Substrate - Just wondering

[haksui]

I know having substrate in a chameleon enclosure could be potentially dangerous. However, is there any way to safely have substrate. For instance, what if a good layer of leaf litter was put over the soil? Enough leaf litter so that it would take some physical digger to get to the soil? Has anyone tried this and was successful?

 

[SaintJimmy]

Some people put pebbles large enough to not be eaten down at the bottom, others put newspaper.

I honestly wouldn't put substrate at all. Moss might be okay.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Lots of people successfully have substrate, especially in Europe.

Id say a lot depends on your particular chameleon and on how you feed it (and what you feed it).

Ground cover weed cloth over the soil (with small cut-outs for the plants to poke through) held down by large smooth rocks would alleviate worries about injesting the substrate. Wouldnt stop bugs from hiding.
A significant layer of leaves may do the same, and if larger pieces would also be safer than moss I shoudl think (long tendrils of moss if injested could twist in the intestines?)

 

[haksui]

I want to make it as natural as possible. I really don't like a plastic pot with a plant in the middle of enclosure. I guess I can always go all artificial.