Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

David Maguire · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 7:25 pm Post subject: panther enclosure

I'm a bit confused about panther enclosures

i have heard people using flexariums for them is this OK or should i get a Viv
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Regards,
David

David Maguire · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:17 pm Post subject:

i was just wondering because Ive been on a few panther websites and they said screen cages 'flexariums' are the best things to use and i just bought a 2 x 2 x 4h flexarium for a chameleon
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David

johne.ev · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:30 pm Post subject:

Personally i've never used one. i can't imagine how you can keep the humidity up or temps in the winter, unless you keep it in a warm room. i have read about trouble with zip & crickets chewing their way out. i personally use a home made viv from conti board 4x2x3 (L.W.H). this has a fly screen mesh door, for the warmer months & is replaced with glass doors for winter months. i mist morning and evening and humidity varies between 90/60% between mistings.

johne.ev · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:32 pm Post subject:

sorry, mean't to add that they would be great outdoors in the warmer months.

Rickeezee · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:23 am Post subject:

Humidity for panthers is the key, so a suitable viv will be ble to keep the humidity at a high level. Complete mesh vivs are better for arid loving chameleons such as Yemens. Where as Panthers that hail from Madagascar require part mesh part solid vivs, as long as the viv has mesh at the top and and lower front to create a good cross air flow and induction then all should be fine.

Alternatively if the herp room is set up wiht a humidifier and the general humidity in the room is high the a mesh viv would be ok, but unless you can dedicate and set up a whole room environmentally to suit panthers then its far easier to create the correct environment via just the viv.

Different viv set ups are also used at various stages of the Panthers life, baby panthers can be adequately housed in glass exo terras for example. Various keepers will have different ways of doing things but in general terms thats how I house my Panthers.
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David Maguire · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject:

what chameleons could you keep in this type of tank all of its life
but i only want a moderately expensive chameleon e.g. £120-£350
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Regards,
David

Rickeezee · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:58 pm Post subject:

Just a suggestion, so please dont take this the wrong way. If it was me I would find a chameleon that I liked, do my research as you are doing, and see the difficulty level of the husbandry issues, then obtain the set up based around the chameleons requirements as opposed to trying to find a chameleon that would fit a certain viv, or as in this case a glass exo.

That way the experience will, in my view, be far more rewarding for both you and the chameleon. There are some wonderful chameleons available, some much easier to look after than others.

You will however find lots of conflicting advice on websites and various care sheets, books etc, it can be quite daunting at first. Who is to say one way of husbandry is right or wrong. But there are some basic parameters that are advisable to follow.

Care of baby chameleons is quite different than the care of sub adults / adult chams. Ditto their housing needs. Most commercially mass produced chameleon vivs are OK but not particularly species specific in some respects. With the harder to keep chameleons making do may not work. Where as with the easier species to keep making do will work but the chameleons long term well being may suffer.

Sorry not trying to put you off or confuse matters, as before it can be very daunting, but it really is worth the time spent now getting it as right as possible for when you eventually get a cham. Its nice to see you doing your research first.

Best of luck with it all.
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David Maguire · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 6:35 pm Post subject:

rickeezee i would like to know what size and what kind of enclosure you use for an adult panther and anyone else who would like to give me ideas on how to build a panther enclosure please tell me as I'm planning on buying some materials this weekend
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David

Rickeezee · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:08 pm Post subject:

I would go for a minimum size of 30x20x20 inches ideally 36x24x24. Mesh top, wood sides, 25% lower front mesh. above the front mesh sliding glass doors. Inbuilt drainage and fully water proof internals. But thats just what I would chose.
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David Maguire · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject:

what kind of mesh would i use
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Regards,
David