chameleon97
New Member
Why? What is the major difference in weather?
-Steve
-Steve
Why do UK Cham keepers get away with glass?
- Thread starter chameleon97
- Start date
Rocky
Established Member
Glass cages aren't bad as long as you create the correct environment in it. The reason they use glass is because they believe it is the best way to keep proper humidity levels. The reason we use screen is because we try to ensure they get enough fresh air and don't sit in a stale environment.
What makes the glass enclosures work is that they put fans and vents in the cage so it doesn't get stale.
Everyone here basically freaks out wheN you say you use a glass enclosure, but that's generally because they are the small ones from petsmarts. As long as there's proper ventilation and the temps are correct and the size is decent, a chameleon should do fine in a glass enclosure
eisentrauti
Avid Member
Exactly. Most guys in Europe use glass enclosures - with good success. I prefer screen cages because of the following reasons:
- cheaper to build
- easier to build
- faster to build
At the moment I'm in the process to build some new ones (round 10 as a beginning), with a plastic box at the bottom (with substrat and drainage / keeps the humidity high) and the upper part made of aluminium screen and profiles. I'm not so far at the moment but here's a picture of it:
- cheaper to build
- easier to build
- faster to build
At the moment I'm in the process to build some new ones (round 10 as a beginning), with a plastic box at the bottom (with substrat and drainage / keeps the humidity high) and the upper part made of aluminium screen and profiles. I'm not so far at the moment but here's a picture of it:
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Jonas
New Member
No, no fans needed.
The reason we use glass terrariums in europe is because its the most effective way to keep a stable habitat of your choise inside.
I have used glass terrariums to all my chameleons at one point or another, never had any problems. There is a vicious rumor going like wild-fire on forums of how these "tanks" get stale air and equals death for all living organisms.
The secret is ventilation. There are many different ways to adjust and modify ventilation to get the habitat you want. I would agree that it might be difficult for anyone without any knowledge of glass terrariums to get the ventilation right at once, BUT that difficulty should not be enough to stop anyone from start trying.
I can turn it around and question mesh/screen cages and their inability to keep any kind of habitat diffrent from the surrounding state.
The reason we use glass terrariums in europe is because its the most effective way to keep a stable habitat of your choise inside.
I have used glass terrariums to all my chameleons at one point or another, never had any problems. There is a vicious rumor going like wild-fire on forums of how these "tanks" get stale air and equals death for all living organisms.
The secret is ventilation. There are many different ways to adjust and modify ventilation to get the habitat you want. I would agree that it might be difficult for anyone without any knowledge of glass terrariums to get the ventilation right at once, BUT that difficulty should not be enough to stop anyone from start trying.
I can turn it around and question mesh/screen cages and their inability to keep any kind of habitat diffrent from the surrounding state.
Damaranum
Established Member
Well I'm not from the UK but I think you mean Europe in general.
First of all in general I must agree with rocky. But further I think there are some more differences.
In europe there are mainy places where the climate is not good enough to keep your animals outdoor for a long time. This makes it important to aquire a terrarium which fits to the needs to keep a chameleon inside with the right climate. When keeping chameleons outside screen cages are the best, I think this needs no explenation.
What you see when you keep the chameleons long time indore other problems accur. Like a heating which is on for about 6 months in a year. This doesn't only influence the temprature but also the humidity. In a glass terrarium a lot of factors can be influenced much easier. I can actually say all but the low temperatures and air flow.
For the air flow therefor the advice is always to use terrariums with complete screen tops and at least one other screen side. And often with single terrariums indeed fans or other equitpment is used.
The lower tempertures can also be a problem with screen cages. And therefore other aircontitioners are used and by some very active people Ice cubes. Or like me I use a cooling unit (which are used in stores to cool fruit/vegtabel rooms).
The big advantage of the glass is the other temperatures can be more controlled. And as said the humidity is easier.
I also know many people using screen cages but this almost always happens with the montane species. As those species can be kept outside for more then 3 months a year.
Personally I use both. Indoor I use glass cages and outdoor I use screen cages.
And with both kind of terrariums the most important is to use a good size terrarium with the right equipment. Then it really doesn't matter if it is glass or screen. And never a terraium with few ventilation should be used (Standard sold by petshops).
First of all in general I must agree with rocky. But further I think there are some more differences.
In europe there are mainy places where the climate is not good enough to keep your animals outdoor for a long time. This makes it important to aquire a terrarium which fits to the needs to keep a chameleon inside with the right climate. When keeping chameleons outside screen cages are the best, I think this needs no explenation.
What you see when you keep the chameleons long time indore other problems accur. Like a heating which is on for about 6 months in a year. This doesn't only influence the temprature but also the humidity. In a glass terrarium a lot of factors can be influenced much easier. I can actually say all but the low temperatures and air flow.
For the air flow therefor the advice is always to use terrariums with complete screen tops and at least one other screen side. And often with single terrariums indeed fans or other equitpment is used.
The lower tempertures can also be a problem with screen cages. And therefore other aircontitioners are used and by some very active people Ice cubes. Or like me I use a cooling unit (which are used in stores to cool fruit/vegtabel rooms).
The big advantage of the glass is the other temperatures can be more controlled. And as said the humidity is easier.
I also know many people using screen cages but this almost always happens with the montane species. As those species can be kept outside for more then 3 months a year.
Personally I use both. Indoor I use glass cages and outdoor I use screen cages.
And with both kind of terrariums the most important is to use a good size terrarium with the right equipment. Then it really doesn't matter if it is glass or screen. And never a terraium with few ventilation should be used (Standard sold by petshops).
