Check this cage idea.

chameleonneeds

Avid Member
Hey all,

I am running out of space for my chams but not that I need to get rid of them.
So my dad and I thought of the idea to build a huge outdoor cage that you can walk through, but this cage would be the chams permanent home.
But the weather is quite cold here and sometimes below 0 C.
Quite a shock to people in FL :eek:
So we thought to put up half a roof, water proof, wind resistant and we would put things like very warm heating pads up on the sides of the cages where it is water proof and wind resistant.
The sides will also be covered for wind it would be heavily planted so they have shelter from the sun or weather.
And we would build our own misting system.

This seems sorta like a good idea because the chams will get natural sunlight, oh and the cage will be seperated so I can keep them all seperate.

BUT I am worried about the weather being to cold.

So what do you guys think?
Be honest and please give some opinions.
 
Well, if the species of chameleons you are keeping are native to your area, there should no be a problem if you do things properly.

They would need a lot of space in order to escape the elements as they would in nature. If you confine them to an area that does not allow them to escape heat or cold, then they die.

If you are keeping chameleons that ar enot native to your area, it would be risky. Then again - the cold temps - is that only at night? It depends, I guess.
 
i actually saw a post about this a while back. i will try to find the link for it. and get back to you :D
 
Youd need some other type of heat source... like an actual heater... but then for that youd need all walls... So I think you basically have to construct a small conservatory for it to work.
 
it will work. look at that weekend project. I am pretty sure someone posted it on a website, but i dont know where it is. That worked for him and his chams loved it. I would probably consult some of the more experienced keepers as well.
 
Yeah thats what Ive all thought about.
So I havent actualy bought any supplies, I checked the Weekend project post, the thing is that person is probably in America where the weather I guess isnt as cold as here, it doesnt snow here at all ever, and then one day it snowed alot in 1 little region in JHB, SA and a bit around the other parts so hows that for wierd?
Then also the back of the cage would be like a cage itself more like a winter cage with warmth, but not only heating pads but there will also be heat lamps.

I know it doesnt sound that good, but it was an idea, otherwise I think we will build a whole cham room just for all of them.
 
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An entire ceiling of heating lamps couldn't keep your ambient temps anywhere near the ideal range.

I'm in Washington and I struggle to keep my roach colony in the 80's during winter. They're inside a fully insulated box with a huge heating pad.

You need an actualy structure with insulated walls. Garden shed all the way!
 
He's in South Africa - if he's keeping native species, he doesn't need all that much besides space and habitat. Non-natives, and you've got potential problems.
 
Are you in Johannesburg, South Africa? I was there a couple years ago in August (winter) and it was very chilly indeed. But I saw a chameleon there, a wild one. I think it may have been a flapneck (not at all sure). So clearly some types of chams can survive there in winter (dont know if lifespan is decreased in wild animals due to harsh conditions). Like Eric Adrignola said, you'd need to provide enough space that they could escape elements as they would in nature.
 
Hey I looked at those plans and that could work. The only thing is that with your climate youd have to use a harder material like wood or plastic. Then once you create the frame you fill it up with that "great stuff" insulating foam. Someone else has also mentioned this stuff so you can check out their pics and what not but this stuff is perfect for this.
 
Yeah but the chams wont be the natives from here, I have Veileds.
Im not so worried about the hot temps because i can control that easier than the cold, our climate in summer is like Yemen though very hot and dry but a whole nother story about winter.
If you found a chameleon here in JHB then it must of been a flapneck, if not in jhb then pobably a dwarf from some near by province.

Yeah still gota do alot of thinking and planning to ever make this idea happen, but doesnt mean I am going to do it.
Im just gona monitor temps here like, in sun, in shade, i will mist a bush heavily and see what the temperature turns out deep inside the bush, but any way..

Thanks for replies.
 
If I where to build it I defenitely wouldnt want my veileds going loose so would probably make it so carefully that there are no escape roots and it wouldnt be a quick plank, screen 3 month job if my dad wants something in the garden its going to have to be presentable, if they did get out and breed then the birds would probably get at them though, or babies atleast, oh and the snakes like the boomslang, I realy hate those snakes how they eat the poor helpless small dilepis chams.
The thing is there arent any Dilepis around much in JHB i think the only recent sitings of dilepis was far in Pretoria and in kysna.
Thats also why if I build this huge cage we would put seperaters in so I would have like 10 cages then I would like to breed dilepis here and release them on the mountains, botanical gardens, and some other gardens.
 
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there is a guy in alabama who does what you are talking about but with jacksons i think it is. It snows on top of the cage etc etc. they talk about him in the chameleons their care and breeding book. see if you can contact the people who wrote the book and in turn, find out how to contact the guy who does it. From memory, i know he has the cages a few feet underground and facing a certain direction so that i cuts the wind. but it is done so dont give up
 
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