chambabysitter1
New Member
I just realized you haven't posted a picture or talked about your chameleon yet. I know everyone would love to see him.
Or are you just prepping as of now?
Or are you just prepping as of now?
My set up
- Thread starter RSGriff
- Start date
RSGriff
New Member
Ill try to find something to prop the plant up and I may drive out of town to try to find some branches... I wish I was at home where I have 20+ acres of woods to pick from 
I just cut/planned down 9-10 pine boards to 1/2"x1.5"x7', then I cut everything down to 5' lengths and made four corner pieces. with the rest, I made the top and bottom corners. Made the top and bottom first and nailed the corners to the outside. then I made a door fit to the inside length between the corner pieces by 5', added a cross section halfway up all the way around and to the door since it was somewhat flimsy, then ripped down 1/2x1/4 strips to tack on the pvc mesh, using aluminum mesh on the top so the lights dont melt it. the bottom is just a piece of 1/2 ply, but I need to make some sort of funnel and cut a hole for the water to drain into. I didnt think of that while building it...Ill probably just staple vinyl flooring or something around the bottom frame piece, then stretch and staple a circle in the middle to create a funnel, use a hole saw and cut a hole in the center and put mesh over it so my bugs dont get out and put some blocks to raise it up off the ground and get a shallow container to catch runoff. should be a simple quick fix when I get the chance.
chillicothe
where are you from!!
yehh i would like to just build one up. that one looks perf!
so how would i go about doing that?
I just cut/planned down 9-10 pine boards to 1/2"x1.5"x7', then I cut everything down to 5' lengths and made four corner pieces. with the rest, I made the top and bottom corners. Made the top and bottom first and nailed the corners to the outside. then I made a door fit to the inside length between the corner pieces by 5', added a cross section halfway up all the way around and to the door since it was somewhat flimsy, then ripped down 1/2x1/4 strips to tack on the pvc mesh, using aluminum mesh on the top so the lights dont melt it. the bottom is just a piece of 1/2 ply, but I need to make some sort of funnel and cut a hole for the water to drain into. I didnt think of that while building it...Ill probably just staple vinyl flooring or something around the bottom frame piece, then stretch and staple a circle in the middle to create a funnel, use a hole saw and cut a hole in the center and put mesh over it so my bugs dont get out and put some blocks to raise it up off the ground and get a shallow container to catch runoff. should be a simple quick fix when I get the chance.
RSGriff
New Member
yeah, I ordered a baby male veiled from tiki in vegas last night. he will be here tomorrow and Im really excited to get him.
Probably the most important thing that I read first during my research is to build your habitat before you get it and after continuing research and going and changing so many things in the cage, I could imagine if he were in there while I was doing this, he would be pretty pissed. Ill snap a picture once I open him up in the AM.
chambabysitter1
New Member
Any grocery store is gonna have alot of milkcrates outside, those work well. If you wanna go fancy, hit up the lowes gardening section for plant stands, they make it easier to whipe the bottom down (mine is just PVC), and give bugs less places to hide safely. I also noticed K-Mart had a strangely big collection of planter stands.
I feel your pain about the branches coming from an urban enviroment. I can't reccomend you doing this, but I just went to a parking lot and broke off any tree branch that looked kind of deadish.
Majorly dilute some bleach, wash em down good, peel off loose bark and sharp edges. Sun dry. Easy peasy, zip tie into plant, onto frame, or thumbtack each side outside of the cage, like this.
I can't stress the thermometer under the basking spot enough either, youngin's tend to not realize when they are being burnt. If you can swing it, lowes/walmart has probe thermometers/hydrometers in the gardening section, by the weather area inside usually. The brand is acurite, about the size of the palm of your hand, digital, with probe. It came recommended to me by a moderator, and I love it. It was 12 bucks I believe.
I tied the probe off right at his hottest point and keep a close eye if temps fluctuate outside too much.
I feel your pain about the branches coming from an urban enviroment. I can't reccomend you doing this, but I just went to a parking lot and broke off any tree branch that looked kind of deadish.
Majorly dilute some bleach, wash em down good, peel off loose bark and sharp edges. Sun dry. Easy peasy, zip tie into plant, onto frame, or thumbtack each side outside of the cage, like this.
I can't stress the thermometer under the basking spot enough either, youngin's tend to not realize when they are being burnt. If you can swing it, lowes/walmart has probe thermometers/hydrometers in the gardening section, by the weather area inside usually. The brand is acurite, about the size of the palm of your hand, digital, with probe. It came recommended to me by a moderator, and I love it. It was 12 bucks I believe.
I tied the probe off right at his hottest point and keep a close eye if temps fluctuate outside too much.
