Setting up the cage!

[Brandi]

Hey everyone.

Okay, so I got my supplies in the mail. I am expecting on getting an older juvenile or young adult male veiled, so I ordered a 48 x 24 x 24 screen cage. Let me say it was so easy to put together, I am very pleased, and it came quickly! I ordered a Mist king also, and got here just as quick. I already had most of the equipment bought, but I wanted to wait for the cage.

Okay, so I have the cage ontop of a perfect sized table in my room where it fits perfectly, with extra inches along the edges for safety. I am getting my plants soon, so I am also going to ask about that. I have a few questions about some things I want reassurance on.

*Where do you normal place your measuring gauges? I have a 2-in-1 digital therometer and humidty gauge, and wondering where to put it in the cage.

*For the ceramic heat dome [for the basking spot] what watt bulb do you guys use? [I already have a 5.0 reptisun uvb bulb for the light fixture]

*For the timer analog, do you run the mister all night as well as day, and if so, what time do you set it to? [example: every hour a day/night]

*I have a question about my light schedule; is it okay to have the lighting turn on at around 6:30 A.M until 9:30 PM or 10 PM?

*What types of plants do you guys use mostly that are low maintence, such as pothos.

*How many times do you hand-mist the cage a day?

I will also have some questions about a feeding schedule I will post in the food section later. Thanks for all the help guys~

-Brandi

 

[Texas Panther Man]

1. Put the temp probe in yout chams basing spot so you will knoww how hot he is getting.
2. Light cycle should be: 11-12hrs of light 12-13hrs of darkness no night light needed. ie red heat emitting bulb, no,no
3. If your going to have a mistking then you prob won't have to hand mist at all. But you might want to still consider a dripper during part of the day.
4. Get an incandescent light bulb for the basking light. Get rid of the ceramic thing. Take it back and get your moneyback.
5. For vines go to craft store and buy grapevine wreaths. cheap and wont fall aprt. you can zip tie them in or use twist ties.
6. plants: ficus, schefflerra, jasmine, hibiscus, pothos are all commonly used and safe.
7. get some supplements calcium w/d3 use 2 times a month
calcium without d3 3-4 times a wekk
Multi vitamin 1 a month

 

[CAMerchant]

1. Put the temp probe in yout chams basing spot so you will knoww how hot he is getting.
2. Light cycle should be: 11-12hrs of light 12-13hrs of darkness no night light needed. ie red heat emitting bulb, no,no
3. If your going to have a mistking then you prob won't have to hand mist at all. But you might want to still consider a dripper during part of the day.
4. Get an incandescent light bulb for the basking light. Get rid of the ceramic thing. Take it back and get your moneyback.
5. For vines go to craft store and buy grapevine wreaths. cheap and wont fall aprt. you can zip tie them in or use twist ties.
6. plants: ficus, schefflerra, jasmine, hibiscus, pothos are all commonly used and safe.
7. get some supplements calcium w/d3 use 2 times a month
calcium without d3 3-4 times a wekk
Multi vitamin 1 a month

Why are red heat emitting bulbs bad?? I was told reptiles couldn't see red??

 

[Brandi]

1. Put the temp probe in yout chams basing spot so you will knoww how hot he is getting.
2. Light cycle should be: 11-12hrs of light 12-13hrs of darkness no night light needed. ie red heat emitting bulb, no,no
3. If your going to have a mistking then you prob won't have to hand mist at all. But you might want to still consider a dripper during part of the day.
4. Get an incandescent light bulb for the basking light. Get rid of the ceramic thing. Take it back and get your moneyback.
5. For vines go to craft store and buy grapevine wreaths. cheap and wont fall aprt. you can zip tie them in or use twist ties.
6. plants: ficus, schefflerra, jasmine, hibiscus, pothos are all commonly used and safe.
7. get some supplements calcium w/d3 use 2 times a month
calcium without d3 3-4 times a wekk
Multi vitamin 1 a month

Okay, thank you for the info. I have one question though, everyone I have seen has some sort of light dome for a basking spot. I have yet to see one without it. What fixture do I use then for a basking spot? The reason being for the ceramic is because it causes less house fires. That is the only thing I do not agree with. [examples of the light domes: http://ebay.f3images.com/IMD/feeds/ES67036_50.jpg , http://www.pets-warehouse.com/pic-s/SFK27000.jpg, etc. and accompanied by a UVB light fixture]

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I was told reptiles couldn't see red??

Chameleons can

-Brad

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Okay, thank you for the info. I have one question though, everyone I have seen has some sort of light dome for a basking spot. I have yet to see one without it. What fixture do I use then for a basking spot? The reason being for the ceramic is because it causes less house fires. That is the only thing I do not agree with. [examples of the light domes: http://ebay.f3images.com/IMD/feeds/ES67036_50.jpg , http://www.pets-warehouse.com/pic-s/SFK27000.jpg, etc. and accompanied by a UVB light fixture]

Use the same fixture but install an ordinary household incandescent bulb.
The ceramic heaters do a chameleon little good ... they move toward white light (need to see it) to absorb heat.
The wattage of the bulb will have to be determined by measuring temps.

-Brad

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Just get the reg old clip on dome light fixture. 5-6 bux at lowes. Just secure it by chain from ceiling. right now mine is on top of cage because i am using a 60 watt bulb and his basking spot is staying right at 82 most of the day. I may have to raise it a little when summr gets here to compensate for the change in weather.

 

[Brandi]

Oh how embarrassing, I actually was referring to the clamp lamps. Please excuse that, in fact, what I bought is also a clamp lamp! I misread, how careless of me.



I was just wondering the watt powerage of the house bulb I should use, thank you for helping me.

Why I am at it, where do you guys aim the nozzles of the misting systems? Do you aim them at the plants/branches, walls, or both?

 

[Texas Panther Man]

As brad said measure temps in basking spot so that they are approp. Most aim nozzles at plants to keep water in cage.

 

[Brandi]

Okay, I will take some pics in a minute after I get the stuff ready. I am thinking about getting a ficus and some pothos. Where do you guys get medium sized river-stone for covering the pot soil?