groth

[reptilemancan]

hey i was wondering how quickly a cham reaches adult size? im going to get a new cham about 10cm long maybe slighty less maybe slighly more and was wondering weather to get a full sized cage, 48 incheds high or get a small one and waist my money, but is a small one necesery?

cheers guys

 

[ChromaChameleons]

The only concern that you should have in regards to housing a young cham in an adult size cage is whether or not that cham can find its food.

 

[nick barta]

Although the general opinion seems to be to start off with a cage about 18x18x20 or smaller for young Chams, I have found that if I create a cup feeder (see DIY search word milk), and have free roaming crawling feeders and flying blue bottle flies, that I can start off with an adult size cage with a base of 2 feet by 2 feet, and 3 or 4 feet tall. By putting a small Cham into a large cage, I think it is of great benifit for hiding, stress reduction, and creating more options for the Cham to move about and regulate heat.

All but one of my Chams when purchased were 4 months or older, and they all started in large cages.

To be sure the Cham is eating in a large or small cage you have 3 options:
1) You can weigh the Cham on a gram scale.
2) You can count feeders going into the cage.
3) You can "measure" how much droppings are coming from the Cham.

#1 is not the most enjoyable option for a Cham-I don't handle mine unless I have to.
#2 is not something I have time or patience for. I don't like to create my own stress-who figured out a Cham at any certain age will eat so many crickets? Sometimes we work ourselves into a stress mode, don't we?
#3 is something I do when cleaning the cage. I also check the "quality" of the droppings. Crap/Frass/Poo/Poop/Elimination Product, whatever!


I totaled the costs of "double caging" and figured I have saved at least $100.00 for the extra setup. Not only the cost of the cage, but the light fixtures and bubs, the plants and climbing surfaces all get upgraded every time I do a new cage-That is part of the FUN isn't it?
Hope this helps

Nick

 

[reptilemancan]

hey, ye i will be cup feeding and free ranging, cheers for the info i think i will go for the larger cage cheers nick great help!!!

cheers!

 

[reptilemancan]

hey, if i made it so there was to much cover then i would never see a baby one in there, so i was wondering weather you could get some pics of any young chams in your cages if you have any, if not just some cages pics and setups, cheers!