They’re also not as widely available but this is changing. Where you place the cage can have a big effect on how much stress they feel in the long run. This pot is anchored in three places. Since this is a screen cage and I need to take mist overspray into account, I am going to install two nozzles in the front two corners and point them at the plant groupings once the plants are installed. Droppers will allow the chameleon to drink, but will not give the chameleon the ability to clean out its eyes. This cage size is commonly found among the different manufacturers. In this case, I have plants as major elements of my design so I am going to install my plants in the locations I have determined. provided a detailed list of what types of plants are beautiful and suitable here. There are two key elements to keep in mind when setting up a chameleon cage. Chameleon Cage Setup: Drainage. Dragon Strand was started because I, selfishly, wanted better... read more, Keeping Plants Alive in a Chameleon Cage The important part of this process, though, is not necessarily that you use the same components I am using, but that you absorb how I am using them and what purpose they serve. The best enclosure are plastic coated wire mesh (½in squared gaps) with wood or metal framing. This we want to avoid. This can vary in success though as many times the water comes out way too fast and can end up making a mess. Be careful to remove all excess strings of hot glue. Chameleon Cage Build Theory: You are given a base of knowledge as to what is necessary for proper chameleon husbandry. But if this puts the cage in line of the air conditioning vent your chameleon may be getting blasted by cold air every afternoon. It would be a good idea for you to get yourself a can of Great Stuff to do a practice run and see how it comes out. I am specifically keeping the floor clear of any potted plant so that I can pull the floor in and out for easy cleaning. In 2002 he established the successful Chameleons! While human children can be of concern, cats, dogs, and birds are as close to natural predators as we can get without throwing in a snake. Heat: A heat gradient would be the progression from the hottest point under the heat lamp to room temperature somewhere else in the cage. You need water dripping down on the plant leaves and these leaves nearby convenient perching branches.

There’s a couple of things you need to considereval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'chameleonschool_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',117,'0','0'])); Related article: Chameleon Humidity Guide. Keeping the bottom of the cage clear removes hiding spaces for feeder insects and allows for easy floor removal and cleaning. The amount of time and worry they save in the long run though is well worth the outlay.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'chameleonschool_com-leader-2','ezslot_13',124,'0','0'])); As panther chameleons require a lot of water you’re going to need some sort of drainage system in place to deal with all the excess.

Once the plant is in place, the black zip ties and Dragon Ledges fade into the background and are not distracting. If you are covering the bottoms of your pots with foam you will have to provide a method for drainage. Explore different plants. To start off with, we install our major cage interior elements. 2) Dragon Strand Large Keeper Drainage Tray. The glen is difficult to see from the outside of the cage and that is exactly the point! While chameleons tend to be intelligent enough to know that screen cage doors and windows are security, each chameleon will be different in how they think of the predatory bird outside the window. In the next section we will have specific cage build examples where I take you step by step in building up the most popular cages. What is Expandable Foam and “Great Stuff”?

I will review the basic principles that should be applied to any enclosure type whether screen, solid side, glass, or free range. Learn from the mistakes of your predecessors! There is a bit on top of the Ledge which will need to be cleaned up. But, the Medium Atrium set-up is the way I prefer now. Though we may think that solid walls will make them feel enclosed and trapped, they actually provide a sense of security. Make a drainage hole, place soil inside, insert plant, and you are set! The cage should also be a work of beauty which you enjoy whether or not the chameleon is in view. With this cage we will make an upper level which will offer the perching area for the highest heat, UVB, and exposure with the lowest humidity. It is amazing the difference being above the action will make. Zip ties are good for structural strength while hot glue holds items in place. Gravid females especially will appreciate easy access to the bottom of the cage. I use a combination of zip ties, galvanized steel wire, and hot glue to get the pot in place and facing the correct way. If it’s just you and one other place in an apartment then it doesn’t matter where you place it as your panther chameleon will be ok with one or two people around. Once the entire cage is together you may have to adjust some placements to ensure maximum use of the water coming down. The chameleon can regulate their own temperature by the distance they sit from the bulb. We will go over how to carry them out effectively and, in this case, exceptionally. What you save up front will be paid on the back end in the form of your time, replacement costs, and even vet bills. An expanding and hardening foam which will be used to create a naturalistic type environment. There are solvents you can find, but it is easier to just not get yourself in that position to begin with! This gets old pretty quickly though because you have to mist the enclosure at least twice a day and you have to do it until your chameleon recognizes water is present, starts drinking the water and not just until everything is wet. This pot has three anchor points. Live plants give attractive drinking surfaces and can be used to create humidity pockets and hidden glens. Even with a screen cage, placing the cage against a wall effectively blocks off that avenue for predators to approach. You can create the most incredible cage interior and have it not accepted because of what is going on outside the cage. This gives the chameleon drinking surfaces at any level you choose and allows hiding spaces to be created. Hidden under the large leafed vining pothos plant there is a perching branch for the chameleon to get away from it all.

