Official cage build thread for Bandit and Apollo

[Thehippie]

Ok I'm starting this thread to track my cage progress. Right now the two are in holding cages for the day until I wash out and empty their cages. They both have a 2x2x4 reptibreeze and t5ho 5.0 Or 6% bulb (one of each) and I have $100 set aside for plants for each of them which I will be buying this weds-Sun. Now first comes the plan...

First I will build a bamboo lattice work for the sticks and plants to go in. This means chopping my bamboo and making the lattice then drying it for 3 days
Second, I will clean out their cages and figure out where to put them
Third, I'll pick out my plants and debark a LOT of sticks for them.
Fourth, i will do drainage and all the important things that need to be done for the cage like the humidity, back wall and temp.
Fifth I'll put everything into the cage and pray that it fits.
Sixth I will repot the plants then hang them from the lattice work (note figure out how to mount plants) (note look for parasites/mites on plants) (note don't forget which plants are safe to use)
Seventh run the cages for a day for malfunctions and check for any other problems with temp and humidity and lighting
Eighth put the chameleons in and closely monitor for a week...

If anyone has any suggestions feel free to post on the thread... Now I just gotta get out of bed and do this......

 

[The Wild One]

One suggestion........ pics of EVERYTHING!!! I love threads like this!

 

[Thehippie]

One suggestion........ pics of EVERYTHING!!! I love threads like this!

No problem at all! I'll also make them an outdoor cage after this which will be 6x3x6

 

[GoodKarma19]

The only immediate suggestion I have is to NOT debark your branches. Completely unnecessary, and it makes them more slippery/harder to grip. Assuming you're using natural branches, I don't even bother cleaning them beyond a rinse if they're mucky. The trick is foraging from a safe place from the get go so that they don't need reprocessing.

Looking forward to updates!

 

[Thehippie]

The only immediate suggestion I have is to NOT debark your branches. Completely unnecessary, and it makes them more slippery/harder to grip. Assuming you're using natural branches, I don't even bother cleaning them beyond a rinse if they're mucky. The trick is foraging from a safe place from the get go so that they don't need reprocessing.

Looking forward to updates!

Cool!!! thanks for the tip!!!

 

[Thehippie]

The only immediate suggestion I have is to NOT debark your branches. Completely unnecessary, and it makes them more slippery/harder to grip. Assuming you're using natural branches, I don't even bother cleaning them beyond a rinse if they're mucky. The trick is foraging from a safe place from the get go so that they don't need reprocessing.

Looking forward to updates!

after a bit of thinking, is there anything i can do to make them not slippery, i heard pests can hide in the bark and i really would rather not have an infestation, also im like a neat freak lol!! i dont want anything uncontrolled in my chams environment

 

[GoodKarma19]

after a bit of thinking, is there anything i can do to make them not slippery, i heard pests can hide in the bark and i really would rather not have an infestation, also im like a neat freak lol!! i dont want anything uncontrolled in my chams environment

No idea. Out of dozens of branches foraged over the years for my birds and other projects, I've had exactly one case of wood boring beetles. They tend to be more common in softwood, if that helps!

You can try sanding the branches a bit with a coarse grain sandpaper, if you insist on debarking branches. I've never bothered!

 

[Thehippie]

No idea. Out of dozens of branches foraged over the years for my birds and other projects, I've had exactly one case of wood boring beetles. They tend to be more common in softwood, if that helps!

You can try sanding the branches a bit with a coarse grain sandpaper, if you insist on debarking branches. I've never bothered!

Thank you!! I'll try foraging and see how it works!

 

[The Wild One]

Thank you!! I'll try foraging and see how it works!

I love Chinese blueberry trees, they are nice and sturdy but they are a little smooth.

 

[Thehippie]

ok today is the day we wash the cages, plant shop and chop some bamboo!!

 

[The Wild One]

ok today is the day we wash the cages, plant shop and chop some bamboo!!

Id suggests getting the plants near the end because if your anything like me, Youll somehow manage to kill the plant before being able to put them in. Even if its a few days .

 

[Thehippie]

Id suggests getting the plants near the end because if your anything like me, Youll somehow manage to kill the plant before being able to put them in. Even if its a few days .

well, im window shopping per say, jotting down plant prices and sizes lol, knowing me i'll kill them before i get home!! are succulents safe??

 

[The Wild One]

after a quick search, kinyonga said " but I can tell you that many of them are not toxic." In this thread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/urgent-my-cham-ate-a-succulent.160333/ @kinyonga does this still stand true?

 

[The Wild One]

I guess it depends on what type, I'll see if I can figure it out, which ones were you thinking of?

 

[Thehippie]

I guess it depends on what type, I'll see if I can figure it out, which ones were you thinking of?

im thinking whatever i have in the house, dont know the names lol

 

[GoodKarma19]

Succulents are generally safe, but often aren't well suited the chameleon enclosure environment in which they'd be getting misted every day. If you rotated them out to give them a "break" every couple weeks, they may survive. I doubt their long term suitability, though!

 

[Thehippie]

Succulents are generally safe, but often aren't well suited the chameleon enclosure environment in which they'd be getting misted every day. If you rotated them out to give them a "break" every couple weeks, they may survive. I doubt their long term suitability, though!

Ok! Thanks!

 

[The Wild One]

judging that they are related to cacti, the chameleons and succulents natural environments are so diverse from each other, I think it'd be a water overload.

 

[Thehippie]

okay, new update, ive come to find a small peeling burn at the top of bandits casque. i am going out tonight to buy a silver based cream for him and still planning on window shopping for plants. after closer observation i can see he has multiple layers of stuck shed on his side and will increase night time humidity to 90 to help with that.

 

[The Wild One]

okay, new update, ive come to find a small peeling burn at the top of bandits casque. i am going out tonight to buy a silver based cream for him and still planning on window shopping for plants. after closer observation i can see he has multiple layers of stuck shed on his side and will increase night time humidity to 90 to help with that.

Hope he gets better!