Cheap, easy, shorcuts, for making or decorating your enclosure

[Rex305]

OK GUYS,

so i was looking at the Enclosures post and decided to write this post to help some of us newbies and even the experianced with some helpfull tips, tricks, and ideas to save money in building enclosures, or plant alternatives, or even plant and vines alternatives.

for example...some of the things i have already learned along the way:

-Rope from Home depot or lowes might be cheaper than buying those fake vines from pet stores.

-shower curtain or tarp material will do wonders in helping with keeping temperature and humidity levels stable.

-duck tape, zip ties, glue guns, and rolls of wire will be your best friend when buiding within the enclosure.

-A rubbermade (or other) tote on the bottom of cage will help keeping your cage clean from most of the water and drops that roll down to bottom of cage.


FEEL FREE TO ADD UPON THIS GUYS.

 

[deathdealer91]

Wow nice post. hope you get more ideas from others.

 

[SycoSquirl]

push pins will help hold wood in place without damaging the cage, just but 2 in the ends and it should be nice and stable

use thin wire to hold pots to the sides of the cage for them to "float"

you can have a bowl placed to catch drips so you dont need a huge bin underneath, just place a thin chameleon friendly mesh overtop so feeders and your cham wont drown

 

[Rex305]

Wow nice post. hope you get more ideas from others.

Thanks!!

I am about to sell my first homemade cage, and will be buying a reptibreeze cage, so any help with CHEAP, money saving tips, and most importantly, decorating tips will be a BIG HELP right about now.

I saw someone post a thread about making a live wall, That was a GREAT idea. Im thinking about trying it.

Also...what ideas do you guys got for placing bamboo sticks, or dowels...etc without punching hols or denting up the screens.

would like to get some new ideas.

 

[dacrazycanadian]

I put my branches across the cage and put pins into the ends outside the cage screen, so im not puncturing or denting the screen.

 

[Rex305]

I put my branches across the cage and put pins into the ends outside the cage screen, so im not puncturing or denting the screen.

good idea! where do they sell Pins for cheap?

also, i think i saw on someone's pics on enclosures thread, that they had the dowels going accross the cage and the ends of the dowels went into somekind of round cap looking thing. like a stopper or something.

--------------------=I

(looks like this. stick going into cap which is up against cage wall)

anybody know about this?

 

[reptoman]

OK GUYS,

so i was looking at the Enclosures post and decided to write this post to help some of us newbies and even the experianced with some helpfull tips, tricks, and ideas to save money in building enclosures, or plant alternatives, or even plant and vines alternatives.

for example...some of the things i have already learned along the way:

-Rope from Home depot or lowes might be cheaper than buying those fake vines from pet stores.

-shower curtain or tarp material will do wonders in helping with keeping temperature and humidity levels stable.

-duck tape, zip ties, glue guns, and rolls of wire will be your best friend when buiding within the enclosure.

-A rubbermade (or other) tote on the bottom of cage will help keeping your cage clean from most of the water and drops that roll down to bottom of cage.


FEEL FREE TO ADD UPON THIS GUYS.

Beware of using rope or twine inside a chameleon cage. This stuff sticks to chameleon tongues and will not come off easily. I know of at least 2 instances where a chameleon got its tongue stuck shooting prey on a burlap rope. One died and the other was forced to bite off its own tongue.

To save on buying artificial vines, I use natural branches tied together with plastic zipties and hang the whole assembly from a single anchor point in the top-center of the screen cage. Making an "H" shape from PVC pipe allows for a suspension structure and doubles as a clamp position for a light. It eliminates the need to use pins, unnatural looking wood dowel, hot glue, or a number of items that make putting a cage together more complicated in my opinion. You can remove the entire assembly to spray it down and put it back in a matter of minutes. It also keeps the bottom of the cage clear of items so easy to spot clean daily. Pics at the links below.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/need-help-pothos-plant-please-102714/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.531302093590006.1073741831.291375457582672&type=3

 

[Rex305]

I hand feed, or cup feed for the most part. and yeah, as far as ropes, your right. i wont be using the twine again. when it comes apart, small pieces of it might harm the chameleon.

I actually was thinking of using the white rope, or other kind of rope that i know will not come apart.

THANKS!!

 

[dacrazycanadian]

good idea! where do they sell Pins for cheap?

also, i think i saw on someone's pics on enclosures thread, that they had the dowels going accross the cage and the ends of the dowels went into somekind of round cap looking thing. like a stopper or something.

