Some cage questions

[killacam561]

Hello everybody, I've had reptiles for years and I know what is required but chameleons are new to me.
I Have a couple newb questions..
I have a small enclosure about 45x18x30 and it has a glass front and plastic sides. Now I was wondering if I drill a lot of small holes and put a couple computer fan on both sides 2 to push air in a 2 to pull air out. Will that be enough ventilation? or should I just replace it with a small metal screen? I'm sure you just don't want stagnate air because of bacteria growth correct?
also a lot of what I'm reading says to leave the bottom bare because of bacteria growth. Well the bottom of my cage is wood and that will look pretty crappy.. so I was thinking a light layer of repti bark. or maybe the green reptile carpet.
I'am also going to do live plants and I will post some pictures of the cage before I do anything but any advice will be much appreciated..

https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=99525&stc=1&d=1405561128

https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=99526&stc=1&d=1405561152

 

[xephyr17]

If you were to replace the siding with mesh of some sort that'd be your best bet...

Chameleons really don't like wind or breezes much for that matter. And the glass can also show reflections of the little guy in there to himself and it'll make them nervous or upset because they'll think it's another cham.

Also be careful with what you put at the bottom of the cage because if you get dirt of some kind down there some chams are prone to eat it and get impacted... Mine started to develop the habit of trying to do that and I was lucky enough to be here when it started and got rid of the dirt pretty quick. You'll also want to cover up the dirt from your plant with some sort of mesh or cloth so your chameleon can't get to it.

 

[summoner12]

If you can make the top screen and two sides mesh that'd be good. But I think you might spend more money modifying it than you would buying a cage from LLL.

Fans are not a good idea unless they were low air volume. You don't want to make wind. Wind is natural to chameleons in the wild, they live in trees. But you don't want to have a fan pulling in cold dry air from your AC unit when the cage is warm and humid.... that's more the concern.

Lot's of people use class cages with lots of success. the best way to vent them is screen top and holes or vends down low. This creates a natural flow of air as the heat created in the cage from light lifts up out of the cage and cooler air enters the bottom to display that warm air. That is how the wind works outside in real life..... It's just making sure you have enough space for flow.

Where are you located in the world? might help us tell you more info.

 

[killacam561]

Thanks for the reply's
I happen to have a car customizing shop. So I happen to have anything I really need at my disposal to do any modifications I might need..
as for the air flow I would have never thought of the cold air making a difference, why I asked.. lol
I will make mesh sides and maybe just put a low flow fan on the bottom of the cage pulling out. That should be fine right? As for a mesh top, I cant really do that because there is a cage on the top of this one. so that's a no can do.
as for the bottom of the cage. How's repi park? will they eat that? I do know about the dirt with the live plants and I was just going to use organic soil and river rocks on top of the dirt to keep it away from the dirt.
and I also live in Tampa Florida.

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

In my opinion, those cages will not work. Even with modification they will still be sub par for keeping chameleons. The Jurassic park background will also scare your cham

I would invest in a 2x2x4 screen cage and just not worry about it.

 

[killacam561]

lol Really?? I didn't think they would know what a dinosaur is? or what it looks like to be scared of it. and I can always change it. I have a printer. and the one above it is dagobah .
and sense I've all ready kind of started on this and just cut holes in the sides of my cage lol I will just give it a shot and see if the chameleon likes it and how it behaves, eats, drinks etc, and if not then ill buy a screen enclosure but I am not really a fan on how they look. I was trying to go for something a little different.

 

[summoner12]

I don't know about a chameleon being scared.... but yes, it will be odd.

If you can't put a mesh top. you can't use the enclosure you have, unless you put the lamp inside of it. But that isn't recommended.

Chameleons need light from above. They also need UVB and it does not transmit through plastic of glass. So you need a screen top.

Try to replicate something like this:

 

[Big Gulp]

As others have said, you'd be better off getting a 24x24x48 screen cage. Your cham needs a heat lamp as well as UVB lighting (long tube bulbs), and those cannot be mounted inside the cage, as you cham could get burned.

Also, chams like to be up high. Having an enclose on the floor like that isn't really a good idea. Best bet would be to get the screen cage and sit it on an end table.

Lastly, you should have no substrate. Too much risk of impaction. You can leave the bottom plain, or use paper towels.

And remember, plenty of vines/branches/foliage.

Good luck.

 

[killacam561]

yeah I could defiantly replicate something like the tank you should me. Summer
I all ready have a uvb blub in there built into the top and I was just going to build the basking bulb into the cage. I'll attach a couple pictures and let me know what you guys think..
and I really just don't like the look of a screen cage. It just doesn't appeal to me really.
I did how ever cut mesh sides into the cage.
yeah I saw that the height might be a problem.. so I was thinking I just could build a bottom cabinet and raise if of the ground a couple feet.
maybe build some type of drip tray built in.But this NO substrate is killing me... lol I would really like to have something nice and not paper towels .
what about river rocks? i need something. But that's what ill be using in the plants with organic soil with river rocks in top of them.so they don't eat the dirt.
I was thinking about juvenile Jackson or a panther. See how it does in the take and worst case ill just buy a screen cage. I would really love to do a free range but the dogs wouldn't have that.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=99658&stc=1&d=1405823168
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https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=99660&stc=1&d=1405823207

 

[Leslie11]

Jurassic

I love your background. Don't see how they would even notice it. I know how you want to have pride in creating something for your pets, but I have to agree with others about buying a new cage. If you have PRIME on Amazon, they have good prices. I wish you well with your cage. Hope it works.

 

[junglefries]

Having OCD I can understand the wanting of substrate. Have you seen the commercials with people who are used to the pet smell in the car and the husband who cooks fish. They no longer notice. That is me. Finally, I no longer notice. You can go to Lowes. They sell in the flooring department self adhedsive thick like linoleum squares. However, I am pretty sure it is a different substance. There are all kinds of designs. Kinda helps.