cage - aluminum screen vs mesh

[helpme]

Im looking for a new cage for my male veiled cham. He is about 5-6 months old now. we have had him about 3 months. Do you think this cage listed below would be a good forever home for him ? from DiyCAGES.com
or should I stay with the all mesh one I have with the zippers to open that is wider. 48x30 Im leaning toward the aluminum one cause I think it going to be sturdier and I can wire up more branches easier . what do you think ?
I should also note that the mesh one I think is making it too dark. the uv light doesn't come thru as good. my last cham. we had in this cage got MBD and we lost him. I got bad info from my pet store and my current one is in an aquarium but after talking to you guys I realize he was wrong and needs to be
moved. especially since he is bigger now.


F3 DESIGNS - ALL BRUSHED ALUMINUM NON PAINTED frame. No peeling after being outside. NO SPLINE ... never have spline come out again. We have a trim that holds the screen in TIGHT. Front bottom access door ... we finally caved in and made it happen. ENJOY!

SC-4 XXL Size Screen Cage

Features:
ALUMINUM Handle, Hinges, 2 Stainless Steel Locking Clasps, and Hardware.

Cage Body is Made of 100% Aluminum

Heavy Duty ALUMINUM Screen

Specs: 48"H x 24"W x 24"D

 

[fluxlizard]

I'm currently using those cages from DIY.

I used to use the mesh ones you describe. My animals never got MBD and quite successfully reproduced in them for many years. I started using them when reptarium came out, stopped last year after a horrible fire that started and spread through some reptarium banks.

They are flammable. I'll never use them again.

 

[helpme]

mbd

im still trying to figure out how the 1st one got it. could my pet store be selling me chams with it already ? That was the only thing I could think of. we always dust with calcium without d3 and have the uv light on 12 off 12. I just want to prevent the new one from getting it if he doesn't have it already. he is tearing into himself and we have vet apptment today to see if he does or what is wrong with him Neurological or what ? . could he get mbd from too much d3 ? I didn't know that the vitamins with d3 was to be used every couple weeks. we were using that everyday with the calcium without the d3

 

[fluxlizard]

im still trying to figure out how the 1st one got it. could my pet store be selling me chams with it already ?

I would say it is possible, but whether that is the case or not would still have to be determined. Things I would personally consider would be whether other chameleons in the store show signs of MBD, how they are set up (lighting, supplementation schedule) as well as how long you had the chameleon before he showed MBD and how old he was. The younger they are, the faster they can get it because their bodies grow so quickly and have such a high demand for calcium/d3. So if he was a wee baby and you had him for a few weeks before he started showing signs- could be your husbandry. On the other hand, could just mean you didn't recognise the signs earlier when you bought him...

we always dust with calcium without d3 and have the uv light on 12 off 12.

Sounds good.

I just want to prevent the new one from getting it if he doesn't have it already. he is tearing into himself and we have vet apptment today to see if he does or what is wrong with him Neurological or what ? . could he get mbd from too much d3 ?

No, not that I've ever seen. On the other hand too little d3 will result in MBD.

I didn't know that the vitamins with d3 was to be used every couple weeks. we were using that everyday with the calcium without the d3

Not sure exactly what you are saying with this last couple sentences- you were using calcium with d3 daily or plain calcium plus a multivitamin daily.

I've been breeding chameleons for a long time. 20+ years ago, we had no idea of the complications from using d3 on a daily basis, and for many years I used repcal with d3 at every feeding. Was not the greatest idea- but I can tell you that daily d3 will not cause MBD. It prevents it. But now we know that it is not a good idea because it is stored up in the body over time to levels that can damage your lizard's internal organs. And we have much better lighting systems to help our lizards create d3 in a safe way from light. So there is no need for daily d3 supplementation either.

So you should not use d3 daily. But MBD is from too little calcium and/or d3, not too much, and the kind of problem your lizard is having now, is not from daily d3 use for a few weeks. It *could* be from something in your multivitamin I think, if you were using a multivitamin daily... But I think your decision to go see a vet is the right one.