Critique my set-up please.

[wilfred]

Ok, first time with a chameleon, or any reptile. I think I got everything. Even if there maybe too much of somethings or not enough of others. I'm expecting my chameleon mid-week. It is a 3-4 month old panther morph (mainly ambanja). Cage is 20x16x16.

What the water drips onto. droplets form all the way down to the pothos.


Self explanatory


drainage system when I had the water on its highest drip setting.


Overview pic without the feeder cup.


drip system closeup


feeder cup:

 

[cushcameleon]

I would add a couple more branches/vines at the top half of the enclosure. Chameleons will spend most of their time at the higher parts of the enclosure and they like having lots of cover. Are you going to be using a basking light? I could see your temperature was about right, but you may want to add a basking light to guard against possible temperature shocks (don't use pet brand bulbs, they burn out faster than regular incandescent types).

 

[wilfred]

My room gets to about 83 in the day and 70 at night so I probably wont add a basking light until the temperature drops in fall. I have a lot of more fake vines, and leafy vines so adding more would be no problem.

a better pic of the top half.



Please keep the comments/critiques coming

 

[Smokey]

The ambient temp of the room is warm like mine but u still need a basking spot of about 90f. Should be able to get that with a 50-60 watt housebulb

 

[Pure]

The ambient temp of the room is warm like mine but u still need a basking spot of about 90f. Should be able to get that with a 50-60 watt housebulb

The problem is that young chams don't know how to regulate temp very well. Most will sit there cooking under a lamp. 90 is too warm for a panther let alone a baby. As long as your room temps are stable and at an appropriate temp a lamp isn't needed. He will bask under the floro, so that will at least fulfill his natural instincts.

So far it looks pretty good. But like Cush said add some more cover up high. Maybe run some of the pothos vines up there. Just keep them in place with some zip ties. Also you may want to insert the drip tube through the screen. I understand they learn to drink from it better that way.

 

[wilfred]

Also you may want to insert the drip tube through the screen. I understand they learn to drink from it better that way.

Even though the drip comes through really well? see the second picture. If I did do that, how far should it stick into the cage?

 

[cushcameleon]

Even though the drip comes through really well? see the second picture. If I did do that, how far should it stick into the cage?

I would stick it into the cage a couple inches. It will protect the cham from licking the cage, which could be very problematic.

 

[wilfred]

Ok I took the advice and altered the cage accordingly.
I wrapped another dowel in fake vines and ran from the back left to the front right on the top quarter of the cage. I would have used the pothos but the vines aren't long enough.

 

[Damien]

Branches

Put some thick braches at the top my cham really likes something he can grab on and dig into

 

[wilfred]

Pics of feeder setups.

Got 10 pounds of gutload and 1 pound of water crystals from theroachguy.com really happy with them.

My cricket enclosure.


my dubia setup. Put bird feeder cups to house water crystals and food.