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Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches?
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This is the enclosure that you’re going to want. If you’re looking to save money, you can DIY this pretty easily. The correct light will also probably cost you $50-$80 (USD). Plus any medications that you’ll need since the cham most likely has mbd. I’ll leave it to the mod to give you more specifics since they’ll have better info than me.
Good luck, I hope he can pull through
I can't see the animal clearly but I suspect it's not healthy. I would be leery.
Edit: Oh and those lights aren't the best for the cham's health. The tube bulbs are honestly the way to go. The cage looks to be a proper size for a veiled, they only really use the top 1/3 of the cage.
As to the value of the offer. Reptibreeze cage 24" x 24" x 48" is only $95 USD on Amazon. Proper lighting is about $30-40 from a hardware store and the T8 5.0 UVB bulbs are about $20.
I just had one and it's pretty convenient to work around on a rolling stand. Any 4x2x2 box could work. I see a screen cage on Amazon for $112, that could be paneled with the 10"x12" mylar mirror panels I'm using now, it's lighter and probably strong enough to hold the lights. Might have to put a wood panel on the back for support...
The large zoomed screen cages are good for a baby iguana but you'll have to work a little extra hard to hold the humidity and temperature. I had my iguana in this before I moved him to a custom built enclosure and he did great.
> I can't take away alor of the stuff and change the bulb but I've heard from many other people that the enclosure itself is okay.
Can't, or did you mean can?
> If anything I've heard many bad things about the repzilla enclosure you have that's why I didn't buy that one.
A 24 x 24 x 48 screened enclosure is best, and I don't know why anyone would tell you that cage is bad. There are so many uneducated chameleon keepers out there who just started and they're getting the same bad misinformation and it keeps spreading like Covid. No vaccine, no remedy and it just keeps going on, literally killing one chameleon at a time.
Husbandry is the one thing any chameleon keeper needs to get nailed and dialed in so success can occur and you can have a chameleon that lives, and stays alive, for the next 5-7 years that you have him.
Short story, I joined this sub about 6 years ago, and I was the epitome "poster child" of all you could do wrong. Substrate? You've got that going on, that's an impaction issue, which can kill her, also, harbor bacteria and with all the misting you're doing, that's an RI waiting to happen. Glass? Just adds to the bacteria, plus overheating. Lighting? I damn near blinded one chameleon because I got the wrong UVB bulb.
So, what I'm trying point out here is that the set up/husbandry needs some changes and I'm going to tag others that I'm pretty positive are going to chime in and say the same.
/u/MERC399 /u/remotelove /u/MyPlantsEatPeople /u/flip69 (he's already shared, but he'll back me here) /u/aussie_mallorca /u/garythecoconut <---- that guy there, he nailed me on everything and I'm glad he did, I was doing everything wrong! ;)
Very helpful to know thank you! I read (I totally forgot where) that if you get a bigger enclosure a chameleon will use the space. I found this while looking for screen enclosures online. Its a 24 inch deep, 24 inch long, and 48 inch tall. Would that be too much space (if thats a thing) for a 3-4 month panther? If it’s possible I would like to purchase an enclosure that will work throughout their life so I don’t have to buy multiple, but if it’s recommended I start out with a smaller enclosed I could definitely do that instead.
For the love Pete. 1. She shouldn’t be in a box. She needs to be a screened enclosure, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiBreeze-Screen-48-Inches/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=reptibreeze&qid=1564186636&s=gateway&sr=8-2 2. If you’re actually giving her supplements like you say you are - you’re over dosing her on D3. You should have 2 kinds of calcium to dust with. One with D3 and one without. The one WITHOUT you should dust lightly with when you feed her every other day (if she’s an adult, which it looks like she is). You could probably do every other feeding. The one WITH D3 you should dust lightly with maybe twice a month, so bi weekly. 3. If you can’t at least making these changes and make them quickly, along with a visit to an exotic vet, give her to someone who can.
