why only pygmies?

[Roni013]

Ok so I'm confused (again). I don't want to start a glass vs screen debate but I was wondering- Why do pygmies do well in glass enclosures where other chams do not?
I've read the cons of glass, less ventilation, possible fugus or bacteria but if thier that horrible why do pygs do so well in them? I have an exo-terra rainforest terrerium thats glass but has "Unique front window ventilation" and a screen top. Im also getting sowbugs/springtails that I read the folowing about:
'The springtails seem very interested in rotting material and fecal matter. They are excellent at processing fecal matter that gets missed in the enclosure. They may also help control any fungus gnats that were hiding in the plant soil too. ' Ive neve had a problem with bacteria or fungus but I thought better to be safe than sorry.
Long blab short, is thier any other chams that would do well in here?
What makes pygmies so specail if not?

 

[hawaiianice99]

im not sure but i venture a guess as to size to enclosure comparisson, compare the size of a veiled to its 2x2x4 eclosure, and then compare a pygmy to its 18x18x24 or 20gal.

*But im just spitballin over here.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Pygmies live on the forest floor in dense vegetation close to the mulchy matter on the ground, where the air is mostly still and humidity is higher.
True old world chameleons such as panthers, veileds and the like, live high in the trees. The environment is drier, very fresh and breezy.
These animals have adapted to live in their specialized environments. In captivity we do our best to create a habitat that resembles the one they would naturally exist in.

-Brad

 

[hawaiianice99]

Pygmies live on the forest floor in dense vegetation close to the mulchy matter on the ground, where the air is mostly still and humidity is higher.
True old world chameleons such as panthers, veileds and the like, live high in the trees. The environment is drier, very fresh and breezy.
These animals have adapted to live in their specialized environments. In captivity we do our best to create a habitat that resembles the one they would naturally exist in.

-Brad

Ya i was gonna say that.LOL

 

[Roni013]

so a front vent and a screen top is still not enough ventilation for normal chammys?

 

[Vegas Chad]

Nope. . . .

 

[Roni013]

hmmm...Is that why pygmys are false chameleons?
I'm glad they do so well in them at least, guess its more pygmies for me until I can get a screen cage.....then who knows what!

 

[addicted]

pygmys are false chameleons?

??? not really a chameleon, why are they not really chameleons...is it because they're not mostly arboreal?

 

[joefarah]

Yeah, what Brad said

 

[Sarra]

Pygmies are in fact different from other Chams. They have simpler lungs, hearts, and digestive systems, but are still Chams.

 

[Hempa]

The glass vs. screen discussion is a us vs. europe story aswell. In sweden I think almost every cham keeper has them in glassenclosures with excellent result. So I dont think you can say glass enclosures are bad (end of discussion).

I keep my cham in a glassenclosure and shes doing great.

 

[Julirs]

I think another issue is that when people think glass enclosure here in the States they think aquarium with screen top. The glass enclosures in Europe people typically talk about are much different. It truly depends on the climate. Glass cages of any kind here in Florida would create a truly unhealthy environment(except for pygmeleons, of course).

 

[albacheck]

The question is, do pygmies really do so well in commercial glas-enclosures?

If I look at the amount of health issus that occur, like sudden deaths and especially the swollen-eyes-symptom, then i start to doubt it.

I don't keep pygmies myself, but I've heard of some changes experienced keepers have made in their husbandry lately, with significant results:

Basically their notion was to treat pygmies like "montane-species", which they actually are (R.brevicaudatus live in heights up to 1.300 meters above sea-level).
This means bigger ventilation,and I'm not talking about screen cages, I'm talking about DIY-enclosures similar to the ones shown here.

Another issue contributed to health problems, is the lack of a basking spot.
Field studies have revealed that Rieppeleon brevicaudatus like to bask in the morning, so they can warm themselves up.
This can be simulated through an additional LOW (!) wattage cold-light halogen bulb (10-20w you need to test it) that goes on for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon.
They do tolerate short-time temperature-peaks up to 30°C under the spot, but it is utterly important that the enclosure doesn't overheat (-> bigger ventilation stripes), so that they can retreat into colder areas.

The only issue that turns up now is humidity. Through the additional ventilation the enclosures dry up quicker. This maybe good because germs can't reproduce as well as in an wet enviroment, but the chameleons still need a decent humidity tolive, but luckely their are misting-systems and drippers.

with best regards,
albacheck