A Guide to Chameleon Cages
Chameleon cages are probably the furthest things from your mind unless you are planning to own a chameleon as a pet. If you planning to purchase one in the future you are going to need a place to keep it. You may be wondering if you should buy a cage as well or simply build one on your own. No matter what you choose to do, you want your new pet to be comfortable.
Chameleons are actually very sensitive. Because of this, when you are planning a home for him or her you are going to want to keep it as close to the chameleon’s natural habitat as possible. You want to fully understand your new pet so you are going to want to read up on them and observe him or her carefully. You want to be sure that he or she is not suffering from being enclosed or that he or she is not to hot or cold. Something very interesting to consider and keep in mind is the type of container you are going to keep your chameleon in. You do not want to purchase chameleon cages that are going to cast a reflection of the chameleon. This is because your new pet is going to see that reflection and think that it is another chameleon. He or she is not going to be able to escape from the cage. Therefore, your pet is constantly going to be in stress as it feels the other chameleon threatens it.
Whether you are buying or building you are going to want to keep some simple tips in mind when considering chameleon cages. It will need to be at least two feet square as well as two feet tall. This gives your pet plenty of room. They need to be able to exercise. They enjoy being high so you may want to hang the cage for the wall or ceiling. Be sure that there are not rough edges that can harm your pet. If there are, you are going to need to cover them.
As previously mentioned, you are going to want to observe your chameleon once you have selected a cage and a location for the cage. If you notice that it is clawing at the cage or pacing back and fourth a lot you may need to consider moving it to a new location in the house. If this does not work you may need to look at different chameleon cages and start over. It is really important that you do this in order to keep your pet happy. If he or she is constantly under stress it can cause him or her to stop eating or to eventually have respiratory problems.
You are going to want to place the cage in a well-lit area in your home. However, be careful not to place it into direct sunlight because this can cause your pet to bake in the sun and it can kill him or her. You will need to have light for your pet to bask in as well. You can research this in more detail or you can talk to an employee at the pet store. You may want to also consider giving your pet some supervised time outside for a few hours a week. This allows him or her the opportunity to get some natural sunlight. Be sure that if you do this you also have a place where he or she can find some shade.
Water your pet twice a day with a mist sprayer. This is what they enjoy as they usually rely on morning dew. They need a lot of moisture so you may also want to keep a cool mist humidifier near the chameleon cages. It is also advised that you give your pet a lukewarm shower once a week with it on a light mist for about one hour.
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