The build starts

[Harry938]

As I have said before I was going to build a Viv for my veiled, but found an amazing deal on a pro Viv vivarium and it just made sense to get that instead.

It’s the pro Viv large deep (115x61x91.5cm), now it is a wooden Viv but that has always been the plan to get the night time humidity and to regulate the day humidity much easier. It’s is going to be fully sealed with resin so essentially a plastic box in a wooden box.

It’s not perfect and needs work like extra vents and fan holes drilling for the air flow, but taking my time and slowly putting it together. My old wood Viv setup worked perfectly at quickly reducing humidity for the day and getting up there for night time. I’ve included some photos of so far and will carry on updating, please feel free to comment but this is a diary for me aswell .

Bottom left is going to be a waterfall, all sealed and easy cleanable, few pots up high for vines and climbers and the bottom is going to be covered with plants and soil from existing Viv to help establish bio activity quicker, he’ll live a day or so in a semi bear Viv but I have a few big trees in the house I can Chuck in for cover for him for the time being I think he’ll be okay.




Existing:

How it started, fully siliconed sealed and drying:

Rear foam on

Start of background, expanding foam and polystyrene, will be coated several times with PRresin:

Dry fit of a few plants:

 

[Raymond1412]

You've got quite the setup going there! I can't wait to see the finished product!!

 

[Harry938]

You've got quite the setup going there! I can't wait to see the finished product!!

Thankyou it’s a project for after work and days off, maybe slow,

But

The problem I have is my current one wasn’t sealed as great I got it secondhand and it was a plastic sheet liner….the glues come apart and the woods swelling, so not too slow .
This is why I making 100% that EVERYTHING is sealed more than generously

 

[Harry938]

These arrived today, can start doing more again now, have been waiting a while…the light also arrived the Arcadia lumanIZE, didn’t realise how bulky it was, so either going to have to drop everything down or cut a diagonal hole to basically have all the electronics outside and just the bulb and reflector flush with the roof

 

[Harry938]

Well 2hr of work and the foam is fully painted with the texture stuff, will leave that tonight and add more tomorrow to build it up.

I’ve added thumbnails of some of the plants I have in with him now moving over and some new one’s I plan on adding, I believe they are all safe, any input would be great on weather they are or not

They have all been washed/repotted to avoid any parasites/infection/pesticides some will be planted into the Viv and others hanging in the pots up high but I need more climbers/vines I have a pothos (no photo as he’s clinging on asleep rn ) but want more, any suggestions please?

 

[elizaann2]

Its going to look so awesome when you are done! I can't wait!

 

[Sonny13]

It’s gonna be looking great!

Bottom left is going to be a waterfall, all sealed and easy cleanable, few pots up high for vines and climbers and the bottom is going to be covered with plants and soil from existing Viv to help establish bio activity quicker, he’ll live a day or so in a semi bear Viv but I have a few big trees in the house I can Chuck in for cover for him for the time being I think he’ll be okay.

However, waterfalls are not recommended for chameleon enclosures. Mostly for two reasons; bacterial growth due poop entering the water and the fact chameleons can’t swim. If there’s small pool of water at the base of the waterfall this could be a possible drowning area.

 

[Harry938]

No I’m aware @Sonny13, my plan is to have a false floor essentially with stones ontop so the water is gone, the pool will be below floor level if that makes sense, also easier to clean as can just take the mesh and rocks and throw them in the sink and pour boiling water over, I’m going to have the waterfall a separate reservoir, so that all water can be removed in one go, see rudimentary Snapchat drawing , this will be removed, cleaned and refilled everyday, I have a dripper plant atm that he loves and have been religiously removing and cleaning, this will hopefully replace that as it’s getting tatty now. His welfare will be 100% #1 if I dont like how it turns out or gets to hard to keep on top of then I’ll basically turn the waterfall into another plant place, I have never seen him drink from water bowl just leaves so hopefully he’ll continue drinking like that and then all his drinking water will be from fogger and mister, which I change daily, I never understand why they have such big tanks, it encourages people to be lazy

It’s gonna be looking great!


However, waterfalls are not recommended for chameleon enclosures. Mostly for two reasons; bacterial growth due poop entering the water and the fact chameleons can’t swim. If there’s small pool of water at the base of the waterfall this could be a possible drowning area.

 

[Harry938]

No I’m aware @Sonny13, my plan is to have a false floor essentially with stones ontop so the water is gone, the pool will be below floor level if that makes sense, also easier to clean as can just take the mesh and rocks and throw them in the sink and pour boiling water over, I’m going to have the waterfall a separate reservoir, so that all water can be removed in one go, see rudimentary Snapchat drawing , this will be removed, cleaned and refilled everyday, I have a dripper plant atm that he loves and have been religiously removing and cleaning, this will hopefully replace that as it’s getting tatty now. His welfare will be 100% #1 if I dont like how it turns out or gets to hard to keep on top of then I’ll basically turn the waterfall into another plant place, I have never seen him drink from water bowl just leaves so hopefully he’ll continue drinking like that and then all his drinking water will be from fogger and mister, which I change daily, I never understand why they have such big tanks, it encourages people to be lazy