--------------------=I

(looks like this. stick going into cap which is up against cage wall)

anybody know about this?

I buy dress shirts for myself and use the pins holding those together haha. Any small pin will work though as long as the head is larger than the mesh.

 

[Mike Fisher]

My experience with rope is not so good. I tried that early on and it seemed to stress them out because it is not rigid enough for them to balance on properly. Like walking a tightrope. They do not understand this very well because they don't encounter rope in nature.

 

[Action Jackson]

I don't like using push pins. Over time you will tear the screen especially if you like to keep your cages clean. Removing plants with dowels or branches installed is tricky. After experiencing this too many times I came up with this solution. I've been doing all my cages like this for a while and I love it. Lift up the dowels and remove the plant, super easy. Also my chameleons love the circular route around the top for the cage.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/new-cage-setup-111202/

 

[Mike Fisher]

I don't like using push pins.

Me neither. Hot gluing neodymium magnets to the ends of the dowels/branches and using another magnet outside of the enclosure is much better. The push pins will eventually tear or deform the screen.

 

[MelissaB]

I've been using Action Jackson's method of hanging chain, and love it. It's so easy, and looks nice, too.

 

[Rex305]

I don't like using push pins. Over time you will tear the screen especially if you like to keep your cages clean. Removing plants with dowels or branches installed is tricky. After experiencing this too many times I came up with this solution. I've been doing all my cages like this for a while and I love it. Lift up the dowels and remove the plant, super easy. Also my chameleons love the circular route around the top for the cage.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/new-cage-setup-111202/

this is an AWSOME IDEA!! using the rubber coated chain pieces, a couple of dowels (I'll be using bamboo, they sell it cheap at garden area in home depot) with some zip ties, i can definately make this work!

i was also thinking about making a stand out of PVC, wrapping it in fake vines for easy climbing.

 

[Rex305]

ok guys... ran accross some things that might help or work for you

- PORTABLE CLOSETS AS CAGE? anyone ever try using a portable closet? they're cheap and dont see a reason why it wouldnt work. maybe the lights too hot, and might burn? not sure...

-coat racks!! these might be a big help in assisting in hanging, and decorating inside of cage without having to attach anything to the actual cage itself. some sell cheap! (make sure metal is wrapped or far enough from lights to not burn the pet)

-not sure if it was mentioned previously, but can also build a base made of PVC to place inside enclosure which will help in hanging, and attaching climbing vines, ropes, plants...etc.

C'MON GUYS, KEEP EM COMING!!

 

[MelissaB]

this is an AWSOME IDEA!! using the rubber coated chain pieces, a couple of dowels (I'll be using bamboo, they sell it cheap at garden area in home depot) with some zip ties, i can definately make this work!

i was also thinking about making a stand out of PVC, wrapping it in fake vines for easy climbing.

Actually, the chain is made of plastic, which is even better. It never rusts.

 

[Rex305]

Actually, the chain is made of plastic, which is even better. It never rusts.

yup!! lighter in weight also.

 

[villanueva11]

To secure my branches to the sides of the enclosure I used plant ties. You can pick it up just about anywhere that has a small garden center. I think its $2-$3 at Walmart. It works great for me. It is kind of tedious work because I use a needle to attach it to the sides, so if you want something easy probably wont be your best bet. However, if you have the time its worth it. The tie is green so it blends in well, its flexible with a tiny bit of give but you are able to tighten it up enough the branch is safe & secure, its soft-no sharp ends or edges for them to get hurt on and its plastic so no rust. I love it. I have noticed it weakens in time under the bright light & I'm sure the water doesn't help, so you'll want to watch for that.

 

[JosieJobo]

mine loves rope

My experience with rope is not so good. I tried that early on and it seemed to stress them out because it is not rigid enough for them to balance on properly. Like walking a tightrope. They do not understand this very well because they don't encounter rope in nature.

My panther loves the rope I have in his tank its nice and thick so easy to hold it doesn't move much not that he minds when it dose as in the wild branches more all the time. Just cable straped in to the mesh then raped vine plants along for a little cover

 

[Mike Fisher]

Honestly, it doesn't get much cheaper or healthier for your chameleon than live plants. Here's one I use......Locate some pesticide free Japanese Knotweed (that's the plant in my avatar) and put that in your enclosure. That stuff will fill up an enclosure in days and it is an invasive weed so you can get enough to fill up all of your cages for free.