*New Cage Complete* Ideas?

[Zen]

So far it took me a month to make this Enclosed cage the way. I started out with some 2" Mild steel cylinders made the base height and length. Then once i made the outline of the cage i put drainage hole steel around the cage for grip and air circulation. Hope everyone likes it i colored it and made a door with stoppers and has its own lock. Give me some ideas on what more i can with it. Have not figured out a good drainage idea yet. would a waterfall system work better then drip? or is spraying it the best? Ideas please Thanks

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Alright well lets start with this. I on my enclosure drilled holes in the bottom and I put a bucket underneath my stand. Works perfect and I have no problems. But anyway, if that is your finished enclosure, not a great start but its a work in progress, my cages I've had for about a year aren't even complete yet. First, lots and lots and lots of foliage, he needs to feel secure. He needs a good perch and hiding places. So load it up with live(if you want) and a ton of vines and leaves and branches for him to navigate and hide if he chooses. Having it barren like that isn't good for humidity. At all, and plus with living in Mass. like you do, I don't think its very humid there. I would stay away from the waterfall idea due to waterfalls being more of a bacteria playground. Your chameleon may poop in it, crickets will die, and your chameleon may drink out of it and get an infection. Next, I would get a little dripper or a misting system if you can afford it, I myself just bought an Aquazamp Low profile raindome and they work fantastically. Don't spray everywhere and keep the water in one spot for the most part. But were all learning here so please just take this as a help not me bashing you what so ever. I was very very new to this hobby about a year ago and its crazy how much you learn! So good luck, I expect updated pictures!

 

[tracysimpson]

i use plastic cups with hole in the bottom all my chams like it dripping on a leaf so they can drink off it its cheap way to get what they need

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Oh gosh one more thing I saw you had a red light, I would recommend switching to a basking bulb, nothign to strong since he is young or at least looks like it. You want something that will produce a a heat of around 85 at the basking spot(depending on the age and gender of your chameleon) and 80 for the rest of the cage if you can achieve that. They don't necessarily need a night light, but you can use a ceramic heater instead if it gets to cold in your house or is a bit drafty. Most people say they need complete darkness for sleep but not completely true, i'm sure it helps but not needed. They find a place to sleep to limit the light that contacts them if it bothers them. But again good luck!

 

[Zen]

the red light is a basking light but ill try another bulb,

 

[ISA my Veiled]

the red light is a basking light but ill try another bulb,

Yeah no big deal, you also may want it on the top instead of the side. I have a metal rack on top of my cages to reduce the temperature and to limit the distance between them and the light so they don't burn themselves. You can also for male Veileds just use a common house hold bulb, not sure on the wattage but a lot of forum members do it that way.

 

[Slug]

I personally say ditch the red bulb, especially if you were told it is a bulb for night time use (like I was early on, and was quickly corrected). Also, you will need a uvb bulb, preferably the bar style bulb over the compact florescent or CFL bulb.

I go through a lot of water to keep my humidity up, but I have a Jackson, and it looks like you have a Vieled, which has different humidity requirements, but something you should invest in, like I have seen others recommend is a good drip system for watering. I rarely do thing the easy way myself, so I made my own rain system that I have set up on a timer to rain for 15 minutes every 2 hours that I made out of submersible aquarium pump, some tubing, and some garden sprinkler heads, along with some rubbermaid tubs to hold my clean and dirty water, and an aquarium heater to keep the water at a decent temperature. I double this with a Reptifogger that runs all day, and for good measure, I put a Big Dripper to use as well. Overkill? Probably, but Weirdo (my Jackson's) seems to love it.

Don't worry about doing something wrong, we all have. The problem comes when good advice is ignored or worse, taken as an attack. When that happens, the only thing you can expect is a sick or dead chameleon on your hands. We all want what is best for our animals.

 

[Zen]

so switch the red bulb to uvb lighting? Any ideas on what to put inside the cage that will keep the temperature at a good rate?

 

[carol5208]

the red bulb should be replaced with a white house bulb. The uvb lighting is separate. you should have two types of lighting: Basking/uva and uvb

 

[Zen]

any ideas on plants i have a tropical foliage plant right now growing

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

I like the schefflera, pothos and money tree. I have all three. A combo of all three works too. Stuff that cage full of plants. Your Cham will greatly appreciate it. The way it is now will cause un-needed stress.

 

[kokom05lb]

5.0UVB bulb is required different fixture, red bulb should be exchanged for a white house bulb like previously mentioned.

Plants: Pothos, Ficus, Hibiscus, Umbrella Tree are the top and more than like the only onces I'll ever use.

 

[Zen]

Thanks for the help everyone.