RSGriff
New Member
haha There is a nice shrub in my "yard" at my apartment that I have been thinking about cannibalizing. I just thought about a great solution to my height problem... I have an empty pot that I can just turn upside down, simple solution and I don't have to steal a milk crate lol.
we have a meat thermometer that I may use for a while until I get one specifically for the cage. Its very accurate so It should be fine for a temp solution
Syn
Avid Member
I don't know if anyone has said this yet but once he is old enough to stick those rocks in his mouth you should move up to a bigger size of rocks.. preferably BEFORE he gets big enough LOL!
I've heard stories of veileds eating rocks, soil, fake plants, the list goes on.
Best of luck, Malicious on the forums has a good way of hanging a pothos without much work, and it looks great.
I suggest getting a nice big ficus.
Also - if he is a baby-baby, you might want to save this massive cage for his later months..
edit: Get that cage off the floor! The highest point in the cage should be above you, if not taller, and once you start misting enough, your floor will get trashed!
Goodnight and good luck!
I've heard stories of veileds eating rocks, soil, fake plants, the list goes on.
Best of luck, Malicious on the forums has a good way of hanging a pothos without much work, and it looks great.
I suggest getting a nice big ficus.
Also - if he is a baby-baby, you might want to save this massive cage for his later months..
edit: Get that cage off the floor! The highest point in the cage should be above you, if not taller, and once you start misting enough, your floor will get trashed!
Goodnight and good luck!
codiwatkins
New Member
awwwwwwwww he is so little!! very Cute
From what i have read your cage might be a little big for him to be able to catch anything in your GIANT( but badass!!) cage. I have never had a baby so i wouldnt know........personaly.
Very cool cage though!! Nice and roomy! The Ficus and pothos will look great and have lots of room to grow bigger. Oh and like Syn said you might want to start looking around for bigger rocks! They have ones that are just like the ones you have now BUT are much bigger like a little large than an egg at Walmart for a very reasonable price.
Anywhos welcome to the forums and kudos to you for doing all your reasearch and having everything set up for you little guy BEFORE he got there!
very CuteFrom what i have read your cage might be a little big for him to be able to catch anything in your GIANT( but badass!!) cage. I have never had a baby so i wouldnt know........personaly.
Very cool cage though!! Nice and roomy! The Ficus and pothos will look great and have lots of room to grow bigger. Oh and like Syn said you might want to start looking around for bigger rocks! They have ones that are just like the ones you have now BUT are much bigger like a little large than an egg at Walmart for a very reasonable price.
Anywhos welcome to the forums and kudos to you for doing all your reasearch and having everything set up for you little guy BEFORE he got there!
RSGriff
New Member
I was worried about the cage size being to big for him too, but since he got here an hour ago, I have seen him eat at least 2 of the 7 flies I put in his cage so I think he will be ok as long as I feed him insects that stay at the top
edit: make that 4 of the flies. hes hungry from his journey!
edit: make that 4 of the flies. hes hungry from his journey!
Docility
New Member
hes a little dehydrated my guess from his journey. make sure you water him a lot for his first few days there to make sure he drinks up really well. dont want a sick baby!
I like my Phoenix palm i have. its really strong has long leaves, but they hold water on them very well. and acts as a filter for normal air pollutants. they love to around in them at least the two i have. i replicated the same setup for both cages, and they both would rather have the phoenix over the corn tree.
http://www.raintreetropical.com/nursery/images/phoenix_can26.JPG
Syn
Avid Member
Unless you're there every 1.5 hours to refill it I'd try a slower drip and/or something bigger.
Misting is good 3-5 times a day, about 5 minutes each session. This is widely discussed on the "proper" time, but it's really up to you and your husbandry. If your air doesn't suck up the water (like mine does, it's Arizona!) you could probably get away with less than I do (whenever the water is dried up, which is usually every 40 minutes or so).
He looks nice!
-S
Misting is good 3-5 times a day, about 5 minutes each session. This is widely discussed on the "proper" time, but it's really up to you and your husbandry. If your air doesn't suck up the water (like mine does, it's Arizona!) you could probably get away with less than I do (whenever the water is dried up, which is usually every 40 minutes or so).
He looks nice!
-S
chambabysitter1
New Member
Here is an article that I found highly informative from a well respected member in the community.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/92-hydration-importance.html
It doesn't seem you need the dripper running all the time or for very long durations, I don't know how that conclusion was reached.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/92-hydration-importance.html
It doesn't seem you need the dripper running all the time or for very long durations, I don't know how that conclusion was reached.
YoshiTheVeiled
New Member
What did you use for drainage? I see a white thing on your planter lol but I don't know what it is.
Syn
Avid Member
If he lives in a warm place, he needs to be well hydrated. Because of my panther dying (from heat exhaustion, not kindey failure, as I found out)
I always have a dripper going except at night and when it runs out around noon (found this out on weekends
), but I am home to refill it by 2-3.It's always good to have a dripper running. Your chameleon isn't always thirsty at the same time everyday, unless misting provides adequate water, which I am not sure it will, because it dries up too quickly where I live.