Okay so I have a few things that you’re going to want to consider changing
first of all, all glass enclosures are never recommended unless you’re in a SUPER dry climate and humidity is a huge concern, or a very cold place. It creates a very hot environment with very little ventilation, which chameleons need. Screen enclosures such as Zoo Med Reptibreeze Open Air Screen Cage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_78IxFbMWKNKNX this one are perfect for the little guys. I’m not sure how big yours is, but the recommended size is 2ft x 2ft x 4ft.
You don’t need to be misting every hour, especially since it’s an all glass enclosure. One thing that you absolutely need to get is a dripper system for him to drink out of. Chameleons usually don’t recognize standing water. I use something called the Little Dripper, it’s pretty cheap and a great addition.
As for substrate, get rid of all the moss and stuff asap. With the amount you are misting it’s gonna become a breeding ground for bacteria, and your feeders will hide in it. The best thing to use is just paper towels honestly. Easy to remove and not as messy.
Live plants would also be something to look into, although you need to research when picking them out. Some are toxic to chameleons. I personally have a couple money trees and a snake plant in my chams habitat. He likes to munch on the leaves of the money trees and it’s a great place for hiding and exploring!
Also, remember that his basking area should be 6inches away from the heat bulb so he won’t get burned. Veiled Chameleons especially will want to be as warm as they can (they love heat) so that is something to watch out for.
A lot of people have problems with heating and UVB lighting as well. Can you tell me what you are using for heating and UVB? There might be some things you need to change.
I’m not trying to judge or be mean or anything! I just have done a lot of research and I’m trying my best to help! :)
Edit: I just realized you already said what lighting you are using. The compact UVB bulbs don’t put out enough light, so what you’re going to want to get is a Zoomed reptisun 5.0 linear bulb. This is so that adequate uvb lighting can get through the mesh on the top. For heating, the best thing to use is just a regular 60w incandescent bulb. Make sure it is frosted, not one of the clear ones!
No problem!! Here’s a link to the cage:) Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KNB8RFF4822HKP5CJ3XW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_l7qiFbTWZFXD5
They go kinda quick. Really good deal though. Same size as this. 48" tall
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
or, an alt seller (but they take a while to ship tbh)
https://www.reptilesupplyco.com/wholesale-reptile-screen-cages/403-reptibreeze-xl-zoo-med.html
Sure 😁 https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiBreeze-Screen-48-Inches/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3UUJ5DW1Q4AYB&keywords=zoomed+reptibreeze+xl&qid=1661871524&sprefix=zoomed+reptibreeze+xl%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-3 this is a xl the kit you purchased has a large(18*18*36).
Here is a great deal but it has a 12% which will need to be adjusted accordingly (11-12 inches going thru screen to basking). For the price i would get it then just buy a 6% when the bulb needs to be replaced (yearly).
I would also advice at the minimum a automatic mister. Mistking is a great company and will pop right up. If your trying to save some money there are cheaper alternatives that get the job done..ish.
All branching you can get outside Hardwoods only. No woods that have scent like pine.
Live plants. Home depot has some great deals on tropicals right now.
Any questions just ask!
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra L… | - | - | 4.1/5.0 |
^Item&nbsp;Info | Bot&nbsp;Info | Trigger
This is the one I got back in july. The cost has gone up, to $109, I was lucky and snagged it for $85.
24"x24"x48"
Wow, the price went way up. I got mine from Amazon July 1 for $85. Now it's listed as $109.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiBreeze-Screen-48-Inches/dp/B001PHABI8
Why not the screened cage that is meant for them? Feeders can escape from there and as well, those little bars can give them sores on their feet from too much pressure from grabbing them. No, not a good idea, not meant for chameleons and you can get a screened cage for less that that.
Another link...
https://reptilerapture.net/zoo-med-reptibreeze--xlarge--24-x-24-x-48.html
Wrong enclosure...
