90%Finished cage. Post pics of yr cage setup indoor/outdoor for more ideas

[ebotd]

Hi I'm new to this forum and chameleon keeping and I see lots of small clips/half pics of interesting cages and suggestions and would like to see some of yr guy's. So post yr pics of yr cages with yr cham if possible or ideas and the items you used in it.

I just bought a Ambilobe male a few months ago DOH 4-1-10 he lived in a 18wx12dx20h enclosure (recommended by breeder) since then I have upgraded because he was getting to big.

Now I have him in his final cage and he is loving it!
I bought everything from Home Depot to build the cage:
pine wood
plants with 1/4" 1/2" round gravel on top; hibiscus, Mandevilla (I've done a lot of research on Mandevilla and can't find anything saying if it is or isn't toxic. It comes from a slightly toxic family but I figure it's no more so then a ficus. it’s a really common plant and a lot of information about it and if it was toxic then it would be posted like a ficus. plus my cham doesn't eat plants so I'm keeping it and its working out for me.)
aluminum fine mosquito screen
Plastic chicken wire stuff (no metal in it)
latches
florescent light cover for bottom with supports.
bamboo walking poles

60w ceramic heater
HygroTherm™ Humidity & Temperature Controller
reptisun 5.0 uva/uvb florescent
130w PC 6500k plant grow lights
Haba spit... not to impressed with it.(thinking of making a misting system out of my booster pump from my 7stage RO max 125psi 1/4 hose looks a lot like a mistking pump)

new pic from today

90% done still working on it but its livable and he likes it So what do you think for the first build? (btw its wood, small screen, wood, plastic chicken wire... all layered so he can clime on the chicken wire with a 1" gap so he can get his hands around it )

 

[Mr Wilson]

What is the vine you have in there? It looks like a Mandevilla, is that right? I don't mean to sound like a pain in the butt, but are those safe for chameleons? If they are, I wish I knew because we have 2 huge ones in the backyard!

 

[ebotd]

i dont know 100%

I've done a lot of research on Mandevilla and can't find anything saying if it is or isn't toxic. It comes from a slightly toxic family but I figure it's no more so then a ficus. it’s a really common plant and a lot of information about it and if it was toxic i would think it would be posted like ficus is... my cham doesn't eat plants so I'm keeping a close eye on it and its working out for me.

he seems to love it and hangs out 80% of the time in it till night. then he moves over to the hibiscus to sleep. he does this every night and sleeps on the same branch. i dont know if that is normal to sleep in the same spot everynight or not...

 

[Fool]

What is the vine you have in there? It looks like a Mandevilla, is that right? I don't mean to sound like a pain in the butt, but are those safe for chameleons? If they are, I wish I knew because we have 2 huge ones in the backyard!

Someone can correct me if im wrong but I thought only veilds eat plants and panthers really dont so if u got a panther I dont think hell eat it but then again im not sure. Should look it up.

 

[pssh]

Someone can correct me if im wrong but I thought only veilds eat plants and panthers really dont so if u got a panther I dont think hell eat it but then again im not sure. Should look it up.

Panthers do indeed eat plants. It is just not as commonly seen as it is with veileds. I've witnessed a panther attempting to eat a fake plant before, as well as succeeding with a real one.

 

[Fool]

Panthers do indeed eat plants. It is just not as commonly seen as it is with veileds. I've witnessed a panther attempting to eat a fake plant before, as well as succeeding with a real one.

Thank you pssh for en lighting me so they may eat it but its rare so just to make sure do the proper precautions for your lizard.

edit oh yea and I love your enclosure looks great I'm sure they'll be happy

 

[carol5208]

I think you've done a fine job on the cage! If I have one negative it would be this- The gravel/stones that are on the top of the plants. It is small. you say 1/4 inch. I see you have a feeding cup with what looks like crickets. Say a cricket finds it way out and ends up on the top of the gravel and your chameleons shoots its tongue at it and ends up with one of the stones in his throat and swallows it. Just a scenerio that I could see possibly happening.Remember, freak accidents happen all the time. If you want to keep the stone, I would get a piece of screen and staple it over the top. Just trying to cover all bases here!

 

[ebotd]

thx. started off as a little project and a slightly larger cage… ended up a 6hx2dx4w monster lol. its huge in my room. his living space is 4wx2dx4h fig that would give him enough room to run around. He's a lot more active than I thought a chameleon would be. He moves all over till he sees you watching him... then he goes into ninja mode and moves super slow with his shifty eyes lol

 

[ebotd]

I think you've done a fine job on the cage! If I have one negative it would be this- The gravel/stones that are on the top of the plants. It is small. you say 1/4 inch. I see you have a feeding cup with what looks like crickets. Say a cricket finds it way out and ends up on the top of the gravel and your chameleons shoots its tongue at it and ends up with one of the stones in his throat and swallows it. Just a scenerio that I could see possibly happening.Remember, freak accidents happen all the time. If you want to keep the stone, I would get a piece of screen and staple it over the top. Just trying to cover all bases here!

good idea. I think I might get some round river rock and put it on top of what I have. I was thinking the same thing. there has been some crazy stuff posted lately.

 

[carol5208]

good idea. I think I might get some round river rock and put it on top of what I have. I was thinking the same thing. there has been some crazy stuff posted lately.

Yes, better safe than sorry, It would probably be easier to get bigger stones than the screening idea. The cage looks really nice!.

 

[ebotd]

i hope people start to post their cage pics. iv seen some clips of some nice ones i would like more ideas and see what other have done as well. still need to finish this one but i dont know what its lacking but it seem empty still.

 

[carol5208]

You could get some bio vines. They sell them at the pet store and would give a different width for him to climb or hang out on. Your bamboo is good but is all the same size. He maybe could use something thicker, especially as he gets older. Maybe another plant too, in the middle of the other ones to fill in. I will post a pic of my cage for you. I don't know if I have a complete photo, but it will give you an idea.

 

[carol5208]

Here are a couple pics of my indoor enclosure. The dark brown vines are fake and you can purchase those at pet stores, along with the skinny vines. I have one live plant and also some fake stuff in there too to fill in.

 

[ebotd]

thx. i have a giant 25-35ft ficus tree in my front yard that needs trimming soon. maybe ill save a few big branches from that. i would have to let them dry out tho can get prety sappy.

anyone know if you can use Eucalyptus branches? or is the oil bad?... smells nice tho

 

[carol5208]

You can bake them in the oven if they are short enough. some members do, I never have. I don't think I would put anything in the cage that smells too much.

 

[sagemoon2004]

This is the cage I made a few weeks ago, approx 4ft high by 27 wide. I incorporated 2 new screens we had from windows too high up to use in our vaulted walls. Everything was sanded, 2 coats of polyuerathane, aquarium sealant on all seams. I glued stick down tiles on back to make it look better. I used "carsiding" wood to match our vaulted ceilings. Took over 20+hrs. Turned out pretty good, especially from me, not a carpenter! I have added more live plants and vines since previous thread.

 

[beeze]

Here's a cage that I built. https://www.chameleonforums.com/members/beeze-albums-making-aluminum-cage.html

 

[GoFast]

Panthers do indeed eat plants. It is just not as commonly seen as it is with veileds. I've witnessed a panther attempting to eat a fake plant before, as well as succeeding with a real one.

I learned that this is quite true on Monday when Sally, my little panther, took a chomp out of her ficus.

 

[Mr Wilson]

It definitely looks great. But if anyone could find or knows info about the Mandevilla, I would love to hear about it because I LOVE that plant.