Eco Earth question

[ollevonkid]

I am looking into buying a chameleon and I have already purchased my uv lamp, my heat lamp and my cage. I have a large reptibreeze tank and I am wondering how I am going to contain the eco earth in the mesh sidings of the tank. Would I be better off getting a reptile carpet?

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

I have always gone with nothing on the ground. No Eco earth or carpet. It makes it much easier to clean and the enclosure dries out much better.

 

[Chase]

Nothing is needed for the bottom!

As djturna said, it makes it way easier to clean and for drying.

Every once in a while I bring the bottom part out and wipe it with a cloth with bleach. Then I rinse it off to ensure all the bleach comes off.

Chase

 

[ollevonkid]

I have always gone with nothing on the ground. No Eco earth or carpet. It makes it much easier to clean and the enclosure dries out much better.

Ah I wish I would have known I could do that, I bought a bag of eco earth today, hopefully I can return it. Also since the walls are that wire mesh do you think the only thing I could really hang off of them are vines and what not? I figure I can leave pieces of wood against it but I dont want to bust up the cage.

 

[Chase]

Do you have a live plant to go in the enclosure?

Chase

 

[Luthien]

I have read this trick elsewhere on the forums...and it sounds like we have a similar setup! I took dowel rods (appropriately sized for your chams feet) washed them VERY well, cut them..and placed in the cage, held up through the mesh with theb tacks! If your chameleon is bigger you could perhaps secure it with small nails? Dowels are so cheap and the mesh has not been harmed at all. The dowels are my girl's favorite sleeping spot!!!

 

[ollevonkid]

Do you have a live plant to go in the enclosure?

Chase

I haven't gotten a live plant yet, Should I?

 

[Chase]

I haven't gotten a live plant yet, Should I?

You should. This will give it ample space to climb around on.

Even with live plants I still put take vines in there just for more climbing space; something like this: http://www.petmountain.com/product/...m_medium=cpc&gclid=CIai2JH8k78CFTJp7AodBjgAvw

 

[ollevonkid]

You should. This will give it ample space to climb around on.

Even with live plants I still put take vines in there just for more climbing space; something like this: http://www.petmountain.com/product/...m_medium=cpc&gclid=CIai2JH8k78CFTJp7AodBjgAvw

Is there any kind of plant that in particular that would be good? Something that would be easy to keep alive.

 

[Chase]

Is there any kind of plant that in particular that would be good? Something that would be easy to keep alive.

Schefflera is good and easy to keep alive.

You want Schefflera arboricola which you can find in variegated (green and yellow) leaves or in just green. Either are fine.

Chase

 

[Carlton]

Is there any kind of plant that in particular that would be good? Something that would be easy to keep alive.

Have you read through the info on basic cham care yet? Answers to a lot of your questions and suggestions for the correct cage setup are in there.

If you have a garden you can collect naturally barked branches for perches instead of buying dowel. Most dowels are made out of kiln dried softwood like pine or fir, and they will absorb water and eventually get grungy. Natural branches should be scrubbed to remove moss, molds, bird poop, and garden chemicals. Use a 1:10 bleach to hot water solution and rinse until you can't smell the bleach. Let dry.

 

[Carlton]

Ah I wish I would have known I could do that, I bought a bag of eco earth today, hopefully I can return it. Also since the walls are that wire mesh do you think the only thing I could really hang off of them are vines and what not? I figure I can leave pieces of wood against it but I dont want to bust up the cage.

You can attach perches through the mesh using small zip ties, florist wire, or even trash bag twist ties. If you want to hang a potted plant such as a bushy Pothos from the cage top, support the weight by laying a wood lathe across the cage top and use some wire to hang the pot from that.

 

[Carlton]

Ah I wish I would have known I could do that, I bought a bag of eco earth today, hopefully I can return it. Also since the walls are that wire mesh do you think the only thing I could really hang off of them are vines and what not? I figure I can leave pieces of wood against it but I dont want to bust up the cage.

Substrates like this get moldy, sit wet, full of bacteria and fecal matter over time. Loose feeders hide in it and eat stuff you probably don't want your cham to get. Chams can pick up substrate material on their tongues, swallow it, and could end up with intestinal damage or blockages. Its not as if your arboreal cham needs substrate like a terrestrial herp may. Easier to do without it.

 

[junglefries]

Eco-eath warning! Had a bag laying around and decided to use for some crix to lay eggs in. Molded up so fast, it was almost unbelievable. Don't know if it was a fluke or what, but please people be cautious.