Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i inherited a really nice,large enclosure from a friend who was using it to breed chondro pythons.anyway,its make of glass and is a naturalistic vivarium type.it has a screened top but the walls are made of glass.it has a misting system,waterfall and a false bottom so the tank does not get waterlogged or too humid.the back wall is also planted and really nice.anyway,it is very large and has a removable divider that splits the tank in two ,so pairs can be seperated and easily introduced for breeding.i am looking into purchasing a pair of veilds to use this enclosure but am concerned because chameleons are not supposed to be housed in tanks,but instead,housed in screened enclosures so there is more air flow.the only thing that makes me think that this enclosure may be ok is the fact that it is not entirely glass.on both the right and left side,there are screened vents cut into the glass and computer fans used to create ventilation,as well as a fully screened roof.so based on these facts,do you guys think it can be used?with the fans a little breeze is actually created and i think airflow is actually as good if not better than a screen cage.

like i said the divider is glass,but clear glass.when pairs are sperated,should they also be visually seperated as well? like, should i tint or paint the glass?i hate to do it unless i have to because the enclosure is so amazing looking i hate to mess with it.it is very large,like 5 feet x 6 feet tall,and its even very deep(not sure how much)is the divider even needed? in an enclsure this size,with plenty of cover and hiding spots,cant i just house the pair together?

Hi, i've kept a small veiled chameleon in an all glass tank before he was just a baby though. the air flow should not be a problem at all. just make sure you keep the cage clean so mold does not grow. when my baby veiled was in the glass tank he almost never pawed at the sides and the reflection did not seem to stress him out.
I believe that different individuals will react differently to their reflections and also react different to seeing another chameleon through the divider.
if it was me i would start with leaving the divider clear and ]make sure there are plants blocking the veiw through the divider. Then if they seem to be threatened by each other i would try covering the divider with some construction paper or something. you'll just have to see what works for your individuals, but i'm certain you could make it work.
P.S sounds like a great cage!

The airflow you described could work, and I know that many cham keepers in Europe use solid sided enclosures. The bigger problem will be stress from seeing reflections of themselves in the glass, and from pawing at it trying to walk through it. Chams just don't understand why they can't get through it. They can't see the glass as a barrier, but it does produce images of "intruders" most of the time. The more they show their stress the more the reflection will, which just elevates the stress level. If you do decide to use it you need to watch them very carefully for stress and displaying. Yes, you will need to paint or block the view from 1 half to the other...no options there. You will also need to monitor the humidity carefully...it can get TOO humid for a veiled.