be honest

[samcham1020]

GUYS, i need you to be straight up with me. is this too much work. i live in utah and we have the AC on all summer and force heat in the winter. i’m worried about keeping humidity up without my room stinking. i really don’t want mold or a must/dank smell. please be honest, is a cham not the best pet for me. i’ve done the research and i have a grocery list of supplies but i’m still worried. be honest!!!

 

[dakota18]

honestly if you are not fully committed and really really want it it prolly wont work for you. you need to be dedicated and want it. if you feel this way maybe its not the pet for you, my opinion.

 

[samcham1020]

honestly if you are not fully committed and really really want it it prolly wont work for you. you need to be dedicated and want it. if you feel this way maybe its not the pet for you, my opinion.

i am fully committed i just feel like maybe my location isn’t the best.

 

[dakota18]

but everyone gets a little nervous, so just keep researching, and you might just have to deal with a little smell and during the summer if its worm maybe open your windows.

 

[dakota18]

but everyone gets a little nervous, so just keep researching, and you might just have to deal with a little smell and during the summer if its worm maybe open your windows.

warm ***

 

[samcham1020]

but everyone gets a little nervous, so just keep researching, and you might just have to deal with a little smell and during the summer if its worm maybe open your windows.

how bad is the smell?

 

[Multivitamins]

A Cham is a lot of work and a commitment before you get the chameleon it's a good idea to get things set up

test your temps and humidity. Use a misting system (mistaking, monsoon , clymist so on) to automate it.

Your exact situation both environmental and in your daily life if unique to you so I cannot really "be honest" but only say really weigh you options.

If you decide not to go Chameleon cause it's too much work but still have the lights and such you can try a bearded dragon or a blue tongue skink perhaps ...they are less work and still wonderful creatures.

 

[Multivitamins]

I loved having my chameleon enclosure in my room at my last apartment, the live plants made me feel like I was in the forest just before the sun / lights came up but that being said never ran heat or a/c and kept the window open 80% of the time.

Also in my experience I didn't need to turn my room into a rainforest to maintain humidity

 

[dakota18]

how bad is the smell?

i think the bugs are worse, ive heard crickets smell really bad

 

[Multivitamins]

i think the bugs are worse, ive heard crickets smell really bad

Indeed they do

 

[Lennoncham]

A glass tank would make it easier for you to maintain heat/ humidity. Needs to be something like an exo terra with the bottom vents for air flow.

I have a similar situation with ac/ heat. My screen cages are a major PITA to try and maintain. My glass tanks not so much. Will be switching the chams to glass this year.

 

[samcham1020]

A glass tank would make it easier for you to maintain heat/ humidity. Needs to be something like an exo terra with the bottom vents for air flow.

I have a similar situation with ac/ heat. My screen cages are a major PITA to try and maintain. My glass tanks not so much. Will be switching the chams to glass this year.

thank you so much for your input. i’ve wondered about a glass cage but i read so much conflicting information about air flow? do you find that to be a problem? i’m just a beginner so i’m not sure what option would be best.

 

[Lennoncham]

thank you so much for your input. i’ve wondered about a glass cage but i read so much conflicting information about air flow? do you find that to be a problem? i’m just a beginner so i’m not sure what option would be best.

So for a glass tank you need to create “the chimney effect”.

You want the basking bulb in one of the back corners. This will heat up the air under it and draw the hot air up and out and pull cool fresh air in through the bottom vents.

if you feel there isn’t enough air flow you can add a small computer fan on top pulling air out.

 

[samcham1020]

So for a glass tank you need to create “the chimney effect”.

You want the basking bulb in one of the back corners. This will heat up the air under it and draw the hot air up and out and pull cool fresh air in through the bottom vents.

if you feel there isn’t enough air flow you can add a small computer fan on top pulling air out.

that’s very smart thank you!

 

[jamest0o0]

You'll be fine with a fogger/mist system and possibly a glass enclosure if you want to go that route. The cage won't smell, don't know where all this talk of smelly cages has been coming from lately. Do houseplants smell lol?

 

[samcham1020]

You'll be fine with a fogger/mist system and possibly a glass enclosure if you want to go that route. The cage won't smell, don't know where all this talk of smelly cages has been coming from lately. Do houseplants smell lol?

i have house plants and they don’t smell. i’m just worried about how much water they’ll be getting! i really don’t want mold.

 

[Mrjamwin]

thank you so much for your input. i’ve wondered about a glass cage but i read so much conflicting information about air flow? do you find that to be a problem? i’m just a beginner so i’m not sure what option would be best.

I have a glass enclosure due to the fact I live in Colorado and I have the same challenges. If you were to go that route I could offer you some suggestions.

 

[samcham1020]

I have a glass enclosure due to the fact I live in Colorado and I have the same challenges. If you were to go that route I could offer you some suggestions.

i just started a conversation with you so we can chat about locations and enclosures.

 

[jamest0o0]

i have house plants and they don’t smell. i’m just worried about how much water they’ll be getting! i really don’t want mold.

Mold won't pop up unless you don't have adequate ventilation and drainage. Also, bioactivity solves any mold worries.

 

[Beman]

Having a chameleon in the beginning is a lot of work and expense.

As far as your environment. Many of us make changes to accommodate our chameleons. I happen to live where it is very humid. Daytime levels are at the minimum of 70% during the day which is much too high for my Veiled. I had to buy a $250 dehumidifier to put in my room to pull it down to an acceptable level. Others that live where the humidity is low run a cool mist humidifier in the room (NOT IN THE CAGE) during the day to up the ambient humidity level.

It is a hobby where critical thinking is crucial. Checking your temps, humidity levels, and watching for behavior changes in your chameleon should be done daily. IME it took about 6 months to get everything in my husbandry perfected. There are a lot of different aspects. Just buying the bare essentials never seems to be enough.

There is always more to learn. And as they mature they change. Their needs change.