Seriously thinking about Free ranging... looking for advice

[kokom05lb]

So after thinking about my last post about making a new enclosure. I started thinking about going free range instead. I can move Ringo into one room and Starr in the other or put them in a different corner. I can't do it now but I can plan on it. So I have a couple of questions:

So I have a 46" arcadia with one uvb light and a 6500k bulb. So, should I put money aside for another fixture? And how would I hang it?

I'll ask more when I get back on.

 

[kokom05lb]

Anyone??? ty

 

[Meow Kitty]

Ill respond to you since no one else has!
Okay so the problem ive had with free ranging chameleons with each other in the same room is they just cant help but go and try to harrass each other once in while and since i have 2 males they fight.

As for hanging your light you could do numerous stuff such as hooks in the ceiling with chains or attach it to a wall or even build some sort of giant wooden crane like hook to hold it over, as for your lighting its great, but you need two if your having them separate, if you need your chameleons in the same room i recommend cages next to each other with a blinder in between free ranging and sharing a light can lead to problems.

good luck I hope i could help.

 

[danTHAman152000]

Hello there!

Well I am a total free range newbie myself.. but I figured I would fill you in with my experiences in the last couple weeks.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/garage-free-range-day-1-a-102149/

That is the post I made to show pictures and tell my chameleon's story in his set up.

My main two points that I really have had to think through was the distance of lights from the chameleon and his ability to leave the trees.

Unfortunately I do not have a whole room to devote to my chameleon, but I have plenty of room in the garage, and because when he was in his "tree playpen," sunning outside, he would always stay content in his tree and eventually crawl back into his cage via a stick bridge I created.

Well I figured out the hard way that he was able to climb down from his tree, walk into an entertainment center, and from there find miraculous pathways to distant locations. I found him 3 times in various spots of the garage. So I threw him back in his cage. The next day I noticed how he was bummed out (dark colored, climbing the screen) because he really loves to be in that darn tree! I told him "hey buddy, we had a good thing going with your free range set up, but I cannot take you running around the damn garage!"

So I rethought my design and decided moving the set up further away from that entertainment center allowed for more of a tree filled island. I added more branches and sticks. I added a dripper on top of his Mist King. I added another basking spot (one 40 watt and one 60 watt). He has not gotten off his island in the last 3 days.

Today I noticed two times that he ventured down his tree and hung out on the edge of that plastic bin used to catch water. He went to the spot that was closest to that entertainment center (smart little devil). I watched him from afar and saw he thought "ain't no way I'm gonna get down here" and attempted to climb back up the tree. I realized it was somewhat difficult for him so I grabbed him and put him in his tree. Then I used a jungle vine in a "figure 8" fashion, leaving the bottom of the "8" right at the edge of the plastic bin, with the top of it wrapped around a branch of the tree. At least now he has an easy way to climb back up once he figures out he cannot get down from that bin.

I read that if they have their needs met in their free range set up, that they are content with staying there. I know an experienced user Jan mentioned hers climb down all the time, so I guess it depends on the cham's personality mostly. In the last couple days, I have seen him eat from his "sunny d death trap" which made me happy because he was on a hunger strike and finally decided to eat his crickets, and I have been making sure they were very hydrated so that he would be getting his fluids and food in. With appropriate UV and heat, he should be content. So we'll see!

Sorry the post is long but I can write for days about it! lol

Take care and do post pictures when you can!

 

[kokom05lb]

Ok thank you for you responses. So here's an ideal that just came to mind. What if build the new enclosures and everything said in my last thread. Open up 1 side if it to have a side door leading to a free range tree. I have in laws that absolutely hate my reptiles so it may just be easier to have them free range but enclosed just in case there company. I'll have to draw up a thing and post it.