Meet Leo!

okay so the sun has been out more. While its too cold to put Leo outside, I thought about putting him on a basking tree in front of the window. I cannot move his cage in front as 1)all our windows have vents beneath them and 2) his cage is too large and wouldnt sit right.. But the issue Im having is finding one STRONG enough.. Leo is a hefty boy. I bought a large palm that sits 7 ft high..but when I put Leo on it..wheeeee, down the branches go, some just bend, others snap in half (no he has not been injured, just makes for a heckuva ride i suppose) and its killing my palm! So.. anyone know of a safe and yet super strong tree/plant that I can use for basking? I know that natural sunlight is better than UVB so if its an option, Id like to offer it.. especially when it warms up.:) Thanks!
 
Yea but allt he fake ones I find are very flimsy in the branches.. the base is sturdy but nothing else..and they want an arm and a leg if new..
 

Sorry its not the clearest. I was hoping to see his Pjs but I swear, he doesnt alter his color much.. but i love the way he grips his vine when he sleeps. during the day he lays there with his arms dangling.:)
 
It's not cheap as dirt, but at some of the larger petstores you can get sandblasted grapevine which are very large and sturdy (you can get this online, too; check out <http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/wood-supplies-and-manzanita/>, for example. Scroll down the page a little until you get past the hollowed log "caves").

We've taken branches from trees and bushes we've trimmed around the yard (maple, cherry and many fruit trees are safe/nontoxic) and used those.

The panther chameleon has a touching faith that anything he wishes to climb on is going to support his weight, and is invariably surprised when a tree or plant has the temerity to bend.
 
hallenhe said:
It's not cheap as dirt, but at some of the larger petstores you can get sandblasted grapevine which are very large and sturdy (you can get this online, too; check out <http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/wood-supplies-and-manzanita/>, for example. Scroll down the page a little until you get past the hollowed log "caves").

We've taken branches from trees and bushes we've trimmed around the yard (maple, cherry and many fruit trees are safe/nontoxic) and used those.

The panther chameleon has a touching faith that anything he wishes to climb on is going to support his weight, and is invariably surprised when a tree or plant has the temerity to bend.
Click to expand...

Im not sure I follow? Are you saying put those branches into the palm? Or use those alone? I need something to give him height as I have dogs and of course, he wants to be up high. We have tons of trees around us but not sure any of them are safe. I saw a few fakes today while i was out but again, the trunk is sturdy but nothing else.

Thos manzanitas do not look thick or strong enough. The bigger vines maybe but I still lack what to attach it to? Im afraid if I put him close to the wall, he will try to climb up and up and will fall as the wall is smooth. He tried this before with my headboard as its made of wood. PLus, if he does manage to get up high ontop of the half moon window we have, Iw ill not way to reach him.. I know someone out there has a heavy panther. I dont have the luxury of living in Fl or Ca with beautiful year round trees and letting him hang outside.:(
 
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What I would do is get a branch/branches and use them alone - anchor by plunging it into dirt or sand in a plant pot that is sturdy enough to not tip over, or nail it to a sturdy board, or affix it to a piece of slate - plant pot is probably the easiest and the most stable. I have one big, climbable grapevine that's just lying on its side (in a stable configuration) on top of a bookshelf (admittedly probably not terribly workable for getting natural light).

The manzanitas do look a bit flimsy, so I'd probably go with grapevine or grapewood or some of the other vines and woods available. However, try a search on manzanita; I know I've seen somebody on these forums mention using manzanita within the past couple months.
 
I was thinking of buying one of the fake trees and cutting off the branches and somehow finding a sturdy vine that I can connect on the the trunk and just have it go outward like a branch... but most vines I find give under pressure..
Ill do some research. Thanks.

EDIT: I think Ill use dowel rods and just sturdy up my palm more. He seems to really like the height.
 
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Leo's unhappy colors.

Well at least I know he can change.. This is after he bit me when I put him in the shower to rehydrate.:(
P1010062-1.jpg
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Leos Pjs

Caught him last night. Didnt get apic since it was dark and I would have had to undo the cage to get a shot as the black mesh reflect the flash..and I didn't want to disturb Leo.. But his Pjs are a pale orange.. Not as bright as the anger colors but really pretty.. I was surprised as this was the first night he has changed..

Im going to post a vid of feeding time if I can get it figured out. My hubby took it this morning. Leos first taste of Dubias..and I think its a hit!
 
blackbetty said:
Bare? I looked through forum pics and most cages only had a single tree in it. I have 2 pothos hanging, a large plant on the bottom that reaches 3 feet and then the Schleffera on the stand, and a taller plant on the ground catching the water, as well as fake plants in each corner.. I thought maybe it was overcrowded...

The pics arent loading so Im not sure what they are showing. I added the fake plants, the plant on the bottom to catch water and another pothos yesterday..but even still before that.. there were at least 3 plants in there. I thin its just because the cage is so large.. it is 200 gallons. There are no ficus' around here yet. and when we do have them they cost over 100$ and after hearing how people are not having luck, not sure I want to invest.
Click to expand...

I still think its bare.... Chams live high up in trees with lots of cover. I say your cage looks bare because there are a couple of vines with nothing above them to give him something to hide under.
 
Aww! Bless him! :D I love it when they hand feed - it always makes me smile when Lily zaps her locusts from me each morning!:D Such a cool way of catching food! :D
 
summoner12 said:
I still think its bare.... Chams live high up in trees with lots of cover. I say your cage looks bare because there are a couple of vines with nothing above them to give him something to hide under.
Click to expand...
I understand about them being high up..but if I put something for him to hide in around his vines, would that not prevent him from getting adequate UVB? I was told UVB was only good up to 8 inches and I would be afraid that interference would limit his exposure.. If he wanted to hide, there is a large plant on one of the lower vines that he sleeps in. He makes no attempt. Check through the gallery and look at the other peoples cages and go critique their "bare" cages. I have a small nursery growing in mine.
 
Lily's the same - she has 3 plants in her cage and she hardly ever goes in them and hides. She usually sits on her branch under the basking lamp! The only time she ever goes in her plants is to rub any loose shed off. She is really comfortable with people anyway so I suppose she doesn't feel the need to hide! :D
 
Thank You.:)Like I said, Leo goes down to sleep as Im sure under that vulnerable state he would want to hide. Otherwise, he is on the highest branch basking. I currently have -7- plants in there.. Most people have ONE ficus .so if ANYTHING i may have OVERdone things..:) Or is this because I do not have a Ficus in mine? Am I being ostracized because I am anti Ficus? LOL!!
 
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Jeez Amanda, I'm completely envious of your setup, I actually can't wait til I upgrade the size of my chams cage so that I can put a few more plants in it like that. P.S. Leos Awesome!
 
Aw, thanks Mags!! Im sure Fritz will adore his cage! :)

Yea, its so hard being this good, but someone's gotta be.:) LOL..

Too bad we aren't closer, we could have playdates completely with multiple handlings of our chams! ;)
 
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