New viv
- Thread starter stucoady
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Geckoxp
Established Member
Ummm looks nice...I just dont see how practical it is though for a cham?
I mean its a nice setup minus the screen in the front (from the looks of it) and the other sides are completely closed up besides the 2 vents...what are you doing about airflow or misting and drainage? I would have to say that since your going to mist then thats treated wood so it doesnt rot right?
I must be missing something on this one...
I mean its a nice setup minus the screen in the front (from the looks of it) and the other sides are completely closed up besides the 2 vents...what are you doing about airflow or misting and drainage? I would have to say that since your going to mist then thats treated wood so it doesnt rot right?
I must be missing something on this one...
Ummm looks nice...I just dont see how practical it is though for a cham?
I mean its a nice setup minus the screen in the front (from the looks of it) and the other sides are completely closed up besides the 2 vents...what are you doing about airflow or misting and drainage? I would have to say that since your going to mist then thats treated wood so it doesnt rot right?
I must be missing something on this one...
Any adice is welcome. As I'm still in the process of finishing it off.
The front has glass doors. I would like mesh doors but in our climate (uk) it is not practical. There are eight vents, four on the back and four on top plus a 10" mesh hole where the basking lamp sits on top. I also leave a very small gap when shuting the doors for extra air flow. Yes, the wood is treated and the gaps sealed but after each misting i will wipe the floor.
Geckoxp
Established Member
Phil,
I live up here in Rochester NY so its basically snow 5 months out of the year with temps getting down into the single digits at some pts during the winter. During the winter months I put a plastic cut out shower curtain around the back and 2 sides. The top is mesh of course as well as the front. If anything I would suggest removing the glass front if possible and adding a mesh front to it to allow some type of air flow. Plus during the colder months your going to want a humidifier close to the cage and having it closed up will not work all that well. Other then that the plants look good, the lighting looks good and everything else...
I just know from experience that not unless your there to wipe up the animal all the time from the water its going to be a pain in the butt everyday without some type of drainage. I would have put some type of drainage system and a liner on the bottom of the cage and have it funnell to a bucket. This is something you can think about adding on later on.
I live up here in Rochester NY so its basically snow 5 months out of the year with temps getting down into the single digits at some pts during the winter. During the winter months I put a plastic cut out shower curtain around the back and 2 sides. The top is mesh of course as well as the front. If anything I would suggest removing the glass front if possible and adding a mesh front to it to allow some type of air flow. Plus during the colder months your going to want a humidifier close to the cage and having it closed up will not work all that well. Other then that the plants look good, the lighting looks good and everything else...
I just know from experience that not unless your there to wipe up the animal all the time from the water its going to be a pain in the butt everyday without some type of drainage. I would have put some type of drainage system and a liner on the bottom of the cage and have it funnell to a bucket. This is something you can think about adding on later on.
I have asked on another fourm about who could do me some mesh doors but i was adviced that it would be far more easier to replace the back with mesh instead? I'm thinking that instead I may put in a large piece of mesh on the back for extra air flow rather than replacing the whole thing as i already have eight air vents.
How would I go about putting a drainage system in place and what liner would you suggest i used (sorry for the dumb questions but I'm rubbish when it comes to diy lol)
JoshCrane1
New Member
i agree, jack that bia up!!lol
KevinA
Avid Member
If your worried about ventilation just go to a place that makes windows and screen and have them make you a screen that is the exact same size as your glass door( make sure you tell them that it needs to be precise. Have a handy friend drill the hinges. Keep the glass door and think about ventilation for the winter.
Chamero
New Member
To help drain you can drill a few holes in the bottom, all centralized, or in a designated corner. Then you could either have tube, like pipes, drain directly to a bucket, or just drop right down the center. To help prevent water damage you could buy a shower curtain or similar material at a fabric store. They sell it by the yard usually.
You know i'm not sure. i saw it in my local garden centre and htought that it looked so beautiful i just had to have it. I dd not realise there was different veriety apart from colour petals?