Bill Strand has been involved in captive breeding of chameleons for almost four decades. It is common for this to be overlooked in cage design because we are only thinking about how we want to see our chameleon. With these you can follow along and create an effective cage with a minimum of absorbing this avalanche of theory! That frees up my egg laying box for any other female that needs it. The most complicated part of a chameleon cage setup is the water cycle. The water will quickly drain into the tray and you can remove it using a turkey baster or wet/dry vacuum. Brenda, The vines will actually provide a great deal of climbing surface so, in this level, I mainly have to provide a perching branch hidden behind the vines. Give three points of anchor. Chameleon Cages Setup. The foam will harden and hold everything in place. Wherever you put your panther chameleon though you need to make sure it has the ability to be above head height. Some chameleons don’t care about people milling around them but will stress when they see a hawk in the distance out the window. When I am using it as a bio-active type floor I will put the laying box on a 25″ Heavy Duty Drainage tray with holes drilled in the bottom of the laying box and active drainage. Perch height will determine how well your chameleon will tolerate people and pets milling around.

Traffic patterns in your home of people should be considered as well. Temperature checks will need to happen each day and in two different places, the basking spot and the general temperature of the rest of the cage. These can be plants, feeding stations, nest boxes, or any other element appropriate to the species you are designing for. Your cage is done and your chameleon is happy! If you don’t fancy splashing any cash out you can simply recreate the effect by poking a small hole in the bottom of a plastic cup, filling it with water and leaving it on top of the cage to drip. Suit up from the beginning. Chameleon Cage Setup Step 2: Arranging the Interior Main Elements. 7) Great Stuff Pond & Stone Foam. I will be using the top of the line equipment to achieve the optimal screen cage environment allowed by the products available today. This is just part of finding the right combination. Gradients and Levels. If you follow this guide on how to set up for your panther chameleon properly you’ll be good to go. Solid walls on a chameleon cage provides security because the chameleon knows that they cannot be attacked from that direction. It is important that we are aware of what is going on around the cage when trouble shooting any possible problem. They’re almost as easy to care for as the most popular choice, veiled chameleons, but they’re more colorful than their veiled ancestors and therefore more expensive. In this example, branching will be done using zip ties and hot glue. Does the sun shine directly through at any time? We do not pre-drill holes as the drainage solution is left up to the keeper. This can be done for small accent plants. In the end you try the best you can, but you do not know what your chameleon will be sensitive to. I usually put together a sketch to give me a guideline. Also note that once you start a can you will not be able to use the remainder of the can because the nozzles will clog up after first use. 2) Levels: Horizontal perching levels connected with diagonal and vertical climbing elements. In the next section we will have specific cage build examples where I take you step by step in building up the most popular cages. In this cage, I have planned for the heat lamp to be in the back right corner – opposite my live plant. Screen has a certain diameter hole and is great for only a certain size chameleon. In a breeder cage setup with the breederbox underneath, would you put a drainage tray under that?

The first is drinking. If you use the dual pot method I described before this is an easy process. Unless you have another drainage tactic planned out, get yourself a drainage tray. This involves plants, vines, and flooring. Chameleons are horizontally perching animals. You could put a drainage tray under the Laying box. The second use of water is hygiene. These allow a freedom to create much more effective interior environments. Drainage is not needed if I am careful how much I water. Most adult chameleons will not be comfortable climbing a screen wall. UVB rays from the sun are used by panther chameleons to convert vitamin D into vitamin D3, critical for the absorption of calciumeval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'chameleonschool_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_11',121,'0','0'])); This needs to be recreated in captivity otherwise your panther chameleon’s bones will begin to become brittle and deteriorate.