etclement
Established Member
I ordered one of those jeweled orchids they have, hope it lives up to what people say once it gets here in a few years...
Clay's Giant Enclosure Build!
- Thread starter etclement
- Start date
etclement
Established Member
Theyre supposed to be very pretty and have sparkling veins running along the leaves!
Veild Cham Owner
Avid Member
This sounds like it is going to be a cool looking cage!! Can't wait to see the final product! What are the dimensions of the cage?
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Few questions about your enclosure since I have and am doing an almost identical set up for my free ranges.
What's your drainage plan? Are you going to manually pump the water, out or have it free flow out somewhere?
Can't wait to see your lighting too, going to be bright!
What's your drainage plan? Are you going to manually pump the water, out or have it free flow out somewhere?
Can't wait to see your lighting too, going to be bright!
etclement
Established Member
I will have a pvc pipe going through the bottom of the cage and sticking up into the drainage layer. That way if the reservoir gets too full it will drain into the pipe. I will have a few Jds and I think two 6 bulb t8 fixtures.
etclement
Established Member
5' wide x 2' deep with 1' wide by 6" deep triangles cut out of the front corners. It will be 6ft tall I believe, but I can make it as tall as I want really.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
You just using grow bulbs in the t8s?
Also your drainage sounds like a good idea, but I'm not fully picturing it in my head. Do you have a photo or anything? Sorry I'm dumb right now
etclement
Established Member
Go to my thread that I linked in the first post. There's a pic of the basic layout there. That was way before the cage was finalized and all the materials were chosen, but the basic idea for the substrate layer is correct. I am also just using grow bulbs, because I'm getting a megaray for uvb.You just using grow bulbs in the t8s?
Also your drainage sounds like a good idea, but I'm not fully picturing it in my head. Do you have a photo or anything? Sorry I'm dumb right now
etclement
Established Member
Saturday, June 10th
I got the materials today! Well, I got the wood, screws, and wood glue to build the frame. The polywall and screen will come later. Construction will start today or tomorrow, but I first need to cut the wood and bring it downstairs. I'm going to assemble portions of it in the room next to mine, then take the portions into my room for final assembly.
I got the materials today! Well, I got the wood, screws, and wood glue to build the frame. The polywall and screen will come later. Construction will start today or tomorrow, but I first need to cut the wood and bring it downstairs. I'm going to assemble portions of it in the room next to mine, then take the portions into my room for final assembly.
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etclement
Established Member
Saturday, June 10th
The cage is about halfway done! I tweaked the dimensions a little, now the cage will stand 6'6" tall, and the place where the chameleon actually lives will be 6' tall. Bigger is better! Tomorrow, I am going to buy screen and polywall, as well as the rest of the wood for the base of the cage. If all goes well, the cage will be move in ready by tomorrow night! I am planning on setting it up in my room tomorrow without any of the bioactive soil or insects, just as a normal cage, and filling it with substrate later. That way, my room will not be as cluttered for a month.
The cage is about halfway done! I tweaked the dimensions a little, now the cage will stand 6'6" tall, and the place where the chameleon actually lives will be 6' tall. Bigger is better! Tomorrow, I am going to buy screen and polywall, as well as the rest of the wood for the base of the cage. If all goes well, the cage will be move in ready by tomorrow night! I am planning on setting it up in my room tomorrow without any of the bioactive soil or insects, just as a normal cage, and filling it with substrate later. That way, my room will not be as cluttered for a month.
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etclement
Established Member
Here are your picsPics?
etclement
Established Member
Btw, Clay will not be in the cage at the time I decided. As I don't have the proper lighting yet, I don't think he would do as well in there.
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
I can't wait to see this all done . Sounds Amazing !!.
etclement
Established Member
Sunday, June 11th
The framing of the cage is done! All I need to do now is add polywall and lattice on the inside, and install the doors after everything inside is set up. The cage will probably rest on either wooden cubes or reclaimed filing cabinets for support and storage.
The framing of the cage is done! All I need to do now is add polywall and lattice on the inside, and install the doors after everything inside is set up. The cage will probably rest on either wooden cubes or reclaimed filing cabinets for support and storage.
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Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
This looks amazing . I need this for our baby boy panther he needs space !!. Awesome job . Have you decided on what plants ?
etclement
Established Member
Yes and no. I will try to make a list of the plants currently going in the cage:
That I have
1 Dracaena Tree (3')
1 Ficus Tree (4')
1 Large bromeliad
1 large tillandsia
3-5 air tillandsia
1 Parlor Palm (1')
3 Parlor Palm cuttings (4" each)
1 Kiwi Fern Coleus (1')
2 Kiwi fern coleus cuttings
1 Large leaf purple/green Coleus (1')
2 Large Pothos
2-3 Pothos cuttings (6")
1 Nepenthes sp. (2 stems 6" each)
1 Ficus cutting (still in water)
2 Passiflora seedlings (3")
1 Large Orange Celosia (4 Stems 1' each)
1 Celosia Cutting
5 Veronica Sp ground cover (if it is safe)
On the way/ planning
1 Jeweled Orchid
1 Calathea
1 Bromeliad Pup
1 aluminum plant
1 other plant I forgot
... and more coming after that!
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
Amazing do you have pics of your Current enclosure ?
