New Ambilobe Panther owner looking for right setup

[Andrew1283]

If you’re from Jersey I highly recommend you make the drive to IllExotics in Philadelphia. Their shop is spectacular. They specialize in reptiles and exotic plants. They never let people take home a chameleon without proving they have a proper setup and provide a list of resources like exotic animal vets in the area. Their customer service after the purchase is great too, always willing to take a call and provide vide guidance.

https://www.illexotics.com/product-category/reptiles/chameleons/

 

[CryptKeeper]

If you’re from Jersey I highly recommend you make the drive to IllExotics in Philadelphia. Their shop is spectacular. They specialize in reptiles and exotic plants. They never let people take home a chameleon without proving they have a proper setup and provide a list of resources like exotic animal vets in the area. Their customer service after the purchase is great too, always willing to take a call and provide vide guidance.

https://www.illexotics.com/product-category/reptiles/chameleons/

Good to know! I’m in NY on LI though

 

[Beman]

Hey there welcome to the forum.

I second the concern about the breeder... My reasoning is their reviews but also they sell every reptile possible. Which means they do not specialize in breeding chameleons only. This jumps out as a red flag... If you have already made the purchase just make sure you get a fecal sample done asap.

Some of the info they gave you is a bit sketchy... You could just do a mistking starter system. no ceramic heat bulb and a 10.0 uvb bulb is stronger than needed.

To get 100% accurate husbandry and set up info. Go here https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
Read through everything there then come back here and ask us all of your questions.

 

[CryptKeeper]

Hey there welcome to the forum.

I second the concern about the breeder... My reasoning is their reviews but also they sell every reptile possible. Which means they do not specialize in breeding chameleons only. This jumps out as a red flag... If you have already made the purchase just make sure you get a fecal sample done asap.

Some of the info they gave you is a bit sketchy... You could just do a mistking starter system. no ceramic heat bulb and a 10.0 uvb bulb is stronger than needed.

To get 100% accurate husbandry and set up info. Go here https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
Read through everything there then come back here and ask us all of your questions.

Sounds good! I ordered the Cham with the uvb light was a 10.0 5HO if it’s too much I’ll go with the 5.0 I have the X-Large coming to use that for 24x24x36

 

[CryptKeeper]

Sounds good! I ordered the Cham with the uvb light was a 10.0 5HO if it’s too much I’ll go with the 5.0 I have the X-Large coming to use that for 24x24x36

And yes that does seem like a red flag I never thought of that. Just hope he’ll honor the 7day guarantee if he dies. Problem is the terms are you have to show your setup but his website shows a different setup than what he told me (biggest being website says use a heat bulb for basking and he personally said use the ceramic heater coil, and the website made no mention of bioactive substrate only he mentioned that to me)

 

[Beman]

Sounds good! I ordered the Cham with the uvb light was a 10.0 5HO if it’s too much I’ll go with the 5.0 I have the X-Large coming to use that for 24x24x36

So baby will probably screen climb... You can use the T5HO fixture with a 5.0 light but you want to set it up so that this fixture is lifted off the top of the cage 4 inches and then you want to measure 5-6 inches from the screen inside to have your highest branches below it. This ends up putting baby in a safe UVI level and also ensures that when it screen climbs the top panel he is not over exposed.

You have it set up this way while baby is still screen climbing the top of the cage. Once he stops you can set the fixture on the cage top then measure 8-9 inches down from the screen and that is where your highest branches should be.

Also want to raise the heat up off the cage. I would not do anything stronger than a 60watt regular incandescent bulb.

 

[Andrew1283]

And yes that does seem like a red flag I never thought of that. Just hope he’ll honor the 7day guarantee if he dies. Problem is the terms are you have to show your setup but his website shows a different setup than what he told me (biggest being website says use a heat bulb for basking and he personally said use the ceramic heater coil, and the website made no mention of bioactive substrate only he mentioned that to me)

He’s not likely to die if you stay active on the forums and take this advice seriously. You will love owning a chameleon and watching them grow and transform

 

[CryptKeeper]

Do you guys all use a drip system on top of a mist and fogger system?

 

[Beman]

Do you guys all use a drip system on top of a mist and fogger system?

So they are all different hydration methods... Fogger should be used only at night when temps are below 67. Misting system schedule most typically used morning and then late afternoon. Dripper is then used during the day.

