hockeychameleon
Member
Im getting a new cage for my cham. Which would be a better cage for a veiled chameleon? Glass or screen? Please respond back ASAP.
screen or glass cage?
- Thread starter hockeychameleon
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Ninkylou
New Member
Most people will say screen, but if you read some posts of some of our senior members they have great success with glass.
I know glass can be helpful in a very dry climate.
The limitations however, when you are thinking of housing a veiled, is size. I don't think you can get glass in the size you really need to house an adult veiled. If its a male it should be 2 x 2 x 4 (females can go a bit smaller). The cost for screen is much less when you get to that size as well. $100 vs a few hundred for glass.
You can't use an aquarium either as they do not have the ventilation you need. There are specific reptile glass vivs that have correct ventilation.
Hope this helps.
I know glass can be helpful in a very dry climate.
The limitations however, when you are thinking of housing a veiled, is size. I don't think you can get glass in the size you really need to house an adult veiled. If its a male it should be 2 x 2 x 4 (females can go a bit smaller). The cost for screen is much less when you get to that size as well. $100 vs a few hundred for glass.
You can't use an aquarium either as they do not have the ventilation you need. There are specific reptile glass vivs that have correct ventilation.
Hope this helps.
hockeychameleon
Member
Screen enclosure would be more ideal, but if you find it harder to keep temps up then go wit glass.
Just know that caring for your cham in a glass enclosure is a hole different ball game.
Thanks for your help!
hockeychameleon
Member
Thanks a lot! I will consider this!
Juliaf3
Established Member
Im getting a new cage for my cham. Which would be a better cage for a veiled chameleon? Glass or screen? Please respond back ASAP.
How old is Cham, what size cage, how often are you home, and howuvh experience do you have with Cham keeping? All important things that play a roll in deciding screen or glass. Glass is a little more work then screen. Screen is a better choice for beginners.
No problem
I don't have any experience with glass enclosures, for chams at least. So I don't know much about keeping them in glass, but my suggestion is 8f you don't need a glass enclosure don't get one. Like someone already said screen is a fraction of the price of a glass enclosure.
What are 6ou currently using.
windex
New Member
This is a glass enclosure I built since the only place I could find one large enough was cage by design and they wanted $2k+ for one.. As long as you have ventilation on the bottom and a screened top you will have enough ventilation.. I use distilled water in the misting system so that it doesn't spot the glass.
Anniel
New Member
I haven't had much experience with chameleons but I have done a lot of research most say that you should get a screen cage because they are less likely to get respiratory diseases. When the veiled see their refection in the glass they think it is another chameleon and it stress them out.
Lover of Animals
New Member
Screen. They need breeze. Not to much but some. Also they will be able to climb the cage to get to the highest spot of the cage.
Ninkylou
New Member
Actually you really don't want to encourage your chams to climb on the screen you need to provide vines and branches for this. The screens have small holes and chams can pull nails out on them. I know you can't stop them but if you give them enough other pathways they will do it less often.
symphonica
New Member
My adults are free-ranged 24/7, which I guess would be closer to being in a screen cage. However, I grow out my babies in glass aquariums with a screen cover. I live up in NH, where it's incredibly dry (and frigid) in the winter.
I have a lot of experience with aquariums. I'm not sure if you know anything about them, but just as a reference, my babies are in 20gals highs. A 4x2x2 is a 120gal wide, but you would have to turn the tank on it's side. It's 4' long, and you'll have a hard time finding a 4' high tank. Glasscages.com will do customs for you. The site will also give you a reference as to size vs. price.
For a cham, if you wanted to do a non-screened enclosure, I would build one myself with acrylic instead of glass, using acrylic sheets that they sell at Home Depot, with a wooden frame. That's going to be the cheapest way to go. You could also do a screen & acrylic combo.
I have a lot of experience with aquariums. I'm not sure if you know anything about them, but just as a reference, my babies are in 20gals highs. A 4x2x2 is a 120gal wide, but you would have to turn the tank on it's side. It's 4' long, and you'll have a hard time finding a 4' high tank. Glasscages.com will do customs for you. The site will also give you a reference as to size vs. price.
For a cham, if you wanted to do a non-screened enclosure, I would build one myself with acrylic instead of glass, using acrylic sheets that they sell at Home Depot, with a wooden frame. That's going to be the cheapest way to go. You could also do a screen & acrylic combo.
