Will chameleons be happy in a rack with 2 cages on top each other?

[henrikfoto]

Have anyone tried to keep chameleons in racks with 2 cages on top of each other? My worry is that the chameleons in the lower cages will not be happy.
Any experiences?

Henrik

 

[johnnycamp5]

What type of cham?

For the most popular kept chameleons (for an adult size male panther or veiled), typically, 2' x 2' x 4' tall cages are used.
I would guess that as long as the top of the first cage is no less than 6' from the floor, you should be OK.

Unless your doing this outside, using natural sunlight, this may put the top of the second cage at around 11' or more from the floor once you add lighting and drainage to the top of the first cage.

You need to have tall ceilings and a small step ladder handy for feeding, cleaning of the upper cage.
It may be a more expensive and tedious way of doing things, not as much if you're talking about baby sized cages.

Good luck.

 

[Mike Fisher]

Like this? https://www.chameleonforums.com/cage-rack-131185/

 

[johnnycamp5]

Like this? https://www.chameleonforums.com/cage-rack-131185/

What size are those cages?

 

[Mike Fisher]

What size are those cages?

Mentioned in post #10 of that thread.

 

[henrikfoto]

I was thinkung to put larger cages at the bottom 50 inches tall and smaller cages at the top
about 25 inches tall.
My worry is that the chams at the floor or close to the floor will be unhappy.
It is all indoors.
Is that likely?

 

[Mike Fisher]

I was thinkung to put larger cages at the bottom 50 inches tall and smaller cages at the top
about 25 inches tall.
My worry is that the chams at the floor or close to the floor will be unhappy.
It is all indoors.
Is that likely?

Probably just fine since your lower cages will be 50" tall. Lots of people put shorter cages directly on the floor. You never did mention species, or whether WC or CB. Some of the WC species that are used to being higher in the canopy can be stressed by being close to the floor.

I think that may be a contributing factor for "failure to thrive" in WC chameleons that show no other signs of sickness but refuse to live.

 

[henrikfoto]

Probably just fine since your lower cages will be 50" tall. Lots of people put shorter cages directly on the floor. You never did mention species, or whether WC or CB. Some of the WC species that are using to being higher in the canopy can be stressed by being close to the floor.

I think that may be a contributing factor for "failure to thrive" in WC chameleons that show no other signs of sickness but refuse to live.

That is really interesting. I have only one wc couple and they are eating very
little the last 2 weeks after I moved them to a lower standing cage.
I will lift them high up tomorrow morning

 

[johnnyev]

Probably just fine since your lower cages will be 50" tall. Lots of people put shorter cages directly on the floor. You never did mention species, or whether WC or CB. Some of the WC species that are using to being higher in the canopy can be stressed by being close to the floor.

I think that may be a contributing factor for "failure to thrive" in WC chameleons that show no other signs of sickness but refuse to live.

Very interesting comment Mike & one i found to be very relevant to CB chams too. The difference it made/makes to putting a shy animals enclosure above head height, convinces me of that.

Great set ups btw mate.

 

[Mike Fisher]

That is really interesting. I have only one wc couple and they are eating very
little the last 2 weeks after I moved them to a lower standing cage.
I will lift them high up tomorrow morning

Just something I observed that may have some merit. I have not seen it documented anywhere. I've experienced it with several species of WC chameleons, but not in their CB offspring. In several instances, getting them up higher from the ground had a positive effect on activity level and feeding.

 

[Mike Fisher]

Very interesting comment Mike & one i found to be very relevant to CB chams too. The difference it made/makes to putting a shy animals enclosure above head height, convinces me of that.

Great set ups btw mate.

Thanks! Glad to hear you have observed the same thing.

 

[Carlton]

Another thing to consider is that the upper cages are always going to be warmer and possibly drier than the lower ones unless you insulate them from the lights below. A montane cool temp species may not want the upper level.

 

[Mike Fisher]

Another thing to consider is that the upper cages are always going to be warmer and possibly drier than the lower ones unless you insulate them from the lights below. A montane cool temp species may not want the upper level.

Good point! I'm currently using this to my advantage. K. uluguruensis seem to like it a bit warmer than K. multituberculata.