Greenhouses

[Pure]

He could just be using calcium with d3. Years ago i never used uv lights just calcium with d3 i have since evolved but back then i never had any cases of mbd just got lucky i guess.

Indeed. I've kept many a reptile like that. Actually I never owned a UV lamp until my reintroduction to herps. As I remember, the idea that D3 was the catalyst for absorbing calcium, and it was produced by UV absorption was still relatively new when I first got started.

Needless to say I had hit and miss success with dosing D3. I've even allowed a local vet to document one of my iguanas for a study on this. He had a sever case of MBD. Most often the cure was to put the animal out in the sun and dose calcium. I don't even recall their being UVB lights back then.

I have polycarbonate panels that allow 95% of uv through. I personally have not tested this, but I have faith in the company and the results seem to be working good.

Thank you. Obviously as you've kept them like this for 6 yrs testing may not be detrimental. Just for future reference, to keep new owners from making mistakes you should probably mention that when you talk about your success in keeping chams in a green house. I can see a new owner thinking regular green houses are all you need. I know this has confused me on more than one occasion. Not with just your posts.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

There are some other aspects to consider in regards to UVB and greenhouses. Such as, I currently live on a ranch and have to use well water that has high amounts of calcium. If using this well water to mist a green house, calcium can built up and is extremely tough to remove from the greenhouse panels and could block the transmission of UV rays. Hence Metal Halide is more practical. Don't quote me on this I have heard a couple of times that the panels that allow UV transfer break down after 10 years and eventually have to be replaced they start to act like normal greenhouse panels and let no UV rays through. You should check out the UVB meter website I listed earlier and see how effective the UV transmision still is. It might be worth checking and save you from future MBD. If under normal conditions I think I would choose a greenhouse panels that let UV rays through (closest to optimum conditions (normal amounts of UV emissions)and less maintenance except for keeping the panels clean and free from mold ) over metal halide however for now Metal Halide is good for me. If you buy a greenhouse check to see if the UV friendly panels are made and can cover the design of the greenhouse you purchase.

 

[hemiram04]

I am not the first person to use a greenhouse without the use of additional uv lighting. I wont mention names but one of the biggest chamleon breeders in the US uses a green house that only the top allows uv to pass through and the sides are made of metal.

 

[Pure]

I don't think anyone was saying your set up was bad or wrong. Please post pics of it so we can all see.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Here's the photos of my crusty greenhouse.

Here's my male Parsons.

Here is a picture of my 360 gallon tank with a 12 inch Black Arowana and African Tiger Fish.

This is a photo of my families old 15 acre Ranch Pond.

 

[Pure]

Pic number 5
Never judge a book by it's cover.

Heck as long as it works..who cares what it looks like.
Actually that is a neat looking GH. I do see what you mean about the algae growth. I guess that is just one of those things you're going to have to deal with when you mix sun and water.

I must confess, I was hoping for some shots of your lighting.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

My family and I are moving to a new house, and I'm up scaling the existing greenhouse. I won't have photos of the lighting system for a couple of months at least, especially with this summer being super busy and classes starting next month at Davis. The metal halide system I have got is made by Sun Systems check out their website and see if they have got retailers in your area( www.sunlightsupply.com/ ). Wholesale purchases are only made if you purchase $1500 or more. A warning these systems are made for plants first, and I admit I 'm crossing over and experimenting with applications of industrial sized lights for herptology in greenhouses (with conversations and opinions from some friends) these should work similar to smaller herp metal halides just on a bigger scale.

 

[hemiram04]

Sorry for the delay of the pic. I have 4 greenhouses setup like this one

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Solar panels to power the electric that is a good idea. Eventually I going to install something similar.

