Reddit reviews Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Large, 18 x 18 x 36-Inches

I think $150 is a little low of an expectation for startup costs. I spent about $300 getting my guy set up, and part of that was experimenting with getting the drainage right. Later on I also spent $130 on a misting system, which broke about 2 months later. But I digress.

As for first time species, I think a male veiled would be a good choice. They are more forgiving of mistakes in husbandry (care and keeping) than other chameleons. They are also less expensive. The cons are that they often have a less friendly temperament than other species and don't have the crazy colors like panthers do.

I say male because then you don't have to deal with laying eggs, which females will do even without a male around.

Here is what I would consider a pretty comprehensive list of things you'll need:

1. Screen cage -- 18"x 18" x 36" (I got mine here http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiBreeze-Screen-36-Inches/dp/B0027J0VZ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369116670&sr=8-1&keywords=screen+cage)
   
   
2. thermometer and hydrometer gauges
   
   
3. Heat lamp fixture
   
   
4. Heat bulb -- believe it or not, a normal incandescent bulb you buy from walmart will do fine, as long as it's getting up to the right temperature. The "special" heat bulbs you buy at pet store chains are the exact same thing marked up. You may have to experiment with wattage. Do NOT go above 100 watts. I use 100 watts for my male veiled because I live in a basement and it is cold down here. Most people need 60-75 watts. For an adult veiled, the basking spot (directly under the light) should hit 90-95 fahrenheit, while the rest of the cage should gradually drop in heat from there to 70ish degrees at the bottom. Typically, a single basking spot that hits 90-95 will make the rest of the cage the appropriate temperature.
   
   
5. UVB bulb -- Absolutely necessary. Use a 5.0, not a 10.0. 10.0 is for desert animals. Here's more info on the UVB and why it's so important. http://www.chameleonforums.com/care/lighting/
   
   
6. Hood for the UVB bulb
   
   
7. dripper -- chameleons drink from dripping water only.
   
   
8. Mister -- hand mister or automatic mister if you can afford it. I use this one mister
   Some people have had them break easily but mine's never had a problem. A little spray bottle just won't cut it.
   
   
9. Vines and branches. You have a few options. Cheapest is to get your own branches and sterilize them. Next cheapest is dowels from a hardware store. The prettiest option is to get various vines and fake plants and branches from pet stores or online. Make sure to provide a lot of horizontal climbing space as well as vertical.
   
   
10. Plants. I highly recommend live plants vs fake because live plants hold water droplets and humidity better. I use Arboricola schefflera, other common ones are Ficus benjamina and Pothos. They are inexpensive and easy to find at the local hardware store :)
    
    
11. Supplements -- Calcium WITHOUT D3, Calcium with d3, and a reptile vitamin.
    
    
12. Cricket holder
    
    
    THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT BUY
    
    
13. No night heat bulbs! Chameleons can handle the drop in temperature at night and light at night interrupts their sleep cycle.
    
    
14. No substrate! It is too risky and has caused the death of many chameleons who have accidently ingested it. The only one that might be safe is the reptile carpet stuff.
    
    
15. No water bowls or waterfalls. Chameleons like to poop in them and also it's a risk of drowning. They won't drink from them.
    
    
    Basically, I am an insane chameleon mom and I know this might be overwhelming, but I just want to help. I have a lot more information about how to use supplements, feeding, water, and light schedules if you want it. Hope this helped and good luck with getting a chameleon!
    

I would use this setup until he is a little older. A good adult cage for a veiled might be this.

The only good to come out of the “cage” is for young babies. And even then this doesn’t have much ventilation. A screened cage is what you’ll need.


a cage like this is what you’ll need

Edit: link

Hi, thanks for watching out for us! He's got these lights as well as living in this [cage] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0027J0VZ6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1419894029&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40). I'll try to get pics for y'all! Anything else we need for this guy? Thanks!

Edit: I'll let you know the light strength when my gf gets home.

He's a veiled. Male. Here are some pictures of him and his set up.
Diggit 1
Diggit 2
Diggit 3
Diggit 4
About 2 weeks ago
Setup

His cage is a Reptibreeze
(http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiBreeze-Screen-36-Inches/dp/B0027J0VZ6/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_8)

Have been feeding him crickets from the local PetSmart
I'm aware that his lighting is with a Reptisun bulb, unsure of wattage.
Live in an apartment in Maryland so actual sunlight isn't the easiest to provide as a college student and part time employee. He has been outside before and seemed to enjoy it.
We have used Reptivite to dust his crickets before, just haven't recently. The vet just called saying that they haven't been able to get blood work or fecal samples yet, as he's somewhat dehydrated. But so far he has low bone density.

At this point, I need to do everything that I can to provide the best for him. Any ideas on what to do? Also to ensure that our other one, whom we purchased this past weekend, won't end up like this.

Thank you so much. This has all been so helpful.