best kind of screen?

[lizardgirl]

I'm going to be making a cage for my baby veiled and was wondering what the best kind of screen would be to use. So for those of you who have made your own cages or know people who have, what did you/they use? If you know the prices too that'd be great thanks!

 

[Mike Fisher]

Aluminum window screen. If you can get black or charcoal it looks better than the shiny aluminum. Don't get the nylon screen unless you like holes from the crickets chewing through it.

 

[eat2muchrice]

I had problems finding aluminum screen at hardware stores like home depot, check your local window comany for some. I forgot the price per foot, but cost $5 to make a screen door for my cage.

 

[Mike Fisher]

Any home improvement store should have aluminum screen. If not, they should not be in business. That is one of the top five consumable/replacement items in a home. The hard thing is to find it in black without special ordering it.

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Doors-Wi...window+screen?Ntx=mode+matchpartialmax&NCNI-5

 

[lizardgirl]

Does it have to be aluminum or can it be fiberglass?

 

[MelissaB]

I would use aluminum, because crickets (and hornworms) can chew their way through the fiberglass screen. I remember making a bug keeper for my son when he was little. I used fiberglass screen. He put a bunch of tomato hornworms in, and they all escaped, lol. Chewed a big hole right through the screen.

 

[lizardgirl]

Oh gosh haha aluminum it is!

 

[Montium]

Does it have to be aluminum or can it be fiberglass?

Fiberglass tends to break down and then you have particles getting stuck in the feet and eyes and can cause serious problems. Now as I say this I'm sure there are those that will say they have used it for years with no problems. To each their own but I won't use it as I have had issues with it before.

 

[eat2muchrice]

Screening alluminum is a little tricky, I failed when I first tried so the pro's at my local window company showed me how. When you first do it, roll the roller into the screen and frame, then insert the spline and roll it in. Afterwards they offered me a job .

 

[MelissaB]

^ Good advice. I'd buy the splining tool when you get the screen, too. It looks like a double ended pizza cutter. Makes it a little easier.