Best screen to use?

[SliK JiM]

Yeah, as the title says what is the best screen material to use and why? Is black aluminium the best option? Why should fibreglass mesh not be used?

Also, if anyone know of some way to get it cheap in the UK I'm ALL EARS!

 

[chameleon97]

Fiberglass might melt under the heat lamps. i use aluminum

 

[SliK JiM]

That the sort of information I'm after! Thanks! Which aluminium screen is best? Will the epoxy coating not melt on aluminium mesh?

 

[Goggles]

Like 97 said the fiberglass can melt, and the crickets can in time chew through this.
I am using black aluminium, I find the black easier to see through than the silver.

Terry

 

[Docility]

we had a member use pet screen for the sides, and aluminum for the top which is what i would recommend. aluminum is very hard to work with, and the plastic of pet screen is strong, and forgiving just more expensive. i wouldnt use fiberglass for a chameleon, but did for a snake a few days ago since they dont chew it or do anything with it. a low W house bulb wont set it a blaze, but others would have a good chance. My chameleon cage is full aluminum, and i like it, but would have preferred the pet screen for their feet

 

[sandrachameleon]

If you dont need a dense screen to keep flying insects in, consider a coated wire top - bigger gaps between bars allows more UVB penetration.

 

[Goggles]

The coated wire top is a great idea for uvb but I'd worry about escapees.(bugs)
Also the pet screen is coated fiberglass and bugs can still chew through.

 

[Docility]

pet screen what we have here is just straight up plastic. not fiber glass, and its from lowes. they agreed, i dissected it, and called NY screen company. its molded rubbery plastic.

 

[holmesese]

I just build two cages one with black aluminum screen and the other with fiberglass (kind of by accident). The fiberglass screen is nice because it is softer and doesn't bend, but I have had crickets chew through fiberglass screen within a matter of hours. It also provides a little more visibility into the cage. The black aluminum is much more sturdy, but tends to darken things up when you are on the outside trying to look in on the cham - which really perturbs me. Also, be very careful when actually screening with aluminum as I have had two main problems with it
1. Threads of aluminum pulling off the length of the screen or sticking out just a little bit where you cut it, which can leave a nice cut on your hand or worse... on your cham.
2. If you bend it, its bent for good. Any bumps to the cage leave a permanent lump!
Good luck building and let us see some photos!

 

[SliK JiM]

Sadly, as I'm in the UK trying to find half the stuff you're talking about is next to impossible! And if we do have it it is seriously over priced! I would ship it from America, but with costs of $129 (for a 30m roll) it's just not worth it!

Anyway, I found this, probably the best stuff I've found in the UK and reasonably priced too (well, for the UK anyway - they quoted me £45 including delivery for 7m at 48" wide - but I'll be able to haggle it down - maybe )

http://www.themeshcompany.com/acatalog/Aluminium_Woven_Wire_Mesh.html

I'm guessing the epoxy coated stuff is the best way to go judging by what everyone's said?

Also, seeing as you can't get the rubber spline over here, will I be able to cut a groove using a table saw, use aquarium airline tubing to hold the mesh in place (similar to how the spline would) then seal the groove with an aquarium sealant to hold it in place? Does that sound like it'll work? I probably haven't already said, but I'm working with wood if that helps clear things up.

Thanks all

 

[eisentrauti]

Maybe I can help you. We have in Germany a company with very cheap prices for alu-screen, round 5€ per 1m. I look up if they export to the UK

 

[eisentrauti]

Yes they ship, for 25€. Here's the address: bawitec.com

 

[SliK JiM]

Yes they ship, for 25€. Here's the address: bawitec.com

Cheers mate! You mind doing me a favour and roughly translating this page? http://bawitec.com/products/de/Inse....html?XTCsid=693ec39d98d4a906641a038834ebf0cf
I think its the correct spline stuff (my German is poor) and freetranslation.com couldn't handle it!

I'm guessing you'd recommend the aluminium gauze in black?

Also, I couldn't find it, but it may not be an option in english, but do they sell a whole roll? If it doesn't say anywhere I'll give them an email tomorrow.

Cheers for your help! It's greatly appreciated!

 

[jojothefirst]

I am also living in the UK and looking into building a new cage.....
I had a very quick look on ebay and found this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FLY-SCREEN-ME...66:2|39:1|72:1683|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

I was thinking could use it for the sides and like someone else already said, can use aluminum for the top.

Would this work?

 

[Miss Lily]

Don't think that is the right stuff - it says its made of fibreglass. Earlier in this thread there's mention of crickets biting through it.