Phil
SoCaliSon
Avid Member
First of all I would like to say... That thing looks great. You can tell you put a lot of hard work into it. But there are some things you would want to perfect, with keeping a Cham in mind.
I would defiantely reconsider the glass front... Ventilation is important, but also a reflection can stress out a cham, and/or they cannot sense that barrier there so I have heard that them tyring to get through an invisible barrier can bother them also. I like the idea of findin window screens the same sze as your glass doors and use those instead. I think that the screened front, in corolation with the vents on the back should provide enough air flow. Problem with doing screen on the back is you are putting a screen for vent in a place where it will pushed up against the wall so that does away with the ventilation it would provide. Aside from that, like I said... Looks great... Nice piece of functional furniture.
I would defiantely reconsider the glass front... Ventilation is important, but also a reflection can stress out a cham, and/or they cannot sense that barrier there so I have heard that them tyring to get through an invisible barrier can bother them also. I like the idea of findin window screens the same sze as your glass doors and use those instead. I think that the screened front, in corolation with the vents on the back should provide enough air flow. Problem with doing screen on the back is you are putting a screen for vent in a place where it will pushed up against the wall so that does away with the ventilation it would provide. Aside from that, like I said... Looks great... Nice piece of functional furniture.
tawny
New Member
You wont find many places here in the UK that can make you a window screen Phil. I know I have tried.I wanted several to construct an all screen enclosure. A lot of UK keepers, myself included use the glass doored vivs with no ill effects at all. The only full screen cages I have are for the Rudis,Hoenelii and Merus. The larger Chams are all kept in vivs just like yours.I do think the " glass causes stress" is really open to debate as the all glass Exo Terras are perfect for hatchling Chams and the ones I have reared have never showed any signs of stress at all.
Jan
Jan
BocaJan
New Member
The short time I had my chams in a large plastic critter keeper, they hung off the top where the ventilation was. Only came down to eat then it was back up where the air was. The screen idea sounds really great if you can find someone to make you one. Even a set in screen with a wooden border where if it was really cold in your flat you could remove it and close the glass. (Just thinking here).
Beautiful cabinet.
Beautiful cabinet.
opihiman
New Member
While wood always looks really nice to me, I think that with amout of humidity and just general wetness, it is poor choice for housing chameleons. unless you are absolutely going to waterproof it. If you decide to go ahead with wood, make sure to water proof well and have good drainage. If you decide to waterproof with sealer or laquer, allow lots of time for VOC or fumes to bleed off...that can take up to a month or more. As chameleon appear to be very sensitive the longer the better.
The other alternative would be some kind of plastic liner (plexiglass or lexan) cut, fitted, and sealed to fit the interior of your wood enclosure....you won't have to wait as long for VOC's to bleed off.
ventilation and humidity control would be next. Forced air fan (computer fan) would help but I am not sure how the cham's would like the constant breeze and noise.
I dunno dude but the more I think about this with the little that I have come to understand this cabinette will be a lot more work....come to think of it, most of my projects end up being that way too..LOL
hi sorry to hijack this thread but i also have just finished a viv for my veiled that i adopted from my niece. when i got him he was in a small all glass exo terra viv, and after reading the forums i went for this, im particularly interested in any expert knowlege on lighting , as i dont have a fluro tube added at the moment as i have a 125w solar glow light ( heat + uva ,uvb) at the top, the basking area is 100f, is this sufficient?, as im frightened to overexpose him to uv rays by adding a tube. i also have a moonlight bulb in the other lamp for mood lighting at night, and to keep temps up in winter, although im leaving nothing on at nights just now as its summer. i have placed a feeding bowl half way down as he is used to a much smaller viv, and i have just ordered a dripper system, im misting 2 times a day for now. this is day 1 in the new viv and to be honest he looks a little pissed off and is just hiding , coming out only to feed, any advice would be great thanks
