Semi free range bio active enclosure

[Sonny13]

Yes I totally agree, needs much more foliage! So glad you think so too! You’re chameleon is quite lucky to have you as an owner

Let's hope so, trying to do my best
Lucky to have found this community, without them I wasn´t that great and she needed to suffer from all my trial and errors.

 

[JacksJill]

I'm not sure what I can contribute to this conversation I bow to jamest0o0 in all matters bio-active and @jannb when it comes to free ranges.
This section of the forum has the most freerange discussion https://www.chameleonforums.com/forums/free-range.86/

 

[Ta2Smitty]

maybe use a bakers rack? IMO I think it'd be the most stable option.

 

[Sonny13]

maybe use a bakers rack? IMO I think it'd be the most stable option.

Thanks, gonna check it.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Hey so I am late to the party. I have open enclosures that are bioactive. First you will not be able to recycle water, at least not without great effort. So you will have two options. A large revivor or a direct line tapped into plumbing run through RO (pricy) . You will need to drain the water away. For your recycle system you would need it to run through many many plants to filter, you would then still need Final filtering to simulate rain. Misting with recycled water without final filtering would pose many health risks.
The second problem you will run into is night time temperature drop and humidity rise. Dat time is fine as the need it to dry out. If you were going to do complete freestanding like you show you could simply make a curtin to pull around, or on the sides to hold in humidity. I have a corner that is divided and enclosed 3 sides by plastic to hold in humidity. I use a 3 head fogger with a 5 gal bucket, also use this as my mist revivor. I close off the normal vent to the room. I have and exhaust and intake system in my window. During the day I use exhaust, constantly sucking air out past the enclosure., at night I run intake once the temp goes below 60 out side. I am in Oregon so this is average night temp of 55. With the cold air in and the fogger I achieve 90+ humidity with fog and <65f degrees.
As for the tub part that holds the plants. Anything that is the right size for you can work. Just make sure it can drain, and has a proper drain layer. My sides that have cuc are only a couple inches and I do not find any isopods around the house.
Here are some pics, and my beardie I recently got set up.

 

[suprdude]

View attachment 295105

How awesome would this be, such a beautiful piece displayed in your living room with a chameleon living in it

That's probably an $8,000 bonsai. I've seen them on Ebay.

 

[Sonny13]

That's probably an $8,000 bonsai. I've seen them on Ebay.

I know, this type is. Because it’s probably already +80 years old. Have found alternatives for already $200-300

 

[Sonny13]

Thanks for replying and your useful feedback. Love your settings

Misting with recycled water without final filtering would pose many health risks.

That’s a really good point, haven’t thought about it. Thinking about it makes 100% sense.

I have and exhaust and intake system in my window. During the day I use exhaust, constantly sucking air out past the enclosure., at night I run intake once the temp goes below 60 out side. I am in Oregon so this is average night temp of 55. With the cold air in and the fogger I achieve 90+ humidity with fog and <65f degrees

Amazing! Unfortunately this want work at my place, because extreme temperature ranges, varying from 20 till 68 during nighttime.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

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View attachment 295648

Those cylinders remind me of concrete test cylinders, but shorter. What are they?
Is that carpet substrate ‽

The whole setup in this pic reminds me of (what might be) a dinosaur habitat at a zoo!
It looks great from here. You know that beardie is (eventually) going to decimate those plants, right? I'd also bet he'll escape that enclosure.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Those cylinders remind me of concrete test cylinders, but shorter. What are they?
Is that carpet substrate ‽

So the plats that is what I thought. But he doesn’t touch them. I just did the bio-active part , but the plants have been in there for months now. I though they would be eaten as well. He hides in the big one sometimes but that is it.
I do like my big enclosures lol

The whole setup in this pic reminds me of (what might be) a dinosaur habitat at a zoo!
It looks great from here. You know that beardie is (eventually) going to decimate those plants, right? I'd also bet he'll escape that enclosure.

So those round things are decorative garden borders from Lowe’s. They are just wood. I thought the plants would get eaten and they were originally in pots. He doesn’t eat them though. I do like my oversized enclosures. The base is two utility tubs cut down. I have coarse sand over potting soil. It ended up making a perfect ground mix. I feed him in a dish, but the sand is coarse so it doesn’t stick to everything like a fine or play sand will.
It had a higher front but my wife took it He will jump that yes. Oddly he hasn’t in a week he likes his enclosure. But he will get out he has before with the low front. It is my son’s room so we keep it closed for now.

