Building "real environmental" enclosure.

[SS4Luck]

Okay so ive been thinking, it would be kinda cool to make a huge enclosure that isnt just a large floored free range. I want dirt, trees the whole 9 yards. I figure id make it like 6w x 10h x 3d. I just dont know who i would drain everything and feed everyone...

help me brainstorm these ideas!

 

[Ricardo]

Something like a greenhouse, or do you want to build it indoor?

 

[pssh]

You could build it on a low platform and let the drainage drain through a pipe that goes through the wall and outside. Just do the hydroton-screen-charcoal-screen-dirt method. You would need to use feeding tubs unless it is walled or the insects will be all over the place.

I would go greenhouse personally. Just build some non-dirt pathways.

Edit: Oh yeah, now that I look at your size measurements, you could just use a bathtub. I built a free range in my bathtub (minus dirt) and it's about 5 feet wide, 2.5-3 feet deep, and 8-9 feet tall. I can keep the humidity up, mist all I want without water damage, free drainage, open the window for some real sun, use the shower curtain rod thing to hang plants from, etc.

 

[lisa h]

I haven't thought about building such a large enclosure for my little chams, but I hope when you decide to go ahead with it you will take step by step pics and give us some descriptions. It sounds like a challenging idea!

 

[Zero84]

zero's house

I have had zero in a enclosure just like you are talking about for two years now. I have four plants planted in his cage with two basking lights and two 48 inch repti sun 5.0 fluorescent bulbs. He is misted by a mistking system four times a day. His plants get enough water from the misting that I don't water them. I feed out of a large rubber maid or by hand. The bottom of his enclosure is lined with plastic and about ten inches of soil on top. I cut the bottom of the plants plastic pots off so the roots could expand out. The plants seem to soak up the moisture overnight and I don't have to worry about drainage.

 

[Dsignrguy]

dig through my old posts and see if you can find the pics of my outdoor cage......may give you some ideas.

 

[Eltortu]

Okay so ive been thinking, it would be kinda cool to make a huge enclosure that isnt just a large floored free range. I want dirt, trees the whole 9 yards. I figure id make it like 6w x 10h x 3d. I just dont know who i would drain everything and feed everyone...

help me brainstorm these ideas!

If I were you, I'd build it outside. Orange County gets good weather all year long. Except for the past three days of non stop rain...

 

[DEVO]

Well i have been a chameleon keeper for 13 years and since day one i have built all my cages and free range areas my self,now for a large enclosure or a free range area i like to use a hydroponics ebb&flow table,they come in 3 sizes 4x4,4x6 and 4x8,trust me i have used everything you can imagine and this is the absolute best way to drain a large enclosure.

 

[Action Jackson]

Can you post some more pictures of your cages and set ups? I'm big on cages and always looking for new ideas.

Thanks

Well i have been a chameleon keeper for 13 years and since day one i have built all my cages and free range areas my self,now for a large enclosure or a free range area i like to use a hydroponics ebb&flow table,they come in 3 sizes 4x4,4x6 and 4x8,trust me i have used everything you can imagine and this is the absolute best way to drain a large enclosure.

 

[DEVO]

Can you post some more pictures of your cages and set ups? I'm big on cages and always looking for new ideas.

Thanks

Hey ACTION J!No problem man,im in the process of building a second Trioceros Melleri cage and ill start a thread on it,so keep an eye out.