Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm considering buying a Jackson's in a couple months, and am brainstorming right now about cage design. I assume that screen is the best material.. but I don't understand how. How can screen keep in the heat and especially, the humidity? I'll be using a wood/? top and bottom (to house the lighting and rain system), and the bottom will contain a removable tray... Will this be enough to sustain a sufficiently humid environment?

Also, if anyone has any experience in building screen-based enclosures - could you offer any advice?

By the way... I'm not really wanting to have an immense cage, maybe 30" x 24" x 20". Is this okay for a jackson's... if not than I guess chameleon ownership will have to wait.
-----
Da Da Dee Da Da Da Doo Do, Goulet.

I know a lot of people use it, but I would stay away from screen, and use 1/2" PVC coated wire instead. Screen pulls out Chameleon toenails, and they don't grow back. This can lead to nasty infections in the feet, too.

This place makes excellent cages, to your specs if you prefer:

http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/reptile/

I highly recommend them. Great cages and great service.

I have my male Jackson's in one and have had no problems at all,
other than he likes to climb the bars a lot. But they do that on sreen too.

Thanks... but wouldn't bugs be able to escape from that, a 1/2 inch seems like alot of space.
-----
Da Da Dee Da Da Da Doo Do, Goulet.

Yes, they would. You need to cup-feed if you use the 1/2" wire.

In other words, get a deli cup or other opaque container that the bugs can't jump out of and attach it to the side of the cage or to the tree. The Cham will get the insects out of the cup. This is good because you'll know exactly how much he's eating, and the insects won't die and rot when you can't find them.
The only drawback is that cup-feeding limits natural hunting behavior.

yes, bugs do escape from cages like that, that is why some people choose not to use them, any cage u build or buy will have its pros and cons. u just have to see which one works for u. i use a fiberglass/vynle screen enclosure and i have not had any problems so far with torn nails. but if u chose to let ur chameleon hunt for food in the cage rather then to dish feed, the crickets that arnt eaten by the chameleon will chew though the screen and get out. like i said, pros and cons.
-----
1.0. Vield Chameleon(Jessy James)
1.1.3 Sugar gliders(Bonnie & Clyde)
2.0 Ferrets(Butch & Sundance)
1.1.3 Parakeets(Prettyboy,Sassy)
1.0 Doberman (Aries)
1.1 Cats(Riley, Zoe)

I was under the impression that crickets could only chew through certain types of screen...Reptariums being one of them.

This is what I've heard and read all along...someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, if you live in a place where you might house your chameleon outdoors, just about any bug can get in there with your cham. I feel safer using the screen. What I want to stay in stays in and what I want to stay out can't get it.

Kristen
-----
1.2 pygmy leaf (r. brev)
1.1 carpet chameleon (f. lateralis)
0.0.3 red eared sliders

crickets can chew though anything that they want to, fiberglass, and vynle screen. i have made a few feeder cups with screen on the bottom so the water will go though and not drown the crickets when the misting goes off but instead of drowning crickets i have crickets that chew though the bottom and escape and then the chameleon ends up hunting his food anyways.
-----
1.0. Vield Chameleon(Jessy James)
1.1.3 Sugar gliders(Bonnie & Clyde)
2.0 Ferrets(Butch & Sundance)
1.1.3 Parakeets(Prettyboy,Sassy)
1.0 Doberman (Aries)
1.1 Cats(Riley, Zoe)

Personally I think that cage will be too small for a jax. One of many advantages to larger cages is that it is much easier to provide the needed range of temps, humidity, and ability to hide and travel around OFF the screen that they require. If you use wood for the top you will have to mount lights inside the cage...chams will burn themselves if they get too close to the basking spot and having a light inside limits your ability to adjust the distance. It also might be a fire hazard to overheat the wood above it. As for keeping a screen cage humid, you do it with lots of large live bushy plants, an ultrasonic humidifier that cycles on a timer, lots of misting, and if necessary hanging plastic sheeting on the back or sides of the cage itself.

Carlton is absolutely correct. A wood top is a no-no. You need the top open to have external basking & UVB lights. She's also right about the humidity. Frequent mist & lots of plants are required. And the ideal sized cage for a jax is 48 x 24 x 24. Minimum size would be 36 x 18 x 18.
Ed

Thanks for the info.

Regarding the wood top, I've worked with a system like this before. The UV light and basking light get housed within an extended top, the basking light is "protected" by a screen, and I've hooked up an adjustable system for it as well. I didn't mean just a wood top directly over the cage. I should have been more specific. The basking light also has a vent surrounding it to allow for displacement of heat.

Does anyone have any problems with those feeding dishes for the insects. I imagine it would have to be pretty high to prevent crickets from jumping out - and I really don't want to have to deal with removing their legs.
-----
Da Da Dee Da Da Da Doo Do, Goulet.

Here's the plans for the cage... feel free to tear them apart - I'm new to this.

if the image did not work, check here
http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/users/405ca970_11c53/bc/6db3/__sr_/dafa.jpg?phA5KXABouKpXsOl

The parts that I'm concerned about are the feasability of including a pond and a waterfall... so many complications. Also, is a water collection basin absolutely needed? I'm not really sure about the specifics of how I'll go about doing this. One more thing, the rain system will probably be tricky as well. I'm currently trying to think of a good system, most like I'll make a compartment at the bottom somewhere to store the water with an access panel at the outside - I'll just cover it up with dirt to make it look like a hill or whatever. No worries.

-----
Da Da Dee Da Da Da Doo Do, Goulet.

For a good drainage/drip set up see
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/epollak/meshdrip1.htm

Ponds and waterfalls are very bad. They do nothing but breed bacteria. And experienmced keepers NEVER have dirt or any other particulate substrate in the cages because of bacterial growth and ingestion hazards. I also worry a great deal that you solid to will keep in too much heat and not permit a proper temp gradient. I've seen way more chams die from over heating rather than underheating. See the members' setups section at www.adcvham.com for lots of caging ideas.
Ed