Small Chameleon, Big enclosure.

[WinstonChrchll]

This Friday I will be picking up my first chameleon, a 2-3month old veiled from a local reptile shop. I took a look at them last week and they look small, as expected. Besides the feeding issue, which im adressing with a feeder cup,What are the dangers of keeping smaller chameleons in full (2x2x4) size cages? Any precautions I should be taking? etc.

 

[DJ Richey Rich]

Their isn't any dangers that wouldnt happen in the wild. Some people say a cameleon will get lost and won't find food. Their eyes are like benoculars and there minds remember routs very well. So if feeding is done in a cup you will have no problems there. For the falling out of the tree they fill up with air and land soft a 4 foot drop is nothing compaired to a 25 foot drop in the wild. They act drunk for a few seconds but come back to there normal self and climb back up the tree.

 

[WinstonChrchll]

Thats what I was thinking. I was just concerned because I heard that they get lost if its too big and it wouldn't make a difference whether the crickets where in a cup or not because he wouldn't find the cup to begin with lol. Just some new owner paranoia I guess

 

[DJ Richey Rich]

My best advice is to put the cup under the branch it will use for basking or uvb. Its crazy I free Range and if I move a branch my chameleons will stand next to where the branch was and be puzzeled.

 

[mc9423]

Personally, I wouldn't do it. They my have unlimited space in the wild, but they also die in the wild and get sick. Captive bred animals are not wild animals.

 

[DJ Richey Rich]

Mine have been free ranging since 4 months old and vet says they are very healthy.

 

[WinstonChrchll]

Personally, I wouldn't do it. They my have unlimited space in the wild, but they also die in the wild and get sick. Captive bred animals are not wild animals.

Well, That is true but many other conditions are exposed to wild chameleons versus captive bred animals. I understand where your coming from though.

Also just a thought: I wanted to make the cage perfect the first time around so hey may grow into it, rather than relocate him once or twice introducing him to stress and what not. This might be flawed judgement on my part, but its just a thought.

 

[Rosie42892]

I am not experienced with veileds, but one that young it seems would need a "baby" cage. Otherwise it may be difficult to keep his humidity high enough. But if this is deffinitly the size cage you want right away, make sure to have lots of live plants to help keep the humidity up and mist mist mist.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Depends on how much exp with chams you have. I wouldnt put a cham that small in a cage that large. If its money your trying to save just build a small temp screen cage. I got a reptibreeze for my baby and when shes outgrown it. The litle crapy reptibreeze will be an outdoor sunning cage. Or I'll use it for raising mantis or for my next baby thats coming in soon. You will find a use for a small cage at some point.

 

[kinyonga]

The main concerns I would have is that it wouldn't stay in the area of the UVB as long as it should and that your ambient temperature might vary from quite warm in the basking area to quite a bit cooler in the other areas of the cage.

You don't want it stuck under the UVB light so it can't move away if it needs to though. In the wild, the UVB is "everywhere" that the light is but there is a range for the UVB lights in the cage that limits where the chameleon could sit.

BTW...this would only apply to cages kept with UVB lights not to ones kept outside all the time.

Hope I explained this clearly enough?


Personally I use cages that are longer and lower for babies so that things are more even. Just my own opinion...no scientific study to quote on this one!

If you don't want to spend money to buy another cage, why not just divide the one you have in half to make it shorter for a while?

 

[WinstonChrchll]

The main concerns I would have is that it wouldn't stay in the area of the UVB as long as it should and that your ambient temperature might vary from quite warm in the basking area to quite a bit cooler in the other areas of the cage.

You don't want it stuck under the UVB light so it can't move away if it needs to though. In the wild, the UVB is "everywhere" that the light is but there is a range for the UVB lights in the cage that limits where the chameleon could sit.

BTW...this would only apply to cages kept with UVB lights not to ones kept outside all the time.

Hope I explained this clearly enough?


Personally I use cages that are longer and lower for babies so that things are more even. Just my own opinion...no scientific study to quote on this one!

If you don't want to spend money to buy another cage, why not just divide the one you have in half to make it shorter for a while?

Yea, I understand what you are saying. Its relative warm in his location though , ambient temp being roughly 77 degrees (higher under basking although exact temp is yet to be seen as I am waiting for a new thermometer).
That did occur to me not to long ago, but my schflerra is a 3 feet tall and reducing the cage one foot didnt strike me as doing much.
I did however have a stroke of "genius" (for lack of a humbler word). I went out to my shop and found the left over screen for the cage and I rolled it into a tube and tied the ends together and ended up with a two foot tall, 18 inch diameter cylinder. I think this would work out decently If I could just figure out how to seal the top and bottom >.>

 

[DJ Richey Rich]

I personaly dont use cages but if I had to you could set it on its side for now if UVB exposure was a concern. Chameleons know how much UVB they need and will find it if needed.

Mine knows where its 24 hour water system is its cricket area is its UVB area is and basking spot is.

 

[Rosie42892]

I personaly dont use cages but if I had to you could set it on its side for now if UVB exposure was a concern. Chameleons know how much UVB they need and will find it if needed. Mine knows where its 24 hour water system is its cricket area is its UVB area is and basking spot is.

Aah. What most of us wouldn't give to be able to free range our chams as you do

 

[morpheon]

+1 Kiny! I'd give you reputation points for this post, but you'll get mad at me!

Kiny said it all. The main reason is related to UVB. When chameleons get older, they get better at regulating their UVB exposure and heat, what juveniles still have problems doing so.

The Kiny's suggestion is also very good. If you can split your enclosure in two, your problem would be solved!

 

[gpmo]

Though i do not feel that the cage size is an issue, but if you do instead of purchasing a new cage just get a piece of plexi glass for $7 or some wood board and section off your cage to the size you would like it to be.

Gpmo (him)

 

[WinstonChrchll]

Well sectioning off the cage is one of the better suggestions I've gotten, It is rather inconvenient due tot he size of the plants I'm working with.
However, if it comes down to it, what is an appropriate size for a veiled of that age?

 

[DJ Richey Rich]

I say its fine the way it is but 3' tall would work fine too

 

[kinyonga]

Morpheon said..."I'd give you reputation points for this post, but you'll get mad at me!"...I don't get mad at you or anyone for giving me points.

 

[Chameleon Estevez]

enclosure

my cham at 3 months was intro'd to a 6' x 3.5' x 2.5' deep nylon mesh cage.
he is loving it and is getting huge. his lights come on auto at 8 am he poops at ten and then he rips around for a while. an auto mister keeps everything quenched, and he'll eat 8-10 crickets and 6 wax worms throughout the day.
one enclosure for the life of a reptile= security, familiarity, and plenty of sweet hiding spots.

 

[VeiledOwner87]

Personally, I wouldn't do it. They my have unlimited space in the wild, but they also die in the wild and get sick. Captive bred animals are not wild animals.

i disagree, they still have a wild mindset, they are born with insticts, am i right? they have an instinct to watch their backs constantly in the wild, a lot of chameleons die in the wild, but a lot are amazing at fooling predators, unfortuatly, many chams die in captivity too. you're taking on natures roll when you have exotics. just my opinion