Is a glass tank with a tank topper ok?

[Rhino]

I was cleaning out the attic a couple of weekends ago and came across a tank topper for a 20 gallon high fish or reptile tank. This would make the tank plus cage be 24"W by 13"D by 35"H. Not a bad size.

Being that the top half is open air, are their any real drawbacks to keeping a cham this way? Some 15 years ago I had a jacksons cham in a similar setup for roughly 5 years before giving him to a friend when I got married.

The drawbacks I can this of are:

1. When misting the water will just sit in the bottom of a tank.
2. Drainage will be non existent.
3. Cleanings more often.

Thanks for all your advice in advance.

 

[warpdrive]

I can see this working for you for many types of chams.

yes, there might be extra clean up and other things to watch for, but again it will work fine.
the added humidity it will provide durring your winters will make it a great setup if you ask me.

for many of the smaller chams, and mountains, I could see it working out great for you...if thinking of some of the larger types, then mabe a large cage might be a better idea.
if anything, it would make a great baby cage for a young panther or veiled.

Harry

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Ive seen pictures of europeans doing this type of cage. If you are in a cold climate I could see where it might be ok. Just seems like a lot more work to make it doable and to keep it clean.

 

[OOOst16]

In use for a tank until a real one can be purchased id say it would be ok for a week or 2. This is what I recomend if your in a enviorment were your house can stay at a nice 68-70 degrees. buy a cage from LLL reptile ( site sponser) buy the full screen. Vertical vivarium. They are easy to put togather. There relitvly cheep, and there awsome quailty. They come in many sizes to acomidate the age or type of cham.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I have two tank-topper set-ups and they work great!
I don't clean them.
I have layered substrate (from bottom up) hydroton, fiberglass screen, activated charcoal, screen, organic soil ... so there is drainage.
They are densely planted and I have springtail and sow bug cultures going strong in both (they clean the tank for me)
The 20 high w/ topper houses my male cristatus (and has for almost a year) with no issues.
I have another that is home to a trio of R. spectrum.

-Brad

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I will say that there is one major problem with this set up and that is keeping crickets inside.
You really might as well toss the feeders into the middle of the room.
I mainly hand feed the cristatus so that is not too much of an issue ... I just set up the spectrums in theirs .. we will see how many more crickets are running around loose this evening.

-Brad

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Requested by the OP, here are a couple of pictures:

-Brad

 

[Leilaskeeper]

Requested by the OP, here are a couple of pictures:

-Brad

Awesome set up .. what kind of vine like plant are you using along the bottom?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Awesome set up .. what kind of vine like plant are you using along the bottom?

Swedish Ivy.

-Brad

 

[Rhino]

How big is your tank? Do you know who sells tank toppers like that? The one I have is yellow.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

How big is your tank? Do you know who sells tank toppers like that? The one I have is yellow.

The pictured set-up is a 29 high and the topper (I think) is made by R-Zilla.
The total height is 30"

-Brad