info needed on husbandry

[maritimExotics]

Hey guys, i'm looking to purchase a cham possibly a nose be or just a veild if can't get one, i did the researce and what not for care and requirement however i was wondering you guys view point on glass aquariums for the enclosure or do they need the screen??? with screen i would think it would be hard to maintain humity where as i don't live in the warmer climates and what do you use for substrate? woodchips? if so wouldn't free ranged crix hide under them ? and when you use a drip system do you have a container at bottem to catch the excess or do you put somthing that will soak up and evaporate to add humity..?as well with the drip is that dripping 24 hrs or you turn on certain times a day (ofcourse this is along with misting) any other suggestions as well thanks a lot

[BoidKeeper]

The one I kept was in a screen cage. You can buy screen cages at pet shops now that sell exo-terra cages. For substrate you can use news papers of something that hold humidity. I never used a drip system I just misted often. Mine also was hand fed so I never had to worry about the crickets.
Cheers,
Trevor

[meow_mix450]

Screen enclosure is the best way to go, and sort of the only way. Ways to keep the humdity up is live plants and misting 2 times a day. It does not always have to be humid. It all depends on the speices your working with.

Ummm as a dripper I use a water bottle and used a pin to poke a hole at the bottom so the water can drip. In the after noon I would fill the water bottle and wait untill the next day to fill it again. The water that is dripping is going into my plants soil, or in a bucket so I wont have water on the floor. There are many ways to catch the water but thats just my way.

Some people cup feed, free range and hand feed. Free ranging is the best way because you can avoid them getting lazy tongue. But I cup feed, free range and hand feed. Depends on how busy I am.

When I first started I started with a Panther Chameleon(Nosy be). So I would also suggest to start with a Panther but some may have other opinions. Veilded Chameleons are more tolerent to humdity and such.

If you got any questions just ask

Meow

[peterm15]

i set up a nice dripper system using the same materials as the drippers in stores... but the main advantage is i put a spiltter on it so theres 2 drips at different ends of the cage.. and both are controlled indvidually

[maritimExotics]

Thanks for the reply's, I would love to free range but do we have any ideas on keeping track of howmany hes eating as apposed to hiding under substrate or plant bucket and such? i would hate to have lazy toung, I love watching them eat. As for the screen cage the one at the pet stores are black & thick making it hard to see inside.... and how would you go about putting a heat lamp on the screen without burning it?? Thanks again boys and girls

Ryan

[peterm15]

id say probably use metal window screen at least for the top...

[galad]

i wiould have to say to avoid that metal screen window. The holes are too small and nails can get caught in them. I desribed a set up that i built on anouther post in this forum. If your handy with tools and such it should be no probleme for you. Plus the total cost was about the same as buying two much smaller cages from a pet shop. brb witht eh topic name of the post that describes my set up and also has pics.

[galad]

ok well its not in this forum but from anouther here is the link:
http://www.chameleonsonline.com/ Its the top HOT topic and is called: What to do? by : LiquidGrlboarder
hope you find it.

Let me know if there is anything missing you would like to know.
There is also a link to pics of my cage around the middle of the topic.

good luck

ws

[HeatherRose]

I'd use plastic mesh, as metal screen is probably more likely to tear off/hurt your chameleons' nails as he climbs. I have a tall cylindrical plastic mesh/wood cage for mine.

The part where the heat light sits on top of the cage is metal screen, as plastic would melt. That's the only place for metal screen I'd recommend.

They shouldn't be kept in a tank as tanks suck for keeping in humidity, more than most might think. Screen, as mentioned above is pretty much the only way to go...

The ones at petstores ARE kind of dark and tough to see through, it's up to you in the end. I have a custom made enclosure by JDTerrariums, it's great and you can see into it well. Making your own enclosure is also an option.

Chameleons are arboreal, so they won't be spending much time around or near the substrate, however one of their defense mechanisms is to drop straight to the ground, so try to keep that in mind when choosing something to cover the bottom of the enclosure. I find crickets hide and live under the substrate in my enclosure, but they also climb up the screen, wood and plants where my chameleon eats 'em. It's easy to keep track of how many I put in, and eventually he gets them all anyway.

I hand/bowl feed other feeders, like mealies, waxworms, silkworms, snails and butterworms.

As for water, chameleons usually need a drip/misting system, or lots of misting my hand :)

Good luck!

[peterm15]

Galad.. i cant pull it up... nor can i register....

[maritimExotics]

Right on guys thanks, looks like i'ma gonna have ta make my own , i just find it hard to believe that an aquarium will hold Less humidity than an open screen cage....where breezes and air are constantly flowing.... but i will sure try!! if that doens't work i will just heat the whole room!! :) either way it will happen and he/she will be the healthiest damn cham there is !! hehe

OH one more question, do you guys that free range put food for the crix that hide and that prob wont be found for days? or do you just clean out the dead crix come cleaning time...??

Ryan

[CarlC]

It's not that aquariums don't hold humidity cause they do. It is more the fact that the air in the aquarium gets stagnant and is the perfect enviorment for heavy bacteria growth.

Another things with tanks is that the temp is very hard to regulate. Without good airflow you will find it hard to achieve the gradients that Chameleons need.

To solve the problem of crickets running around the enclosure try feeding a couple of times a day using smaller amounts. If you are feeding 20 crickets a day try splitting that into 2 or 3 feedings.

Carl

[Collide]

I use aluminum screen for some of my cages i have never had a issue with the nails, if i have a screen climber i just stick up a peice of harware cloth for them to climb on. As long as your aware of what could happen i dont think it is all bad, I do prefer to use the hardware cloth but i wouldent knock the aluminum mesh it is still good. just my opinion though

[meow_mix450]

same i have an aluminum screen enclosure and dont have the nail problem

Meow

[galad]

yea well with screen everyone is different. MOst people stay away from the metal screen as some people have had problemes in the past. I think the type of chameleon might have something to do with it as they all come in different sizes some nails might easily fit into the holes and some larger species like mellers might get caught. Screen also comes in different gauges of hole size. It all depends on the keeper but I would have to say better safe then sorry. Like heather said a plastic screen would probably be better then aluminum.

I personaly use 1/4 inch gauge galvanized screen. I cup feed free range by placing individual crix on vines for them to eat one at a time. And of course hand feeding is my favorite.

heres a link to my pics page:http://groups.msn.com/CRAZYCHAMELEONS/babyrainbow.msnw

the first page is moslty of my old cage in the apartment the rest is of my current cage. the only thing missing is a pic of my new female.

hope you enjoy,

ya i have no idea why that other link didnt work.
Did you try and just type it in your search?, I thought visitors were able to see forum i dont know.

hope it works out for you

peace
ws

[maritimExotics]

thanx galad, i like your set up, i'll try and follow that as a guild line.. no one has a prob with their cham climbing on the screen under the lamps and burning themselves..? when i deside what i'm getting and build the cage i'll post it, if i can figure out how to post... i think i need a program to make em smaller cause it always tells me there too big.. :) Thanks again everyone, does anyone know a good breader in canada for panthers?

Ryan

[peterm15]

all you have to use is ms paint

[meow_mix450]

The burning of the screen depends on how close it is, what material and how many wattages

Meow