Built my first enclosure - My first new male 3 month Panther Chameleon

Here is my enclosure I built, it was my first time building something like this and I never really planned just seen other enclosures on the forums and wanted to build something nice and pretty for my small bedroom.

I spent $300 on my male Panther. I got him Tuesday and watched him eat/drink for the first time on Wends and everyday since...when I first got him he spent MUCH of his time on the top screen which worried me since he climbed the walls to get to it...since then I've bought thin bio vines which I ran all along the top...he seems to like it...still slow and steady but I assume hes fine since I see him hunting crickets that I cup feed him.

He is VERY slow to move after I turn on the lights in the morning...any thoughts?

I keep him on a 12/12 schedule. (12 lights on/12 lights off)
Baskling Light = 50watt basking bulb on a Large cone 1ft away
UVB = 26watt 5.0 compact(round coil) bulb on a small cone 1/2 ft away
(I heard these will blind him long term and tubes are the way to go...any thoughts?)
Humidity = 40 low avg - 65 high avg
Temp = 22 low avg - 28 high avg
I do turn off the basking light when its hot out and the temp is sitting around 29-30
My home sits at 21 when the lights off and the enclosure 22-24 in the dark... any idea's?
I might drop the bulb to 25watt and just leave it on..I bet the temperature would sit
around 25 and I will raise the height to over 1ft away so he can't just sit and get burnt when hes on the top.

I've just talked with Marty from MistKing and should have the misting system Tuesday.

Anyways I'm very excited with my new guy..I just want him to grow healthy etc.
I'd love some comments and I'm sure ill keep updating the thread with questions I have...

Questions I have now:
Should I mist him when his lights are off at night?
I also have not seen him drink since the first day; he did when he showed up and he got misted...maybe I just miss it now?
Or maybe he doesn't want to drink from the leaves??

his name is: Maximus Decimus Meridius
lol

Thank You
Bart

Pictures Cont.

Sorry I had more...

Very nice, but you need a nice vertical tree branch with several limbs. Don't mist with lights off you want it to dry out between misting.

Wow thats really cool nice job man, that looks like that was really hard

Pictures Cont.

Last Batch
Let me know what you think...

Do I see perlite in the plant soil? Don't forget to cover it up!

Looks great, wanna make me one?

Add a Ficus and more branches and vines.....other than that it looks great!

That cage is beautiful! Nice job! I have heard a lot of negative feedback about compact UVB bulbs however... I think the consensus is that the 5.0 UVB Reptisun tube is definitely the way to go.

he/she seems small for that enclosure. that elephant ear plant will be nice, give it good support though. the stalks can tend to get weak as the plant gets bigger.



overall cage looks terrific.

Heres my C&C...

Very Nice cage, it looks beautiful.

Is that plank lumber or is it a ply with a veneer? If it is a veneer you may see issues with water lifting the veneer, along with swelling of the ply. although it looks wonderful now, time will be the true test. Was a sealer used after the wood was stained, and what type? Please don't take this as me being a "Negative Nancy", I am just curious as to what methods you used.


-Jay

looks amazing i especially like how you hid the lights very nice indeed.

Looks like a great build to me! Well done

Your enclosure is living room quality....very nice job. I like the hidden lights, the screening, and the plants. Chams tend to want to be up high, so perhaps add a shelf on the back to support a Pathos vine that you can wrap around (more added) horizontal branches up high.

I too house smaller Chams in large cages, the key for food is to have a couple of feeding stations. I would strongly suggest the DIY milk carton feeder, just use the SEARCH feature and use the keyword "milk."

I am concerned that your enclosure may need more adjustments than you are willing to make, so I will offer to take it from you so you can build a new one..I care that much...

Nick

Thank you for all your comments...I wanted to hide those lights so that I can sleep right next to it during the day when you want those naps, it is in my bedroom after all.

The wood is not a veneer or plywood...Everything inside there is real oak hardwood and is stained and finished with 4 coats or water based finish even the cedar pot is finished with 3 coats.

Maximus (My Panther) is a very small guy and he took a day or two to explore and realize his surroundings but now he knows where to go and cup feed and seems to love the space...hes getting used to me opening the door and feeding and misting him too.

I sand/install floors so the red oak hardwood was just extra from a job the enclosure cost me next to nothing to build just a table saw and some hardwood and a few 2x2's and hinges. The only thing that cost me was the screen i payed $30 a roll and bought 2 rolls.

It looks great!!!!

Misting

My guy seems to hate misting... I open the door smoothly, I spay slow and steady and DON'T spay on him usually hes up top and I just spray under him onto the plants/walls and when hes below he usually quivers under a plant while i spray. He gets all dark and changes colors too...
I use good hot water too so its warm when it comes out..

any ideas?.......
Mist king is on the way, be here Tues-Wends-Thur.

It's not unusual for them to not like being sprayed! My guy doesn't like it either. Normally hides until its over then goes to find a nice leaf to lick!

SliK JiM said:

It's not unusual for them to not like being sprayed! My guy doesn't like it either. Normally hides until its over then goes to find a nice leaf to lick!

Click to expand...

looks big for the little guy

Bartuś, that looks great ;-)