sticky tounge
New Member
i bought my cham a couple days ago and i see people saying aquarium tanks are bad but it looks like my cham is doing fine any suggestions 
Glass enclosure
- Thread starter sticky tounge
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hinoco1225
New Member
If you just bought your cham a couple days ago then obviously you haven't had any problems with a glass enclosure yet. But eventually, you will. Glass enclosures are bad for chams for two reasons. One, because glass enclosures prevent proper air circulation and retain moisture, thus making a perfect place for bacteria to grow. Chameleon have VERY sensitive immune systems and get sick very easily if this happens. Since they do not show signs that they are sick until they are VERY sick, usually by the time you can tell a cham is sick, it's too late. The second reason they are bad is because the chams can see their reflection in the glass, and this will stress them out as they get older because they are VERY territorial and solitary creatures, and they will think they are constantly seeing another cham invading their space. This is especially stressful for males. And like I said, chams are very sensitive creatures and a lot of stress GREATLY reduces their life span.
That being said, glass enclosures are typically ok for babies until a certain point. When they're babies they haven't yet become very territorial, so as long as you clean the tank WELL and OFTEN it should be fine.
I strongly recommend you get a screen cage once your cham is about 5-6 months old. You can get them inexpensively from http://lllreptile.com/.
Hope this helps.
That being said, glass enclosures are typically ok for babies until a certain point. When they're babies they haven't yet become very territorial, so as long as you clean the tank WELL and OFTEN it should be fine.
I strongly recommend you get a screen cage once your cham is about 5-6 months old. You can get them inexpensively from http://lllreptile.com/.
Hope this helps.
sticky tounge
New Member
Thank you very much
fluxlizard
Avid Member
In the first part of the 1990s I bred several species in aquarium tanks and the animals were very healthy. The problem isn't the glass or the ventilation. I don't know who would use so much moisture that a tank would not dry out and encourage mold growth, but when I used tanks I misted 2x per day lightly with a hand mister and used a drip system with a catch bowl to supply the chameleons' water needs. There was never a problem with dampness- the tanks dried out completely every day and some humidity was provided by the potted plants. As for reflections- I suppose if lighting in the room is just right, it might be a problem. In my situation it was not. For a short time every once in a while when the lighting in the room was just right, an occasional chameleon might notice the ghost of his reflection and display for a few minutes, but this did not happen very often.
The real problems I found were the size of most tanks and the cost and the fact they cannot be placed outdoors in real sunlight.
If you bought a veiled chameleon for example- an adult lizard can grow 18 to 22 inches long. Even a 55 gallon aquarium has dimensions of 12" wide. So the poor chameleon can grow longer than the aquarium is wide- can never stretch out completely when facing front or back of the tank. Not only are larger enclosures that allow your animal to stretch out completely in any direction better for the animal, but I learned it is much more pleasurable to observe the lizards stretched out moving through their environment. Nowadays I lean towards the view that even most screen enclosures that people use (18" on a side for veileds for example) are too much on the small side to enjoy the beauty of the lizard moving through it's environment. Surely more room is more pleasant for the lifetime of the lizard as well.
I also started keeping all my lizards outdoors all summer every year and really am a big believer in the benefits of that practice, and aquaria would not serve me there either. So by the late 90s I had made the switch to screen and I've never gone back. If I had my chams in my living room I would probably custom build enclosures that were roomy with glass or plexi doors or better yet clever design with an open front that is still inescapable so I wouldn't have to view through the screen.
The real problems I found were the size of most tanks and the cost and the fact they cannot be placed outdoors in real sunlight.
If you bought a veiled chameleon for example- an adult lizard can grow 18 to 22 inches long. Even a 55 gallon aquarium has dimensions of 12" wide. So the poor chameleon can grow longer than the aquarium is wide- can never stretch out completely when facing front or back of the tank. Not only are larger enclosures that allow your animal to stretch out completely in any direction better for the animal, but I learned it is much more pleasurable to observe the lizards stretched out moving through their environment. Nowadays I lean towards the view that even most screen enclosures that people use (18" on a side for veileds for example) are too much on the small side to enjoy the beauty of the lizard moving through it's environment. Surely more room is more pleasant for the lifetime of the lizard as well.
I also started keeping all my lizards outdoors all summer every year and really am a big believer in the benefits of that practice, and aquaria would not serve me there either. So by the late 90s I had made the switch to screen and I've never gone back. If I had my chams in my living room I would probably custom build enclosures that were roomy with glass or plexi doors or better yet clever design with an open front that is still inescapable so I wouldn't have to view through the screen.
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