Just saying hello and thank you

[ryavanzandt]

Hello everyone and thank you for all the information that you have contributed to this forum. I have been gathering knowledge and supplies for a few months now and started to assemble the future home of "Burn".

About a year or so ago my daughter wanted a tortoise. So as a lover of the heroes in a half shell I dove in head first knowing I was the one who would ultimately be taking care of it. I have loved reptiles since I was a wee one long long long ago. I started doing my research and planning for everything I needed. Along the way I looked into Chameleon's and Bearded Dragons also and thought, I wouldn't mind having one of those awesome dudes in the future. After having "Crash", our 1 year old Russian tortoise, I have decided its time to get "Burn" a 2 month old ambilobe. I won't get him till late June or early July.

So far i have assembled the cage, bought plants, Mistking, Lights, and built my stand. Plan is to have 2 natural looking sides similar to MissSkittles. I may do the 3rd side, just not sure how crowded I want it to be. I posted some info below and will add photos and more info later.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Ambilobe Panther. Male, 2 Months. Don't have him yet.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Mistking
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? 2x2x4 Reptibreeze. This is not what I thought I was buying from FLChams. They are non-existent for customer service also. Will never deal with them again. End rant. I wanted DIY cages as this is what I have for Crash, but they have been sold out forever.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? All lighting will be hung from the top of the DIY stand I built, for fine tuning heat and UVI. Arcadia T5 12%, I have a solar meter to make sure I hit a UVI of 3 on the basking branch. 65W for basking and a grow light for plant care. Lights will be 12 on 12 off using wyze plugs and scheduling.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Thinking about grovee for temps and humidity.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Mistking to be setup.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Have a Pothos, Umbrella Tree, and a Bromeliad.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? No fans, Air vent is closed, light traffic. Cage top will be 6 feet from floor.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Suburb of Columbus, OH.

Current Problem - Just looking for tips.

 

[Prince of Duval]

Hello everyone and thank you for all the information that you have contributed to this forum. I have been gathering knowledge and supplies for a few months now and started to assemble the future home of "Burn".

About a year or so ago my daughter wanted a tortoise. So as a lover of the heroes in a half shell I dove in head first knowing I was the one who would ultimately be taking care of it. I have loved reptiles since I was a wee one long long long ago. I started doing my research and planning for everything I needed. Along the way I looked into Chameleon's and Bearded Dragons also and thought, I wouldn't mind having one of those awesome dudes in the future. After having "Crash", our 1 year old Russian tortoise, I have decided its time to get "Burn" a 2 month old ambilobe. I won't get him till late June or early July.

So far i have assembled the cage, bought plants, Mistking, Lights, and built my stand. Plan is to have 2 natural looking sides similar to MissSkittles. I may do the 3rd side, just not sure how crowded I want it to be. I posted some info below and will add photos and more info later.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Ambilobe Panther. Male, 2 Months. Don't have him yet.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Mistking
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? 2x2x4 Reptibreeze. This is not what I thought I was buying from FLChams. They are non-existent for customer service also. Will never deal with them again. End rant. I wanted DIY cages as this is what I have for Crash, but they have been sold out forever.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? All lighting will be hung from the top of the DIY stand I built, for fine tuning heat and UVI. Arcadia T5 12%, I have a solar meter to make sure I hit a UVI of 3 on the basking branch. 65W for basking and a grow light for plant care. Lights will be 12 on 12 off using wyze plugs and scheduling.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Thinking about grovee for temps and humidity.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Mistking to be setup.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Have a Pothos, Umbrella Tree, and a Bromeliad.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? No fans, Air vent is closed, light traffic. Cage top will be 6 feet from floor.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Suburb of Columbus, OH.

Current Problem - Just looking for tips.

This all looks pretty good for preparing for your cham. I would recommend including what you plan to feed and supplement. The 12% bulb can be pretty strong in a single bulb reflector, but the solarmeter will help you dial in. I recommend raising the UVB light as opposed to lowering the basking branch so that you are utilizing as much as your enclosure as possible. I have a Govee Mini and like it. Posting some resources below you’ve probably already seen.

 

[ryavanzandt]

Thanks Prince. Have all of those printed and bookmarked. I have about a foot of space above the cage to play with for the lights to maximize space inside.

Here is the current state. Planning a rough Inside build this weekend and starting the foam background work during the week.

Picture of Burns future roommate just because.

 

[ryavanzandt]

Initial layout done. Thoughts?

 

[MissSkittles]

Initial layout done. Thoughts?View attachment 268634

Looking good!

 

[kinyonga]

You need branches!
You might want o add a dripper too.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Here is the current state. Planning a rough Inside build this weekend and starting the foam background work during the week.

I really like what you've got going there. Is that cage DIY, or modified ready-made?

At first glance, I thought the walls were lined with plastic egg-crate, but now I see it's (coated?) screen of some type. ½"? Is it attached, just laid in there, or what?

What will you be doing for drainage?

 

[absolutbill]

You've got a great start going there! I'd suggest getting a 2nd pot of equal size for the plants that are hung. This way you can attach that pot and just slide the potted plant into it. If you need to replace the plant then you just slide it out a lot more easily than if the pot with the plant in it was attached. I've done this with my cages and it's been a lifesaver!

 

[ryavanzandt]

You need branches!
You might want o add a dripper too.

Have the branches just haven’t attached yet. You can see some in first post pic on top of stand.
Dropper to come. Have mistking just not installed yet.

I really like what you've got going there. Is that cage DIY, or modified ready-made?

At first glance, I thought the walls were lined with plastic egg-crate, but now I see it's (coated?) screen of some type. ½"? Is it attached, just laid in there, or what?

What will you be doing for drainage?

Its a reptibreeze. Plastic egg crate on the sides. Then doing the great stuff foam covered in coco coir.
Have a repitbreeze substrate tray ordered plan to add a shelf underneath for that and drill some drain holes in bottom of enclosure.

You've got a great start going there! I'd suggest getting a 2nd pot of equal size for the plants that are hung. This way you can attach that pot and just slide the potted plant into it. If you need to replace the plant then you just slide it out a lot more easily than if the pot with the plant in it was attached. I've done this with my cages and it's been a lifesaver!

Already done that just can’t see them. You can kinda see with the red pot. They zip tied to the egg crate then will cover in foam.