Cages on an incline for drainage.

I am using a mistking and having some trouble with drainage, unless I clean the excess water from the cages daily. I currently have 2 cages and will be expanding to a 3rd.

I plan on using an incline with a gutter to run the water away into buckets. Anyone using an incline or a similar setup? How much of an incline did you use for the cages? Does this incline affect the well being of the reptile in any way? Pictures of a similar setup would be greatly appreciated.

Ionstorm said:

I am using a mistking and having some trouble with drainage, unless I clean the excess water from the cages daily. I currently have 2 cages and will be expanding to a 3rd.

I plan on using an incline with a gutter to run the water away into buckets. Anyone using an incline or a similar setup? How much of an incline did you use for the cages? Does this incline affect the well being of the reptile in any way? Pictures of a similar setup would be greatly appreciated.

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Howdy,

If you are using the LLL Reptile style screen enclosures, they have a new drain pan accessory. It's the 2nd pan in this post: https://www.chameleonforums.com/new...-substrate-trays-water-trays-built-fit-35507/

Here's a post covering some of the details: https://www.chameleonforums.com/screen-cage-water-tray-lllreptile-36085/

I hung mine on the wall which puts a slight tilt toward the outside and I just set up a drainage system using a paint roller catch pan that I attached to the bottom and drill some holes in the floor. Then I put a tube coming out the bottom of the pan connected with some hot glue into a tube. It is very easy and only costs about $5. Im sure that a tilt in the cage wouldnt affect the chameleon at all really as long as you figured out how to get the lights and his branches set up. I wouldnt recommend it though.

I don't think you need much incline to make water run downhill...2% should do it and not even be noticeable to humans who've gotten accustomed to shoddy construction.

(sorry...venting...almost nothing in my house is actually square...did they not own squares? Why do I own a square when the people who built my house didn't???)

Yes, you can incline the cage a bit to control the water drainage and you and your chameleons probably won't notice. Another idea that I've seen here is to just drill a drainage hole in the bottom and then put something heavy right up next to the hole. I sort of love the simplicity of that. Plus, it doesn't highlight how out of square my house is....

I have considered the holes in the bottom covered with screen. Since I am building my own table to hold these cages I could do either method.

I like the slight incline since it will not require any mods to any of my cages. The lighting and basking spot are not a trouble I have tried this already with my spare cage.

Thanx for the replys, would still like to see some pics if anyone has any.