Spray Paint

cswan19

New Member
So I bought a used chameleon enclosure from a pet shop and it was pretty faded and what not. I asked my dad if he could fix the door that needed some new screws. So he kept it overnight and did all the necessary repairs and made it look new! This was great but I came to find out that he spray painted it to make it look so good... The problem is I'm supposed to get my baby veiled chameleon from lll reptile this Thursday (Feb 14.) as it is the only day I will be home in order to sign for it and make sure it is okay. The enclosure was spray painted with black "Krylon Fusion: satin" on Sunday (Feb. 10) night. I'm leaving the enclosure outside to dry and air out. Will this be enough time to ensure no chemicals or vapors are still lurking? Will it be safe to put my chameleon in his new home by Thursday (Feb. 14)?
Thanks to anyone who can help. This is my first chameleon and I cannot tell you how excited I am to get my new reptile :)
-Christie
 
I'm not sure all the fumes will be gone. Idk if I would risk it honestly. Do you maybe have anything to make a temporary home for him? Maybe someone else will chime in, but I'm not so sure it will be enough.
 
Where do you live? What are the high day time temps in your area?

If you leave the cage in a cool environment the paint will cure and degas slower than it would in a warm environment.

Is the enclosure screen? It would be helpful if you could post a picture of the enclosure.

How cool you're getting a Cham on Valentine's day.
 
yeah the cage is screen:
launch


( I hope that image shows up )

And I live in South Florida so its pretty toasty here the highs for the next few days will be 79 on tues, 75 on wed, and 70 on thurs. Would it be better if I left in my car or in the sun rather than on the porch.

Thanks for such quick replies btw, I really appreciate it

-Christie
 
There are "non toxic" spray paints out there but it's not worth the risk. I would try to get a different cage if possible. Don't want anything bad to happen! :\
 
Personally I wouldn't use it. It's up to you though. I worked at a Home Depot for 1 1/2 years and they say that if you "air it out" in a warm environment things should be fine. But chams are very finecky
 
In the warm temps you are in and if left in full sun during the day I would be inclined to think it will be fine. I have used that paint in the past and it dries and cures fairly fast. This is just IMHO and I am sure you will get many different answers to your question. If on the day before you get your new cham you put the cage in a closed room without ventilation and the next day do not notice any smell or funny order then it is probably fine but you may want to let it cure a bit longer to be sure. The hotter and dryer that it is before you use it the better it will cure. In any case if you are not sure use something else until you are sure!!!
 
Not saying don't ever use it, I'm just saying give it a week or two to be safe. Temporary cage till at least Sunday?
 
Okay so I appreciate everyones help and advice, heres what I'm thinking....

I will let the cage sit in the sun until I need it and see if it stills smells, if I don't feel completely sure that it is safe to use then i will temporarily put the cham in this:

cage_zps4694459f.jpg


will that work for a little while?

Is it going to cause extra stress to my baby cham to put him in this and then a week later move him again to another enclosure. The only problem is that I have class and work every week day and work every weekend so its very difficult for me to be home to sign for the package. The next time I will be able to get a full day off won't be for another month or so, which is why I'm in a bit of pickle here lol .
-christie


thanks guys for all the help!
 
I checked to see what paint I used on my frag stands and it's Krylon fusion but the glossy. I would hazard to guess if its safe for reef tanks it should be fine for your Cham. The night before you get your new Cham I would give it a good rinsing in the shower and let it dry. Use caution if any of the paint starts peeling.

Your dad did a super job. Looks great.

Welcome
 
Thanks to everyone who replied and helped me out, i really appreciate it!!! I'm going to use the temporary cage if needed. I will post pictures of the new little guy once i get him, I might need some name ideas if you feel like posting haha :) thanks again
- christie
 
I don't own a chameleon yet, so take what I'm saying here with that in mind. However, my true passion is saltwater fish tanks, and they are probably the most sensitive things I've ever seen. I've done about eight years of research on these systems and still learn new things every day, but I feel like I've gotten the gist of cham keeping through about twenty-five hours of reading. Please don't think I'm saying I'm an expert on them, but from what I've seen reefkeeping seems to be a lot more difficult/sensitive.

Anyways, us reef hobbyists use the exact black krylon paint do do the backgrounds of our tanks and fill them the next day. Ten years down the line, still good with a healthy environment and happy fish/corals.

+1 to the above poster though. If your dad picked any other kind of paint, I'd be more worried.

**Edit: Oh, and the only name I think is appropriate here is Valentine. lol
 
Wow I guessed I lucked with my dads paint selection haha pretty sweet, and thanks for the compliments on the cage, he'll appreciate the feedback!
 
Haha I like mr. Pickles, but I'm looking for something surf or beach related, cause Chams are so chill and laid back lol
 
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