Need a new cage...

[bluegoldfish]

Hi, im looking to buy my cham a new cage

I live in the UK and have decided after deliberation that it would be best to get a full screen cage probably from this website:
"http://www.crislis.co.uk/thatcher/repcage/index.htm"

I have decided i want a cage which is 36" in height, but i don't know whether to go for the 24x24x36 or the 18x18x36, will it make that much difference till the next time i move up to a bigger cage? since the height would be the same. I was intending to sit the cage on a small table which would only fit the smaller 18x18x36 size which is why i was debating.

What sort of size cage, would an adult panther live in roughly?

My cham is a male ambilobe panther and he is about 4 months and a bit now, also i am currently using an exo-terra glass tank with one fluroscent light 5.0 and a basking light.

When i move over to the screen cage, can i use two fluroscent lights and the basking light, as i have a exo-terra twin lighting controller that i havn't used yet. And if so should i put two 5.0 tubs in or 1: 5.0tube and 1: 2.0 tube?

I am thinking to put a live plant in this cage, when i get it "dracaena massangeana" corn plant? is this ok to use?

Thanx for your advice

 

[wst0209a]

Why don't you build your own cage using screen? That way it can be exactly what you want it to be. Turk81 found a great website telling you how to build a simple cage. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/reptiles/detail.aspx?aid=26501&cid=3702&search=. The bigger the cage the better it is for your chameleon.

 

[Tygerr]

Firstly, don't bother with those simple round cages. They're great for babies, and temporary outdoor enclosures (I've used them myself), but if you're going to use it as a permanent enclosure you'll get frustrated by how difficult those cages make it to clean the enclosure and to feed the chameleon, and they also have short-comings when it comes to setting up adequate lighting.

The cages you linked to on that UK website are fine, but they aren't perfect and they seem a bit expensive. Unfortunately, I don't know the UK market so I can't suggest alternatives.
It's nice that they have PVC bases, because you can modify them for good drainage. But I don't like that the doors don't go all the way to the bottom - it makes it more difficult to clean.

Also, Weston is right about bigger cages being better. You might want to consider something slightly bigger than what you are aiming for now. 48"x24"x24" is usually recommended for an adult male veiled or panther.

As for the lighting, you can use the two-light fixture, but you don't necessarily need to use two UVB bulbs in it. As long as you have one decent 5.0 bulb in it, that the cham can get to within 6 inches of, you can use the other fixture to hold a regular flourescent or plant grow-light to help the live plants thrive in the enclosure.

The full botanical name of Dracaena massangeana is Dracaena fragrans massangeana, and that plant is listed as a safe plant to use in the live plant database on this site. Just make sure you've washed it thoroughly to remove any pesticide/fertiliser residue on the leaves.