Small or large enclosure?

[Ironlung]

I just bought a 3 month old veiled chameleon and I was wondering if it would be better to keep her in a small setup rather than a really large one? The small one is glass on all sides except for the top and the large one is all screen. The reason I ask is because I want to know if its easier for her to catch the food in the smaller one.

 

[spatulars]

How small and large are we talking? Can you measure the dimensions of each cage?

 

[Ironlung]

The small on is 12" tall, 12" wide, and 12" deep. The large one is 24" tall, 24" wide, and 18" deep.

 

[joefarah]

They do grow quick...

 

[spatulars]

Go with the screen, that's not too big at all for a 3 month old. Cup feeding will allow your chameleon to find its prey easily, although free-roaming crickets will generally all group together in the basking area.

 

[Ironlung]

Ok thank you. Should the cup be placed near the plants and foliage? Is there a link that shows the correct temps, humidity levels, lighting, etc. for veiled chameleons. I also read that substrate is bad for the bottom of the enclosure, is this true? If so, what should I use to keep the water from building up at the bottom during mistings?

 

[spatulars]

The cup can go anywhere that will gain the notice of the chameleon, placing it so that the chameleon can descend from above is a good idea.

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

Substrate is messy. Using towels and paper towels on the bottom of the cage is easy. I use towels because they're easy to wash. You can probably find a cheap pack of plain white towels at almost any store, and you can bleach them in the washer when you cycle through them.

 

[Kat77]

Yeah, there is no need for substrate. In most cases it causes more trouble than good. You do not NEED to cup feed a 3 month old. He or she will be able to find food just fine in such a small enclosure, and hunting is good mental stimulation. You'll even need to upgrade that screen enclosure before you know it, so you should have something on hand! Veileds grow very fast.

 

[Ironlung]

Wont the towels at the bottom get really wet and cant that cause bacteria?
I think I'm just going to leave the bottom empty and just get rid of the excess water with some paper towels.

 

[spatulars]

The towels won't breed bacteria if you use them as you would paper towels, just soaking up all the water and then washing them out afterwards, but paper towels will definitely work for you if that's easier. I started using towels because they're reusable, so it wastes less paper. When I use paper towels, I went through a roll per day. And yes, when my chameleon was 3 months old, he was in a slightly bigger enclosure, I let him hunt and he found his food just fine.

 

[Ironlung]

I want to get some real plants in there...what kind of plants do you recommend that will fit my enclosure and are relatively cheap?
Thanks for the feedback thus far.

 

[spatulars]

Pothos are cheap. I got a $2.50 ficus at Walmart on clearance. Umbrella Trees and bigger, bushier ficus run $10 at Home Depot. Crape Myrtle and Hibiscus run $12 to $15. Wash the leaves well with soap and water. Repotting in organic soil is a good idea. You can pick up a small bag of rocks or gravel and add a good 1 to 2-inch layer to the bottom of your plant pots. This will ensure that all the water that drips into your plants drains completely out of the soil. Although it's not necessary, especially if you pick a plant whose drain holes are on the side rather than the bottom.

 

[jannb]

I'm not sure what the bottom of your cage is made of but at first my husband drilled a couple holes in the bottom of the cage and I set a container under the cage to catch the water. Now he has a drain in it and I still use the contain to catch the water.

 

[lbesok]

I want to get some real plants in there...what kind of plants do you recommend that will fit my enclosure and are relatively cheap?
Thanks for the feedback thus far.

I could recommend a couple that haven't been mentioned that are very economical. The coleus (usually a $1 at walmart) and comes in a variety of colors. Also all of my chams really enjoy the schefflera (small for $2.50 at target).
As already mentioned the pathos is great, though more of a hanging vine (unless rooted very small) and are often more complicated to situate in a smaller cage. The ficus is ok (chams love it) though I find it needs more sun than the others and will drop all it's leaves if you aren't careful.

 

[BocaJan]

Backing up a bit, I want to mention how happy a large cage makes a cham. I just got my adult veiled a 24/24/48. My plants were all set up for a 12x18x24 cage so I put them up on top of some plastic bowls. My Arnie has been so happy! He now moves around, eats crickets every day (was only eating 3 every other day, maybe), is getting a little feisty and is finally doing a full body shed instead of a pieces and parts shed. I haven't seen his urates yet to make sure he is drinking. He has always been a lone feeder and drinker, but I spend 10 minutes spritzing his cage to make sure there is enough water clinging to the foliage.