Build progress...how are we doing?

[Lil’ Sneak]

So...we’ve been plugging along on our build, and we just ordered a male baby Veiled from FL Chams!!!

Take a look and let me know if any of your trained eyes see any issues.

Thinking about putting the TKChameleons shooting gallery on the right hand side, between the dragon ledges, towards the front of the cage. Thoughts? Question? Feedback appreciated!

Greg

 

[Haley Hendrix]

What uvb do you have?

 

[Lil’ Sneak]

What uvb do you have?

Running a single Arcadia T5 12% in the rear position of an ATI Sunpower quad, suspended ~9 inches above the top of cage...

 

[Lil’ Sneak]

Does anyone have advise on where to hang a run feeder? Do they like to eat higher or lower, does it matter what temp zone it falls in?

 

[Multivitamins]

You may want a few more horizontal options in the mid section near your ledges. As for feeding my panther likes to be up top and strike down. I cannot say with certainty that the location makes a difference only from my experience with my panther. He will also almost always hand feed I don't use a feeder run to avoid escap-ees

Aside from that it's looking good. How is your drainage set up? I see some buckets at the bottom figure drainage and mistee reservoir. Also your temps try to use a probe as well as a heat gun to get surface temps and ambient. You can adjust your bulb placement or wattage as needed once you know your baseline. Better to dial them in now vs when the chameleon is inside. The basking bulb on the screen is a risky move as they can and often will cage climb. If you lift it a tad you can avoid that all together

 

[Zilla23]

I LOVE that you put everything on that stainless shelving unit with wheels! this is a super cool idea!! I just had to relocate my entire enclosure and GEEZE it would have been nice to have it so portable like yours!! I made some modifications to it so it is now but this is a great idea!

 

[Beman]

Running a single Arcadia T5 12% in the rear position of an ATI Sunpower quad, suspended ~9 inches above the top of cage...

You might want to check out this link for your lighting. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

Is the quad one reflector for all 4 bulbs to share or does each one have its own reflector? Reason why I ask is a 12% is a really strong bulb to go with.

Since you have the rack system. I would model your lighting so that you can utilize that top shelf and lower it to align with info on the link above for uvb and then place the basking fixture on it as well.
Babies like to screen climb the top so thermal burn risk is higher.

cage looks absolutely amazing! You have done a great job.

The feeder runs work best so that they can see the feeders from basking level. Make sure you have a branch running near the front of it so they can get close as well.

 

[Lil’ Sneak]

You might want to check out this link for your lighting. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

Is the quad one reflector for all 4 bulbs to share or does each one have its own reflector? Reason why I ask is a 12% is a really strong bulb to go with.

Since you have the rack system. I would model your lighting so that you can utilize that top shelf and lower it to align with info on the link above for uvb and then place the basking fixture on it as well.
Babies like to screen climb the top so thermal burn risk is higher.

cage looks absolutely amazing! You have done a great job.

The feeder runs work best so that they can see the feeders from basking level. Make sure you have a branch running near the front of it so they can get close as well.

Thanks!
That’s exactly what I modeled the lighting on... the ATI quad has four single reactors, so according to Bills figures that would put a single fixture 12% at 7” above top of cage...I went 8.5” for a safety factor. Should still have plenty penetration to be sufficient.

Good call on the screen crawling, I will make the changes on the basking lamp!

 

[Beman]

Thanks!
That’s exactly what I modeled the lighting on... the ATI quad has four single reactors, so according to Bills figures that would put a single fixture 12% at 7” above top of cage...I went 8.5” for a safety factor. Should still have plenty penetration to be sufficient.
View attachment 272786
Good call on the screen crawling, I will make the changes on the basking lamp!

I had a feeling you already read Bills info based off your set up So if you want to drop the top shelf and get a 6% bulb then you would be able to have that basking fixture on top very easily without having to increase your wattage to get temps right at basking

 

[Lil’ Sneak]

You may want a few more horizontal options in the mid section near your ledges. As for feeding my panther likes to be up top and strike down. I cannot say with certainty that the location makes a difference only from my experience with my panther. He will also almost always hand feed I don't use a feeder run to avoid escap-ees

Aside from that it's looking good. How is your drainage set up? I see some buckets at the bottom figure drainage and mistee reservoir. Also your temps try to use a probe as well as a heat gun to get surface temps and ambient. You can adjust your bulb placement or wattage as needed once you know your baseline. Better to dial them in now vs when the chameleon is inside. The basking bulb on the screen is a risky move as they can and often will cage climb. If you lift it a tad you can avoid that all together

Thanks! Added two more horizontal branches, thanks for the suggestion.

Basking lamp has been lifted, I already had it on a dimmer so I just raised it about 6” and dialed in the temps again. And, I’ve still got to drop a gravity drain from the pan to the bucket.

 

[Lil’ Sneak]

So... current state of concerns... just found out that our little guy will be here tomorrow from FLChams!!!

we‘ve been watching for a month or so and they just listed some babies sired by Naval, my daughters favorite! Needless to say she freaked and I jumped on it, and ordered a baby (2 month) boy last night. I asked them to contact me before shipping, thinking we could set something up for the first of the week to give us the weekend to wrap up some last minute details. I had reached out to them twice before, once by email and once by text...no replies , so communication is not their strong point. No such luck, I get an email from UPS, not FLChams, saying he’ll be here tomorrow ?!

