Enclosure critique?

[littlefoot3]

My first little guy will be here in about a week or so, give or take. 2 1/2-3 month male veiled. I've built this entire thing pretty much entirely from scratch! (Biggest pain in the butt for your first ever DIY project..) Can you guys let me know if I'm forgetting to do anything?

Basic 24x24x48 aluminum screen enclosure, though I have the bottom part blocked off with plywood covered by a sheet of polycarbonate for easy cleaning. I did this since he will be so little I don't want him to get overwhelmed by the space if I decide to let feeders loose in there. As he gets older I can lower the floor and give him space as he grows.

I've got a pothos in there with some wooden dowels I cut, small fake vines on the side, an old bird ladder that was never used, a bendivine, some decorative branches from hobby lobby, and one long fake vine. I'm really hoping the pothos will take off and grow onto all of the branches in there.

Lighting includes reptisun 5.0 UVB and regular household bulb for basking.

The only thing I know for sure I still want to add is a dripper, but otherwise I think I've got my bases covered. Feel free to correct me otherwise if I don't though!


Also, do you think he will get scared of my decorative lizard next to the cage? I'm hoping not, it was a "baby" gift for him from my boyfriend. It's still bothering me in the back of my mind.

 

[chefboyardee]

looks good, just make sure to get a temp/humidity gauge so you can get some readings

Im sure someone will chime in and tell you to "add more horizontal bars and more plants," Im pretty sure people have that phrase copied onto their clipboard It'll give your guy access to a greater thermal range and give him more places to hide should he want them

the fake lizard shouldnt bug him

 

[littlefoot3]

I do have a thermometer and hygrometer in there, maybe I just didn't get a good shot with them in it. I still have a couple of more dowels and one big decorative branch left so I could always throw those in there too I guess. I'm a little afraid of putting anymore fake vines in just because I want my pothos to be able to have some space to fill out.

Thanks for the fast response!

 

[absolutbill]

Hi there. Your setup looks pretty good, but I would use that last dowel and decorative vine that you have until your pothos grows in. He needs a lot more foliage to feel secure. Also, keep a close eye on him - veileds like to chomp on their greenery, so make sure that he doesn't eat any of the fake plants or he could run into some serious problems.

As for your "baby gift", you are fine to have it hang near his cage - he won't notice it, I promise. I had 2 similar to that and neither my panthers nor my veiled ever gave them a second look.

Good luck with your new little one and remember to post lots of pics when he arrives!!!

 

[littlefoot3]

Hi there. Your setup looks pretty good, but I would use that last dowel and decorative vine that you have until your pothos grows in. He needs a lot more foliage to feel secure. Also, keep a close eye on him - veileds like to chomp on their greenery, so make sure that he doesn't eat any of the fake plants or he could run into some serious problems.

As for your "baby gift", you are fine to have it hang near his cage - he won't notice it, I promise. I had 2 similar to that and neither my panthers nor my veiled ever gave them a second look.

Good luck with your new little one and remember to post lots of pics when he arrives!!!

Thanks! And no worries, there will be tons of pictures. Karen and Jeremy from the chameleon farm have been wonderful and even sending me baby picture updates! That's good to know that he won't be bothered by the metal lizard, I'd feel bad if I had to take it down or move it.

I thought I had read that they don't even try to eat the fake plants? I'm going to be paranoid about that now. I'm just afraid to get another one because I've never really had a green thumb and I was always told you pretty much have to treat a pothos like a cactus to kill it. I might go to an actual nursery instead of home depot tomorrow and see if maybe there's one that's already really big and filled out and swap it out for that. I could always keep that one in the living room with some more dowels and rope and turn it into a free range for him

I'm going to go cut up that last dowel and the other branch as soon as I eat dinner. I'll post an updated pic then.

Another question, is the location of the basking light alright? Everything I read said not directly above, but is that about right? Should I move the UVB a little further so it's not quite so close either?



These were the last two pictures I was sent!

 

[SaintJimmy]

Honestly it looks amazing.

And chameleon farms is a great place to buy from Hope the little guy enjoys the gorgeous enclosure.

 

[Tyaeda]

Once that pothos grows, it will fill in pretty good. The more hiding places and branches to climb on, the happier your cham will be!

 

[absolutbill]

Another question, is the location of the basking light alright? Everything I read said not directly above, but is that about right? Should I move the UVB a little further so it's not quite so close either?

Your little guy is adorable, and the Chameleon Farm are incredible people to buy a cham from. With my basking light and UVB, I place my basking light just where yours is - front right corner. Then, I run the UVB diagonally from the back right to the front left corner of the cage as you look at it. Remember, the UVB that they get from these bulbs in 8 hours is equal to 1 hour of direct sunlight, so you don't want to have them have to pick and choose between heat and UVB. Just monitor your temps and remember to change that UVB every 6 months and you should be fine.

As for the fake plants, I personally don't use them in my cages. I've got 2 panthers who couldn't care less, and a grumpy veiled. The veiled has taken bites out of his plants - that's not to say that yours will, but I've always been a believer in "real is better". I think it's a good idea to have 2 plants - one in the cage and 1 outside (here in FL I'm blessed to be able to keep my plants on my lanai year-round with no ill effects). I'm not the best with plants, so they always need some time to recover in the natural sunlight before being placed back into the cage. Feel free to PM me with any questions in case I miss this thread and good luck with your new little guy!

 

[littlefoot3]

Your little guy is adorable, and the Chameleon Farm are incredible people to buy a cham from. With my basking light and UVB, I place my basking light just where yours is - front right corner. Then, I run the UVB diagonally from the back right to the front left corner of the cage as you look at it. Remember, the UVB that they get from these bulbs in 8 hours is equal to 1 hour of direct sunlight, so you don't want to have them have to pick and choose between heat and UVB. Just monitor your temps and remember to change that UVB every 6 months and you should be fine.

As for the fake plants, I personally don't use them in my cages. I've got 2 panthers who couldn't care less, and a grumpy veiled. The veiled has taken bites out of his plants - that's not to say that yours will, but I've always been a believer in "real is better". I think it's a good idea to have 2 plants - one in the cage and 1 outside (here in FL I'm blessed to be able to keep my plants on my lanai year-round with no ill effects). I'm not the best with plants, so they always need some time to recover in the natural sunlight before being placed back into the cage. Feel free to PM me with any questions in case I miss this thread and good luck with your new little guy!

Yeah, I definitely agree on the "real is better". I'm just afraid of killing the real. I don't really have a place to keep any plants outside so whatever I have inside is about it. I saw a "pothos tree" at a store yesterday that I wouldn't mind checking out whenever he gets older and can handle the full size of the cage.

Thank you for the offer, I will remember this should anything come up

 

[absolutbill]

Even if you just keep the plants not in his cage in your living room, say, they don't necessarily have to be outside. I'm not the greatest when it comes to plants, which is why mine are on the lanai.