recommendations for Ambilobe set-up

[MLechner]

Hi all,

After keeping various snakes for many years I'm purchasing my first Cham this weekend he is a very young 3 wk old Ambilobe.

I'd really appreciate recommendations on the proper setup for this guy. I'm unsure as to which is better a screen cage (I'm leaning toward a Reptarium) or a 10 gal tank until he becomes larger and less delicate.

Also what sort of lighting/heating is the preferred current choice? I'd like to stick to incandescent if possible since I have bowl dome reflectors from when I was using ceramic heat emitters.

Feeding and watering recommendations would also be appreciated. All the information I'm finding on the net seems geared toward older chams, and/or veileds.

BTW I did ask the breeder for his recommendations but I know everyone has different methods...I'd appreciate hearing as many as possible so that I can incorporate what I think will work best in my home.

Thank you in advance!!!

Meryl

[Beeker]

i use an all screen cage because i read somewhere on the net that the chameleons can see the screen and it allows them to see that they have a boundry of their territory. With a glass tank they can see their reflection in the glass thus making them think there is another cham in their territory and it stresses them out. I use a 5.0 reptisun UVB florescent bulb which is needed to help the cham break down the calcium it ingest and a 150 watt day bulb and a 75watt night bulb you can use dome lights just make sure that the temperature in the cage stays between 85-90 degrees near the light im not sure on wattage that would be for a spot since i use a ESU combo light setup. Remember though the cage is screen and will be kindof hard to hold heat thats why i have a 150watt day bulb to keep it close to 90 and there should be a 10 degree temperature drop at night is what i was told. my cage is about 18 wide 30 tall and 18 deep. You have to have a moving water supply because chameleons won't drink standing water, you could get a fountain for this or a cheap dripper for this as well. Make sure you use live plants because they can tell the difference between live and fake just make sure whatever plant you get is not harmful to the chameleon I use Ficus trees i like them the best.

hmm i think iv'e said all i can think of if you have any more questions pm me and i will try to answer them the best i can.

kyle

[jusmebabee]

I would keep the baby in a 10 gallon tank at that age Holds heat better and food is concentrated over a smaller area.
At that size a tank is fine. I use paper towel n the bottom and it helps as you can see that he is deficating regularly and it's easy to clean up the tank.

Live or fake plant doesn't matter they don't care lol. Just mist them 2-3x a day or the glass and they will drink from that.
I wouldn't use the fountains as the are a breeding ground for bacteria.

I would also watch the temps, keep lower than 90f as he can dehydrate quickly at high temps. Keep a cooler on one end and approx. 80f on the warm end. Don't use a 150 watt bulb on a small enclosure as you will bake him. 65-75 watts is plenty (personal opinion).

Feed pinhead crix or silkworms, roaches, or what ever insects you have as long as they are small enough for him. I would feed 2-3x a day. If you watch how many he eats per feeding you can get an idea how many to toss in each time.
You can use miner-all indoor or rep-cal to dust but not daily. Opinions very greatly so you can ask around what others reccomend on how often to dust.
Good luck with the little guy. Your going to get the bug and own many lol.
Joel

[Dave W.]

Howdy Meryl,
(Writing this a 2nd time. The site's server move blew-out my last attempted post!)

Kyle (and now Joel, while I wrote this one again!) did a nice job pointing you in the right direction. I'll add a few things (and now repeats of Joel's post). As I read your post, I wish that he was 3 months old and not 3 weeks old. But you've got him and I'm sure that you'll put in the effort to help him thrive. Kyle is right that panthers as well as most other chams benefit from a screen cage's ventilation and reflection-less surface. Many keepers do acknowledge that very young panthers can be kept in a 10 gal aquarium during their first month to aid in humidity/temp balancing. The drawback is the possibility of upper respiratory infections being easier to get. I'd be comfortable with a small screen cage (16x16x24) provided that you keep an eye on humidity and temps. A cham as small as yours needs a small cage to keep prey within tongue-shooting range. You'll probably be feeding him pinhead crickets, fruit flies, silkworms and any feeder insect that is of the appropriate size (very small!) He'll need a nice full ficus that you'll probably need to carefully wash and re-plant in chemical (pesticide) free potting soil. ( A lot of baby chams have died from accidental expose to pesticides on new plants.) A 60watt std incandescent lamp will allow a temp gradient of 86F at his basking perch and 70F down towards the shady lowest perching areas near the bottom of the cage. Kyle was right-on with the Reptisun 5.0 fluorescent tube. It will provide enough UVB (5-20uW/cm2) at 5-12" from his basking perch to properly metabolize calcium (with vit D3). Lightly dust with the calcium product and a multivitamin every day or two and less when he's many months older. Over-doing it is just as bad as under-doing it. Most people would suggest avoiding a "closed" watering system. Fountains and waterfalls would appear to be a good idea except that they are breeding grounds for bacteria and bugs will always end up in the water too. Use a 1pt-1qt dripper cup. either make your own or buy one of those $5 ones. Mist the ficus 1-2-3 times a day if you are around enough. I really like my RL Flowmaster Home and Garden Sprayer Model 1998 that you'll find at places like Home Depot etc. It holds 2.5 pints and you pump it up and trigger release anything from a very fine mist to a sharp stream. They're about $10. You don't need it, but I built a fully automated, preheated misting system. Chams are stimulated to drink by the dripping sensation. It may take many minutes of misting/dripping to trigger them to lick-up drips on the leaves. BE CAREFUL! Small chams, like yours, could potentially drown if they get their face stuck in a big enough "drip" of water - it happens to the smallest. Oh, night time temps should have a 10F drop. It's good for them. If your house doesn't get below 65F, then you probably won't need a night heat source. If you do need night heat, then either a ceramic or "night light" could do the trick. BUY BOOKS. A great intro book is: Chameleons - Their Care and Breeding" by Linda Davison. You can even buy it directly from her! She'll autograph it too!

I see that you are in Florida. If your humidity runs more like 60%-70%, all the better. I better stop or I'll probably overload something!

Good Luck, Dave Weldon (Nosy Be' Panther)

[Cham keeper]

Ok. These are some awesome instructions on how to make a small baby chameleon cage. Go here - http://www.screameleons.com/portal/alias__Screameleons/lang__en-US/tabID__3467/DesktopDefault.aspx This is a good setup for your baby but you have to do it just right.


CK