Amount of foliage in enclosure

[OliFC9]

Hey everyone, so I have a 13 month old panther chameleon and I’m worried that I have too many plants in his enclosure because he always seems to hang around at the top half of his enclosure and he hardly spends any time in the bottom half. I didn’t even think I had that many plants in the enclosure so I was wondering if this is normal.

 

[Fchamel]

Wow! Your enclosure is awesome! Definitely not too many plants. Looking good!

 

[Fchamel]

You might even be able to add a bit more in the middle maybe for hiding.

 

[OliFC9]

Wow! Your enclosure is awesome! Definitely not too many plants. Looking good!

Thanks! And I’ll try at add some more in the middle

 

[bbyoda]

Hanging around the top of the enclosure is a good thing - that's where he gets his UVB and heat for digestion.

My Vieled roams around and does his patrols at the bottom of the cage on the daily but he's most secure up top where he's the king of the cage watching down on everything soaking up the rays.

 

[OliFC9]

Hanging around the top of the enclosure is a good thing - that's where he gets his UVB and heat for digestion.

My Vieled roams around and does his patrols at the bottom of the cage on the daily but he's most secure up top where he's the king of the cage watching down on everything soaking up the rays.

He does love looking down onto me

 

[jamest0o0]

I think it's fine, but I wouldn't add more plants. Panthers like open space as long as they have hiding spots to retreat too(which they rarely do). Panthers are not from jungles like some montane chameleons.

I'd also ditch the plastic plants.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

I’d ditch the fake plants like O scope said and everything looks good!

 

[Beman]

Which fixture is your linear UVB? Biggest thing is making sure that there is an open space at the appropriate distance below the UVB. Hopefully you are using the largest exo terra they make which is 36x18x36. This is still smaller for a male but will work. Anything smaller is not advised.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Which fixture is your linear UVB? Biggest thing is making sure that there is an open space at the appropriate distance below the UVB. Hopefully you are using the largest exo terra they make which is 36x18x36. This is still smaller for a male but will work. Anything smaller is not advised.

How much open space do you need below a uvb is it 9-10 inches?

 

[ElliotG]

I like the idea you have with the fake plants, to conceal him and make him feel more secure. You could possibly hang them on the outside of his enclosure?

 

[Beman]

How much open space do you need below a uvb is it 9-10 inches?

It would be 8-9 inches if it was a single bulb T5 fixture and a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb going through standard aluminum screen. Distance depends on bulb strength, fixture type, reflector, and how many bulbs share a reflector. Along with what type of material the light going through.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

It would be 8-9 inches if it was a single bulb T5 fixture and a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb going through standard aluminum screen. Distance depends on bulb strength, fixture type, reflector, and how many bulbs share a reflector. Along with what type of material the light going through.

So say u get a plant and it goes up to the top of the enclosure instead of you having to take it out to get the 9 inches could u just raise it to 9 inches and not take it out

 

[Beman]

So say u get a plant and it goes up to the top of the enclosure instead of you having to take it out to get the 9 inches could u just raise it to 9 inches and not take it out

No... There needs to be an 8-9 inch distance from the bottom of the UVB fixture to the branch using the single bulb T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb through screen. There has to be an open area for uvb exposure. If the plant is sitting between the fixture and the branch creating a block or shadowing this reduces the uvb that the cham has access to. So raising the fixture even farther away just further reduces the UVB output at the branch.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

No... There needs to be an 8-9 inch distance from the bottom of the UVB fixture to the branch using the single bulb T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb through screen. There has to be an open area for uvb exposure. If the plant is sitting between the fixture and the branch creating a block or shadowing this reduces the uvb that the cham has access to. So raising the fixture even farther away just further reduces the UVB output at the branch.

Okay thankyou for that info

 

[Fchamel]

My apologies. Don't add anymore plants. You have enough!

 

[MissSkittles]

I think the plants are perfect just the way it is. How tall is your enclosure?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

So say u get a plant and it goes up to the top of the enclosure instead of you having to take it out to get the 9 inches could u just raise it to 9 inches and not take it out

You could do that, but there may be a trade-off. Your chameleon is going to try to bask under the brightest light in the enclosure, regardless of temperatures. You can use this to your advantage.

If the top of that plant is under the brightest light (and he tries to bask there) you can raise the UVB to leave 8-10 inches (though a UVI meter is the best way to know for sure) between basking site and UVB bulb.

If the brightest light is elswhere, he should bask under it (I'd leave the UVB just above the screen) though he may still climb to the tree-top for security.

Is the plant prunable? That could solve the problem with the least hassles.

 

[jamest0o0]

My apologies. Don't add anymore plants. You have enough!

How dare you. Ban her for recommending more plants.

 

[Fchamel]

How dare you. Ban her for recommending more plants.

I know your just joking, but others said no more plants

Just like, how Dare my mom ban me from buying more clothes!