Rate my enclosure pleaseeee

[PicassothePanther]

Hey guys, I just got a 3 month old Red-Barred Ambilobe Panther and I just want to make sure I did my setup correctly. I'm always open to get creative, so let me know what you think or give me any advice (good or bad).

It is hard to tell, but the only thing I have on the inside is

Dimensions: L: 18.00  W: 12.00  H: 20.00
Temperature in Basking: 93degrees

Auto Mister in the back, every 3 hours mists sideways for 30 seconds, mister is clipped on the top right corner branch


3 straight branches with woven leaf vines around it, looking sideways at the cage the branches are like this: `-_ (like stairs with the lowest stair near the front/opening)


***I am trying to think of what to add to the bottom of the cage

Also, How do people hang their vines in screen cages? i would LOVE to get vines and wind them around the cage, starting at the bottom.


Thank you all

 

[pssh]

Add more live plants that are safe and bring that temp way way down! 80-83 degrees max in the basking spot. You also need to mist for more than 30 seconds, 2-10 minutes should be good depending on where you live.


fill this out:


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
* Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
* Location - Where are you geographically located?

 

[skully23]

Towards the bottom would be a nice place for a growing potho. Make sure dirt/soil is covered too. That way if it were to fall it could grab a plant below.
I have a mesh screen so I take safety pins and from the outside weave it in around the vine and snap it shut on the outside. It holds the vines quite well

 

[Julirs]

It's not bad at all for a baby. Raise your basking light a tad to lower basking temps to between 85-90. You don't want him to cook himself with a light that is too close.

 

[tkilgour]

Agreed a pothos in there and you would be set.

 

[skully23]

Pothos also grow quite quickly with warm tempatures and misting. I think thats the best way to go. When they grow, they will vine everywhere. Good idea to get it now so when the baby is bigger the plant grows with it

 

[PicassothePanther]

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Species: Red-Barred Ambilobe Panther
Age: 3 months old
Sex: unknown
I JUST GOT IT YESTERDAY
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
I AM NOT HANDLING IT AT ALL UNTIL A FEW WEEKS
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
FEEDING 1/4" CRICKETS, 8-10 PER DAY - IN THE MORNING (SINCE I WORK FAR AWAY)
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting
your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I HAVE ONLY FED FOR 1 DAY AND IM FEEDING AT 9AM EST EVERY MORNING
******* I HAVE REPCAL BLUE CONTAINER (WITH BETA CARATINE) AND THE PINK ONE, WHICH DO I USE AND WHEN?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
WATERING NOW IS EVERY 3 HOURS FOR 30 SECONDS - MY MISTER SETTINGS:
FREQUENCY: 1 HOUR, 3 HOURS, 5 HOURS, 7 HOURS
AMOUNT OF MIST TIME (in seconds): 15,30,45,60
**********WHAT DO YOU THINK MY SETTINGS SHOULD BE??****

* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
BROWN AND WHITE WITH YELLOW - IT HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED FOR PARASITES YET, I JUST GOT HIM

* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I GOT HIM FROM SCREAMELEONS, A FAMOUS PANTHER BREEDER - VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
ALREADY GIVEN

* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
UVA/UVB ADN 60 WATT DAY BULB IN BASKING SPOT (UPPER LEFT BACK CORNER)
ON AT 8AM AND OFF AT 8PM, ALL ON A TIMER
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
I DONT HAVE A RANGE, I ONLY HAVE 1 DIGITAL TEMPERATURE FOR THE BASKING SPOT, WHICH GOES TO 94 DEGREES ( I WILL CHANGE ASAP TO 85DEGREES OR SO)
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
RIGHT NOW AS FIRST DAY, MY HUMIDITY IS A DISGUSTING 20% - THIS WAS MY OTHER QUESTION - HOW DO I HELP THIS IMMEDIATELY (I WILL BE ADDING PLANTS BUT WHAT ELSE, I AM ASSUMING THAT INCREASING THE MISTING INTERVAL WILL HELP THIS)
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
WHATEVER YOU SUGGEST
* Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
CAGE IS ON MY DRESSER, NOT HEAVY TRAFFIC - NOT NEAR ANY AIR CIRCULATION THINGS - ITS NEXT TO MY TV
* Location - Where are you geographically located?
I AM IN NEW JERSEY

 

[jeanjacket812]

I want to see pics of the Chameleon!