 

[hemiram04]

Yeah. They power my louvered fan and my evap cooler. I have 4 more monocrystalline solar panels just outside of the pic that powers my other 3 GH's. Also the top panels are solacryl panels from spartech. They are designed for the use with vitamin D required animals.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

My green house is a bit crusty and I do my best to keep it clean (weeding and water blasting the algea off the panels always). However during the six years I have owned the green house I can say that the green house has taken my chameleon husbandry to another level, and if there are any avid hobbyist out there with the desire and the means you should consider a green house. The green house recreates a tropical setting much more effectively than any indoor reptile room or terrarium could. Such as an area with 24 hour high humidity (without stagnent air), timed showering and misting systems (that can be left on for long periods of time like for hours with out worry), similar to outdoor lighting (with or without UV), an enclosure that is on a thermostat that has daily temperature fluxuations, and an area if safe for optimum uncaged free ranging (if there is no access to potential hazardous areas).

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Thanks about the comments about the Green House Pure. Sorry I'm a bit late with the thanks because I've been very busy and I'm in and out of the state all this month. Did you know in Vancouver BC Sushi dinner is less than a dinner of equal size than MC Donalds.

 

[nick barta]

In the 1990's many keepers in Southern California set up full screened enclosures that let sunlight in from all sides and the top. Individual animals were not kept in separate cages, but the enclosures (8 foot wide by 8 foot high by 8-24 feet long were thickly planted, and chams roamed their different areas. Sometime the 24 foot long cage was divided by doors to separate wild caughts from captive bred, or different panther locals from breeding, or large from small so smaller chams were not consumed.

When temperatures outside began to drop, chams had to have an indoor cage, depending on the species.Some were left all year in the outdoor enclosure.

The benefits for the Chams with this setup were numerous, but keeping predators out, making sure everyone is eating and drinking, cleaning the enclosure, and maintaining a structure with wind damage, falling tree branches, and rapid temperature change, proved to not decrease the keepers time, but increase it.

Just a little bit of history.

Nick

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I'm familiar to the screen houses used in southern California and else where (I've got two similar cages that I use for sunny days). I have to say though that for me maintance in my greenhouse has been less than when I kept the chameleons in my families main house. Keeping the chameleons away from living quarters from the main house alone was worth the investment of a greenhouse alone (not worrying about escaped cricket, misting chameleons indoors etc, plus a place on a thermostat that chameleons could be kept year round and not moved around to much (to indoor and outdoor screen cages) and in six years have never had any problems with predators (raccoons or opossums). I spend about one half an hour to an hour and a half in the greenhouse a day.

 

[Redeye]

can't beat sunlight supply for quality

I do have a wholesale account with one of their dealers, let me know if you need an order

 

[Pure]

Thanks about the comments about the Green House Pure. Sorry I'm a bit late with the thanks because I've been very busy and I'm in and out of the state all this month. Did you know in Vancouver BC Sushi dinner is less than a dinner of equal size than MC Donalds.

Damn, wonder why it's so cheap. Here it's about 10-12 bucks for lunch.

Thanks for the history lesson Nick. That's very interesting indeed.

My interests in doing this have little to do with making my life easier. It's more to do with saving on the electric bill by not having to run heat lamps. If you read the electric bill thread, you will see I'm already over 500 a month. I only have 4 herps right now but many more are in my future. I have no intentions of ever being like Ryan with a 1000 dollar electric bill.

I will of course still have plenty of herps in my home. I know you can't keep them all out there. As a matter of fact the green house is going to be just for panthers and veileds. To be able to mix the 2 I will have to run a swamp cooler keeping it cool enough for the panthers but also add low wattage heat lamps for the veileds.

 

[AROWANA MAN]

Here's the photos of my crusty greenhouse.

Here's my male Parsons.

Here is a picture of my 360 gallon tank with a 12 inch Black Arowana and African Tiger Fish.

This is a photo of my families old 15 acre Ranch Pond.

Loving the greenhouse man. Also like your tank, and is that a datnoid I see in the tank?

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Thanks, thanks and that is a Datnoid that is about the size of an adult Oscar.