What size enclosure do you start a baby Meller's out in?

[Kat77]

Hey guys! I was wondering if you think that starting a baby Melleri out in a 16.5x16.5x30 reptarium would be sufficient. I have larger reptariums that I could use, just looking for your suggestions. As most of you probably know, I've been doing quite a bit of research in preparation for getting one of Mike's baby Meller's. I just haven't come across what you would keep your babies in! So please, suggestions, suggestions, suggestions!

 

[Julirs]

I like to tub all babies-I see Major being in this for another month until he hits the big boy cage! Mellers are clumsy little ones, and the the airflow/lighting is great-but I am lucky here in FL the humidity is good also. Of course if you have cats or other animals that could get them you would want a lid of some sort.

 

[Kat77]

I don't think mine will be a new hatchling when I get him/her. Mike said he would hold one until it is older for me. So what do you think then?

P.S. He is SO CUTE!

 

[summoner12]

wow I should have seen this sooner. I have a little better understanding of how to set up the cage. Do you hand mist or is he getting an automatic mist during the day?

 

[Julirs]

I handmist about 4-5 times daily. After I spray mine a few times he starts opening his little mouth to take in the mist.

 

[Kat77]

Me or Juli? I hand mist.

 

[Julirs]

Hey guys! I was wondering if you think that starting a baby Melleri out in a 16.5x16.5x30 reptarium would be sufficient. I have larger reptariums that I could use, just looking for your suggestions. As most of you probably know, I've been doing quite a bit of research in preparation for getting one of Mike's baby Meller's. I just haven't come across what you would keep your babies in! So please, suggestions, suggestions, suggestions!

I think the 30 gallon Reptariums are perfect for raising up babies in!

 

[summoner12]

At what stage of 'baby' is a 38 gallon Reptarium ok?

 

[Julirs]

At what stage of 'baby' is a 38 gallon Reptarium ok?

Well, I guess that would depend on the type of chameleon you are talking about and the individual growth rates. I have raised Veileds to 4.5 months of age in them, Oustalets to 8 months of age, Panthers to 6 months of age. Is there more to your question that I may be missing?

As far as the Mellers, Kat yours will be the same age as mine when you get it. At a month and 1/2 old I still do not think mine is ready for his big boy cage, but when he is he will go into a 38 gallon Reptarium for sure.

 

[summoner12]

We are in the Melleri forum right?

Well, I guess that would depend on the type of chameleon you are talking about and the individual growth rates. I have raised Veileds to 4.5 months of age in them, Oustalets to 8 months of age, Panthers to 6 months of age. Is there more to your question that I may be missing?

As far as the Mellers, Kat yours will be the same age as mine when you get it. At a month and 1/2 old I still do not think mine is ready for his big boy cage, but when he is he will go into a 38 gallon Reptarium for sure.

Well since we were talking about Melleri.... haha JK. I should have been more clear, I meant a Melleri. My Melleri is prolly the same age as yours Julirs, so I won't be putting him in his 38 Gal. cage anytime soon. I just moved Pat to a rubbermaid such as yours. He used to be in a small screen cage. I couldn't tell how much or if he was eating and his weight dropped slightly. Plus Mike and Kristina were saying it would be better for Pat. So here he is:

I installed a misting head because I am not able to mist during the day. I changed the duration of mist to 3 minutes 4 times a day every three hours. I melted small holes into the bottom of the rubbermaid so water can drain if there were a malfunction and the mister didn't turn off (I have never had this happen BTW).

Mike had said not to use a basking lamp. So when I moved him into the new cage I didn't set one up. Pat had been in the Rubbermaid most of yesterday and then all morning today. I noticed he didn't move once from his place you see in the above photo. Wasn't walking around at all and was kinda a light green. I installed the heat lamp and placed it on the opposite side of the tub about 9-11 inches above the floor of the tub. Within a couple of minutes he was slowly heading over to the heat and turned his normal dark green and white color. He seemed happier with the light. I keep that area of the cage about 82ish. I can't place a temp probe inside the tub cause he'll be able to climb up and out of his tub . He did move around a lot more after the light was placed. I think they like the UVA coming off the Zoomed pasking spot lamps ( purchased a 25w lamp today just incase the 50w is too much). He didn't seem to like the Zoomed daytime lamps as much . What do you think about basking lamps?

 

[Julirs]

You are right-it is the Mellers forum!
Mine has a basking lamp-it is quite a ways above the cage and just provides light and raises the room temp a little, and I do notice that he will sit under it. Sometimes when I want to guage the temps over a period of time I throw the digital thermometer, cord probe and all in there on the tub floor-he loves hanging out on the probe cord! I now see him eat more in front of me, and today I introduced a little bigger crickets and I think that worked out well. I think it will be at least a month until he goes into a big boy cage. I just looked back and noticed that Fisher was in the tub for 4 months! Pat looks great!

 

[Kat77]

Juli, I think Mike is holding one for me until he/she is older. I'm getting mine in about a month and a half to two months. Would he/she still be tubbed by then? Also, what makes tubbing a baby Melleri a better option?