 

[jamest0o0]

So those round things are decorative garden borders from Lowe’s. They are just wood. I thought the plants would get eaten and they were originally in pots. He doesn’t eat them though. I do like my oversized enclosures. The base is two utility tubs cut down. I have coarse sand over potting soil. It ended up making a perfect ground mix. I feed him in a dish, but the sand is coarse so it doesn’t stick to everything like a fine or play sand will.
It had a higher front but my wife took it He will jump that yes. Oddly he hasn’t in a week he likes his enclosure. But he will get out he has before with the low front. It is my son’s room so we keep it closed for now.

Pretty sick beardie set up casque. Good info although I don't find it necessary for the entire rooms humidity to be 100% if you just have a fogger running over the chameleon. I have a montane, which need even higher humidity than veileds, and my guy has been perfectly hydrated for months while I run a dehumidifier in the same room with just fog blasting on him at night(I also do a weekly shower for 1-2 hrs on mist). This would be tricky though if your chameleon sleeps all over the place because you'd have to keep moving the fogger, luckily for me my guy is in the same spot every night.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Pretty sick beardie set up casque. Good info although I don't find it necessary for the entire rooms humidity to be 100% if you just have a fogger running over the chameleon. I have a montane, which need even higher humidity than veileds, and my guy has been perfectly hydrated for months while I run a dehumidifier in the same room with just fog blasting on him at night(I also do a weekly shower for 1-2 hrs on mist). This would be tricky though if your chameleon sleeps all over the place because you'd have to keep moving the fogger, luckily for me my guy is in the same spot every night.

I fog the same way. Mine both have regular sleeping areas so it is not to difficult luckily. But as you say the whole house doesn't need it. I have gotten good at micro climates in my house. lol

 

[Sonny13]

Found something interesting. Instead of watering the planter, I can use this system for dewatering it. The water reservoir is triple the water tank of the mister and that’s enough for 5 days misting. Probably the soil holds for even more days and when I lucky the tree uses the rest of water in the reservoir.

I will use Schefflera tree, like pictured, it’s addable with additional branches and maybe some extra plants (hanging the pots directly to the stem). The planter / soil will be filled with some smaller plants. Got my ideas, to be continued........

 

[Shanar808]

Wow that planter is HUGE! Just wondering what is your setup plan for filtering the water? I think it’s a great idea for consolidating the enclosure setup.

 

[Sonny13]

Wow that planter is HUGE! Just wondering what is your setup plan for filtering the water? I think it’s a great idea for consolidating the enclosure setup.

Don’t know yet. The reservoir is large enough to divide somehow. Being one half as tank for the mister and one half for collecting water. Can use the pipe for normally fill the tank for pumping out the waste water. Still time enough to overthinking it

 

[Sonny13]

That Schefflera is also at least 4’ tall

 

[Sonny13]

O my, it´s on!! Found a crazy ass bargain at a local florist and it´s insane! Got this beauty, 31,5" tall and 24" wide for just $89,00 yesss $89,00

This will be the centre piece and put at the bottom the rattlesnake plant. Behind it I´ll build-up a branch network and will wrap it up with the Madagascar Jasmine and probably a pothos to climb down.

Also received the planter which looks really great, with it´s 24" diameter and 22" height. The drainage layer with the dewatering will definitely be no problem and will be easy. Gonna use the floor protecting mat, for creating a 10" raised edge. The trolley goes neatly underneath, useful for summers, everything can be rolled easily towards the sun.

Will assembly I stand from scaffolding tubes (material shown in picture), for mounting the light fixtures, misting nozzles and fogging tube.

 

[suprdude]

Got this beauty, 31,5" tall and 24" wide for just $89,00 yesss $89,00

Wow, I'm jealous. I would be tempted to sell it. There aren't a lot of buyers, but it could easily go for $5000

 

[Sonny13]

Wow, I'm jealous. I would be tempted to sell it. There aren't a lot of buyers, but it could easily go for $5000

Guessing its age at least 20 years old, regarding its height. I already stopped searching for one, because I wanted at least 4´of height, but that´s crazy expensive and really difficult to find. Now I need to change design due the heigh, however I think its worth it

 

[Sonny13]

First test ride.....I think she likes it