Panther cage remodel

[Klinger]

Got a question. Fairly new to the hobby. Have 1 11 month old panther male. I container feed but have noticed that some crickets have escaped the cup over maybe a week. My cage was a DIY inherrited by a friend and has removable side screens. The crickets hide in the seems. And last night they were out so I did remove some but not all. I dont like crickets free ranging at night and hiding in the day for obvious reasons. I will either silicone or weather strip the seams or even use Great Stuff. But if I silicone or Great Stuff this will take the cage 2 days to dry and air out. I have a smaller cage I use for outdoor sunning which my cham can stay in but.... my real question is......Is having to upset his living arrangements severly stressfull on him? To me it would seem to be. (This enclosure is new to him and he has only been in it since first part of August.)
If stressfull, how do you guys recommend me doing this to cause the least amount of stress to the cham.
Also my plants seem to be doing really well. But if I have to swap one out for another at some point is this ok or another stresser?
Sorry for all the qestions but I am new to cham owning and just want to do right by him.
Any thoughts by other memebers is extremely appreciated.

 

[hallenhe]

Can you move him on one of his plants to the smaller cage? Then he'd be perched on something familiar. If he's already accustomed to being in the smaller cage for sunning, leaving him in there for a day or two while you deal with the big cage shouldn't be too much of a problem (unless it's a tiny cage).
I wouldn't worry too much about swapping out plants. Depending on the cham, he may or may not care, but everybody has to do this at some point or another, and plants change over time by themselves. I had a Jackson's who loved his hibiscus as long as it flowered, and wanted nothing to do with it once it stopped.

 

[lisa h]

I had to move my two rudis to a smaller enclosure for 3 days when we redid their drainage area. I hated to do it, but it was the best in the long run.

 

[Crazy Pet Lady]

I wouldn't use great stuff...might be toxic. Plain aquarium clear silicone should work great and it only needs to cure for about a day. Once you can't smell it anymore, it's safe to use. And...it's water proof!

 

[Zen Reptiles]

Great stuff is not toxic. I would use silicone though simply because it cures clear. You can cover Great Stuff in silicone and cocofiber though to make it more appealing.

Your cham will be fine for 2 days somewhere else, just try to set up his rearranged cage the best you can to how it was before.

Chams do recognize their environment, as you'll often find them sleeping in the same spot. I don't think it's enough stress to be worried about though, as long as you are keeping him fed and hydrated he should be fine and forgive/forget within a few days.

 

[Klinger]

Thanks guys.
I am at work but the other cage isnt tiny. It is the larger one from Screameleons, in their cham package deal. He was living in it before I bought him so he is framilar to it. I think I can put one plant...his Hibiscus...maybe will fit but definately not the Pothos. I would have to put the plant in first and then him. But I do have alot of fake vines if nothing else. But I know his plant would be best. I gave my mom the little Ficus the previous owner had with him. Did not want to take a chance with eye issues. And he was tooo big for the tiny tree. He would bust branches just walking around on it.
What time of day do you recommend me doing it. I was thinking early in the morning. That way by noon the next day he should be able to go back to big cage.
Great Stuff is non toxic and holds up good to water but these panels are removable to change out screens and with the silicone it would be easier to cut through it if panels would ever need to be recovered.
(Also a tidbit from the fish industry which I have over 30 years experience in Saltwater, freshwater and ponds....Silicone for fish aquariums is the exact same as 100% silicone in the larger tubes at Hardware store. You just make sure it is 100% silicone and nothing else. A whole lot cheaper and one cauk tube will build/seal a 210g glass or acrylic tank.)