4 Section Enclosure Help

[farrahsc]

I'm wanting to build a large 4 section Chameleon enclosure this spring and I was just looking for some help. My idea is to create basically 4 18x18x36 size screened enclosures and put them together. So the first cage would be open on 3 sides, the second and third open on 2 and the last open on 3. I would house my senegal and graceful in the middle ones since they need a high humidity then my veiled and hopefully in the near future verrucosus.

I plan on using screen of coarse and using some kind of 1x2 trim with an ornate detail from home depot for the wood. I'm not sure what I would use on the bottom and for the sides of the inside enclosures that would hold up to the moisture. Also what would be best for drip pans? I'm going to be using lots of live plants in the enclosures.
So my questions are:

1. What would I use on the sides of the middles ones?
2. What is best to use for drip pans?
3. Has anyone done anything like this and has photos?
4. What would be best to use as a to protect the wood?

Thanks so much!

 

[EvilLost]

I am doing a similar project except it will house my cham on top and my kingsnake on the bottom.

I am still shopping for wood. I know to avoid pine. Teak is an excellent choice but its extremely expensive so its not an option for me.

Also consider sealants. I am currently coating my wood with 3 layers of waterproof polyurethane paint and then a coat of silicone but I still don't trust this so I am going to also line it with shower liner.

My build is ongoing atm but I hope to get some serious progress this week. Check out my thread here https://www.chameleonforums.com/diy...d-sealer-prevent-mold-damage-over-time-52925/

 

[reptoman]

This is not exactly what you are asking for but it has some ideas within the build that could help. I used semi gloss spray paint for all the wood parts. Wood used was poplar. The inside foam partitions were painted with egg shell latex house paint and all the painted areas on this cage were done more than a week before putting any animals in the cages so there would be no fumes. The drainage table is the best idea I have in my cham room as you can make this with scraps of 3/4 plywood and use 3/4" PVC pipe as the braces that the cages sit on. The shower pan liner is cheaper from Home Depot than Lowes since they cut it from a 5' long roll. I incorporated it into plastic shelving on this build but you can use 2x2s for legs and make it scalable to whatever you want to put on the table. The bottoms of my screen cages is petscreen and i use a mini shop vac to clean the poop out every couple of days. An old toothbrush and a pump sprayer get the residual stuff off the bottom screen. I spray the drainage table off with a weak bleach solution every couple of weeks so they dont get nasty.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bcstinso/BabyCage#

 

[farrahsc]

Thank you all so much for the info! I was actually just looking at pics of Parsonii chams and saw exactly what I am wanting to do! If you click HERE it's the second image from the end on the top row.
It appears to be Chris Andersons too.

 

[Cainschams]

Thank you all so much for the info! I was actually just looking at pics of Parsonii chams and saw exactly what I am wanting to do! If you click HERE it's the second image from the end on the top row.
It appears to be Chris Andersons too.

Would you like plans for that exact enclosure?

http://chameleonnews.com/06SepAndersonDIY.html

 

[farrahsc]

Lol I actually emailed Chris and he sent me the link! But thank you so much!! I can't wait to do this! How do you have all your little guys set up?

 

[Ibleedcolors]

I sure wish I had the resources and tools to get a project like that going

 

[Cainschams]

Lol I actually emailed Chris and he sent me the link! But thank you so much!! I can't wait to do this! How do you have all your little guys set up?

I have mine in all screen cages just on top of shelves with dividers in between. Nothing special. I run a humidifier in my cham room because all of mine need high humidity.