your thaught's
- Thread starter jccaley1
- Start date
Think I'm getting the xl reptibreeze for xmas and trying to get everything all lined up and running before my purchase, sounds cool what you are setting up
Cheeky
Established Member
Very much sounds like you are on the right track with the reptibreeze.
I would be very very careful going with a "no drain" solution, you will need to be adding litres of water to your environment each day, it will need to go somewhere.
Some people do use a substrate and appear to get it to work but this is a very large complication to the care of the chameleon, if you are very experienced then you may be able to pull it off but otherwise the recommendation is to go with no substrate at all or only to use paper towels which can be quickly and easily changed to keep the enclosure fresh
GrimCamel
Established Member
A drainage system is needed if you're going to use substrate. A chameleon enclosure needs to be misted several times a day to keep up the humidity and believe, humidity will drop even if you have water pooling up in the bottom. I made that mistake with my first build. I used materials such as common rocks in the bottom, fabric separation and planting soil on top, covered with moss. This was a bioactive draining system but poorly made and cheap. It resulted in water pooling up, mold outbreak and a terrible smell from rotting plants. It did my cham no good. My terrarium was planted all with plants that was supposed grow in conditions like that but. Well. That foul smell told me otherwise.
If you are serious about keeping a working enclosure with substrate you should make it bioactive and use materials that's able to soak up water.
The bottom cover should be a thick layer with hydrograins and a drainage possibility. I just use a cut in half bottle in the corner of my enclosure so I will be able to drain it like an aquarium if water start pooling up.
The hydrograins should be covered with a separation layer like the exo terra biodrain mesh.
The next layer could be plantation soil that is bought at pet stores. In difference to the planting soil this will not mold and as the hydrograins it will soak up water.
Substrate must always be covered. I use moss, big thick pieces, impossible for my cham to eat by mistake.
I've had no water pooling up with this build and it is very dry for a glass setup which minimize the risk for RI. My enclosure do fine with 3 mistings a day.
If you want more details on a build like this, check out my thread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/incubus-bioactive-project.145373/
If you are serious about keeping a working enclosure with substrate you should make it bioactive and use materials that's able to soak up water.
The bottom cover should be a thick layer with hydrograins and a drainage possibility. I just use a cut in half bottle in the corner of my enclosure so I will be able to drain it like an aquarium if water start pooling up.
The hydrograins should be covered with a separation layer like the exo terra biodrain mesh.
The next layer could be plantation soil that is bought at pet stores. In difference to the planting soil this will not mold and as the hydrograins it will soak up water.
Substrate must always be covered. I use moss, big thick pieces, impossible for my cham to eat by mistake.
I've had no water pooling up with this build and it is very dry for a glass setup which minimize the risk for RI. My enclosure do fine with 3 mistings a day.
If you want more details on a build like this, check out my thread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/incubus-bioactive-project.145373/
brownie64
Avid Member
Both work well if setup properly, but the no substreight is easer. The one with substreight is easer to maintain humidity. I have the latter, and I can tell you from experience there is a drainage issue that you will have to address, and it in my opinion is best utilized for montane species.
Teal Beauty
Avid Member
I am not fond of dirt, too many potential issues: impactions, bad bacteria etc. Not a fan!
GrimCamel
Established Member
Same here as i experienced mold. Its a substrate that cant handle water very well
