This is my first blog post, I want to do a step-by-step of setting up my future cham's enclosure. Hopefully someone will find it helpful, and you guys can help me improve the setup!
So, Phase 1: The Basics
- Reptibreeze XL (24 x 24 x 48 in.) $100
- Mini Deep Dome 5.5 in. $15
- 60w household bulb $2
- ReptiSun T5 HO Terrarium Hood 24" $45
- ReptiSun T5 HO 5.0 Bulb (came w/fixture)
- Zoo Med Digital Terrarium Thermometer
- NEEWER Indoor Outdoor Thermo/Hygrometer $10
- Zoo Med Repti Terrarium Timer $8
Everything listed above bought on Amazon.com, with free shipping
!
- Vigoro 1 gal Hibiscus $8 (Home Depot)
- 6in. pot Golden Pothos $8 (Walmart)
- 36x36in. felt $4 (Michael's)
- Oak tree branches FREE (my backyard)
✻ When I say "I" did something, it really means I probably watched someone else do it for me because I didn't know how. ✻
So, I put the cage together, put the lights on top, and then got to the trickier part. I wanted the Zoo Med thermometer on the outside of the cage, with the probe on the inside, and I didn't want to leave a big hole in the screen. So, since the thermometer came with a little suction cup that had a sort of knob on it that the wire for the probe was going through, I cut a small hole in the screen and shoved the knob in. (shown in pics) Also, there was a thingamahoochy on the back of the thermo. to hang it up, so I thread a screw through the screen and a put a nut (or maybe it was a washer?...) on the end that was inside the screen then hung up the thermo. on the head of the screw- again, shown in pics because I'm not exactly the most descriptive person.
For the branches, I just drilled holes in the ends and thread a screw through the screen into to them- thumbtacks were not sturdy enough for me.
Phase 2: Stand and Drainage
- Stand $20 (Craigslist)
✻ the moral of this phase is CRAIGSLIST IS A GIFT FROM THE HEAVENS ✻
I mean, wow, seriously I got a heavy duty solid wood cabinet thingy for $20 bucks!!!
Now in this phase when I say "I", what I really mean is "my dad the build-anything guy"
Alright, so what happened in this phase was I cut a hole in the cabinet (this took so ridiculously long because the wood was so thick) and the plastic sheet in the bottom of the cage so that the pot of the hibiscus plant could hang on the lip of the pot- once again, this is much better shown in the pics. Then I just put a little tin thingy in the cabinet under the pot to catch water. Lastly, I used some green felt and cut a little slit to cover the plastic and the soil from the hibiscus- it looks pretty gosh darn cool now The hanging pot also helps keep the cage from sliding around on the cabinet.
Also, I'd like to mention a tip for sawing circles in thick cabinets/stands: First, drill holes all around your circle, then just connect the dots with the saw.
Oh, one other thing: THE BLUE THING YOU SEE IN THE CAGE IS NOT AN ACTUAL CHAMELEON I was bored, so I printed out a pic of a chameleon and taped it to a branch! hehehe
STAY TUNED FOR PHASE 3-- ADDING MORE BRANCHES, PLANTS,AND VINES!
So, Phase 1: The Basics
- Reptibreeze XL (24 x 24 x 48 in.) $100
- Mini Deep Dome 5.5 in. $15
- 60w household bulb $2
- ReptiSun T5 HO Terrarium Hood 24" $45
- ReptiSun T5 HO 5.0 Bulb (came w/fixture)
- Zoo Med Digital Terrarium Thermometer
- NEEWER Indoor Outdoor Thermo/Hygrometer $10
- Zoo Med Repti Terrarium Timer $8
Everything listed above bought on Amazon.com, with free shipping
!- Vigoro 1 gal Hibiscus $8 (Home Depot)
- 6in. pot Golden Pothos $8 (Walmart)
- 36x36in. felt $4 (Michael's)
- Oak tree branches FREE (my backyard)
✻ When I say "I" did something, it really means I probably watched someone else do it for me because I didn't know how. ✻
So, I put the cage together, put the lights on top, and then got to the trickier part. I wanted the Zoo Med thermometer on the outside of the cage, with the probe on the inside, and I didn't want to leave a big hole in the screen. So, since the thermometer came with a little suction cup that had a sort of knob on it that the wire for the probe was going through, I cut a small hole in the screen and shoved the knob in. (shown in pics) Also, there was a thingamahoochy on the back of the thermo. to hang it up, so I thread a screw through the screen and a put a nut (or maybe it was a washer?...) on the end that was inside the screen then hung up the thermo. on the head of the screw- again, shown in pics because I'm not exactly the most descriptive person.
For the branches, I just drilled holes in the ends and thread a screw through the screen into to them- thumbtacks were not sturdy enough for me.
Phase 2: Stand and Drainage
- Stand $20 (Craigslist)
✻ the moral of this phase is CRAIGSLIST IS A GIFT FROM THE HEAVENS ✻
I mean, wow, seriously I got a heavy duty solid wood cabinet thingy for $20 bucks!!!
Now in this phase when I say "I", what I really mean is "my dad the build-anything guy"
Alright, so what happened in this phase was I cut a hole in the cabinet (this took so ridiculously long because the wood was so thick) and the plastic sheet in the bottom of the cage so that the pot of the hibiscus plant could hang on the lip of the pot- once again, this is much better shown in the pics. Then I just put a little tin thingy in the cabinet under the pot to catch water. Lastly, I used some green felt and cut a little slit to cover the plastic and the soil from the hibiscus- it looks pretty gosh darn cool now
The hanging pot also helps keep the cage from sliding around on the cabinet. 
Also, I'd like to mention a tip for sawing circles in thick cabinets/stands: First, drill holes all around your circle, then just connect the dots with the saw.
Oh, one other thing: THE BLUE THING YOU SEE IN THE CAGE IS NOT AN ACTUAL CHAMELEON
I was bored, so I printed out a pic of a chameleon and taped it to a branch! heheheSTAY TUNED FOR PHASE 3-- ADDING MORE BRANCHES, PLANTS,AND VINES!
