My Veileds setup

[jim9298]

1st post here, some of you probably already seen these on the other sites.
Just got into this cham thing in March. I built these myself.

Japanese Maple and Congo Vine. Still got more plants/vines coming.

Here's what I did to get Bamboo mounted in a screen cage, get some sheet metal screw, cut the bamboo to length and screw it into the hollow center, works great for perches for Cham's etc.
Fine screen

1/4 Hardware Cloth

My feeder container for Cham's, Crix's normally jump after hitting wall straight into the lip. Not much diff from the milk jug design you can opaque the sides.Can also try the deep dish.

Works great. Poked a lot hole so all the crap falls out. Crix's stay in without removing legs.

 

[niels]

even though i never use cages with mesh, then it looks great, and nice photos!
the cage looks really big and looks like you have done a great job.

good luck with your cham

regards Niels

 

[jim9298]

Thanks, I'm trying my best.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Awesome job there, you put a lot of time and thought into those cages and it really shows!

 

[Lucille]

Those are just gorgeous, what lucky chams you have!!!!
Are you a builder by trade? (If not, you are naturally gifted!)

I saw what looks like a dieffenbachia in the right hand cage, are those OK to have with chams?

 

[jim9298]

No I'm no builder, just a novice trying to read and learn as much as possible.
Thanks for the kind words.

 

[FreakOfNature66]

Wow those are some awesome cages. I think you did such gorgeous work. I give you props for what you have done. -green with envy-

 

[Chameleon Company]

Jim,
Wow, you certainly have a heart for what you do! The set-ups look great in all aspects ..... size, available cover, etc. My only recommendation, should you pursue more cages and/or animals, is to go with plastic covered 1/4" mesh, as you appear to have bare glavanized mesh there. You will likely be OK with what you have, as there are so many other climbing options. But for all the work you are putting into it??? There are on-line suppliers, and it may be available locally to you. As for plants, as Lucille raised, I know of no published species or list of commonly available plants that are dangerous with your chameleon. Every list that I have ever seen was mammalian based, and of no use, as I have seen chameleons eat plants that mammals avoid. It doesn't mean that there aren't plants lurking out there in a WalMart garden shop etc, that must be avoided. It just means that we don't have the anecdotal information yet, and the list of positive interactions between chamemeons and non-native foliage is growing. Again, congrats on your set ups, and thanks for sharing them in detail. The shallow, broader cup-feeding arrangements are to be emulated by all.

Jim Flaherty
The Chameleon Company, LLC

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Here are a couple of non toxic reptile plant links:

http://www.geocities.com/chameleoncreatures/nontoxicplants.html

http://lllreptile.com/info/library/general-care-and-husbandry/-/list-of-nontoxic-plants-for-your-terrarium/

this site also gives info on how to offset Potho intake
http://chameleoncare911.tripod.com/id6.html

This site does indicate that the foilage of the dumb cane is toxic (Dieffenbachia) to Chameleons
http://www.chameleonsonline.com/toxic-plants.php

I did not write the above list so I do not know the full value of the information but all of these lists are easily avaliable online and have been for some time.

I personally use only pothos for veileds with no problems.

When in doubt do not use the plant, Veileds do eat the vegetation and could eat an unknown toxic plant if it is in the cage.

 

[Chameleon Company]

Wendy,
Thanks for the lists. I have to point out that the only one which appeared to list "toxic" plants provides no basis for its conclusion:

"This site does indicate that the foilage of the dumb cane is toxic (Dieffenbachia) to Chameleons
http://www.chameleonsonline.com/toxic-plants.php

I strongly question the basis of the conclusions (aka list) here., as they are not given. While I agree that there are plenty of readily available plants that have a track record of no problem, I also think that there are numerous lists available that have no factual chameleon basis for their caution. The myth of ficus and eye problems crumbles under the evidence of thousands of hobbyist interactions, not to mention that many ficus are both native, and introduced, to Madagascar. I have no plans to rub the white sap of ficus into my chameleons' eyes, and suggest that chameleons don't do likelwise when we aren't looking. Native occurance of foliage is the best argument for inclusion in a list of acceptable plants, but yet the myth survives in many lists by people who needed only a keyboard to post their "expertise". Wendy, I do not fault you in the least, and applaud your efforts to provide information. But the only substantive list to which you linked is flawed excessively, as is every other list available. It is likely that plants exist in Madagascar, Yemen, and other environs, that native chameleon species know to avoid. We all know of the fatal effects of bearded dragons consuming lightning bugs, adn non-native interaction has its risks. But lacking true evidence, all of these lists are hocus pocus, written by people who although well intentioned, may have been motivated primarily by their own desire to to see themselves having authored something on the internet. I have no intention of putting columbines in with any of my chameleons, but I'll bet that there isn't one confirmed instance of it ever having been observed as being a problem. For folks to mention "remedies" for the consumption of pothos by chameleons is to add bad science on top of speculation. The data just isn't there. I totally agree that it is best to err on the side of caution. But I must implore that much of what is presented as fact is fiction. There may be lists out there that are based on documented observations, but I do not know of them, and suggest that they represent very short lists. But, as Wendy says, stay safe.

Jim Flaherty
The Chameleon Company, LLC

 

[Lucille]

I dint mean to open a can o worms, but at least I learned about lightening bugs and dragons.

I really did not think, when I made my comment, that chams are after all substantially different from birds and kitties and the like.


