Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,
im new here and im about to build my screen cage and acquire a caly or a gracilis (the only readily available species over here ; i wanted a pardalis, even standard one but they're hard to find) and im thinking about the hydratation problems, can a mist pump such as this one solve all my problems by making fog at the top of the terra and thus fine mist slowly falling down all over the place keeping everything moist?
They say it consumes about 150ml per hour at max power but can be brought down to 75...
It really seems both beautiful (cold smoke is always beautiful and they have multicolored lit ones) and practical...

And while im at it id like to know at which stage of developpment (in weeks) does the criket start to make noise?
I have to keep eveything in my studio so no noise at night for me...

Finally someone offered me a veiled cham for 40$ ; he's 9 months old (so he says) and i was wondering if he wasnt a bit too old to change owner?How long could i expect a veiled to live?I've read 3 to 5 years...but i think it still is a fair deal, im only scared that the animal might be secretly sick or unfit...even if he lives for 2 years thats ok as long as he's fit from the moment i buy him...blabla im rambling anyway...

Thanks very much for your help!!!

1) Ultrasonic mist makers: They look cool, but are not really useful for hydration. They will keep humidity up, but the chameleons need drops of water on the leaves to drink. A drip system is really the best way to go for hydration.
2) I don't know when crickets start making noise, but you will need to feed adult crickets to a 9 month old calyptratus. The solution to this is to get the place that sells you crickets to let you pick out females. They won't chirp. The females are the ones with the egglaying tube coming out their backside. If you don't know what I am talking about I can send you to a picture that shows this.
3)Chameleons don't get attacted to their owners so a 9 month old veiled would have no problem changing homes. In fact, that is a good age to get them.

What country do you live in?
Bill

Hi- Those things are junk, and don't last long. You will be better off buying a humidifier to provide extra humidity. Both will not provide enough mist to create water drops on the leaves. I use an automatic misting system on my cages to provide both humidity and water drops, but I have more then one chameleon and these system are allot of $$$$. So go with the humidifier, it is both cheaper and better then the unit you are looking at not to mention will last longer, and also get a dripper either way you go unless you opt to get the automatic misting system.

I hate the noise also from crickets, I buy 3 week old crickets and they don't make a peep for me. A 9 month old veiled is a good choice for a first time keeper. I think we (the keeper) get more attached to our chameleons then the chameleon does to us. BUT any new animal will take some time getting use to you. Make sure you read as much as you can, and ask any questions before you buy the chameleon!

Hope this helps!
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John
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers

Hi well thanks for your replies, theyre really insightfull!
Im sad to here that the misting thing doesnt work?I mean i dont plan to leave it on all day, say 1h every 2h or so and if all the mist falls on a big leaf or glass/plexiglass piece acting as a condensifier?
The thing with it is that it only leaves me with the matter of feeding it and not having to spray or refill the drip box every day or so...
What about a homemade running water system with a very small pump?Would that help for humidity and drinking if for example it splashs drops on nearby leaves?
The caly was sold to someone else...im gonna have to buy 4" ones much smaller, how old would such a size make them?
Im from paris in france and as i said here its mainly senegalensis, calyptratus, gracilis...and then in the shops sometimes they have jacksonii pardalis and others...
Thanks a brunch for your help!

and if you still have some time or a desperate envy to help, id love your opinion on this problem : http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=20069,20069

cheers!