I do not fog because I can achieve the ambient humidity needs for my chameleon in my hybrid set up just with my misting sessions and cold temps at night. I do use a dripper during the day but I use a plastic solo cup with a few tiny pin holes in the bottom and I set this on top of the cage over a plant. Others use the litter dripper which works too.

 

[CryptKeeper]

So they are all different hydration methods... Fogger should be used only at night when temps are below 67. Misting system schedule most typically used morning and then late afternoon. Dripper is then used during the day.

I do not fog because I can achieve the ambient humidity needs for my chameleon in my hybrid set up just with my misting sessions and cold temps at night. I do use a dripper during the day but I use a plastic solo cup with a few tiny pin holes in the bottom and I set this on top of the cage over a plant. Others use the litter dripper which works too.

Cool thank you. Yeah I guess I have to see the ambient levels I can achieve here. Right now in summer should be fine humidity wise. But winter with the heat on will be different

 

[CryptKeeper]

One more question lol if I’m putting in any live plants do you keep them all in their pots or transfer to whatever makes it easier to set in place and do you need a separate light? The uvb won’t do it right? Need an led strip light or something for the plants?

 

[Andrew1283]

One more question lol if I’m putting in any live plants do you keep them all in their pots or transfer to whatever makes it easier to set in place and do you need a separate light? The uvb won’t do it right? Need a led strip light or something for the plants?

The pot in a pot method works great. You essentially buy a potted plant and then get a similar sized pot to what your plant is in. Attach that spare pot to a branch using zip ties. then set your potted plant into the pot on the branch. That way you can easily remove it for cleaning or caring for the plants.

 

[Andrew1283]

One more question lol if I’m putting in any live plants do you keep them all in their pots or transfer to whatever makes it easier to set in place and do you need a separate light? The uvb won’t do it right? Need an led strip light or something for the plants?

I actually hung my pots with floral wire. There is a 1x1 board on the top of my enclosure. You can attach hooks to the board and string floral Wire through the top screen. If I could do it again I would go with pot in a pot!

 

[Beman]

I use dragon ledges so the weight is equally distributed. And I do the pot in a pot method so I can pull them out if needed.
https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/
https://dragonstrand.com/getting-the-most-from-your-dragon-strand-dragon-ledges/
My album for my cages shows branch layout how to zip tie and pot placement so you can drop in the potted plants. https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

 

[CryptKeeper]

I actually hung my pots with floral wire. There is a 1x1 board on the top of my enclosure. You can attach hooks to the board and string floral Wire through the top screen. If I could do it again I would go with pot in a pot!

Awesome thank you that’s a big help

 

[Pickle-cham]

Disagree with the ceramic heat emitter for primary heat source, light either reptile specific flood or some use incandescent light bulbs.

In some situations you might need a secondary heat source that's when a ceramic heat emitter can be useful.

 

[CryptKeeper]

Disagree with the ceramic heat emitter for primary heat source, light either reptile specific flood or some use incandescent light bulbs.

In some situations you might need a secondary heat source that's when a ceramic heat emitter can be useful.

Yeah I don’t plan on using the heat emitter I have a heat bulb ima use first see if it’s the right temp at his basking spot.

 

[CryptKeeper]

So here’s my temp setup from the first cage I bought for the Jackson. The panther will be here tomorrow but the rest of the stuff I ordered (bigger cage, mist king, etc is on the way will be here by Friday everything) so I’ll keep him in here until I have that and can set it up.

 

[Beman]

View attachment 342328So here’s my temp setup from the first cage I bought for the Jackson. The panther will be here tomorrow but the rest of the stuff I ordered (bigger cage, mist king, etc is on the way will be here by Friday everything) so I’ll keep him in here until I have that and can set it up.

You will need to make a few changes.... Read through this and it will walk you through total set up... https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

Your set up needs horizontal branches. All of the fake vines and flowers should be pulled out. These just are not helpful with chams and they are not easy to clean. You could hang them on the outside of the cage so it has more coverage. But you want real plants inside.

 

[CryptKeeper]

You will need to make a few changes.... Read through this and it will walk you through total set up... https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

Your set up needs horizontal branches. All of the fake vines and flowers should be pulled out. These just are not helpful with chams and they are not easy to clean. You could hang them on the outside of the cage so it has more coverage. But you want real plants inside.

Yes I’m getting real plants for the inside of the new cage that’s coming Friday or Saturday.