even with sun still outside. It is dark enough. He is right near the TV and I try to keep it lower at night but I have checked on him and he sleeps through it all. I am at work right now so I don't have close up pic but here is the cage...maybe you can see a bit of whta I am talking about at the top~
View attachment 183338

Also, I had this set up as much as I could and then placed him in his outdoor cage when I needed to pull things out of his baby cage for the move in day(mister, certain branches etc.)
Have fun! These cages are awesome to play around with!!!

Awesome! I'm having a really really hard time envisioning how the drainage works with these... Could you provide a better explanation to this? No rush, when you get home is totally fine!

 

[spacecats1001]

Awesome! I'm having a really really hard time envisioning how the drainage works with these... Could you provide a better explanation to this? No rush, when you get home is totally fine!

So I found a cabinet that happened to fit two Lowe's 5 gallon buckets in its compartment underneath and also had 'cord holes' in the back wall. I too have the drainage tray like medic man that I drilled holes in and added mist king bulkheads to. Fitted those with tubes and ran them down into one of the buckets. I change out the bucket once a week and vacuum out the drainage tray which I then wipe down with clorhexadine. That's it!

 

[absolutbill]

I absolutely love my clear-sided cage, and can heartily recommend them. We bought 2, and took our time designing them one at a time, getting everything how we wanted it. When the first one was finished I moved Sunny into it as we worked on the second one. As for drainage, because you don't have to mist for as long with the clear sides I went from 15 min a day to 4, you don't have as much water collected in the bottom of the cage. I did buy the drainage tray, and on the bottom of the cage I put a large pothos, and smaller plants that I'm growing up for the other cage (no inhabitant yet, and thus no plants in it). They catch a lot of the water, and every 4 days or so I go in and sop up the excess water with a papertowel and squeeze it into the plants for some extra watering. I haven't gone on vacation yet, but have instructed my pet sitter to do it every 3 days when she comes to the house. Good luck!

 

[spacecats1001]

Awesome! I'm having a really really hard time envisioning how the drainage works with these... Could you provide a better explanation to this? No rush, when you get home is totally fine!

Here are some pics:

Drainage Bulkhead in drip tray

underside leading to bucket

Leading to bucket in cabinet


Covered for the night. I do not do this while his lights are still on because it creates a mirror image on the inside that way and I don't want him freaking himself out


Top of cage with quad fixture on blocks, hooks for night cover on blocks as well


And for fun, here is Stuart watching me take these pictures, lol

Hope this helps!!!!

 

[Carlton]

This one right? http://dragonstrand.com/product/large-clearside-atrium-enclosure/

I just love it! I want to get it and put it in our living room for a 'center piece'. The only other concern I have is his sleep schedule. We are sometimes in the living room well past his lights out time. Will he sleep on his own when his lamps go out or do we need to treat him like a baby. That was a question/concern I had in general too-how careful do we need to be (Even now) with his sleep schedule. Once his lights are out and he's asleep.. do we need to leave him be and keep the overhead light off and tip-toe around... or what... ?

Am I making any sense?? I feel so rambly today!

One other thing to consider is how much daily commotion there would be if his cage is your "centerpiece". Not all chams do well being the center of attention in a busy home especially if there's no dense cover in the cage where they can hide and observe without being in plain view themselves. I don't know your cham, age, or personality, but it can change with age.

 

[eahoormann]

One other thing to consider is how much daily commotion there would be if his cage is your "centerpiece". Not all chams do well being the center of attention in a busy home especially if there's no dense cover in the cage where they can hide and observe without being in plain view themselves. I don't know your cham, age, or personality, but it can change with age.

Thank you for the concern!! He's about 3-4 MO veiled. He's pretty ok normally. It's just my boyfriend and I and a cat. My boyfriend travels for work but when he's home, he's upstairs in his office- were Leif is currently- and the boyfriend likes to listen to Eminem and Kid Rock rather loudly while he works so I'm thinking a move for Leif might be best. HA!

 

[spacecats1001]

One other thing to consider is how much daily commotion there would be if his cage is your "centerpiece". Not all chams do well being the center of attention in a busy home especially if there's no dense cover in the cage where they can hide and observe without being in plain view themselves. I don't know your cham, age, or personality, but it can change with age.

100% agree with this....its just me and the hubs...if his kids lived here the living room would've been a no go. We're gone most of the day at work so it work's out ok for us but this is definitely something to consider. Stress = death for reptiles

 

[spacecats1001]

Thank you for the concern!! He's about 3-4 MO veiled. He's pretty ok normally. It's just my boyfriend and I and a cat. My boyfriend travels for work but when he's home, he's upstairs in his office- were Leif is currently- and the boyfriend likes to listen to Eminem and Kid Rock rather loudly while he works so I'm thinking a move for Leif might be best. HA!

Sounds like you should be ok.
We have small dogs and a cat and Stuart is so high up above them, he sees them but he shows no stress I believe due to the height he is above them. Also, the dense cover is a must

 

[RedMountainHome]

VERY cool setup, MedicMan1! Crisp, clean, but still natural looking.

How did you set up drainage for your plants? I made some similar pots out of spray foam but I feel like the dirt stays too wet in there, so I don't get great plant growth.