Self-watering pots.

[vipervenom]

Hey guys. The other day I went to a local plant nursery because my Ficus tree and my Hawaiian Schefflera (umbrella plant) were dyeing. I figured it was because they were root-bound so I went to get larger pots. When there I saw these fantastic self-watering pots. They even look very nice in the cage. Anyway, they have this special compartment in the bottom where you pour in water (from a small hole in the side of the pot leading to the chamber) and there is this cloth leading from the compartment where the water is, up through the compartment to the soil. Its called capillary action. Anyway, ahs anybody ever used these and do they work? It saves watering ever 2 week to watering every month or so.

[roocat71]

Yeah, I saw those around - look cool. Just places for crickets to hide though if u free range like me.

-roocat71

[vipervenom]

Ah but they can't hide in there forever, and if they do, then they'll just drown and give nutrients to the plant. And the side is pretty slippery. Oh well, we'll see.

[roocat71]

Yup, but I want to feed the cham crix and not the plant. They most likely would emerge at night and give the cham probs. You probably could put some mesh to prevent the crix from getting in there. I really strive for 0 hiding places for crix other then the plant itself. They even hide behind the zoo med thermometers and under the top lip of the plant pot. How much did those pots weigh? Thats another consideration - i have thin plastic bottom to my cage. I think the pots were all plastic. I never picked it up to b/c of the crix hiding thing. If you get one post back with some results.

-roocat71

[vipervenom]

Oops, I forgot to mention I already got a pair. They look awesome in his cage. And they are plastic, and the crickets can’t seem to climb up them. Also, I rarely free range feed my cham. But when I do, I put in one at a time and watch him eat every one. So far they look awesome. As for watering the plants, I can’t tell you until later on. They are around $6 each at this place. I should have checked Canadian Tire first. I’ve tried finding a picture but can’t seem to find the kind I have.

[sketchy4]

i have a question about free-roaming. do you just have a few plants set up that the chameleon stays on, or do you just let him roam around for a little while?

[roocat71]

Dont really understand the second part of the question. I have a 2 foot weeping fig and a 2 foot dwarf umbrella (small cham, cage is 2Hx2WX1D). The tops of the plant pots have large flat stones that I filled in the gaps with moss. This prevents the crickets from hiding under the stones. They dont seem to try and dig into the moss. The only place they can hide is behind my zoomed thermometers. I put in 6 at a time and the cham will hunt some down or wait in a spot for the crickets to crawl by. About 20 minutes after lights out I look in the cage to see if there any loose crickets crawling around and remove them. Crix seem to come out at night.

-roocat71

[vipervenom]

Yeah sketchy4, I don't quite understand your question.

[sketchy4]

ok, do you have a few plants set -up that the chameleon stays on and never leaves so you dont really have to worry about him going anywhere? or do you just let him roam around on them for a little while before placing him back in his original enclosure?

[latazyo]

sketchy, they are talking about free raoaming CRICKETS, meaning they just release crickets into the cage and the chameleon hunts them down

I think you misunderstood them as saying their chameleon is not in a cage

hope that clears some confusion up

[vipervenom]

And, also, all of the plants are in his cage.

[sketchy4]

yeah, but i have also read that some people let their Cham's free roam on plants in their living room and what not without a cage around it.

[vipervenom]

Ah. Okay, I know what you mean now. I have heard of that also and I completely disagree with it. Mostly because there are just too manyt hings that can go wrong or that can get him, or he can get into. It could fall, get attacked by dogs, cats, birds, eat some toxic insect that happened to sneak into them room, and it is very hard to keep a stable humidity and temperautre (unless you are in a more tropical environment yourself). If you want a cham, in my opinion, get a screened enclosure and keep the cham safe.

[panther_dude]

YA these people usually make sure that theyre rooms are chameleon safe with no places to hide and things like that
anyways

latta
wade

[sketchy4]

Originally posted by vipervenom
If you want a cham, in my opinion, get a screened enclosure and keep the cham safe.
im not plannign on getting a cham until i get a place of my own. i was just wondering about that situation. but thanks for answering my question.

[vipervenom]

No problem. panther_dude, even still, too many things could go wrong in a cage that large, and feeding is even a larger problem. You also would need very many basking bulbs for a roomt hat large. Again, keep it in a screened cage.