Amazon sells reptibreeze. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_2FcaBbD2VJHJ2
flip69 feels that it might be from him rubbing against something to get up closer to the heat source. I'm kind of at a loss. One of my chams had the top of his casque get burned when I had his perch too close to the heat source. I got him when he was 3 months old and as he grew, his casque got closer and it got burned. :(
Can you get a picture of it? I would like to get a look at it, but I've never seen one damaged that badly. :(
Poor, Fernando... Good on you for saving him, and I'm with flip69 as well, while the enclosure is tall, the screening is too large and feeders can get out of that, mesh is best, they do need airflow, and having more room would definitely be better for him. Often you can find used enclosures like this that people might be selling on Craigslist.
FLchams.com sells them too, just DO NOT GET THE KIT!!!!, those enclosures are what's best for them. You might be able to find one less expensive on Amazon.
Since this is your first chameleon, I 100% recommend a male veiled. They aren't quite as friendly as other species can be but they're very hardy and can weather the mistakes all first timers (including us mods) have made.
For the habitat- a screened 24in x 24in x 48in is the minimum I recommend for an indoor adult chameleon. (Link
For lights, youre going to need two separate fixtures. One will be for a heat source which should be your regular light bulb type thing and the other is a (for USA) 24in linear hood using a zoomed 5.0 UVB bulb. The heat bulb we commonly use is a 60w white frosted incandecent household light bulb (for most inside habs, this is plenty) you can hardly find them in the hardware stores unless you're lucky so I shop here for the heat bulb and here for the 5.0 Bulb
For feeders, the best two are crickets or dubia roaches based both on common availability and nutritional worth. These youre going to want to gutload (i use sweet potato) for about a week before feeding them to your chameleon to ensure the crickets are no longer hosting parasites. Be prepared, feeder maintenance is almost more involved than the actual chameleon is.
For watering, I wholly recommend u/flip69 s glass cup method. Essentially you're going to want to place a tall CLEAR glass of water about midway up the hab and make it accessible via vines. This gives the cham a water source it can use to its hearts content.
(Side note for the glass: it NEEDS to be clear for them to recognize it. Chameleons are tetrachomats which means they have an additional cone in their eye allowing them.to see much more colors and even the UV spectrum making things like water look different to them. For comparison, we humans are only trichromats)
You're going to need live plants for your baby. I recommend most of the plants in this list except for the ficus. Ive found thay ficus sap poses a health risk to the chams eyes if it gets in. Its a rare problem but better safe than sorry.
You have a veiled so I'd highly recommend keeping a hibiscus in there, they love those things.
Outside of the basic husbandry, youre going to want to handle them regularly. They won't like it for a while but the more you handle them, the more they get used to it which is what we want because you are going to have to have them comfortable with handling so you can confidently manipulate them for inspections or medical issues.
Their as in plural? They need airflow and taller enclosure.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiBreeze-Screen-48-Inches/dp/B001PHABI8
It's a Zoomed Reptibreeze Open Air Screen Cage. Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_jg3SEbQDHW99W
Im not entirely sure but i believe it was dehydration. My mother thinks its her fault because she hasn't been spraying down her cage while im at school. As for what I use-
I just changed her heat bulb to a 75 watt reptile heat one
Humidity has been hard for the past few days, but i manage to get it past 60 atleast, and when im home i make sure to spray her enclosure down a lot.
As for the cage, its the X-large reptile screen cage from zoomed, https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiBreeze-Screen-48-Inches/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541196742&sr=8-1&keywords=extra+large+reptile+screen+cage
She eats both dubias and crickets, she refuses to eat vegetables or fruit that i try to give her.
Her food is dusted with Repti-calcium WITH D3 from zoomed.
I currently cannot take her to a vet since its 6 pm for me right now, my mother and I don't believe she'll make it until tomorrow. Ill see if i can get to an emergency one. She's also slightly moving around more and more and has opened her right eye a few times.
Will post pics soon.
The pricing is dependant on the size you choose.
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