Containing heat in a free range setup?

[BrobReborn]

Hello everyone, I am currently in the market for a chameleon, and I have a few questions on freeranging and enclosures in general. I live in a pretty spacious loft style apartment, and I would like to freerange my cham. I have a corner in my living room area that is about 6ft by 6ft with a window on both walls.

How can I keep the temperature in the correct range without anything to really keep heat in? I keep my apartment between 69-72 degrees while home, and usually 72-75 while at work or away. In the winter it would be more like 67-69 while home, and as low as 64 while out. Will this be a problem for a chameleon? I really don't want to sacrifice my comfort while at home and turn the AC down. I should mention there is a heat/AC vent right by the corner, but there vents everywhere in this place and that's pretty much unavoidable.

I should also mention I will be getting a Veiled since this will be my first time. Meller's are the most appealing to me (especially since they like it a little cooler), but I know I am not experienced enough to handle one of them off the start.

Thanks for any tips in advance!

 

[jamest0o0]

I'd be more worried about keeping humidity in. A basking bulb/any lights will keep the heat focused in an area. The cooler temps will actually be nice so you have some gradients. Having a vent next to a free range is a RI waiting to happen though. The problem with most free ranges is the humidity can't get high enough, especially in a large open room. You can attempt to utilize a fogger and have very heavy mistings along with tons of plants to create humidity pockets. I'd have any vents blowing directly in the cham's area blocked off though.

 

[BrobReborn]

I'd be more worried about keeping humidity in. A basking bulb/any lights will keep the heat focused in an area. The cooler temps will actually be nice so you have some gradients. Having a vent next to a free range is a RI waiting to happen though. The problem with most free ranges is the humidity can't get high enough, especially in a large open room. You can attempt to utilize a fogger and have very heavy mistings along with tons of plants to create humidity pockets. I'd have any vents blowing directly in the cham's area blocked off though.

I will definitely be getting a good misting system like the mistking or one of it's various competitors. I figured I'd probably use 4-6 nozzles to spread the mist across the entire area. Do you figure a decent amount of live plants in addition to frequent misting sessions would be good enough? I will probably utilitize some curtains on a few sides as well to help keep it in.

What do you mean by RI? I can infer it is something bad lol, so I will definitely block that off.

 

[Virgil1972]

To help with humidity I would get a good amount of live plants and get a cool mist humidifier. I got one at walmart for about 30 dollars and it will last just over 24 hours on full blast.

 

[jamest0o0]

Respiratory infection, Chams are prone to them from: drafts, stagnant air, low humidity, high humidity

 

[BrobReborn]

So you are saying I should get a humidifier in addition to the misting system?

 

[Virgil1972]

So you are saying I should get a humidifier in addition to the misting system?

If you find the misting system is not enough. I have one to help with humidity in winter.

 

[kinyonga]

Buy an electric heater (one that it cant burn itself on) and heat the whole room and then a humidifier if you're concerned about that????? What about providing UVB? Water? I assume you will hand feed it?

 

[BrobReborn]

Buy an electric heater (one that it cant burn itself on) and heat the whole room and then a humidifier if you're concerned about that????? What about providing UVB? Water? I assume you will hand feed it?

I probably will not hand feed it. I planned on having a container to put the bugs in that is tall enough for them not to be able to crawl or jump out. UVB and water I am not really concerned about, I think I have that down.

 

[kinyonga]

Just bringing up things that need tomnbe thought about when doing a free range.

 

[BrobReborn]

Just bringing up things that need tomnbe thought about when doing a free range.

Yeah I appreciate that. After doing a lot more research, I think I might just go with a large screen cage instead. I'll leave free ranging for when I am a little more experienced.

 

[Panthro413]

To help with humidity I would get a good amount of live plants and get a cool mist humidifier. I got one at walmart for about 30 dollars and it will last just over 24 hours on full blast.

Mist directed in the cage or in room ?

 

[Lennoncham]

Putting the Cham in the window will not provide uv light. You will need a uvb bulb.

 

[Virgil1972]

Mist directed in the cage or in room ?

Just in the room. It would raise the humidity of the whole room.

 

[Panthro413]

Just in the room. It would raise the humidity of the whole room.

Thanks, curious because I get my Baby Next week, preparing. Chameleon Paradise baby male from sire Candy Cane. Here my new setup.