Help with new cham's enclosure please?

[Xehis]

Hello everyone,
my girlfriend just gave me a veiled for my birthday. It's a great present, but with it comes a lot of responsibility. I want to do my best to keep him happy, so could you please help me with setting up the proper enclosure?

He is a 4 months-old male veiled. He is currently staying in this enclosure that my gf got from a guy that supposedly kept a veiled in there for a few years. From what I read, it is not what a chameleon's home should look like. There are a UVA and UVB lights directly inside and measures 40(heigth)x40(depth)x110(width) (in cm). I mist it myself, not automatically.

He seems socially fine, even lets me touch him carefully after a few days. He seemed a bit sick to me when we got him but got more coloured after we put him into the enclosure. Still looks a bit sickly though, don't you think?

I think it's maybe fine for him while he is still a baby but I might need to get him a new enclosure, is that correct? I'm also thinking of flipping this enclosure so that the longest side is upwards, changing the lightning so that it is up and adding more green. Would it be fine then?

Looking at the photo, there is a bowl of water that is not there anymore.
If not sure if the previous' owner's chams drinked from there but ours didn't. I looked it up and found out that he is not supposed to.

Could you give me any advice, please? I am a bit lost but want to do my best.

Thank you!

 

[JamesBryan]

You're right, that enclosure is totally wrong for a chameleon.

It needs to be a tall cage so that it provides the height and ventilation.

 

[GrimCamel]

My friend, I think you need to buy a new enclosure I'm afraid. Flipping it the other way would just solve the height but there isn't any ventilation in that kind of terrarium. Many on the forum recommend screen. They're really cheap and provide a lot of ventilation but are a bit harder to keep by the right humidity. I use glass exo terra with screen top and bottom ventilation. A bit more expensive but easier to keep temp and humidity, not as good ventilation tho. Your chameleon need a basking light too and when you decorate your new enclosure, think green. Lots and lots of branches and vines to climb on with either plastic/silk or real greens to give him a good hiding and a place to drink from (If you're not providing a dripper that say) Good luck with your cham!

 

[SocialNumb]

The basics. Your poor veiled looks stuck in a desert.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

 

[carol5208]

If at best get your current cage up off the floor. Chameleons like to be high up. The caresheet you have been provided will tell you everything you need. Please search our enclosure threads to get ideas on how to set up the cage properly. We are here to help so please do not hesitate to ask questions. You will most likely have many!!! Also lights on outside of cage, not inside.