Anyway, the important thing is that we are all thinking along the lines of safety, and the other important thing is that we are all green with envy about those magnificent cages!!!! Great job!

 

[Matthias]

as others have said, those really are beautiful enclosures. really great.

 

[Chameleon Company]

Hello Lucille!
It is a can of worms only because keeping chameleons is inherently a can of worms! Every experienced hobbyist has a chameleon in their history that seemed to be doing great, and then took a turn for the worse quickly, or just dropped dead, and all the keeper could do was speculate. While we know much more about lighting than we did a decade ago, other areas such as supplementation are still more speculative. Keepers are always seeking out the tried and true "what worked for you"! Where there is no clear path to follow, it falls to educated guessing. Foliage and cage furnishings is a pet peeve of mine, as it is one area full of unqualified conjecture. Here at The Chameleon Company, we are up to about 900 cages, and we rely heavily on pressure treated lumber for their construction. Many other hobbyists have used if for decades. Can I tell you its "good" for the chameleons ........ absolutely not. But I have no evidence that it is bad, as we have achieved multi-generational propagation in large numbers using such, and it serves our business needs better than any other product that we know of. But many avoid it because they are not aware of its track record, and they've seen the local kids playground get an expensive make-over. It is inevitable that there are plants and insects and other husbandry snafus out there that are to be avoided, such as lightning bugs. Good information takes time to get around, and bad information takes time to undo. Countless bearded dragons will die again this year from consuming lightning bugs, as will other pet lizards. That information was enough for me to avoid lightening bugs in the greenhouse. While chameleons seem capable of far more disgression in their choice of prey than do beardies, I would caution all as to the potential for disaster there.

Jim Flaherty
The Chameleon Company, LLC

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Lucille you are too funny, no can of worms opened lol Jim is a great guy, Ive had several phone conversations with him over the last couple of years from gettinghelp breeding my crix to buying my first set of Tamatave Panthers form him (which I regret selling now)

The list are not great but its all there is thats why I said "I did not write the above list so I do not know the full value of the information..." to begin with.

The problem with Ficus is that when they shed they will rub on the brances to help remove the skin and they could rub the sap in their eyes. Now, Ive never had it happen but some claim it has happened to them. Again I do not know the validity of those claims.

When in doubt be safe, thats all we can do is use the best info avaliable (which may be crap at times) and go from there with the hope that we are doing the best thing for our Chams.

 

[Chameleon Company]

Wendy,
Couldn't agree more than to err on the side of safety. From the average hobbyist perspective, who may have 2-5 chameleons, to lose one (or 20-50% of their stock) does not give them much in the way of statistical data to point at a possible culprit, and the gaps must be filled with best-guess speculation. An obvious advantage that I have here is that I currently have over 200 breeder chameleons in with ficus, and another 100 or so exposed to avocado, citrus, diefenbachia, rubber plant, banana, etc. The list is long. I can tell you that there is no statistical relationship between ficus and eye problems, but only because I've had large numbers of animals exposed to the possibility for years. I also know that the sap is an irritant, as anyone who has pruned them without gloves can attest to. A 10-20% occurrance of any anomaly in our herd would be like sirens going off in our ears. It has happened, but the one fortunate thing of having a herd is that it can be pinpointed rather quickly, hopefully eliminated, and then avoided in the future. It also puts me in a position to either support, or discredit, past hypothesis' about husbandry that relied a bit too much on speculation, and yet were put forward anyway. Our best guiding principle when we are facing a husbandry issue for which we have no good input is "what would Mother Nature do?", and make that the basis for our solution. Wendy, my apologies for not realizing it was you, and acknowledging such. Glad that all is well, and would only hope to encourage you to keep the links and info coming, as it always opens eyes wider.

Jim Flaherty
The Chameleon Company, LLC

 

[niels]

Hey Jim you never wrote back to me?
Do you have a job beside selling chams? I would love to see some pics of all you cages, that would be great. I also have a dream, that i one day can work with this hobby, but Denmark is not big enough to only sell chams.

ups got a bit of topic, but would just love to see some pics from you. It's a shame that you don't have a homepage.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Jim, you can't remember everyone off the top of your head, its probably been 9 months since Ive called you too. But you are and will always be my cham go to guy! You are one of the best out there and I have always learned a ton from every conversation we have had.

Ive never had a problem with ficus either, had a friend prune her and put the Jackson right back in and he got sap all over him but was fine after she got him cleaned up and a new tree that was unpruned.

I plan to get some more panthers next spring, probably around the 1st of Feb so you know ill be calling you!

 

[g&mgeckos]

Jim, very nice cages! You have done a great job!

 

[Chameleon Company]

... Hey Neils

My apologies for this thread getting turned around a bit, as the originally posted cages were works of art. Neils, my apologies, but I did try the private email function in this website, with pictures attached, and apparently it went into the Twilight Zone. MY ISP is also bad with both incoming and outgoing overseas emails. Our business email is [email protected]. Try to send me your private email address. In the meantime, here's a couple of pictures. This is my full time job. We are still expanding and evolving, and moving more into wholesale. Wendy, we have lots of panthers, and they are costing less all the time!

Jim Flaherty
The Chameleon Company, LLC

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Jim M, I love your set ups, you have done a great job for sure!

Jim F, that is awesome, we talked about your setups and greenhouses but seeing them is even better than I pictured in my head.