Rainforest

[squeekz1992]

I really really want to make a rainforest for Kuzco.

Here is the problem, I have no idea how!! Or where to start.

He has a DIY screen 30Hx16Wx16D. Idk how to start or what soil to use (i know organic).. Any suggestions? or pics??

 

[Carlton]

I really really want to make a rainforest for Kuzco.

Here is the problem, I have no idea how!! Or where to start.

He has a DIY screen 30Hx16Wx16D. Idk how to start or what soil to use (i know organic).. Any suggestions? or pics??

The first thing to realize is that you can't create a rainforest in your house...not really, because you don't have indoor monsoon storms and tropical temperature patterns available and your room would basically rot to pieces if you did. Also, there are many different types of rainforest in the world and not all of them are going to suit a cham. I live in a NWC rainforest that would kill any cham pretty quickly. Remember, not all chams come from rainforests...what species is he? For example, if he's a veiled a rainforest would not be his ideal habitat or climate. If he's a deremensis he would prefer a cool montane clump of bushes shaded from direct sun.

The point I'm trying to make is that rather than hope to create a "rainforest", you really should think about what specific aspects of your species' natural habitat you can recreate and which aspects you really want (because you can't have them all). Do you want plants that look as much like the native ones a wild veiled would live in? That's going to be pretty difficult because they aren't available. Do you really want to plant your trees in live soil rather than pots? Do you simply want the look of a rainforest? Get big bushy tropical plants like Ficus and fill a room. If you want mist and rain in a specific area (the cage or the free range area) you can do this with foggers and misting systems. If you want high humidity you need to provide absorbent surfaces everywhere for all that water to soak into and release again. This means dense live plants...so dense you will have a hard time even finding your cham there. If you want free ranging insects you'll have to put up with them everywhere else in your house as well. If you want a realistic lighting cycle you can create that with different watt lights and lamp timers.

So, think this through, think about the local climate and your house and then pin down what aspects of a rainforest you can realistically have.

 

[squeekz1992]

He is a RB Ambilobe Panther cham. I just want his cage to be like a little mini forest, not so much a huge imitation of his natural habitat. I want it to be like a greenhouse, more accurately. With different types of plants, like hibiscus and such, planted either inside of the cage itself, or just under the cage. He is fine in his enclosure as is now, but it will be a way to spoil him, and make his cage more decorative lol.

Mainly what I don't get about how to make the cage is:

1.) If I use plexiglass to make a sort of "box" for my plants, should I use the inner or outer dimensions of the cage? As in, should I just take the cage and secure it overtop of the plant box, versus having the box inside the cage.

2.) Is there a specific brand of organic soil that everyone on the forums uses?

3.) What types of plants work best together? I have the safe plant list, I just need to research which will cohabitate best.

3.) What kind of bugs would I need to be bottom feeders? Rollie pollies?

4.) What plant light I would need? I think I heard 4600 but I don't remember.

 

[summoner12]

You can make a pretty good 'rain' effect with the AquaZamp RainDome system. Depending on how much rain you want, we have different options to meet your needs. Rain is more natural than mist to a chameleon.

 

[squeekz1992]

You can make a pretty good 'rain' effect with the AquaZamp RainDome system. Depending on how much rain you want, we have different options to meet your needs. Rain is more natural than mist to a chameleon.

I debating between that and a Mistking. I've heard great things about both so I have to think about which would fit better