Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wonderingn what you thought of reptariuums, people say there bad other say there good.

I personally think it's much more enjoyable to see chameleons in a screened cage. It's so much brighter and you see everything. In a reptarium it is harder to really see them well, just seems so dark.

I had my werneri chameleons in one when I first purchased them and was disappointed, I could not see them well. You can decorate them nice, but I bought a large screened cage within weeks, so I could view them better. I think they are happier also.

I have reptariums, and love them for sunning some of my lizards such as collareds on warm days in spring and summer.
I also have some species such as a pair of emerald swifts who live and thrive in a 65 gallon reptarium and use every inch of it, being arboreal.

I think they make excellent emergency cages, when you want to clean tanks and need a holding cage, when you need to move someone, need to seperate due to sickness, fighting, so on. But nothing like a nice large chameleon screened cage for your veiwing pleasure.
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

See personaly i hate repteriums. Like Eve said they make it harder to see your animal and all of the nice cage decorations...BUT that is good for the chameleon to some degree. Chameleons are shy by nature and dont like to be seen by predators. Repteriums seem to make ver timid species, such as Fishers, mellow out a little due to weak visibility.

It really depends on the species you are keeping. If you are keeping an attractive panther, dont hide him behind that horrid mesh. I you have a shy Fishers then do it.

Really there is just too much controversy to if chams should be kept in repteriums. Oh! another downfall! crix can chew holes through the mesh! NOT GOOD!!!! Personally, i like to build my own cages. That way i can customize it to the certain species of cham i plan on housing in there. ALso if something doenst work, i only have my self to blame!

Ah well make your own decision on this one!
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eric

I started Pudge in a 22 gallon when she was a baby. The screen sides (although dark) are soft enough to crawl around on. With the lighting, I didn't have much trouble seeing her...I did leave the front open alot (except when free feeding). I just purchased the 65 gallon model. I like them because they are light weight, and you can break them down completely to clean...you can even through the screen on delicate cycle in the washing machine (double rinse cycle please). Anyway...good luck.