Bottom Layers of Enclosure

[bgawesome]

I'm working on a project for our biology class, and I understand that we need to have several layers on the bottom of the enclosure, including Hydroton, charcoal, and organic soil. What I'm wondering is, what do we need to do with the charcoal layer? Should it be crushed up or not, and is there any particular brand I should use in the habitat?


Also, I'm doing a rock wall background in the tank out of Styrofoam, and our teacher told us we needed to seal it. What sealant should I use for this job?

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Im assuming this is a pygmy enclosure right. Look under enclosures and you can find a lot of ideas on pygmy cage setups.

 

[dmaizer]

I'm working on a project for our biology class, and I understand that we need to have several layers on the bottom of the enclosure, including Hydroton, charcoal, and organic soil. What I'm wondering is, what do we need to do with the charcoal layer? Should it be crushed up or not, and is there any particular brand I should use in the habitat?


Also, I'm doing a rock wall background in the tank out of Styrofoam, and our teacher told us we needed to seal it. What sealant should I use for this job?

is this for a pygmy? this wouldn't work for any otther cham.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

is this for a pygmy? this wouldn't work for any otther cham.

Actually, it would work for a lot of other chameleons, although I assume a pygmy habitat is what's being created.
You can use charcoal that is either for planting or aquarium filters.
The charcoal you get at the garden center may need to be crushed up a bit but the activated aquarium filter type will not.
I would seal the background (after painted, etc) with water based, or acrylic polyurethane. If you use acrylic paint it will pretty much be sealed but the urethane will take care of any missed or porous spots.

-Brad

 

[Lizardlover]

is this for a pygmy? this wouldn't work for any otther cham.

someone needs to do some research.....

 

[dmaizer]

someone needs to do some research.....

haha what other cham would work in that enclosure? i thought that substrate is bad for chams

 

[Leilaskeeper]

haha what other cham would work in that enclosure? i thought that substrate is bad for chams

If you take care with how you lay out the substrate, there shouldn't be any problems. Make sure there are no small sticks or peices of vermiculite and try to sift the soil if possible. I pat the organic soil down as much as I can and maintain it.

 

[dmaizer]

If you take care with how you lay out the substrate, there shouldn't be any problems. Make sure there are no small sticks or peices of vermiculite and try to sift the soil if possible. I pat the organic soil down as much as I can and maintain it.

everyone on the forum has been saying NOT to use substrate with any cham expect pygmys.

 

[dmaizer]

someone needs to do some research.....

every time someone says they are using substrate, others say to take it out.

 

[Leilaskeeper]

Talk to Brad about it. He informed me about how to properly place substrate. You just have to take care. There are many people who use substrate. It helps with humidity.

Many people give their personal opinion. Some have had issues with their chams having impaction so you could understand why they are against using it. Some have had successful set ups with substrates and it has been fine.

Don't forget, chams that live in the wild have access to dirt on the ground .. so it's not like it's completely unnatural to have organic soil in the enclosure. Just be careful about having big peices of dirt or something you might think could cause impaction. Comb through the dirt .. pack it down. It works for me and assists with regulating humidity levels quite well.

 

[ChamNoob]

im currently using a very fine substrate in my inclosure, i picked it up in the pet store when i baught my cham. it was just like a normal sized brick of well it felt kinda like a brick lol, and i just soaked it in water and it all fell apart and i got 2 inches of it in my inclosure. ive had no problems with it exept maybe the odd time when he shoots at a cricket that has gotten away he may pick up a tiny bit but nothing major or enough to hurt him

 

[dmaizer]

im currently using a very fine substrate in my inclosure, i picked it up in the pet store when i baught my cham. it was just like a normal sized brick of well it felt kinda like a brick lol, and i just soaked it in water and it all fell apart and i got 2 inches of it in my inclosure. ive had no problems with it exept maybe the odd time when he shoots at a cricket that has gotten away he may pick up a tiny bit but nothing major or enough to hurt him

eco earth, i use it for my pygmys.

 

[Lizardlover]

I use organic potting soil as a substrate in ALL my enclosures, a pygmy is just as succeptible to impaction as a true chameleon, there are alot of "set in stone" rules that people use with chameleon keeping that arent necessarily true. if you have ?s you can PM me.

 

[dmaizer]

I use organic potting soil as a substrate in ALL my enclosures, a pygmy is just as succeptible to impaction as a true chameleon, there are alot of "set in stone" rules that people use with chameleon keeping that arent nesecarily true. if you have ?s you can PM me.

thanks