HI

I have two very young veiled chams (named Littlefoot and Spike) and I handbuilt one large enclosure with 2 separate areas for the them.

Im using 1/4 inch screen for it, but heres my problem: The darn crickets keep jumping out of the screen. So then im chasing crickets around the house before they escape and breed and i have a cricket infestation...

I know its not recommended to use the real fine window screen, but what would another option be to keep the crickets in the enclosure? I would sit and try to handfeed the little guys but I have to work and cant sit around with them all day (as much as I would like to...). Would it be safe to use the window screen as a temporary thing until the chams get large enough to eat crickets that wont be slipping thru the screen? Or any other sort of screen thats safe for my little guys?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[quote=quikdrummer;72137]HI

I have two very young veiled chams (named Littlefoot and Spike) and I handbuilt one large enclosure with 2 separate areas for the them.

Im using 1/4 inch screen for it, but heres my problem: The darn crickets keep jumping out of the screen. So then im chasing crickets around the house before they escape and breed and i have a cricket infestation...

I know its not recommended to use the real fine window screen, but what would another option be to keep the crickets in the enclosure? I would sit and try to handfeed the little guys but I have to work and cant sit around with them all day (as much as I would like to...). Would it be safe to use the window screen as a temporary thing until the chams get large enough to eat crickets that wont be slipping thru the screen? Or any other sort of screen thats safe for my little guys?

Where did you here that it wasnt recommended to use fine screen?
That is fine, every cage you buy has screen a fly cant escape out of.
I built a couple of cages myself and the best thing to use is aluminum screen.
You can by 48"x84" rolls for 7.50 at home depot.
Crickets can chew their way out of porch screen. so dont use it.
Aluminum screen lets in more light and dosent melt.
Good luck


good luck

My enclosures are aluminum screen.
Be careful how you install it though ... don't want any sharp edges exposed.
I've cut myself more than once working with that material.

-Brad

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Dedicated to promoting superior care for Veiled Chameleons

well i had seen in a number of places that if you use a fine screen like window screen that the chams can get there claws stuck in and it could potentially remove their claws and cause infection etc...

but its off to the hardware store to get me some aluminum screen! thanks for the help. ill have some pics up of the new enclosure by monday.

Someone had a thread on here where they used a half gallon (or full gallon) milk container that was split open and lined with a fine mesh. You pour crickets in the bottom, they climb up the mesh and the cham nails them. Crickets are too stupid to jump away from the side of something so they tend to stay.

I wish I knew where the thread was, maybe someone knows off hand. Anyway, I made one, and it works really well.

1/4" screen will work (and it won't rip out their toenails like fine mesh) you just have to cup feed, or use the gallon jug trick. If you use a bowl, vertical sides is good, and it should be opaque.

great gallon jug trick!

Also, in the same article about the milk jug, he tells you the best way to hand feed chams. I tried it and it worked!

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Christen
1.0 Ambilobe/Ambanja cross

thanks for the good ideas guys. I started using a cup and one of my guys is eating great, seems to love it. my other little guy ignores the crcikets regardless of if they are in the cup or not. i made a thread on it here:
my spike wont eat!

any ideas?

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2.0 veiled

try silk larvae (silk 'worms'). they don't jump, don't smell and wiggle around so that they catch the chams attention. i'm under the impressions that they are more nutritious too. my almost 4 mo olds love them (and they don't escape out of the screen no matter what the size). i get mine from coastal silkworms.

thats a good idea, thanks!

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2.0 veiled