Open Concept Cage

Discussion in 'Chameleons' started by Sam_Charette, Jul 18, 2005.

  1. Sam_Charette

    Sam_Charette New Member

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    Well, if the tree is dense enough, then there will always be places in there to hide, right?
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. tinster

    tinster New Member

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    It's just my observation that when I open my cage to mist, etc. - Gojira would start moving towards the opposite side of the cage. But if I just approached the CLOSED cage - I could pretty go right up to him (within inches) and he will just sit there and look at me (sometimes he'll even come closer). I can only attribute this to the fact that maybe he has figured out his safe boundary and feels safe within that boundary, but threatened when that boundary is compromised (when I open the cage door).

    In an open enclosure - that boundary of safety may shrink (at least to the chameleon) - which may cause stress. Depending on the individual chameleon.

    To the chameleon - it may be thinking "Great - I'm wide open to attack, AND if attacked - I'm confined to a limited space so I can't escape."

    At least with a free roaming chameleon it will at least feel that it has alot of room to make it's escape if necessary.

    Again - just my opinion in contribution to the discussion.

    Tin
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. whitey4311

    whitey4311 Member

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    Man there is no thinking like a cham. Bottom line is to try it and then if its a no go then you have a spare tree, no biggie. My veild is so trained that when you enter the room he comes to the outer most edge for a silk worm. I often feed my chams by hand to get them used to me and to realize there is no threat. It takes time but has worked on all 3 of them. Both the Sambava and the Veild were mean as hell and now when I open the Sambavas cage he runs up to me and waits for crix to get tossed in the dish.
    The diameter of the tree is what ever you make it. My trees were over 7 ft tall and I cut them down to about 5 ft 6 inches to account for the pot which added hight and the fact that there needs to be room at the top for a perch. As far and the diameter they are pretty big at about 3 ft. But bear in mind that these are not all branches that are able to hold his weight and I could cut them way down and just add some benda vine as I have for more stability or some mazanita branches. You cut the trees down and they grow more leaves closer to the trunk. You are not stuck with what they come in size. Its like a banzai tree, do what you want with it.
    First off buy some time released pellet fertilizers that you put deep down under the top soil and some Vit suppliments oyu occassionaly add when you water the tree. It will grow faster and prevent shock when you transfer it. The pellet time released is key since if you use liquid fertilizers you will ahve to dig a hole. water it then cover it up each time. If not the cham will be exposed to the top contaminated layer. The pellets last a year and after that there really isnt a need to fertilize any more.

    PS I would buy a 6ft tall tree and cut it down in diameter and hight as needed as to repvent being to close to the heat lamp. Oh yeah the true only way to do all this is to buy a MVB and I use capture the sun 100 watt. Hang the light first as I described and then cut the tree down so that there is about 10 inhes from the actual light. Screen the bottom of the lamp shade to stop him from grabbing at the light, I have seen him do this and that was when he burned his head. From there decorate your tree as I mentioned and hand a dripper with air tubing going to the tree. It drips to the soil and the left over collects in the collecction try under the pot, which you will need to buy as well.
    A tree around here cost about 35-40 bucks at this size and a nice pot will run you about 30 bucks with a collection tray. The if you go the plexi glass route that will cost the big bucks. If you are worried about escape then this wont be for you. Mine is positioned in front of a screen windo which I leave open and he goes from the tree to the screen and gets sun light all day then goes back as wanted. Its pretty cool to walk up to the house and see a cham on the screen, lol. He will run around the room but is mostly in his tree when I see him. He knows to go back to it at night to sleep as well. They will develop habits and its funny to watch them.

    An alternative to plexi is to use nice cheap ply wood that you can stain to your entertainment center color and hinge the corners to make a box like I described before. Much cheaper and will look like it matches the rest of the living room but you just added a cool tree to the mix. You have said you a comp dude and not a handy man so this will be cake and save cash. It only needs to be 2 ft high at the most to prevent escape. These are tricky little chams and they climp crazy things so expect an occasional escape. The true fun is that the tree is full of life and people wont ever notice the cham until you point him out.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. tinster

    tinster New Member

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    Hmmm. I seem to recall someone saying "the trick is to think like a cham" a couple months back. Maybe I'm imagining it.

    Also - again - what you're describing as having worked for you Whitey (and I don't argue with you) is a free roaming setup. What Sam is wanting to set up is simply a caged setup - with no cage. I think he may encounter some problems with that arrangement.

    Whatever works for you and makes your cham happy. Tin
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. whitey4311

    whitey4311 Member

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    I dont think he plans on anything different then adding a border at the base to prevent escape.
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. Sam_Charette

    Sam_Charette New Member

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    Precisely.
     
  12. whitey4311

    whitey4311 Member

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    Have fun with it man and let me know if you needs tips/pics of how to do the lamp shade trick.
    Ps remember when pruning the ficus to cut where the branch bifurcates, this allows for the branch to continue to grow but with more thick and stronger branches. Basically you cut back as far as you desire into the branch but leave the sturdy stuff. It will look bare for about a month but then with the fertilizers it will grow more full within the confined area you desire, being the proper diameter but just more full with new growth.
     
  13. Sam_Charette

    Sam_Charette New Member

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    Very cool. I may have to try this if I can figure out where to put it :)

    I could put it in the dining room, but then I'd never get to see him. It may be difficult to get him in the livingroom. If it weren't so cold in my basement, I'd put him there (I'm there more often than I am in the livingroom.
     

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