Opinions on temporary housing for a rescue

[CLP]

I'm new to the world of these wonderful creatures and have been caring for my 4 month old veiled boy Montizooma for about 6 weeks now. He's doing great and I just love him . I have come across someone selling what he says is a 5 year old male veiled. From the photos, his living conditions are terrible! The enclosure looks big, but he only has a few low growing plants down at the bottom of the enclosure and literally one stick leaning up in the corner of the enclosure for this guy to climb on I have been emailing him to try to get him to sell him to me. He wanted me to take the enclosure too, but it's an all acrylic tank, so not appropriate, and he wanted $400 for it. Anyhow, I've convinced him to sell me just the cham. Price is still a bit high, but I just want to get the poor guy out of there and give him a decent home for the short time he has left.

My question is, for the time being, I'll have to put him in Montizooma's old "baby" enclosure which is 18" x 18" x 24". I know it's not big enough, but will it be OK for a couple of weeks until I can get him into something bigger?

 

[nightanole]

I dont know why anyone would "pay for" a 5 year old cham(4-6 year life span, 7-8 if you have your black belt and good genes), but anyways back to the question.

He can survive in the cage if you setup the lighting correctly. It put the florescent bulb on the edge of the top(not the middle), and not have a basking light(or if you cant get the cage to 85f then include a very low 40watt bulb with just a angled stick under it). i would also take him out as much as possible, as the tank is going to be almost as long as him.

 

[CLP]

I'm "paying" for him as they guy is not going to let me have him for free, and I'm willing to part with the money to see him in a good home for the year or two he has left. Sometimes it's not about the money for me.

 

[laurie]

As stated it will work. But can you get something like a mesh laundry hamper and turn it upside down? I use lots of stuff like that in a pinch. i am glad you care enough to give him a good home, but try not to get ripped off. Try to talk the price down when you are standing if front of the guy with the cham. Make him feel you are doing him a favor, which you are. Good luck.

 

[CLP]

As stated it will work. But can you get something like a mesh laundry hamper and turn it upside down? I use lots of stuff like that in a pinch. i am glad you care enough to give him a good home, but try not to get ripped off. Try to talk the price down when you are standing if front of the guy with the cham. Make him feel you are doing him a favor, which you are. Good luck.

Assuming I get this guy picked up by the weekend, I'm hoping to have him in something larger before the weekend is out. Even if it's a temporary laundry hamper . I used the "couple of weeks" as a worst case scenario. I will try to get the price as low as possible. I realize this cham is not worth much from a monetary perspective, but he deserves to live out his days in comfort. I am willing to spend a few bucks on that.

 

[laurie]

I understand spending the money to give his a decent quality of life. i have been there and spent money several times. Sounds like you have it under control and for just a weekend, I wouldn't worry to much. Good luck. Let me know how it goes.

 

[pssh]

You could make a cheap cage from some hardware cloth and some large 24" round flower pot drainage trays. Use on one the bottom and one on the top and make the hardware cloth a cylinder. You would have to figure out the lighting though.

 

[CLP]

You could make a cheap cage from some hardware cloth and some large 24" round flower pot drainage trays. Use on one the bottom and one on the top and make the hardware cloth a cylinder. You would have to figure out the lighting though.

That's a good idea! I'll look into that - thanks!