Has anyone kept a cham in a bird cage?

[Sean1978]

Has anyone kept an adult chameleon in a bird cage? It occurred to me that it could be an attractive enclosure. I keep my conure in something like this:

On mine the top tray is removable with mesh on top. Seems like it would provide good air flow and the chameleon could climb on the cage walls. Visibility would probably be better than mesh also.

I know it's probably a beginner question, I'm going to the library tonight to gets some books. After reading about the way most people care for them it occurred to me that a bird cage might not be a bad idea.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

It would work and people have done it.
You'll have crickets all over your house
Also, I would be afraid of the chameleon poking his head out between the bars and possibly getting stuck.
The screen enclosures are really the best option.

-Brad

 

[Sean1978]

Figured I'd just put it out there for discussion. Most modern bird cages are also designed not to rust (because people mist there tropical birds). Also branch type bird perches could be attached to the sides.

For argument's sake I think the bars might get too hot if a light is close to them now that I think about it.

I'm not sitting here with an extra bird gage trying to figure out how I can cheap out on setting a setup either. Just throwing it out there for discussion.

Bird cages come with different distances of bars also (so your bird doesn't get his head stuck)

 

[royden]

I initially wanted to do something like this too. Bird cages seemed to be built for many of the same things, easy cleanup, accessablity for free roaming, airflow, visibility.

No cricket problems if you're cup feeding!

Lamps heating up the bars is an issue. Wonder if there's a way around it. I've always wanted to buy one of those super elaborate plant terreriums, and replace the glass with screen, I do that for my mantids, but there aren't any plant terreriums big enough. I'm really big on presentation. I'd like my cage to look like a zoo display.

 

[kim01]

i would be worried about perhaps too much air flow. and also the metal getting way to hot for the cham it being metal.

 

[Fidel]

You could cut the wire off of the top and replace it with screen to solve the heat issue.

 

[Nicodemayo]

i would be worried about perhaps too much air flow. and also the metal getting way to hot for the cham it being metal.

To much airflow!? These lizards live up in trees in the wild! lol. The hot bars would be a concern and i work at petco and ive seen most cages are around the same price if not way more than even the nicest cham cages. One great design is the pull out trays at the bottom though.

 

[arkist]

This is actually something I considered during my recent spree of research in preperation for getting a chameleon.

There are many pros and cons, and people have mentioned a few of them.

They are actractive, with easy cleaning and easy setup. Definatly better viewing then the apogee reptariums.

But it will force you to cup feed or not use feeders that can simply crawl out. Also a price per size comparision will still show aluminum screen cages to still be the cheapest. I actually looked at the exact same cage you have a picture of, it was about $200, and not even as big as the lllreptile aluminum 2x2x4 which I picked up for $75.

Like Brad said, it will work fine. But I would only do it if you already had a good sized bird cage you could clean and use. Buying new, I'd go aluminum screen.

 

[Sean1978]

My conure's cage cost me about $400.00 it's 24x24x32.

The rigidity of a bird cage would allow you to mount light fixtures to it. looking at my bird's cage I'd imagine you could cut the top bars and replace them with wire mesh, you could then mount your lights to the pertch on top faicing downward. I'd bet you could mount a humidifier or misting system onto the bottom shelf under the cage.

His cage looks more like this:

 

[Nicodemayo]

This is actually something I considered during my recent spree of research in preperation for getting a chameleon.

There are many pros and cons, and people have mentioned a few of them.

They are actractive, with easy cleaning and easy setup. Definatly better viewing then the apogee reptariums.

But it will force you to cup feed or not use feeders that can simply crawl out. Also a price per size comparision will still show aluminum screen cages to still be the cheapest. I actually looked at the exact same cage you have a picture of, it was about $200, and not even as big as the lllreptile aluminum 2x2x4 which I picked up for $75.

Like Brad said, it will work fine. But I would only do it if you already had a good sized bird cage you could clean and use. Buying new, I'd go aluminum screen.

Are you sure a cage like that was $200? Those things are pretty heavy duty metal structures. At petco, we carry a cage similar to that and seans consure cage and it costs $350.

 

[ken2414]

thats a little steep for a cage like that. bird cages would work and you could get peices of rubber and put it around the hot bars after you figure out which ones are getting hot. they would block the heat and still provide grip for your chamleon.

 

[Nicodemayo]

Some of those heavy duty bird cages are really nice though and remember, they need to withstand the jaws of conures, cockatoos, macaws so they have to be strong. Some of those cages also weigh 60lbs or more.

 

[Sean1978]

I'd say the best way to do a setup like that would be to either look for a used cage or one that was damaged in transit at a pet store.

I couldn't imagine buying a brand new care like that and then cutting it up.

It would be nice if some manufacturer made a chameleon cage that was built with the same quality as some of the things on the market for birds. I'd like to see something that had a combination of form and function.

 

[Nicodemayo]

I know i was thinking about that too. If a company made a cage that was mostly chameleon style but had a nice bottom that has as pull out tray and all drainage issues solved they could charge a pretty penny and id be willing to bet alot of people would buy it.

 

[kim01]

i want to clear up my first post in this thred. where i said they may get too much air.
i had been talking to my sister about a lizard she was thinking of,and this was a concern. i had it on my mind when i made the reply.
i do know that they can't have to much fresh air.