hey first post new to chameleon scene just got a vieled chameleon from Fl cham seems very healthy and active compared to what ive seen in videos/ read on here prior. i have a glass terrarium ill try to post picture of enviroment and Dewie my chameleon. He was much smaller than i expected the site had said he was 2 months old. So my friends keep telling me 3 side of the glass should be covered with a background but none of them have any reptiles so i dont want to take their advice and the ones that i have showed that have had reptiles say nothing about this being a problem. Any tips you would want to share with a beginner feel free thanks
Enclosure backgrounds/help a beginner
- Thread starter Jxbzy
- Start date
Mike Fisher
Established Member
I would not use a glass terrarium for a veiled, or most other chameleons for that matter. You are going to have to research screen enclosures if you want your chameleon to thrive.
xephyr17
New Member
I agree with Mike. If you don't want to invest in a screen enclosure all together, I would suggest at least changing the front and top to screen. Much better ventalation that way, and your cham will be much happier.
Of course, it's still best to get a fully mesh enclosure.
You don't have to worry about background stuff. Your cham won't care--it's just for how you want the enclosure to look.
Of course, it's still best to get a fully mesh enclosure.
You don't have to worry about background stuff. Your cham won't care--it's just for how you want the enclosure to look.
Djturna4thakidz
Established Member
I also think you should invest in a new screen enclosure, especially for a veiled.
Your friends may have been referring to putting plastic over three sides of a screen enclosure to keep the moisture in. Those that use screen cages sometimes cover sides of the enclosure to keep in moisture and keep the humidity up in dryer climates.
Your friends may have been referring to putting plastic over three sides of a screen enclosure to keep the moisture in. Those that use screen cages sometimes cover sides of the enclosure to keep in moisture and keep the humidity up in dryer climates.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
He's more active right now because he's still reacting to the huge change in his life....moving to your home. As he settles in he'll probably calm down. But, if he continues to roam the cage all the time it could be he is not happy in it...something could be upsetting him including reflections of himself in the glass (if the light angle happens to be just right). That varies by individuals though. Some chams paw endlessly at glass trying to escape the setup, and they can't figure out why they can't get through it.
xephyr17
New Member
I strongly disagree that a chameleon would show upset by roaming the enclosure. He would show change in color and be aggressive or very skittish. My veiled chameleons are active throughout their cage to find food and water. I find it a very good thing that they move a lot, not as am indication of unhappiness.
Mike Fisher
Established Member
A cham in a new environment will roam a lot to learn where everything is and test boundaries.
thanks for the advice everyone i went with this cage becuase it was a good price and plan on getting an all screen one for his next cage when i upgrade/ he gets bigger, the top of this cage is screen and the front glass doors have space in between them so i think the airflow is good enough ideally looking to get a front screen the size of the 2 glass doors atm.
Djturna4thakidz
Established Member
It may just be cheaper to get a screen cage than modify your current one. Check craigslist, I have seen the 2x2x4's on there for $20-50.
Mike Fisher
Established Member
That might be a good option. You can make your own screen panels for pretty cheap, but you'd have to figure out the door engineering.
I would not count on the small gap between the glass as giving enough airflow for a veiled. Not even sure I would keep my montanes in something with that low of air exchange. It is a recipe for upper respiratory infection.
Lmaoo your name is great. none in my area atm i just check thats a really good idea though thank you, i really like this cage you think he would be fine until he outgrows this cage ive seen a few glass cages but not as many as screen but i feel like i could keep bacteria out/ a close eye on my cham for infection or health problems he should be fine am i just being delusional
Mike Fisher
Established Member
You could do that. Make sure you have a vet picked out in advance. By the time you notice a problem, you'll need a vet.
BTW, that is not the only problem with your current setup, but it is the biggest one IMO. If you really want advice, there are many very experienced keepers and breeders here, but if you want to keep ignoring them and coming up with your own theories, no one will want to offer advice.
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Here's an update again thanks for the advice y'all Home Depot ended up having a perfect sized screen adjustable window that fits perfect, you can kind of see Dewie up in top right basking temp right now is 82 degrees with 53% humidity, came home from being out for a couple hours and he was so cool looking everyday I see new patterns on him this only 3/4th day I've had him but still sweet seeing progression and changes I'm excited lol
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Mike Fisher
Established Member
I understand. That looks much better! Kudos for finding a solution so quickly.
Probably keep the feeders in much better too.What is the substrate? While I am a firm believer of plantable substrates for montane chams, I don't believe it is a good solution for certain setups. Most keepers are 100 percent against substrate, I'm one of the few that isn't, but I believe it should be reserved for certain types of bioactive setups.
Personally I'd recommend removing the substrate and adding just a bit more foliage.
Your original question of whether to cover the back and sides is more for aesthetics than anything IMO, but as Carlton mentioned, if your cham seems bothered by reflections, by all means cover the glass. Those reflections can really stress certain individuals.
he seems alright with the glass for now ill keep that in mind tho. substrate is 2-3 in of clay pebbles and then like an inch of cocofiber no layer of screen between them i have fake moisture holding moss aswell but i was actually waiting to see if my substrate was holding to much water first/ wasnt sure if i liked the efficiency of cleaning and also didnt know how often i was going to have to clean. it is aesthetically pleasing imo and seems to be helpful in keeping humidity however i haven't had the setup without the cocofiber so humidity could be fine without. i think i was maybe more concerned with the humidity levels than i needed to be in setting this tank up with it being glass
Mike Fisher
Established Member
With the larger diameter clay balls you won't have an ingestion hazard, which is good. If the cham can get at the cocofiber, that is bad. You'll also have a good place for feeders to hide, and bacteria to grow, and hard to clean. It could work just fine with frequent cleaning however. Just depends on how much work you want to do each time you clean. Veileds don't need super high humidity like some species, so many just use paper towels on the bottom for easy cleaning. I know, it looks bad though. Fake carpeting looks better, and the cleaning is not too bad.
