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so i need more room. about a week ago i was thinking aboutwhat i am going to do that won't cost me an arm and a leg. then i remember my mother in law spent the weekend in big sur in the canvas sided cabins. so i call her and ask just how comfortable she was and she said it was as comfortable as a regular hotel room. so i have cleared half of the gargage, bought 2 2x4x12's, 4 2x4x8's, 4 metal rack "tables", and 2 canvas tarps that measure 9x12. and started making my chameleon "tent". so far it has turned out pretty good the area i am using is 9x12 and i framed the rafters and hung my canvas tarps and secured them. got the rack "tables" set up in an "L" shape. i just need to finish setting up the rest of the cages, hang the light fixtures over the cages, and once the new mister gets here set that up to all the cages.

so now that you know what i have done do you see any problems with it that should be fixed? i have a radiate heater and have a swamp cooler i need to pick up in vegas. i just need to buy a thermostat for each. so what do you think?

dennis

...can you post pix? The "rack" tables are throwing me. What do you mean? It sounds like a cool idea. Where do you live that it will be warm enough in your garage?

geez...we sure do obsess over these guys, don't we?? LOL!

lele

I'm not sure I fully understand what you are doing, but it sounds to me if you are enclosing the whole thing in canvas that air circulation will be a problem, the canvas won't circulate air like screen will, but once again, I'm not entirely sure of what you are describing. If you could post pics it would help out a ton!

basically i've taken one cormer of the garage, 9 feet wide and 12 feet long and hung a light 8 mil canvas on 2 sides. creating a square or short rectangle. the "ceiling" on rafters are still open and at the front corner therer is about a 2 foot opening where i had to work around the garage door opener. i don't think area movement or lack of, will be any differnt then in the house. the only concern i have is it getting to hot during the day and too cold at night. i have a thermeter in there right now to take the highs and lows. i was going to put down a roll of carpet to insulate the "room" a bit, but for right know i have opted not to. let me see about getting some pictures.

dennis

I wouldn't worry about the carpet, unless later you find you really need it. With that many cages, I can see water getting all over and it's easier to push it off of concrete than to deal with a mouldy carpet.
I think it sounds like a neat idea! When I have my own house I want a finished basement and I'm going to set up 2 or 3 of the 8'x12' greenhouse things that look like tents. I figure if I get it all in my head now, I can warn guys and if it's a problem later be like "hey, I warned you" lol.

Just find a guy that likes chameleons! That would be awesome if my wife did.... I've been married less than 2 years (she's 20, I'm 22) and if I had known that I was gonna be this "into" it then I woulda warned her too. When I got married I only had 3 or 4, but I never thought I would get any of them to breed. She still won't even touch my chameleons. Her mindset is this.... From birth to 3 months, they're cute. From 3 months til 6 months they're cool. From 6 months up, they're disgusting and a drain of money, and I hear about it everyday. A basement would be a good place to keep chameleons. In Vegas, very few people even have basements though. I dunno why but it would be nice if I did cause then I could take it over. Now all I have is my garage.
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
1.2 Nosy Be Panthers
2.2 Sambava Panthers
1.0 Tamatave Panther
1.0 Nosy Be X Unknown Cross
1.1 Veiled Chameleons
0.0.2 CBB Desert Tortoises
0.0.1 Sulcatta Tortoise

Ouch. That doesn't sound much like fun... My bf now knows that if this goes long term he's sharing me with snakes and birds and herps lol. My aunt has a PERFECT house fort this. Her basement is 1500 square feet, all open with no beams (it's supported with steal in the ceiling). That is my dream
I hope my future someone likes them.. it'll cost me a lot less if he buys some too lol.

Dennis-

Pics would be helpful! I did get the other pics you sent me of the chameleons, thanks! One concern with the L shaped design is that the some chameleons will be able to see other chameleons, unless to are making the tent in the L shape as well, and not in a square shape. Air circulation is important, I assume you have this in check. One last thing, you may want to put some kind of drainage system in. I don't know how much you are looking to spend on the thermostat, but I just looked up the product I talked about below for chillers and they are $120 new, you may be able to find a used one on the net for less. They are digital, can control both the heating unit and cooling unit. You set the temp you want and how much of a differential you want and you are good to go. The advantage with these are they are digital, have a wired temp probe that is water proof, and the controller is setup to be used in wet humid environments. Hope this helps!
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John W. Lucas

CHAMELEON PARADISE

CHAMELEONS ONLINE E-ZINE AUTHOR

Feeding Baby Chameleons
Caging Baby Chameleons

F. pardalis

Ambilobe Locale
Nosy Be Locale
Sambava Locale

Rhampholeon uluguruensis

Eggs Incubating-

F. pardalis - Ambilobe Locale

got SILKWORMS!

Photo © Chameleon Paradise 2003

john i have a friend that is in biogenetics and he recommend the same unit only he told me to use 2 and not just the one with the double plug(p/n TR115SN right?) before that i was loooking at this http://www.bigappleherp.com/bigappleherp.storefront/EN/product/924105
from big apple.

you know what i really need is my sister in law to move out so i can use that room! lol

dennis

Just do like I did and tell your wife keep the rest of the house but don't step foot in my garage. I don't even let her park her car in there.
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
1.2 Nosy Be Panthers
2.2 Sambava Panthers
1.0 Tamatave Panther
1.0 Nosy Be X Unknown Cross
1.1 Veiled Chameleons
0.0.2 CBB Desert Tortoises
0.0.1 Sulcatta Tortoise

i just sold my ATV and trailer when we were out your way and i told "look now you can park in the garage again...a week later i'm filling it again! lol

oh yeah i live in corona, ca(socal)

dennis

Dennis-

Either set up will work fine, one or two units. Bio labs need very accurate temps so they will use two with what you are doing I would not worry about it to much. The product at big apple is junk, don't waste your money on that. Hope this helps!
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John W. Lucas

CHAMELEON PARADISE

CHAMELEONS ONLINE E-ZINE AUTHOR

Feeding Baby Chameleons
Caging Baby Chameleons

F. pardalis

Ambilobe Locale
Nosy Be Locale
Sambava Locale

Rhampholeon uluguruensis

Eggs Incubating-

F. pardalis - Ambilobe Locale

got SILKWORMS!

Photo © Chameleon Paradise 2003