Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well I finished 7 out of 8 of my new cages. I was one piece of wood short for the door on the 8th cage, it pissed me off. Any way I have the cages in place, and getting them all ready for my panthers. I need to get more plants. I was going to use Plothos hanging from the top of the cages in the female cages with one tree (ficus or Umbrella), this way I can remove the tree put a tub in the bottom for egglaying, they can crawl down the vines to the dirt dig a hole lay eggs, and crawl right out. I take the tub out and put the tree back in. The males will be a mix of ficus, umbrella, and hibiscus. I was going to use plastic covers for fluorescent lights to make visual barriers but they will not allow for air flow in all direction. So I am going to use white terry cloth towels, this will allow air to pass through, provide a visual barrier and I can wet them to hold/keep up humidity. In all I think they will work better and are easily and cheaply replaced. Here is a pic of one of the cages:

it is currently housing my male Sambava (can you find him?) the pic is not that good, I will be taking better pics soon.

Now I have 8 of the cages and they sit on a stand/frame. The frame is about 24" high. I used white lattice around the front to make it look nice, and help hold the cages from moving. I used PVC to make a frame over the top of the cage to attach some shade cloth. This part it still under construction, I am trying to find out what parts need shade and what parts don't, before I make any thing permanent. I think I have it shaded so that in the morning it gets sun in the back of the cages, then as the day goes buy and the sun gets more intense and moves towards the front of the cages there is a shaded spot in all the cages and a sunny spot. So I am going to make the shade cloth look better, and will update the picture:

Let me know what you think. Enjoy!
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John @ Chameleon Paradise
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers
1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis

>>Well I finished 7 out of 8 of my new cages. I was one piece of wood short for the door on the 8th cage, it pissed me off. Any way I have the cages in place, and getting them all ready for my panthers. I need to get more plants. I was going to use Plothos hanging from the top of the cages in the female cages with one tree (ficus or Umbrella), this way I can remove the tree put a tub in the bottom for egglaying, they can crawl down the vines to the dirt dig a hole lay eggs, and crawl right out. I take the tub out and put the tree back in. The males will be a mix of ficus, umbrella, and hibiscus. I was going to use plastic covers for fluorescent lights to make visual barriers but they will not allow for air flow in all direction. So I am going to use white terry cloth towels, this will allow air to pass through, provide a visual barrier and I can wet them to hold/keep up humidity. In all I think they will work better and are easily and cheaply replaced. Here is a pic of one of the cages:
>>
>>it is currently housing my male Sambava (can you find him?) the pic is not that good, I will be taking better pics soon.
>>
>>Now I have 8 of the cages and they sit on a stand/frame. The frame is about 24" high. I used white lattice around the front to make it look nice, and help hold the cages from moving. I used PVC to make a frame over the top of the cage to attach some shade cloth. This part it still under construction, I am trying to find out what parts need shade and what parts don't, before I make any thing permanent. I think I have it shaded so that in the morning it gets sun in the back of the cages, then as the day goes buy and the sun gets more intense and moves towards the front of the cages there is a shaded spot in all the cages and a sunny spot. So I am going to make the shade cloth look better, and will update the picture:
>>
>>
>>Let me know what you think. Enjoy!
>>-----
>>John @ Chameleon Paradise
>>1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
>>1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
>>1.1 Sambava Panthers
>>1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis
>>
>>
>>

Those look like pretty nice cages! The cloth for visual barrier idea is one that I have used (although I used shade cloth) to great success as I had a nozzle from the automatic misting system spray the cloth down and it provided a "swamp cooler" effect for the cages during very hot weather.

One thing I like to do is select plants for their foliage and drinking use and select branches for their suitability as climbing surfaces. It is hard to find a plant that produces good chameleon perches and still fits in a cage! If you don't worry so much about finding a plant that gives you both privacy and drinking leaves as well as good solid perching limbs/vines then much mental anguish is avoided! I throw this in just as a thought. You didn't mention anything about perching branches so you may have already solved this problem! Once again, nice job on the cages!
Just babbling,
Bill

Bill-

I was not sure if the shade cloth would provide enough visual barrier, so that is why I used the terry cloth. Do you think the black shade cloth blocks enough of there sight so they cant see each other? I also have an automatic misting system, and thought the cloth would work better all around for humidity/cooling/air flow. The pump for my Rainmaker Jr. can only run for max 5 min. so I will be upgrading.

