6ftx4ftx2ft outdoor enclosure idea...

[Damicofam6]

So i have a old chicken coop that my chickens used to live in and they have since outgrown it so i have the coop itself and the run that was attached. I currently am raising more chicks that I'm keeping in the run now but when i put them in with the other chickens i will just have a 6ftx4ftx2ft chicken run laying around. (I'll attach a picture) So I've been thinking about making a outdoor chameleon enclosure out of it for Skittles my 11 month old panther. My first thought would be to cover the whole thing with hardware cloth and making some sort of door on one side. How would you go about this? Any suggestions would be great! Thanks. sorry the picture isn't the best quality I just snapped it real quick with my phone

 

[Virgil1972]

If I were to build it I would take the mesh off one side and put a simple plywood door on it. That would give him a little shaded area part of the day.

 

[jajeanpierre]

How big is the holes in the hardware cloth?

The wire on those prefab little pens isn't usually secured all that well. I would want to reinforce it so nothing can get into it. You have chickens--you know the drill!

Are you planning on leaving him out day and night or just while you are home? That makes a huge difference to how strong you make it.

I would turn it on it's end so it is 6' tall. You can easily make a 1x2 frame for the bottom (that is now the side) and a door., stick a big bushy hibiscus tree in it and then leave him him outside in an area that has some shade so he doesn't overheat. Be careful he doens't overheat. Add a mister--just one of those patio misters or the stand up ones they sell for about $12 and turn that on several times a day. Make sure you double screen it at the botton so the chickens don't peck him if he is hanging on the wire. I would not want him hanging off the wire, especially if you are planning to leave him out at night.

 

[Damicofam6]

How big is the holes in the hardware cloth?

The wire on those prefab little pens isn't usually secured all that well. I would want to reinforce it so nothing can get into it. You have chickens--you know the drill!

Are you planning on leaving him out day and night or just while you are home? That makes a huge difference to how strong you make it.

I would turn it on it's end so it is 6' tall. You can easily make a 1x2 frame for the bottom (that is now the side) and a door., stick a big bushy hibiscus tree in it and then leave him him outside in an area that has some shade so he doesn't overheat. Be careful he doens't overheat. Add a mister--just one of those patio misters or the stand up ones they sell for about $12 and turn that on several times a day. Make sure you double screen it at the botton so the chickens don't peck him if he is hanging on the wire. I would not want him hanging off the wire, especially if you are planning to leave him out at night.

i plan to turn it so its 6ft tall and i would only have him out while I'm there. I also plan to put a piece of pvc along the top with a few mister nozzles in it that i can attack the hose to so i can mist him. I think that doing 2 layers of hardware cloth would be a good idea too.also i would have this cage away from the chickens, i have a separate chicken coop that they will all live in.

 

[Virgil1972]

I used concrete mesh for my outdoor cage.

 

[Action Jackson]

I used concrete mesh for my outdoor cage.

Does that rust?

 

[Virgil1972]

It is galvanized and I have never seen it rust. Mine is made of 1 inch squares and heavy wire. I am not exactly sure how strong it is but I would feel plenty safe walking across a bridge made of the stuff.

 

[jajeanpierre]

It is galvanized and I have never seen it rust. Mine is made of 1 inch squares and heavy wire. I am not exactly sure how strong it is but I would feel plenty safe walking across a bridge made of the stuff.

Lots of things can reach through one-inch square wire and get your chameleon. A half inch is the largest I would have. Mice, rats, snakes, opossums, raccoons, hawks, crows, cats and skunks are a few of the animals that can get hold of your chameleon through a one inch mesh. A raccoon will reach in and pull a chicken through a one-inch square hole piece by piece. So will an owl.

 

[Virgil1972]

I do not leave him in it over night just when I am out there. There is no raccoon by me or skunks.

 

[Damicofam6]

I think i have a pretty good plan thanks to some of the suggestions from this thread. I will stand the cage up on it's side so it is 6ft tall and cover 3 sides in hardware cloth and make sure nothing can get in and he can't get out. I will put a small door on the 2ft wide side and I think that will good enough to bring plants and small trees in and out when i need to and it will also be enough space to walk and and put him in or take him out. i will also put a piece of pvc pipe with a few mister nozzles in along the top or maybe a small piece of soaker hose that can connect to the hose. If you have any other ideas I would love to hear them, thanks for the help so far!