Easytarget 12
New Member
Hey Guys!
So, I'm about to make the leap into the wonderful world of Chameleon Ownership. I've got my enclosure all set (I think) and my Veiled is on his way, arriving this coming Thursday.
Basically, I'm just wondering if you guys have any pro-tips for a newbie. I've got the UVB light, and the basking light, I made a basking area about 4-6 inches from the basking light, got my thermometer set up in the basking area, indicating it's at about 95 degrees F, I got a nice big Hydrangea in the back corner, and tried to vary the shade that was available on the vines (I'm using fake vines with fake leaves, along with the Hydrangea). I've got a drip thing, a sprayer, and an automatic timer set to come on at 9AM and turn off at Midnight. I've got two "rep-cal" brand products, Herptivite and Calcium, which I think I'm supposed to use to gut-load my crickets (right?).
So, if you guys could look over this post and the pictures below, let me know if anything sticks out at you as being wrong/ missing, that would be awesome. My main questions right now are:
1- Is it okay to just rest my lights on top of my enclosure? I've run them for a day or two now, they seem find but the mesh definitely heats up a little bit, esp. under the heat lamp.
2- I usually work from 10AM-7PM. If I mist before I leave (9:30) and as soon as I return home (7:30), and have the drip going all day, is that going to be sufficient? Or should I be looking at auto-misters (and if so, is there a brand you guys like?)
3-I put a stop sign behind the cage. Will this influence my chameleon to develop some red coloring, or is that purely a genetic function?
4- Do I have enough vines/climbing stuff?
Sorry for the long post, but I want to make sure everything is hunky-dory when my little guy arrives.
Photo #1: The enclosure, from the front.
Photo #2: The basking area (Yes, I know I need to clip those zip-ties!)
Photo #3: The main climbing routes
Photo #4: Top of the enclosure, heat lamp is resting directly on mesh at the moment.
So, I'm about to make the leap into the wonderful world of Chameleon Ownership. I've got my enclosure all set (I think) and my Veiled is on his way, arriving this coming Thursday.
Basically, I'm just wondering if you guys have any pro-tips for a newbie. I've got the UVB light, and the basking light, I made a basking area about 4-6 inches from the basking light, got my thermometer set up in the basking area, indicating it's at about 95 degrees F, I got a nice big Hydrangea in the back corner, and tried to vary the shade that was available on the vines (I'm using fake vines with fake leaves, along with the Hydrangea). I've got a drip thing, a sprayer, and an automatic timer set to come on at 9AM and turn off at Midnight. I've got two "rep-cal" brand products, Herptivite and Calcium, which I think I'm supposed to use to gut-load my crickets (right?).
So, if you guys could look over this post and the pictures below, let me know if anything sticks out at you as being wrong/ missing, that would be awesome. My main questions right now are:
1- Is it okay to just rest my lights on top of my enclosure? I've run them for a day or two now, they seem find but the mesh definitely heats up a little bit, esp. under the heat lamp.
2- I usually work from 10AM-7PM. If I mist before I leave (9:30) and as soon as I return home (7:30), and have the drip going all day, is that going to be sufficient? Or should I be looking at auto-misters (and if so, is there a brand you guys like?)
3-I put a stop sign behind the cage. Will this influence my chameleon to develop some red coloring, or is that purely a genetic function?
4- Do I have enough vines/climbing stuff?
Sorry for the long post, but I want to make sure everything is hunky-dory when my little guy arrives.
Photo #1: The enclosure, from the front.
Photo #2: The basking area (Yes, I know I need to clip those zip-ties!)
Photo #3: The main climbing routes
Photo #4: Top of the enclosure, heat lamp is resting directly on mesh at the moment.