Salty
New Member
I have never had a cham but I do have a saltwater reef tank. I reciently discovered chameleons about 2 weeks ago while trying to find a lizard for my son. He wound up with Geckos. I on the other hand, am going to get a sub adult male panther cham!!!
So, I am searching for ideas for my cage project. I do not know anyone with a cham and this is my first post on this site. I thought I'd run by you guys what I have so far and see what you think, if you don't mind... I am going to try attaching a pic that is the general shape and size of what I think would be good. But with some differances...
The actual cage portion is going to be about 4 and a half feet tall, 2 feet deep and 2 and a half or 3 feet wide.
1. Instead of wood, I think PVC 1x4's would be easier to keep clean and they should hold up better against the moisture.
2. To keep the humidity level I am thinking 2 foggers on timers will be good, I think 2 of them should run 4 nozzels at differant levels to get high, middle and bottom.
Was wondering if you thought that would be good and if so... what brand and size...
3. Also going to put a mister on a timer.... any preferance on mister brand and size??
4. I'll get 2 of the 4 foot lights. 65 K. One for each side of the cage. I do not know what kind of lights to put on top, for the live tree or the cham.
5. I am going to use black aluminum screen.
6. The back wall is not going to be screen. It is going to be FRP Board. (Plastic sheet used for the wall in a shower) The reason for this is to keep moisture off my house wall that it will be sitting against. Excess moisture will fall into the collecting trey that will be mentioned in a second.
7. The bottom will also be screen so that moisture and waste can fall through.
8. Under the screen floor will be a compartment made of FRP board with a removeable plastic trey to easily remove the water and waste that fell.
9. Under that compartment will be another compartment where I will keep the mister and the foggers.
10. I will use one live tree in a pot in the center of the cage and a lot of fake vegitation and fake vines. I figure this will be easier to maintain and still have some of the benifits of live vegitation.
11. I am also thinking about adding a waterfall, not sure at what level to put it... high, middle or lower....
12. I will also have 3 or four sets of temp and humidity gauges in differant places so I can moniter and adjust differant areas for optimal climate control.
13. Just for fun I am thinking about adding a small black light to set off some of the fake flowers and It will probably make the cham look cool too.
14. I am also thinking about hanging a fake vine and vegitation from the celing above the cage. One end will be long enough to put into the cage when the door is open. This will give the cham kind of an expansion and he can hang out up by the celing some times.
15. I figure aquarium safe silicone should be good for finishing touches and cealing any cracks.
Are all of these ideas good ones? Is there anything you would do differantly or something that you would add to make it cooler?? Any input would be great.
I appriciate all constructive criticism and ideas. What would you do if you were building the cage you want.
So, I am searching for ideas for my cage project. I do not know anyone with a cham and this is my first post on this site. I thought I'd run by you guys what I have so far and see what you think, if you don't mind... I am going to try attaching a pic that is the general shape and size of what I think would be good. But with some differances...
The actual cage portion is going to be about 4 and a half feet tall, 2 feet deep and 2 and a half or 3 feet wide.
1. Instead of wood, I think PVC 1x4's would be easier to keep clean and they should hold up better against the moisture.
2. To keep the humidity level I am thinking 2 foggers on timers will be good, I think 2 of them should run 4 nozzels at differant levels to get high, middle and bottom.
Was wondering if you thought that would be good and if so... what brand and size...
3. Also going to put a mister on a timer.... any preferance on mister brand and size??
4. I'll get 2 of the 4 foot lights. 65 K. One for each side of the cage. I do not know what kind of lights to put on top, for the live tree or the cham.
5. I am going to use black aluminum screen.
6. The back wall is not going to be screen. It is going to be FRP Board. (Plastic sheet used for the wall in a shower) The reason for this is to keep moisture off my house wall that it will be sitting against. Excess moisture will fall into the collecting trey that will be mentioned in a second.
7. The bottom will also be screen so that moisture and waste can fall through.
8. Under the screen floor will be a compartment made of FRP board with a removeable plastic trey to easily remove the water and waste that fell.
9. Under that compartment will be another compartment where I will keep the mister and the foggers.
10. I will use one live tree in a pot in the center of the cage and a lot of fake vegitation and fake vines. I figure this will be easier to maintain and still have some of the benifits of live vegitation.
11. I am also thinking about adding a waterfall, not sure at what level to put it... high, middle or lower....
12. I will also have 3 or four sets of temp and humidity gauges in differant places so I can moniter and adjust differant areas for optimal climate control.
13. Just for fun I am thinking about adding a small black light to set off some of the fake flowers and It will probably make the cham look cool too.
14. I am also thinking about hanging a fake vine and vegitation from the celing above the cage. One end will be long enough to put into the cage when the door is open. This will give the cham kind of an expansion and he can hang out up by the celing some times.
15. I figure aquarium safe silicone should be good for finishing touches and cealing any cracks.
Are all of these ideas good ones? Is there anything you would do differantly or something that you would add to make it cooler?? Any input would be great.
I appriciate all constructive criticism and ideas. What would you do if you were building the cage you want.