Glass or Screened Cage?

[Dylan Dutz]

I'm wondering if I should keep my future veiled chameleon in a glass or screened cage. I know you're mostly supposed to keep them in a screened cage, but where I live(Northern Illinois) the winters can get very cold, which wouldn't hold in heat or humidity very well. If I get a Exo Terra Glass Terrarium w/ a screened top it seems like heat and humidity would stay in better. And the pet store I usually go to, has all their chams in glass cages, and all of them are doing great, along w/ all the other animals they have. So just tell me what you think!

 

[ChameleonsTree]

I live in michigan and i do just fine with screen cages...if you need to point a basking bulb on another part of the cage besides the basking point you do it.

 

[Dylan Dutz]

Thanks I never thought about that

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Remember too that they require a significant drop in temperature at night.
You don't necessarily want to keep the heat in.
Of extreme importance to these animals is ventilation...the air must be able to move about them all the time. Hard to achieve in an exo-terra terrarium.

-Brad

 

[Dave Weldon]

:...the winters can get very cold...

Howdy,

Cold winters are often mentioned as a concern. My question is: "What is the temperature range of the room that you are keeping the chameleon?"

If the room he's being kept in doesn't drop below 60F and he is able to get back up to "operating temp" under his basking light in the morning then things should be ok. If it is going to be colder than 60F in the room then provide some sort of heat source to keep it above 60F. A veiled could actually go below 60F but there's less to wonder/worry about if he doesn't.

 

[Cameochams]

Dont Get The Glass Cage.

I do not recommend the exo terra glass cage at all. I had one when I first started out not knowing how important screen cages really are for chameleons.
They need the ventilation not only that but they need the screen in order to keep their grips strong. My first chameleon in the glass cage had a very weak grip due to the lack of climbing areas. I would just get the screen cage.

 

[Guardian]

I have Ms. Creecher in a screened enclosure. I built a background for her and that helps to keep some heat in. She is in my bedroom which gets cool in the winter. At times I put a small towel over the front of the cage to help stabilize the temp inside at night. I keep a low voltage red heat lamp on also. I mist her and turn on the dripper twice a day for humidy and hydration. The screen enclosure would be my choice.
~~G

 

[Dylan Dutz]

Thanks, I'm going w/ the screened cage

 

[ChromaChameleons]

I use both screen cages and "Euro" style cages. Euro style cages are basically bottom , sides and back made of glass and front and top made of screen. I'm a fan of both .

I do like Euro cages for their humidity and heat retention. THe only down side I've ever encountered is that about one in ten chams don't like seeing their own reflection in the glass and in few cases it causes added stress. Seems its only males that have this issue.

 

[Sage]

Guardian, how big is your cham and how old? I think you should use a screen cage.

 

[Guardian]

My cham is almost 6 months and is 10 inches long head to tail end. She IS in a screened enclosure.
~~G

 

[sandrachameleon]

Screen and glass are not the only two options for cages. My cages are wood frame, with peg board back and sides, plexi fronts and coated wire for the top. More than sufficient ventilation, keeps humidity and heat in a bit better than screen but not too much, and with none of the issues of screen. Turns out I'm not alone either - I found this article some years after I switched from wire and screen cages to my peg board ones that I'm not the only one: http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=62
"Different techniques work well for different people in different regions of the country and the world"