Building my first cage

[Bullsnake]

Hey Everyone,
I am starting this thread so that I can ask a plethora of questions about building a cage for my first Cham, but at the moment, I only have one question at the moment. I am still in the design stage (which I will post some drawings of later), but I was wondering what you guys would recommend for the screen/mesh. I would like the greatest spacing possible for a 2-3 month old Veiled. I also don't know about what kind of material the screen would be made out of. If anyone could point me to a place to order some that is the right kind, or a brand and type that I could find locally, I would very much appreciate it. Thanks.

-Bullsnake

 

[jannb]

My husband builds cages for our Veiled and all of my daughters Chameleons and he usually gets the pet screen at the Home Depot.

 

[mczoo]

the answer depends on you and what your feeding. the larger the opening the more likely the feeders will get out. the smaller the opening the more likely claw problems will occur. I am actually making an inside 1/2 mesh and outside aluminum sceen to keep bugs in. others use screen and put plactic chicken fencing inside to save nails.

Good luck and have fun

Sean

 

[Vegas Chad]

You might want to consider a ready made cage for the time being. A cage that you make for a 2-3 month old veild will soon be outgrown. You might want to put your time and effort into a full size cage where it can live the rest of its life when it the appropriate size for it. Unless of course you are a wood worker then this is not an issue… Your best bet will be to call around to local screen shops, the ones in town have been able to give me the pieces that I need without buying a whole roll and absorbing the waste. The spacing will need to be on the small size because of the food it will need, lest you want flies and crix roaming your home… They will anyway, but a small screen will keep the numbers of roaming bugs low

 

[Billyjack187]

1/4 inch galvanized steel mesh, keeps in mid/large crickets, if you are crafty get some of the smaller screen mesh and tack it in place around the lower region to keep the bugs from escaping as much. Dont let the wood work fool you, yes I have experience with wood...from high school. And it took me a little over 4 hours to design,cut,stain and put it all together. Doing it in the right order is key to an easy cage. I dont like the mesh premade cages, sure they keep in the bugs, but they look like crap and dont have the "look" if ya know what I mean. IMO mind ya!

 

[Bullsnake]

Thanks

You guys are all a great help! I am so glad I found this forum. I have decided to just buy my first cage for the baby, and build its final home to get it right. I know all about the roaming bugs . I used to keep dart frogs, and It seemed that no matter where it was in the house, if you left a standing body of liquid out it would be covered in fruit flies that could only be found in such a way. I still have crickets living around the house, though the only animal that I have that currently eats them is my Red-Knee Tarantula. All of my herps are upstairs, so I have a code that if a cricket can make it past the cats and down the stairs, I'll let it free; upstairs, it's fair game for whoever he got away from . Thanks again for your advise, and thanks to whoever started this forum, I have learned a lot in the two days I have been a member of it. I will eventually get around to scanning and posting my design ideas for you all to see, and I will keep you updated with the purchase of my first cham.

-Bullsnake

 

[zombinka]

Terrarium

Hi, I want to have my first chameleo ever. So I want to know everything about buildind his new home. Do you know some great pages about bulding with pictures please?
Thx