Discrepencies in recommended enclosure heights 3 vs 4 feet

[44937]

I am in the process of buying DIY window screen parts to make several enclosures and i've noticed some reputable breeders (Kammerflage being one of them) have been recommending 3 foot high enclosures. Whereas many others are recommending 4 foot high enclosures.
Footprint area remains the same and pretty standard by most keepers (4 sq feet) regardless what the dimensions are.
For those with 4 foot high enclosures, do you see your chams go down that far to use the bottom 1 foot?
For those with 3 foot high enclosures, does it seem too low or too cramped?

 

[Remkon]

It's probably the recommended minimum... Which isn't really a recomendation as bigger than the minimum shoult be the recommendation. So I would go for 4ft since it's bigger.

 

[jamest0o0]

The longer I have Panthers, the more I feel bad about their enclosure size. I feel like with their active nature, they should have whole rooms to themselves.

 

[Decadancin]

Although the recommended size for adult panthers and veiled chams is generally 2x2x4 high, I think as long as the enclosure is higher up the desired result is similar with a 3 foot high enclosure. I would do the 4 foot if you can, and I personally like to make enclosures that are a bit wider, say 3 foot wide by 18 inches deep and 4 foot tall. This allows for better lighting options and creating warm and cool spots across the enclosure, not just a pinpoint basking spot which can lead to other issues.

 

[nightanole]

Meh based on my experience you could do 2-3ft of screen and cuttouts in the bottom for plant pots so the plants "start" at 2-3 ft. I have never had a cham hang out below the pot line no matter how many toys i put down there.

 

[Remkon]

Although the recommended size for adult panthers and veiled chams is generally 2x2x4 high

A recommended MINIMUM is not the recommended size! It's there to say 'better dont go smaller than that'.
The recommended size would be a whole tree or so.

My point, bigger is better up until a point where your animal can't find his feedercup in all of his space.

 

[Remkon]

Meh based on my experience you could do 2-3ft of screen and cuttouts in the bottom for plant pots so the plants "start" at 2-3 ft. I have never had a cham hang out below the pot line no matter how many toys i put down there.

At the beginning mine goes down, until he settled and got more or less a routine... Still the routine may become more extensive when he has more space to utilize. If space is no concern why go small?

 

[laurie]

After years of chameleons, I personally go as big as I have room to do so! For my Parsons that is 8ft x 4 ft x 4 ft! But my female quadcornits is young and she is in a 18 tall by 14 x 14 . That said I have never had a cham unhappy with too much space. I don’t use cages smaller than 16t by 14 by 14, except for babies.

 

[JacksJill]

Additional height gives you a better chance of creating a heat and humidity gradient so your chameleon can pick the spot most suited to it's needs at the time. It's the difference between meh and optimum.

 

[nightanole]

At the beginning mine goes down, until he settled and got more or less a routine... Still the routine may become more extensive when he has more space to utilize. If space is no concern why go small?

I dont go small. My current cage is 3x3x7, and they can free range unless im on vacation, and they are training to go "home" for bed so i dont find them sleeping in random places.

However a small cage can be helpful for a beginner if they dont know how to setup lighting and humidity etc. My "cages" would be a nightmare for a beginner to get right.

My recommendation for ANY chameleon is to start with a reptibreeze XL and then go custom. I know if i was 12" long i would not want just 3" gap between my head and tail before it hits the cage walls, and thats just for jacksons in 18" cages..