Best mesh type/size for homemade enclosures

[Echoezra]

So if I do decide to get crafty, lol, what's the best kind of mesh/screening to use, in homemade enclosures? What's going to be best for visibility, toe size, non-bug escaping, non-rusting, etc...?
Thanks. I'm not very crafty, so I have no clue, so please be specific.

 

[AFH]

I just use regular window screen. But make sure you get black. I done both silver and black and silver creates a terrible glare with the lights shining into the cage. It makes it difficult to see your cham.

 

[Olimpia]

Oh I prefer the gray actually lol I use the gray window screen and I feel like I can see my chameleons better.

The size is really up to you, you really can't go too big. But I would recommend doing more length, not just height. The standard 2x2x4 cages don't give much horizontal space, so adding another foot or two lengthwise would give a much more natural horizontal space to use.

 

[NWD]

Cheapest

http://www.reptilechannel.com/lizards/lizard-care/building-lizard-cage.aspx
Awesome idea for cheap cages I made too but I bought a taller roll of that metal so the cages are big enough because the sizes they use are too small for an adult. I also cut a while I'n the top for a light. I love um and u can see ur cham better then in the dark screen cages. The plant is the most expensive thing u have to buy lol just need wire cutters two plant trays I got the biggest they had and the metal stuff and I used the wire holding the role closed to make hinges for a door and zip ties too hold the roll together. Anyway it's the cheapest route and I personally think it looks nice as well.

 

[Action Jackson]

We used to make those cages. We would use large terra cotta colored plant trays and cut a large hole in the top one to access the Chameleons and to drop feeders in. We cut some screen to go over the hole and set a weight on top.

I have since read that using galvanized screen can be harmful to your Chameleon if they injest any of the deposits that build up on that type of screen.

I have a large galvanized cage that I have kept a Jackson in for years though without any problems.

 

[NWD]

Hmm

Maybe ur right but seems unlikely they drink off their plants and eat from a cup and it's a coated metal so idk I think they ate fine.

 

[moviemanmania]

Whatever you do, don't choose the 'pet screening' from lowe's. It is very dense and thick and doesn't allow enough uvb/uva light through it! What age cham are you going to build a cage for?

 

[Echoezra]

I saw that "pet screen" the other day and thought the same thing.
So that site recommends plastic-coated 1/4" mesh? Would that be small enough to keep in small crickets?
The chams I'm looking at are 2-4 months old now, so what size bugs would a 3 month old panther be eating? Cause that's what I'd need to be keeping in.
Most of the commercial cages seem to use what looks like window screen. And yes, i wasn't sure about black or grey either.

 

[moviemanmania]

You should cup feed your young chams. It will be easiest.

 

[Echoezra]

Re: cup feeding

I might, at least some of the bugs maybe, like the butterworms that wouldn't hang on to a vine for the life of me, lol. But I'd prefer to have options. Options that don't involve a room full of bugs. Haha!