Adult cage for trioceros melleri

[DEVO]

Hey everyone,i m new on chameleon forums.Well i have a very healthy Chamaeleo Trioceros Melleri and i m in the process of building is adult cage,my plan is to build a custom 6x6x3 screen cage and screw the frame on top of a 6x3 ebb&flow hydroponics flood table for excellent drainage,i m also CONSIDERING building a custom fake rockwall background with build-in planting pots using foam insulation,silicone and quick-setting cement,now i m using screen to keep live prey in the cage because he prefers to hunt for food and i know that screen is not the best material to use for a Mellers Chameleon that s why i m CONSIDERING custom background to provide good climbing surface,so my questions 1rst-WHAT TYPE OF SCREEN WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR A TRIOCEROS MELLERI. 2ND-WHAT TO YOU THINK ABOUTE CUSTOM BACKGROUNDS AND SHOULD I USE ANY TYPE OF WATER SEALANT(i m more concerne aboute bacterias and molds but my plan is to keep it simple,no waterfalls,no paint,no fancy stuff). 3rd-ANY TIPS,TRICKS,ADVICE ON HOW TO BUILD A STRONG SCREEN CAGE OF THIS SIZE WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR FINAL PLANNING. plz take the time to share your knowledge with me thank you.

 

[summoner12]

so my questions 1rst-WHAT TYPE OF SCREEN WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR A TRIOCEROS MELLERI. 2ND-WHAT TO YOU THINK ABOUTE CUSTOM BACKGROUNDS AND SHOULD I USE ANY TYPE OF WATER SEALANT(i m more concerne aboute bacterias and molds but my plan is to keep it simple,no waterfalls,no paint,no fancy stuff). 3rd-ANY TIPS,TRICKS,ADVICE ON HOW TO BUILD A STRONG SCREEN CAGE OF THIS SIZE WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR FINAL PLANNING. plz take the time to share your knowledge with me thank you.

1st: If you are going to build a cage that large you might as well make it a free range. New Free Range In The Works...

2nd: don't worry about the custom background. They won't be too interested in it. Just give your guy a lot of horizontal perches and a few vertical vines/branches to move up and down on.

3rd: It doesn't need to hold king kong..... melleri won't try breaking out of a cage if it is set up right. a simple wood frame with staples holding the screen will be fine.



you need to make sure you provide a good basking lamp. they don't need TONS of heat... but they do need to be able to get it. I used to use a 100w heat lamp pointed straight down and my big guy Henry didn't bask under it much... then I moved the fixture to point into the free range more at a side angle and with a spot lamp and even lowered the wattage to 75w.... I change the lamp in the fixture pointed straight down to a 50w and now with the two lights he basks daily and has very solid poop and is finally loosing weight.

 

[boj3434]

If you dont feel like free ranging which is what I would do( never tried but I really want to just dont have the room) I would use Pet screening that you can buy at most hardware stores and im sure home depot and lowes both sell it. If you can't find that I would go aluminum but be careful some aluminum screen can be sharp if the chameleon climbs on it. Second a thick multiple layered polyurethane would work just fine just give it a good amount of time to dry before putting your chameleon in. If you dont want that a better option would be the stuff they use to seal boats which you can also buy at hardware stores, just ask for boat sealant and you will never have to worry about water damage. good luck and have fun

 

[Carlton]

of a 6x3 ebb&flow hydroponics flood table for excellent drainage,i m also CONSIDERING building a custom fake rockwall background with build-in planting pots using foam insulation,silicone and quick-setting cement,

As others have suggested, don't bother with the background. It will just take up cage space and it is just more surface to keep clean. I have used cages and free range for melleri. Some prefer free ranging and will fret in a cage regardless of size. My first cage was 6'x7'x6'. It was kind of a headache as I couldn't reach all the inside to clean without climbing right into it. Make sure the door is big enough for you! But I soon gave it up for free ranging in a clump of potted trees. Hung lights from the ceiling and arranged a misting system through the branches. Covered the walls and floor with pond liner to protect from spray. Your cham can still hunt insects in a free range. You can hang deeper plastic storage boxes in the branches and put the feeders in those. A free range will limit the flying insects unless you offer them by hand (which is a fun way to interact with your cham).

The flood table is an excellent idea. I've used them because they permit a much larger cage frame and you can plumb a drain easily.