I'm going to get a Chameleon!!!

[Becki]

Forgot to add the mister to the to buy list.
What about this cage?

"The screened design allows air to circulate efficiently to help minimize sour odors and to more naturally replicate ideal temperatures. Can be customized with plants and lighting (not included) to create a unique environment. Sturdy, lightweight PVC frame with nylon mesh covering sets up quickly and is easy to clean. The zippered opening can be placed wherever it allows you the most convenient access to your reptile."
I'm thinking the 16.5" x 30" x 28" size...that would be ok for a full grown chameleon wouldn't it? the next size up is 4 feet tall(and 2x the price)...too tall since we're going to have to have it off of the ground already, BUT if that is too small, we can go bigger and work around it.

[capnsweets]

Looks nice to me but I know nothing!

[Ravnos]

Reptariums are cool... though, for a single chameleon you won't need one of the huge ones. One of the 22 gallon ones would work just fine - but 38 would probably be better... and give you more room for plants if you really wanted to do up the cage nice. They sell a seperate rubber bottom to put in them, I definitely advise getting that too. I wouldn't bother with substrate - I've tried a few things and every time it just ends up being more of a mess than it is worth. Be very careful with substrates that -claim- to be digestable. Most wood, bark, coconut, etc substrates are passable, in small amounts, but a good sized clump is still dangerous. I just find it safer and easier not to bother. That forest bedding stuff is -very- messy, and if your chameleon gets it in his mouth its nasty to get out - for him and for you. With no substrate, for cleaning, I can just wipe out the rubber bottom of the cage and be done with it. The dish is more to collect the water from the dripper than to really be of any use for the chameleon. Just to stop the whole bottom of the cage from flooding.

You certainly won't need all those bulbs... one UV light and one heat/basking bulb. I just use 60 watt clear household bulbs - they give off enough heat generally and are much cheaper than reptile-specific ones. You most likely won't need the red/night bulb, unless your house gets especially cold at night. It is completely acceptable for the temps to drop to the low 70s at night.

I wouldn't put much faith in the Repta Aid stuff. Usually that kind of stuff is just B vitamins, while important to maintaining a healthy appetite, will not bring an animal back from the brink, like some magical cure, like they make it seem.

Rav

[Becki]

Thanks Rav! I'm getting more and more confident, especially now that I have most of the stuff. Today we got a hibiscus, but it may be too tall, a fake log to sit on, and a sprayer...Almost there! What kind of live plants do you use? I've kinda gathered that pothos and hibiscus are the most commonly endorsed ones, but I have NO IDEA what a pothos is, lol... will keep looking for sure. I think I may go with the bark and maybe moss for when we very first bring him home (that's what it's on now) and then after the first time I clean leave it out. The bark chunks are about half as big as the chameleon, so I think it should be safe till it get's a little bigger. Thanks again, soooo much! If there's anything else you think I should know feel free to tell me...or even if you think I'm doing something wrong!

[Ravnos]

Pothos is a pretty common vine, big green leaves... sometimes the leaves have a golden 'spray' to the center of them. Often referred to as a 'golden pothos' or whatnot, ask at any garden department they should have them. I tend to stick to fake plants myself, I'm terrible with live stuff... and making sure it gets enough light in a cage can be difficult.

Rav

[Lizgirl]

It looks like Rav is really helping you out with outfitting your chamelion. I can't wait to see the finished cage and the new dweller. Sorry I wasn't around to help out. Rav knows what he is talking about though. I on the other hand have never had experience with Chamelions.

[Becki]

Yeah, Rav has helped me out a ton!

I've got everything all set up now, I'm just trying to adjust the temps. Get this, with all those lights I got, I think I'm going to wind up using a plain old 60 watt, lol. The 50 watt spot bulb didn't work and the 75 is way too hot (110 and still climbing a bit when I turned it off). About the UVB, the spot where I put the cage gets direct sunlight in most of the cage for most of the day, do you think that is enough, or should I still use the reptisun?

[SharonM]

Thought I'd jump in and tell you what I was told. When I lost my last iguana to vitamin deficiencies and mentioned to the vet that he got full sun part of the day, I was told that the glass of his cage and/or my windows blocked the UV rays he needed. I guess there's a special glass you can get - but it's expensive. So it's best to use a lamp.

If I'm wrong here, someone correct me, pleeeeease.

[Ravnos]

You are absolutely correct. Typical aquarium glass, and household window glass will block about 90% of UV rays. Sunlight through a window does wonders for the mental disposition of many lizards, but it will not be adequate for their nutritional needs. Chameleons and iguanas (and most other lizards) need UVB to properly synthesize calcium. Without it their bones can become brittle, or misshapen, and they can develop many other problems.

A UV light is very different from a heat lamp (or normal light bulb). Normal bulbs and heat bulbs do not give off UV, just warmth and light. UV lights are typically in fluorescent bar-type lights... but recent 'advances' in reptile lighting have come up with a bulb that will do both heat and UV. This is what I use currently on my box turtle and he's been doing quite well with it. Unfortunately, they cost 40 dollars a bulb - and don't last much longer than a typical household light bulb.

Rav

[Becki]

Ahh yes, thanks for bringing that up, someone else emailed me about that as well. Oh well, it's not like I've got any shortage of lights, lol. I was also told to be on the lookout for the tank getting too hot in the sunlight. I don't think that'll be an issue, but I will keep an eye on it between now and chameleon homecoming. As of right now, the basking spot is just under 100 degrees, the middle of the cage just under 90, and the far end just under 80, and that is with the lights on. At night it will probably go down to 70-76 degrees. Any thoughts on that?

One more question for now, I live in the desert, temperatures have been around 100 lately and will top out in the 120's. Should I take my cham outside in this weather so he can enjoy some real sun and warmth, or should I just leave him alone in his controlled environment? If I were to take him out, should I take his whole cage, or put him on the tree I bought for him (small hibiscus) and take him out on that and put it in the grass?

[Ravnos]

As long as there are plenty of places that he can climb around and go from one temperature to the other and in between that sounds just fine.

Natural sunlight is definitely always going to be the best source of UV, but I would be worried about it being very hot out and your chamelon not really having anywhere to go to cool off if he feels uncomfortable. Dunno, its hard to say. You definitely want to keep him supervised the whole time, and short jaunts probably wouldn't hurt once he's older. I'd probably leave his cage and put him in his tree - maneuvering the whole cage around is a lot.

Rav

[Becki]

The chameleon saga continues... I still don't have the cham yet, but I do have everything all set up and ready to go. I've been doing the lights and stuff to make sure everything is right with the lighting and the temperature, so I guess the extra time was a good thing. On the other hand though, I'm getting IMPATIENT!! My pothos are about to outgrow the starter tank here! And my little basking hibiscus is growing into a tree in my kitchen! Soon I hope!

[Lizgirl]

I was wondering what was going on. Thanks for updating me/us. I am impatient with you. I am having to limit my lizard family right now since my human baby takes so much time and attention. He'll help me with the lizards one day. His nick name is Tommy Turtle.

[Becki]

Oh, that's cute! As soon as he get's big enough to help I bet you're gonna be neck deep in reptiles!

[Rocheal]

Well.... cmon...!! We need updates!!!