Help picking out supplies

[jamest0o0]

Hi everyone i've been reading a lot on here and i'm getting ready to set up my cage for a future male panther. I am currently waiting for my dragonstrand large clearsided atrium to arrive. They had some sort of delay so it's going to be a couple weeks. I figured while i'm waiting i should gather as much as supplies as i can.

I am probably going to be needing a cabinet for it to sit on, if anyone knows of any that'll store supplies and look nice for a living room set up, i'd be open to any suggestions. I'll probably end up just looking around randomly until i find something cool so no big deal, just figured i'd ask.

Which sites do you guys use to order reptile equipment and feeders?(i plan to order most stuff online if possible) Also are there any good sites for ordering organic plants? There are places around here to buy plants, but i worry about pesticides and fertilizers? i read about repotting plants with coconut husk/play sand 50/50. It was an older post though, is this still a good idea? I'll also make sure to cover soil with rocks that the cham can't swallow.

What is the best way to monitor humidity and temperature? I'm willing to spend more for reliable equipment, i tend to worry a lot about messing things up with new pets because the last thing i want is to harm an animal. This is my first chameleon and i'm obsessing over making everything perfect lol. I used temperature probe/monitors from home depot that i'd use for other reptiles, but i wonder if the humidity would mess with that and if there's a better option.

My house temperature goes up and down a lot, would you guys suggest using a heat lamp and some sort of temperature controller? I worry it gets too cold at night and warm during the day. And what are the best lighting options for uvb, i was just going to get the reptisun bulb i've seen recommended. Most of the stuff i've read is years old though, wondering if anything changed.

I plan to get an automatic mister too, i've read about the mistking and a few others. Any one in particular seem to stand out among the rest? Will i need a water purifier or ro/di unit for the water i use in it? I'm used to tapwater being a big no-no with saltwater aquariums so im hesitant with it.

Lastly i am wondering about the bottom of the cage. Most people seem to recommend no subtrate for cleaning purposes and preventing the cham from swallowing anything. A few people i saw had some sort of substrate or leaves on the bottom though, and even some bioactive set-ups i think. How much more complicated does this make things? any cool ideas for the bottom that won't cause problems? I want to make it as natural as possible. Would there be anyway to use a fogger to cover the bottom of the enclosure in a fog? Seems like it could be really cool if it worked.

Oh and also what do you guys use to carry your cham to the vet? Better make sure i have that ready.

Anyway sorry if my questions are all over the place, typing all of this on my phone makes it hard to organize, i can only see a few lines of text at a time for some reason.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Decadancin]

Hi everyone i've been reading a lot on here and i'm getting ready to set up my cage for a future male panther. I am currently waiting for my dragonstrand large clearsided atrium to arrive. They had some sort of delay so it's going to be a couple weeks. I figured while i'm waiting i should gather as much as supplies as i can.
Welcome to the forums! Glad to see you doing research and planning ahead. Plenty of great knowledge here and tons of great people!
Which sites do you guys use to order reptile equipment and feeders?(i plan to order most stuff online if possible) Also are there any good sites for ordering organic plants? There are places around here to buy plants, but i worry about pesticides and fertilizers? i read about repotting plants with coconut husk/play sand 50/50. It was an older post though, is this still a good idea? I'll also make sure to cover soil with rocks that the cham can't swallow.
As for where to buy your supplies, there are plenty site sponsors here that have great materials for almost all your needs. For lighting I would check out Light Your Reptiles. Great plant lights as well as some of the ultimate UVB bulbs (IMO) from Arcadia. As for misting, I can highly recommend MistKing that is available through a couple of our sponsors. As for plants, since you are thinking of a panther, you don't have to worry about them ingesting leaves as much as some other types of chameleons, so I don't know if organic would be necessary. Just make sure to wash and re-pot with new soil (I use organic potting soil) mixed with sand or small pebbles to aid with drainage. Good idea to cover with some larger rocks!
What is the best way to monitor humidity and temperature? I'm willing to spend more for reliable equipment, i tend to worry a lot about messing things up with new pets because the last thing i want is to harm an animal. This is my first chameleon and i'm obsessing over making everything perfect lol. I used temperature probe/monitors from home depot that i'd use for other reptiles, but i wonder if the humidity would mess with that and if there's a better option.
As for humidity and temperature, you can get very advanced if you want to, but it can cost a lot of money. If you do not want to break the bank, you could simply use a couple of each. If you see that you have two totally different humidity levels, it is likely that you are getting a false reading. For temps, I would suggest a handheld temp gun along with temp gauges in the enclosure. It is a more accurate reading.
My house temperature goes up and down a lot, would you guys suggest using a heat lamp and some sort of temperature controller? I worry it gets too cold at night and warm during the day. And what are the best lighting options for uvb, i was just going to get the reptisun bulb i've seen recommended. Most of the stuff i've read is years old though, wondering if anything changed.
So the only thing I would suggest is a dome fixture over a basking site during the day. Just an incandescent bulb will do. You may have to experiment with wattage and distance from the site to get the desired temps. For UVB I recommend Arcadia T5 HO. Todd (@Venutus1) can help you out with any questions about your enclosure needs. The high output T5's only have to be changed out once a year so the cost is about the same as other options that need to be switched every 6 months. 6% UVB for young panthers (with plenty of foliage to take cover if desired) and if you like you can go 12% when older.
I plan to get an automatic mister too, i've read about the mistking and a few others. Any one in particular seem to stand out among the rest? Will i need a water purifier or ro/di unit for the water i use in it? I'm used to tapwater being a big no-no with saltwater aquariums so im hesitant with it.
MistKing gets my vote. I haven't had any issues with mine. As for water, there are lots of threads about this subject. Just do a search in the enclosures forum and you'll have all the answers (and then decide which one is right )
Lastly i am wondering about the bottom of the cage. Most people seem to recommend no subtrate for cleaning purposes and preventing the cham from swallowing anything. A few people i saw had some sort of substrate or leaves on the bottom though, and even some bioactive set-ups i think. How much more complicated does this make things? any cool ideas for the bottom that won't cause problems? I want to make it as natural as possible. Would there be anyway to use a fogger to cover the bottom of the enclosure in a fog? Seems like it could be really cool if it worked.
If you do a bio-active setup, you need a big enclosure. Otherwise it will likely smell disgusting all the time. It is great for some situations, but in an enclosure that is likely going to be misted heavily at times I think you are asking for a ton of work.
Oh and also what do you guys use to carry your cham to the vet? Better make sure i have that ready.
I use a small box with a towel at the bottom for my chameleon to grab onto. The box is kept closed during the trip to keep it dark. It isn't a bad idea to make a branch of sorts on a stand so you wont have to actually hold the chameleon while at the exam. May be a bit less stressful.

