Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As I continue to layout my new leaf chams home I am wondering if their feeding site should be near or away from their basking site. B/c of the size of the tank (30gal) and the size of the chams currently 1" - will max. at 3 or 4) I will offer free feeding but also will set up a small feeding bowl so they will always know where they can find something squirming around. Again, b/c of the size I have lots of options, this is why I am taking my time with it (plus I have been trying to meet school and work deadlines!)

I got some kiwi stems today froma a local florist! They are going to love it...little "crawl-ways" all over the place! Anyway, thoughts on location of things is welcome!

lele

Lele,
I think a spot by their basking site would work out well. They will notice the food on their way to the site and the food will be conveniently located once they are warmed up and ready for action. Watch out for getting it too close, though, as you don't want to fry your food items! As you want the food to be visible you can't put a whole lot in the dish to shade the food critters from the heat lamp.
Bill

Hi Bill,

Thanks,I was trying to figure out if it would be better in the "sunny" part of the setup or in the more densley foliated so they can hunt protected, but I suppose any free range food would be easily found there anyway.. As for frying them, the height of the tank is 18" or so, so the food would be far away from the light on the "floor." As for amount, I only put in a few crix and then put them back in their home if the chams don't eat them, you're right, they have to be exposed for the chams to see them. And then there are the fruit flies...who don't seem to want to stay in a feeding bowl! LOL! (kidding)

lele

>>Lele,
>>I think a spot by their basking site would work out well. They will notice the food on their way to the site and the food will be conveniently located once they are warmed up and ready for action. Watch out for getting it too close, though, as you don't want to fry your food items! As you want the food to be visible you can't put a whole lot in the dish to shade the food critters from the heat lamp.
>>Bill

I thought that since pygmies lived on the forest floor that they didn't bask becuase sun didn't reach donw there.the temps would not have a huge difference from once spot to another.
Most caresheets i've read say to just have a uvb tube over the top and keep the temps in the low 80s.

anyways a 30 gall seems big for a 1 inch reptile. that will be lots of space for them to cover to get anywhere.....so put the feeding bowl in the middle. Make sure they have plenty of little trees that they can climb up into at night to sleep and have spagum moss on the floor to help with humidity. potho vines are a fav to climb in.

you try a creeping fig....its part of the ficus tree group and seems to like to grow up stuff but it makes like a carpet of tiny green leafs...my big jackson loves to sleep on them for some reason

>>I thought that since pygmies lived on the forest floor that they didn't bask becuase sun didn't reach donw there.the temps would not have a huge difference from once spot to another.

You're right to some degree. Sun does get down there but it is dappled as opposed to large expanses. I find that they bask for a while then move on. My girls seem to bask more than my little guy.

>>Most caresheets i've read say to just have a uvb tube over the top and keep the temps in the low 80s.

It depends where you read. According to AdCham (and I quote):
Lighting: Only a single cool, white fluorescent bulb is required over the length of the tank. Basking and UVB bulbs seem not to be necessary.

But according to Liddy Kammer (breeder) they need some just not as much. I have them in the room with my grow lights so its available if their system needs it - I don't think it will do any harm.

>>anyways a 30 gall seems big for a 1 inch reptile. that will be lots of space for them to cover to get anywhere.....so put the feeding bowl in the middle.

They are currently in a 10 gal. and this will be too small once they get bigger so I have opted to move them now. I think one of my girls is gravid so I don't want to disrupt the eggs once they are laid. If she is not - she will be in time

Make sure they have plenty of little trees that they can climb up into at night to sleep and have spagum moss on the floor to help with humidity. potho vines are a fav to climb in.

Oh - they have plenty of places to roam, hide, bask, whatever their itsy bitsy heart desire. I do garden design so I get pretty creative with these mini "worlds"

>>you try a creeping fig....its part of the ficus tree group and seems to like to grow up stuff but it makes like a carpet of tiny green leafs...my big jackson loves to sleep on them for some reason

All of mine cling onto a stem when they sleep - it's very sweet

Thanks for your input!

lele

I have a good friend who is a florist and I get really neat stuff from him but be careful. Florists love to spray this stuff (I think he called it Green glo or something like that) all over the leaves and stems they use because it makes them look very shiny. It is very toxic and also hard to wash off because it is waxy to the touch. Sometimes houseplants are sprayed with it also so those have to be washed well also.
Also my leaf chams only basked rarely but I provided a site any way and I would not put the bowl too close to the basking site because the glass heats up and will cook your bugs. I would put it where it is visible from the site.
I had my three in a 55 gallon because that is what I had and they had no trouble finding food in there. They don't seem to act like baby chams just because they are small. They had better balance and were actually pretty active and roamed all around in that tank. Hope I helped

Sonia,

Thanks. I told the guy what I was using it for and asked him if they were treated in any way. he said no and I believe HE has not treated them but who knows before he gets them, right? They are not shiny nor meant to be, but just to be safe I got some nolvasan from my vet so I will soak all before placing.

You are right about basking. One of my girls almost never basks, the other does a lot, but stays low and my guy hardly basks at all but he is always at the top of the cage (you know, being the guy and all

Thanks,
lele

>>I have a good friend who is a florist and I get really neat stuff from him but be careful. Florists love to spray this stuff (I think he called it Green glo or something like that) all over the leaves and stems they use because it makes them look very shiny. It is very toxic and also hard to wash off because it is waxy to the touch. Sometimes houseplants are sprayed with it also so those have to be washed well also.
>>Also my leaf chams only basked rarely but I provided a site any way and I would not put the bowl too close to the basking site because the glass heats up and will cook your bugs. I would put it where it is visible from the site.
>>I had my three in a 55 gallon because that is what I had and they had no trouble finding food in there. They don't seem to act like baby chams just because they are small. They had better balance and were actually pretty active and roamed all around in that tank. Hope I helped

sometimes disenfectants do not remove waxy or oily residues.
Also I have been wondering how do you add those cute smiley faces to your messages.

Smiley faces: When you are in posting mode look to your lower right and there is a link to (Tools and Toys)...this will expalin the ones available as well as how to emphasize certain words/sentences in bold, italics, etc.

have fun!

>>sometimes disenfectants do not remove waxy or oily residues.
>>Also I have been wondering how do you add those cute smiley faces to your messages.

Wow I'm like a kid with a new toy!
Although kind of embarrased I didn't figure it out before!

It was right under my nose!

>>Wow I'm like a kid with a new toy!
>>Although kind of embarrased I didn't figure it out before!
>>
>> It was right under my nose!
>>
Link

np

Sonia,
I just checked that post I don't know where I was trying to send you! LOL! I thought I just wrote something. Anyway, just ignore it - like you have any other choice!

lele