 

[PicassothePanther]

Picasso on way home for his first day

this is the only picture i have now - he's sleeping so i don't want to startle him, but I will definitely add more pics soon.

 

[pssh]

You need to use a plain calcium without d3 (green one if it's repcal brand) five times a week, calcium with d3 (pink) twice a month, and a multivitamin (blue) once a month.

Misting for longer periods of time (3-5 minutes) will make the humidity go up. Adding live plants will also help. I suggest pothos, ficus, dwarf umbrella plant, or a hibiscus.

What are you gutloading with?

 

[thealissa]

To hang vines there are a couple different options. There are certain brands that make magnetic vines and such, like this one, that are SUPER strong. One side of the rock that is attached to the vine is magnetic, and you place the super strong magnet outside of your cage, and it holds the vine in place with the screen (or even glass!) in between the two.

Otherwise, you can find some thin metal wire and wrap it around the vine a couple of times and poke it through the wire holes and then secure it by twisting it outside of the cage. This method doesn't hold well, and requires it to be done in various places. Also, it's REALLY annoying when you want to take something out to clean it.

 

[PicassothePanther]

Great. But the max misting time is 1 minute - and the time frequencies are 1 hour, 3 hrs 5 and 7 hours. so maybe I'll do 1 minute of misting every hour.

do I just put the pothos on the ground and it will automatically grow upwards? i saw pictures of pothos and it looks like they are a hanging plant?

any other plant suggestions? i will put the best possible plant in there - i need to raise the humidity. I have the humidity gauge on the top right corner of the cage - where should it be?

 

[PicassothePanther]

instead of the green repcal, can i use zoo med's Reptivite without D3? if not, i'll pick up the green repcal asap.

Thealissa, thank you for the vine tips

 

[PicassothePanther]

Im gutloading with zilla gutload cricket drink with calcium. do you recommend anything else thats' better? i used to use a blue and yellow one, i cant remember what it is. maybe its flukers?

 

[thealissa]

Im gutloading with zilla gutload cricket drink with calcium. do you recommend anything else thats' better? i used to use a blue and yellow one, i cant remember what it is. maybe its flukers?

Gutload with veggies... dandelion greens, mustard greens, kale, baby romaine, arugula, potatoes, etc. All organic and pre-washed.

 

[PicassothePanther]

OK. is the cricket drink a gimick? or should i also use that ?

 

[pssh]

The humidity probe should be away from the basking area. Pothos are a hanging plant and will grow down unless trained to grow up.

Misting too much and not letting the cage dry out can cause problems with your chameleon. I have a feeling you have a habba spit. I'd try to buy a mist king if at all possible. Also set up a dripper for the chameleon to drink from.

I like hibiscus the best because they bloom and some chameleons like to eat the flowers. That brand of calcium is fine as long as it's phos free and has no d3.

You should gutload with a dry gutload which can be bough from members on here or stores(stuff on here is better) or it can be made. The greater portion of the gut load should be fresh greens like kale, dandelion greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and endive. Fresh veggies and fruits like carrots, apples, oranges, squash, and berries should be used as well. These don't all have to be used at the same time, but should be switched out to make sure the chameleon is getting a variety of veggies in his diet.

 

[PicassothePanther]

I do have a habba mist. for now will that make due? let me know what setting to use.

Also, there is one leaf right to the side of the mister that holds a good amount of water - he has already found his way to it and he drinks a lot ( I have seen him) - so in that case, do i really need a dripper?

What plant can i put on the ground that will grow upwards and not outgrow the tank in 1 year's time?

 

[pssh]

Well, he's going to need a new cage in 3-4 months so it doesn't really matter. Yes, a dripper is a good idea. The settings that the habba has are not what I suggest. Again, misting for a few minutes is what the chameleon needs so that it can drink and the humidity goes up.

 

[PicassothePanther]

ok. is it too early to get a plant on the ground? if i get a hibiscus, do i have to ask for a non-pesticidal one?