Best outdoor enclosure screening?

[jamest0o0]

I'm up in the air about this. I have done some searches, but can't really find a straight answer. We have lots of raccoons here, I really want something that'll ensure my Parsons wont become an expensive snack.

I have the plastic vegetable screening I plan to use for non-full-time enclosures. But I'd think it could be ripped through by a determined raccoon. Most metals would probably rust fast with our generally high humidity and wet summers followed by freezing winters. I have seen galvanized hardware cloth mentioned, but have also read about toxicity to zinc. Though articles said it's only a problem when heated to high temperatures? Would appreciate if anyone could clear that up for me. Maybe the vinyl coated hardware cloth? Aluminum screening is mentioned often on here, but how would it hold up to the elements and animals?

The enclosure is pretty large(~8ft high, ~6ft wide, 3ft depth) so I don't want to have to keep replacing the screen. It will also sit outside full time, through the winter(of course my cham will be inside).

 

[jamest0o0]

Anybody ?

 

[jannb]

Plastic coated hardware screening

 

[dshuld]

I can tell you my cats are furry wrecking balls on my aluminum screens be it window or cage screens so I wouldn't trust aluminum screen to keep raccoons out. I vaguely recall a convo with @Matt Vanilla Gorilla on galvanized emt when I was putting Blue's enclosure together. What about something like pvc lattice on the outside of it? Other then that I would probably go with the pvc coated chicken wire/ hardware cloth.

 

[jannb]

You might like this older thread from when my husband built our new outside enclosures.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/the-chameleons-are-getting-new-outside-sun-cages.150826/

 

[nightanole]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/YARDGAR...19-Gauge-PVC-Hardware-Cloth-308254B/202024056

been using it for decades. Plus if you want a quick cage, you can just router 2 2ft circles, and make the cage out of the stuff.

And for the lol's

http://www.askaprepper.com/diy-chicken-tunnel-step-step-guide/

 

[jamest0o0]

Hey everyone I really appreciate the links and advice. Trying to get started on this ASAP. What do you find the best way to cut hardware cloth is, dremel?

 

[nightanole]

Hey everyone I really appreciate the links and advice. Trying to get started on this ASAP. What do you find the best way to cut hardware cloth is, dremel?

I just used an industrial set of of old steel handled scissors. Dremel with a cut off wheel would work great if you dont shatter discs like candy.

 

[jamest0o0]

@nightanole do you know anything about the danger of using galvanized metal by any chance? Is this only a problem with high temperatures? I plan to get the vinyl coated stuff if possible so I'm not worried there, but a few of my enclosures have a galvanized metal screen on top to hold the lights and misters. Water droplets form on them and fall into the enclosures when misting. Am I overworrying? I don't want my chams to get zinc poisoning lol...

 

[jamest0o0]

@jannb mind me asking where you found that vinyl coated hardware cloth? Looks like 1/4 or 1/2"? I'm having trouble finding anything smaller than 2" holes here. And do you ever notice the chameleons rub on the green color? Someone was saying chams tend to rub their noses on green...?

 

[JacksJill]

I've used tin snips and it wasn't that hard but wear gloves. Power tools are always a good choice.

 

[jannb]

@jannb mind me asking where you found that vinyl coated hardware cloth? Looks like 1/4 or 1/2"? I'm having trouble finding anything smaller than 2" holes here. And do you ever notice the chameleons rub on the green color? Someone was saying chams tend to rub their noses on green...?

We buy ours online here: http://www.louispage.com/wire-netting/aviary-bird-barrier

 

[nightanole]

@nightanole do you know anything about the danger of using galvanized metal by any chance? Is this only a problem with high temperatures? I plan to get the vinyl coated stuff if possible so I'm not worried there, but a few of my enclosures have a galvanized metal screen on top to hold the lights and misters. Water droplets form on them and fall into the enclosures when misting. Am I overworrying? I don't want my chams to get zinc poisoning lol...

You can eat off of a galvanized zinc coating just fine. The only issue come from applying the coating, which we do not do, and wielding it without a respirator, which we also do not do.

 

[dshuld]

I was hoping @Matt Vanilla Gorilla would refresh my memory when I mentioned him lol. From what I recall our convo was when he showed me what looked like galvanized pipe he used to suspend a pothos pot in one of his cages. I think it was brought up when I was deciding on ss threaded rod or galvanized to suspend my planter box. If I remember correctly, he said galvanized was ok to use for our purposes and that an "old timer" had been using it for far longer then he had.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I was hoping @Matt Vanilla Gorilla would refresh my memory when I mentioned him lol. From what I recall our convo was when he showed me what looked like galvanized pipe he used to suspend a pothos pot in one of his cages. I think it was brought up when I was deciding on ss threaded rod or galvanized to suspend my planter box. If I remember correctly, he said galvanized was ok to use for our purposes and that an "old timer" had been using it for far longer then he had.

Haha, sorry sir, I missed that! Indeed, that was the content of our discussion!

 

[jamest0o0]

Thank you everyone. I sincerely appreciate it because I'm new to outdoor enclosures! I was reading on here people saying it was toxic, but most articles said only heated yo high temperatures causes anything to worry about.