Free Range setup help

[Cleis85]

I'm starting to plan ahead for the future when my melleri becomes full grown, and I'm going to go with a free range setup but I wanted to get some peoples ideas on something who have done this already. I had a free range setup for my veilded when I had him but that was only 1 big ficus tree he lived in. for the melleri i was thinking prob 2 ficus trees and a couple pothis plans and large vines, but my concern is a watering system. How are people keeping they're adult mellers or any other large chameleon hydrated withouth soaking they're house. And a way to catch the run off of the water so it doesnt get all over the floor? Well any ideas and pics of your free range enclosures will be a great help!
Thanks, Ben.

 

[summoner12]

Good luck!

This is one of my free range setups for one of my Melleri. This is Lenny's home. I am going to put more vines and things around still

 

[beeze]

Maybe you can get some ideas from this thread:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/who-else-keeping-their-13878/

 

[nick barta]

Lenny is one happy Mellers! Does he ever leave the tree to explore the room?

 

[Cleis85]

so I'm guessing the white sheet around the tree redirects the water to the pot of the tree. Thanks for the idea and the thread, i'm going to check it out right now

 

[Sepioteuthis]

This is my free range set up: http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=121
It was a lot of work, but we wanted to build something that would last for years. We also have the advantage of being able to devote a room to chameleons.

 

[summoner12]

A serious free range!

This is my free range set up: http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=121
It was a lot of work, but we wanted to build something that would last for years. We also have the advantage of being able to devote a room to chameleons.

I was gonna dig up your link and post it! haha but I was running out the door to do my bug run for the SBCK meeting Tuesday.

Your setup is great and inspires me in my efforts!

 

[summoner12]

Lenny is one happy Mellers! Does he ever leave the tree to explore the room?

Today he was leaving the range for some reason. He left a total of three times. Twice I caught him before he got far and the third I was gone for a couple of hours and found him sleeping on my GF's bathroom counter in front of the mirror. I don't know how he made his way up there.... Not much to climb on and unless he started for it right after I left the house, he only had 30-60 minutes of sunlight to illuminate the room.

I think he likes the bedroom/vanity sink because its cooler at times. He goes into the closet and sleeps up high or he'll find a dark closet. I don't understand him. He also has a big interest in my GFs vanidty.

For the most part, he stays put. I am adding some more vines soon. He has been slowing down and mostly just basks all day so I didn't feel he needed a vine highway yet.

I am going to change the curtain to plastic corrugate. It will have a slight angle to direct water to one side into a gutter, then into a bucket that will tie into my entire auto drain system (yes you read that right ) I don't have a garden to water like Suzanne... and I can't drill a hole in the wall of my apt. So the waste water will be pumped to the bathroom and hooked up to the plumbing in there.

so I'm guessing the white sheet around the tree redirects the water to the pot of the tree. Thanks for the idea and the thread, i'm going to check it out right now

Yes and no. I had it draining through the tree to water it... But the water coming out is NASTY. So I now have the curtain supported around tree and the funny thins is the font left corner is the lowest spot. I then cut a hole in the curtain and there is a collection bucket there.

Because the misting nozzle is centered on the tree some mist runs down the tree limbs and down the trunk into the pot. So it does get the water it needs, but the water is still nasty that collects.

Suzanne, Any idea why he/she might wonder off and be so pissy? the first time he was hissing and gaping at me and i was worried if i should pick him up in fear of getting bit (he bit me once thinking i was good and it HURT!) The second time i found him I heard him gasping and grunting and hissing at me as i walked across the hall, I didn't even know he was there. The third time he was asleep so i just moved him back to the range and he seemed very confused and groggy as he woke up.