Also I’m trying not to add branches or anything that make it easy for him to drink from, essentially making him go for easier options, the waterfall really is humid at and decor

 

[Harry938]

Been slow on Viv building as been flat out at work, however I work as a delivery driver for a plant nursery, which has its perks, here’s the final plant selection minus ficus and the few small plants in with him

 

[Sonny13]

No I’m aware @Sonny13, my plan is to have a false floor essentially with stones ontop so the water is gone, the pool will be below floor level if that makes sense, also easier to clean as can just take the mesh and rocks and throw them in the sink and pour boiling water over, I’m going to have the waterfall a separate reservoir, so that all water can be removed in one go, see rudimentary Snapchat drawing , this will be removed, cleaned and refilled everyday, I have a dripper plant atm that he loves and have been religiously removing and cleaning, this will hopefully replace that as it’s getting tatty now. His welfare will be 100% #1 if I dont like how it turns out or gets to hard to keep on top of then I’ll basically turn the waterfall into another plant place, I have never seen him drink from water bowl just leaves so hopefully he’ll continue drinking like that and then all his drinking water will be from fogger and mister, which I change daily, I never understand why they have such big tanks, it encourages people to be lazy

Somehow missed your post. Okay, you thought it all through

 

[Sonny13]

View attachment 358778

Been slow on Viv building as been flat out at work, however I work as a delivery driver for a plant nursery, which has its perks, here’s the final plant selection minus ficus and the few small plants in with him

Wow, great
One more thing to add, don’t use the rope anymore, they’re known to be notorious for ripping out their nails. Seen it way too often.

Really curious/excited how it turns out

 

[Harry938]

Wow, great
One more thing to add, don’t use the rope anymore, they’re known to be notorious for ripping out their nails. Seen it way too often.

Really curious/excited how it turns out

No I’m not going to it came with the old Viv and is staying in there

 

[Sonny13]

No I’m not going to it came with the old Viv and is staying in there

Perfect

 

[Harry938]

The waterfall is no more, partly because I had enough trying to make the container on the bottom fit and coudnt and partially because it turns out resin eats polystyrene , nearly there now with the modified Viv

 

[Sonny13]

This will end up beautifully

 

[Harry938]

So nearing the end of the build and getting stuff into final places, after some advice, what’s the best way to get him used to his new home quickly and with minimal stress?

I thought maybe just a few hr before bedtime so he has time to explore but then also rest not long after, wake up and be ready for new Viv?

Or is moring best so he has all day to figure it out?

 

[Sonny13]

I would do mornings, to give him all day to explore and even find a good sleeping spot.

So nearing the end of the build and getting stuff into final places, after some advice, what’s the best way to get him used to his new home quickly and with minimal stress?

I thought maybe just a few hr before bedtime so he has time to explore but then also rest not long after, wake up and be ready for new Viv?

Or is moring best so he has all day to figure it out?

 

[Harry938]

Okay that makes sense, i think I’m gunna leave him out 1 more day, it’s practically finished all plants added. I don’t smell any chemicals from the resin anymore so a day with the fan for ventilation and plants should clean the air to 100% safe for him . Apparently the PR resin is safe once dry, I’m just been cautious

I would do mornings, to give him all day to explore and even find a good sleeping spot.

 

[Harry938]

So here is the finished vivarium, (minus the extra fan and vents that are on the way), but finished enough that I can put him in and get him used to his new home.

There’s some photos where he isn’t too happy but I think he just need time to figure it out and realise the big scary chameleon he sees is his reflection . If he keeps flaring up I’ll readjust the Arcadia light to angle slightly away from the glass. Pretty happy with how it’s turned out recessed into the roof.

But for a 1st attempt at a full background and scaping of this size I’m quite happy, obviously the plants need to grow in abit more and no doubt I’ll find cool plants at work to add, I’m still figuring out what goes where for best display for me and best cover for him.

Currently only going to use 1 port for the fogger see how it goes, seen as it’s a large Viv might need to add the other. I have 2 mist nozzles in the aswell that seem to cover most up high plants okay, there no where near powerful enough cover all the soil and lower plants but that’s okay as I’d rather monitor this and water when needed with it been a wooden viv anyway. Plus I’m hoping I can get some form of dew with the fogger aswell.

I don’t think I’m going to get the day humidity down to great levels as quickly as in my previous wooden viv, that got from 80-100% humidity down do 50-60% in less than an hour, but we will see with the new fan ive bought it is 80mm as opposed to the 50mm I had, this will draw air out the Viv and I have a humidistat controlled one set at 55RH that blows in when the humidity gets higher that that to aid in a quick drop.

I have a 100w Arcadia solar basking light currently in there controlled by a microclimate dl1, but keep having low temp alarm go off, I’m sure this is just sensor placement and needs tweaking but seen as the dl1 is old I’m going to get a EVO connected 2 to replace it, been meaning to get one anyway.

I might also add an under substrate heat mat on the cooler side just to bring it up a little as it gets colder than 20°c furthest point from lamp, advise appreciated on that one.

But yeah, with a few minor tweaks I’m sure rango will be happy in his new home, included photo at night with night mode off him fully outstretched sleeping