Hope this helps and gives you a good starting point!

 

[jamest0o0]

Thanks for the helpful response!

I think i am going to get a panther closer to a year old because i heard a baby might be too small for the cage i'm getting? And would a panther at that age be able to handle the 12% uvb or just stick to the 6%(i was looking through the arcadias you mentioned). Also will that lighting handle most plant needs for the cage?

As for monitoring temperature/humidity is there a certain brand you recommend for both? I've been doing searches and almost everyone says something different lol. When you say the more advanced equipment is very expensive around how much would i be looking at? If it's ridiculous there is no need for that i'm just curious since this is in my living room i'd like It be as well organized and clean looking as possible. Some sort of nice monitors for the humidity and temperature would be great, but i'll go with whatever method works the best. I'm going to go with the mistking and ro/di water(i have a nice unit leftover from saltwater aquariums so that works out). Do i also need a dripper with this as well?

One other thing i was wondering, will it bother my chameleon making changes to his cage down the road? I wanted to start out pretty simple to get comfortable with everything, but i wanted to eventually add a living wall and whatever other things to give it a more natural look. I imagine keeping an eye on him after making changes to see if he's stressed or not would be important.

 

[Decadancin]

Thanks for the helpful response!

I think i am going to get a panther closer to a year old because i heard a baby might be too small for the cage i'm getting? And would a panther at that age be able to handle the 12% uvb or just stick to the 6%(i was looking through the arcadias you mentioned). Also will that lighting handle most plant needs for the cage?
A year old panther could definitely handle the 12% in my opinion. As long as it is in a well planted enclosure. The fixture I have is a quad T5 HO that has a 12% UVB as well as two 6500K plant bulbs and a plant pro bulb that gives a different spectrum of light. There are also some cool LED lights available for helping with plants, but I am not currently using those (yet ) Many just use a plant bulb and UVB bulb, but I knew I was going to want a densely planted enclosure.
As for monitoring temperature/humidity is there a certain brand you recommend for both? I've been doing searches and almost everyone says something different lol. When you say the more advanced equipment is very expensive around how much would i be looking at? If it's ridiculous there is no need for that i'm just curious since this is in my living room i'd like It be as well organized and clean looking as possible. Some sort of nice monitors for the humidity and temperature would be great, but i'll go with whatever method works the best. I'm going to go with the mistking and ro/di water(i have a nice unit leftover from saltwater aquariums so that works out). Do i also need a dripper with this as well?
No actual recommendation. Like you've seen, there is no one answer that sticks out. Pricing can vary tremendously, but I didn't spend a lot for mine. I just made sure I was not relying on just one source for my readings just to be on the safe side. The MistKing is great and RO water will do. I use Distilled water with mine, but there are other options. As for a dripper, I would recommend it, because many chameleons will drink from them (or the leaves that they drip on) often. Just make sure to plan for drainage!
One other thing i was wondering, will it bother my chameleon making changes to his cage down the road? I wanted to start out pretty simple to get comfortable with everything, but i wanted to eventually add a living wall and whatever other things to give it a more natural look. I imagine keeping an eye on him after making changes to see if he's stressed or not would be important.
Chameleons do tend to stress easily, but as long as your chameleon is healthy, there shouldn't be any real harm. Just make sure to allow him to have some quiet time to adapt to the changes and not to do it too often.

 

[jamest0o0]

Awesome thanks!

Btw just realized i have a leftover LED bulb from my reef tank i took down years ago, i have no problem buying something new that will work better, but is there any chance I could use this for the plants?

 

[Decadancin]

I wonder if the spectrum of light in that would be different? Not an expert but there are a lot of "reefers" here that may chime in. Also @Venutus1 may have some input.

 

[jamest0o0]

I just messaged him, was before i thought about the reef bulb though.

 

[Decadancin]

Here's a link to the light I was thinking of...

http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/jungle-dawn-40w-mega-plant-grow-spotlight/