So here‘s where my brain starts to melt... I’ve been reading several recent cases of Chams coming from them with Coccidia! Most notably @bbyoda thread https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/coccidia-chronicles.176495/page-2#post-1586217

So, when the little guy shows up tomorrow do we stick him in this beautiful cage and risk contamination, or do I try and get him straight into the Vet for a fecal and keep him in a 12x12 nylon screen cage until proven clear...aaahhh... ?

 

[ryavanzandt]

Good luck with your little guy. FLChams communication is horrible. I have never received a response from several emails sent.

I just rescued a 4-5 month old FLChams Jethro Bloodline off craigslist and his fecal came back negative. Maybe ease your mind a little. I know there are different viewpoints on doing fecals on this forum. I did one for this guy because he was a rescue.

I have a 12% arcadia suspended 9.5 inches from light bulb to screen and another 4 inches to middle branch. I am hitting a 3.5-4 UVI at that distance. Sticks actual basking branch is offset from there and I get a 3 UVI on that. I get 6 at the screen. Just letting you know my distances for reference. I have a 12% on my russian tort that has been going strong for one and half years now. Love Arcadia.

Post a pic when he gets settled.

 

[Beman]

So... current state of concerns... just found out that our little guy will be here tomorrow from FLChams!!!

we‘ve been watching for a month or so and they just listed some babies sired by Naval, my daughters favorite! Needless to say she freaked and I jumped on it, and ordered a baby (2 month) boy last night. I asked them to contact me before shipping, thinking we could set something up for the first of the week to give us the weekend to wrap up some last minute details. I had reached out to them twice before, once by email and once by text...no replies , so communication is not their strong point. No such luck, I get an email from UPS, not FLChams, saying he’ll be here tomorrow ?!

So here‘s where my brain starts to melt... I’ve been reading several recent cases of Chams coming from them with Coccidia! Most notably @bbyoda thread https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/coccidia-chronicles.176495/page-2#post-1586217

So, when the little guy shows up tomorrow do we stick him in this beautiful cage and risk contamination, or do I try and get him straight into the Vet for a fecal and keep him in a 12x12 nylon screen cage until proven clear...aaahhh... ?

So this would be a personal choice. If it were me yes I would get a fecal. My cage is like yours... I have spent a fortune setting it up. But we don't know if this is something they are picking up after they have been given a contaminated feeder or if it is something they have come with. No one has bought from them and gotten a fecal done immediately.

But your going to need tons of feeders. If it is a 2 month old it will be eating like crazy. You will not be limiting the food intake. You will be more then likely dealing with pinhead crickets for that age. So you want to get food if you have not done so.

Make sure it is no hotter then 80 at basking too. And where he can get on the top screen you need to really make sure that he can not burn himself basking there. So stick your hand right on the screen and hold it there for a few minutes if it is hot to you then it will be very hot to him. More then likely he will be on the top screen a lot due to his age. So I would consider shifting that heat lamp up on that rack shelf. Making sure the temp is no higher then 80 on that screen after. Some breeders do not even add heat until they are 3 months old.

 

[Haley Hendrix]

I would recommend 6% because you don’t have that much foliage. With this UVB it has to be 10-12in away from highest branch which is perfect since you have raised it. I don’t know how fair it has to be with the 12%. You don’t want your cham getting over exposure of UVB.

 

[Beman]

I would recommend 6% because you don’t have that much foliage. With this UVB it has to be 10-12in away from highest branch which is perfect since you have raised it. I don’t know how fair it has to be with the 12%. You don’t want your cham getting over exposure of UVB.

Theirs is set up correctly and are following the guide on Bill's site for use with the 12% in a T5HO fixture.

Interesting that your having to pull yours 12 inches with a 6%. I am having to go 10 inches to get a 3ish uvi. Bills site recommends 9 inches for a 3 uvi. hmmm Are you using a solarmeter as well? You have the 36 inch right?
Now I do see I difference on output in bulb length between my two cages. I have a 36 inch and a 48inch. My 36 puts out a bit higher UVI then my 48. Both are in the exact same fixture too.

 

[Haley Hendrix]

Theirs is set up correctly and are following the guide on Bill's site for use with the 12% in a T5HO fixture.

Interesting that your having to pull yours 12 inches with a 6%. I am having to go 10 inches to get a 3ish uvi. Bills site recommends 9 inches for a 3 uvi. hmmm Are you using a solarmeter as well? You have the 36 inch right?
Now I do see I difference on output in bulb length between my two cages. I have a 36 inch and a 48inch. My 36 puts out a bit higher UVI then my 48. Both are in the exact same fixture too.

I have mine 10in and basking 12in away. I have 24in fixture.

 

[Beman]

I have mine 10in and basking 12in away. I have 24in fixture.

Are you using a solarmeter? what type of UVB and fixture?

 

[Haley Hendrix]

Forgot to hit the reply button so re wrote it below.

 

[Haley Hendrix]

Are you using a solarmeter? what type of UVB and fixture?

No, T5HO 5.0 and I have a dual fixture with grow light and uvb. I have a enclosure check thread if you want to check it out. Here is also a picture.

 

[Lil’ Sneak]

No, T5HO 5.0 and I have a dual fixture with grow light and uvb. I have a enclosure check thread if you want to check it out. Here is also a picture.

Thanks for the feed back! I don’t have a solar meter either...still trying to recover from habitat expenses... I’m confident with the setup, i have done a lot of research and outside of checking it with a solar meter myself, I’m satisfied it’s safe. I’ll post details in a minute...we need the distraction, more on that latter...

Your enclosure looks amazing as well!