timmac69
New Member
Hello All,
I wanted to share pics of a custom build I did for my daughter's female Veiled Cham. I already posted all the pics to Vivarium Forums, so thought it easier to just share that link (I am not sure if you need to be a forum member in order to view the pics). I realize it is an unconventional approach to a Cham enclosure, but the unique design solves the problem of how to maintain proper humidity levels while still offering appropriate ventilation (and it quite a conversation piece to have in our living room while still providing all of the requirements for our cham). We now have a 6 week old Red Bar Panther Chameleon, so I will soon be starting on a larger enclosure for him. I have really enjoyed reading all the threads in here...some really good stuff!
http://www.vivariumforum.com/community/chameleons/7336-planted-viv-veiled-chameleon.html
I wanted to share pics of a custom build I did for my daughter's female Veiled Cham. I already posted all the pics to Vivarium Forums, so thought it easier to just share that link (I am not sure if you need to be a forum member in order to view the pics). I realize it is an unconventional approach to a Cham enclosure, but the unique design solves the problem of how to maintain proper humidity levels while still offering appropriate ventilation (and it quite a conversation piece to have in our living room while still providing all of the requirements for our cham). We now have a 6 week old Red Bar Panther Chameleon, so I will soon be starting on a larger enclosure for him. I have really enjoyed reading all the threads in here...some really good stuff!
http://www.vivariumforum.com/community/chameleons/7336-planted-viv-veiled-chameleon.html
I will say that she has been in there for 7 months now and quite healthy/active. A downside to this build is there is less depth than a conventional set up (given the dimensions of the glass aquarium), but there is plenty of height and width for her to roam. Our next build will be more conventional for the larger male panther, with 6 ft of vertical height and your typical potted plants with drainage at the bottom, but no regrets at all on this build. Everyone should recognize that Chams are exposed to standing water in their natural environments (and despite that, still reach full maturity, successfully reproduce, etc). Humans can drown in 2 inches of water, but how many of us allow our children to take baths in a tub?....just some food for thought. Also, we did have her for two years prior to this build, providing us ample opportunity to observe her behaviors and take everything into account. Given this set up is in our living room, we simply wanted to create something more appealing to the eye and the greatest benefit is that my 7 year old sits in front of it just as other children would sit in front of a TV...more Mother Nature and Less Hanna Montana! LOL This set up is modular, and if I felt there was a true threat to her safety, I could easily add a mesh cover between the tank and topper but I have not added that measure, as I did not want to take away from the internal height of the entire tank so she can sense the height of the 'forest canopy' above the 'forest floor'. The substrate along the back of the enclosure is adhered with silicone (that cures completely inert) and is not loose to cause the threat of impaction. Her favorite perch is above my eye level, (I am 6 ft), so she feels very secure when someone approaches the tank. I absolutely think everyone's concerns are good to share with those who are new to the hobby, but for those of you desiring a vivarium design for your enclosure, just know it can be successfully done with the proper research, experience and observation of your animals. Our Cham is living proof. 