I am also going to be using bio vines in the cages, they are in there indoor cages and they love them. I was looking for a place to buy them in bulk or a roll. I also thought about using rope and putting wire through the rope to make something similar to the bio vines. Either way there will be vine/rope/branches cris-crossing over the top of the cages down, just like the indoor cages.

I know what you mean about the plants. I like the variegated plants (white/green leafed) and tend to by them when available. The first thing I do when I go to home depot is check out the plants. I picked up a bunch a few days ago, but you can never have to many!LOL
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John @ Chameleon Paradise
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers
1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis

John,
The shade cloth I use is not the black kind (too dark for my liking). I use this green/white mesh. In my experience, the chameleons don't need total blackout of vision to avoid stress. Just a "mostly" opaque worked for me.
Definitely upgrade that pump system. In fact, now you graduate to the ability to hook your system directly up to the hose bib and put on a timer. No more pumping every morning! The gardening section has an amazing variety of misters and drippers...
Outdoors caging is wonderful!
Bill

Good morning John,
Home depo has--Arizona Mist,Redi mist portable cooling system.It's perfect and has all conecters for hose bib.includes four stations,less than $8.00!!!expandable to 18 stations.

San Diego store has them in plumbing,timers start at $20.00(use your best judgement for your own requirements)

Hope this helps

STNMAN--HD tech

STNMAN--HD tech-

Yes thanks, I already have one of those systems, they work great and are cheap. My only concern is the tap water. They have been getting RO/DI water in the misting system indoors, and not sure if I want to use tap or not. I have in mind making a fully automated misting system where the reservoir refills its self automatically. I have everything to do it with, just would need to upgrade my pump so I could run the mister for 15 min. at a time.
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John @ Chameleon Paradise
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers
1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis

I understand your concern! Does anyone make an acceptable inline filter?This should be easy to do,I would think.Any one, jump in here with anser!!!

STNMAN--HD tech

Bill-

I have some of the black shade cloth leftover, and will try it out. If it works then I can buy some of the green stuff. The only thing that concerns me is the tap water not being filtered. I have been using RO/DI for all there water indoors (I have my own filter), what is your opinion on tap water? Also what are the okay temps for them being outside 24/7. The nights are 55F-61F right now average is 58-60F. What do you think is a safe temp for panthers? I have a wireless digital thermometer/humidity gauge that I get my reading from.

Thanks
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John @ Chameleon Paradise
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers
1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis

John,
Temperatures: 55-61 is kind of low for pardalis. They can survive it, but it is not ideal. How high does it get during the day? I am not sure where you live, but I have been doing this in Southern California where the nights can be cold and the days hot. During these times you have to guage which would be more stressful - the move indoors or a cool night. The daytime high usually was what tipped the scales. Plastic sheeting or some wind break helps a lot to get them through a cool night.
Water: I have used tap water exclusively and I have noted no problems. We have very hard water so I get annoying calcium buildup on leaves and such, but I have seen no problems in longevity or subsequent hatch rates or baby health.
Bill

I have been looking into getting one for my herps and fish tanks. What kind do you recommend and where is a good place to get one. Do you have a storage tank for the water?

Hi- I use a Kent RO/DI system. I have a 5 gal bucket that holds water for my automatic mister. If I use it outside, I will have a 33 gal trash can with a float switch and solenoid valve (all leftover from my reef tank, and bought wholesale when I managed a fish shop). The lowest price last time I checked was www.championlighting.com and www.customaquatic.com

Hope this helps!
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John @ Chameleon Paradise
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers
1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis

Is it safe to use the water straight from the hose for misting. When I suggested misting a dehydrated cham with a hose and a mister or in the shower everyone had a cow. Do you live where the water is not chlorinated? I had a breeder tell me once that he uses plain hose water for all his cages (all are outdoors)
I sure wish I had a back yard instead of a concrete slab outside.

Anson,
I am not sure the context in which cows would have been had over using a shower or tap water to rehydrate a chameleon so I won't comment on that. My personal experience has been that tap water works just fine with chameleons. I haven't checked the composition of my water. I have raised multiple generations on the water so I have nothing to complain about...
Given the choice I would opt for RO water because my logic would say that is best, but since I have no long term experience with using it I can only say I think it would be best.
Bill

I too have used tap water with no ill effects but may invest in an RO system since I do have fish tanks also.