 

[Kent67]

I got three from Mike that are all living together in a small screen cage. At the size I got them, two weeks ago, they were already eating 2 week crickets which are too large to escape from the screen cage. I've been leaving them outside 24/7 and they all seem to grow visibly larger daily which is just astonishing to see. When I left for work yesterday morning one of them had started shedding. When I got home all three had shed with just a few remnants of old skin on their heads. I'm sure by the time you get a 2-3 month old it'll be plenty large enough for an appropriate sized screen cage.

 

[Julirs]

Juli, I think Mike is holding one for me until he/she is older. I'm getting mine in about a month and a half to two months. Would he/she still be tubbed by then? Also, what makes tubbing a baby Melleri a better option?

I see-I just meant that when you get it, it will be the same age as mine will be then.

If you read the other Mellers post, Kristina and Summoner ended up first putting theirs in cages, then went back to tubbing in order to give them a better start. Kristina's were losing weight, and Mike suggested to try raising them as he did, in tubs. Summoner has an excellent tub set-up, he has pictures in this thread. I still see mine in a tub for another month. I guess it all depends on how big he gets. Fisher was in the tub for 4 months!

 

[summoner12]

You are right-it is the Mellers forum!
Mine has a basking lamp-it is quite a ways above the cage and just provides light and raises the room temp a little, and I do notice that he will sit under it. Sometimes when I want to guage the temps over a period of time I throw the digital thermometer, cord probe and all in there on the tub floor-he loves hanging out on the probe cord! I now see him eat more in front of me, and today I introduced a little bigger crickets and I think that worked out well. I think it will be at least a month until he goes into a big boy cage. I just looked back and noticed that Fisher was in the tub for 4 months! Pat looks great!

Thanks Julirs!

About the heat lamp, what temp are you getting at his basking spot? I had a 50w and put the probe under it where Pat might sit and it was reading 86ish. He seemed to really like it, he was sitting just off to the side of where the probe was. He then took an interest in the probe and started to make his way out of the tub lol. Once he saw my hand reaching in he made a U turn. So I placed a 25w lamp into his fixture and its now about 82.5 degrees. The other side of his cage is 77 degrees.

I did see him eat a cricket just after I shewed him off the probe cord. Second time I've ever seen him eat.

 

[summoner12]

I got three from Mike that are all living together in a small screen cage. At the size I got them, two weeks ago, they were already eating 2 week crickets which are too large to escape from the screen cage. I've been leaving them outside 24/7 and they all seem to grow visibly larger daily which is just astonishing to see. When I left for work yesterday morning one of them had started shedding. When I got home all three had shed with just a few remnants of old skin on their heads. I'm sure by the time you get a 2-3 month old it'll be plenty large enough for an appropriate sized screen cage.

How hot does it get outside by you? Can they tolerate socal temps? It's gotten pretty warm where I live. I could put him outside in his screen cage.... but the heat would worry me to death.

 

[Kat77]

Thanks Kent, Juli and Summoner! I did see the other thread, I just wondered why tubbing was better for Meller's in particular. I did talk with Kristina a little bit and she mentioned that I aught to just talk to Mike about exactly how he is housing them at the time that I get mine. She didn't really elaborate as to why tubbing is a better option when I spoke with her.

How large exactly is a three month old Meller's? I'm just picturing my teeny little 3 month old veileds and panther of the past!

 

[Julirs]

Thanks Julirs!

About the heat lamp, what temp are you getting at his basking spot? I had a 50w and put the probe under it where Pat might sit and it was reading 86ish. He seemed to really like it, he was sitting just off to the side of where the probe was. He then took an interest in the probe and started to make his way out of the tub lol. Once he saw my hand reaching in he made a U turn. So I placed a 25w lamp into his fixture and its now about 82.5 degrees. The other side of his cage is 77 degrees.

I did see him eat a cricket just after I shewed him off the probe cord. Second time I've ever seen him eat.

I think it hits right around 80.

 

[Kent67]

How hot does it get outside by you? Can they tolerate socal temps? It's gotten pretty warm where I live. I could put him outside in his screen cage.... but the heat would worry me to death.

Well, I'm only 4 blocks from the water so it's been much more mild (and humid) for me. Probably only 80 degrees or so at the warmest so far, but these guys have been in direct sunlight in it though I usually shade them under a tree. Oh, and speaking of humidity....I've had all the critters outside 24/7 for the last couple of weeks. The last three or so nights have been so humid, there are still water droplets hanging from the top of my cages in the morning, left over from the last misting session 14 hours prior.

Kat, I've always used tubs for babies that require tiny food that can escape through screen. I'm kinda curious how big a 3 month old is myself too. These we have now must be what, about 6 weeks? At the rate mine are growing, I could see them being 5-6 inches in another 6 weeks.

 

[Kat77]

You know, I don't think I've ever had a chameleon under three months of age. So that is probably why I never knew about the tubbing thing and thought it was unusual. Mystery solved!