My Enclosure

[FirstTimeChameleon]

I'm bored and I'm on painkillers from surgery yesterday so can't do much, hence I'm uploading some pics of my chameleon enclosure.

Thanks for those who gave me tips when I was building it. I know some people are against the plexiglass, but I like it and the screen sides and door and lid give a lot of ventilation.

Here's my panther chameleon. He turns bright orange and yellow sometimes, other times he gets red and bluish-green. His name is Killa Cham, after the rapper.

 

[codiwatkins]

Are the two domes both heating lamps or is one your UVB???
Spiral UVB are bad news and will give your cham eye problems in the long run

 

[FirstTimeChameleon]

The two domes are basking lights. I only have the one on these days cause it's pretty warm out, but I can turn the other one on to keep the enclosure warmer when it's chilly.

There's a 24" 20w 5.0 UVB tube light under the half-assed hood sitting on the top, to the left of the enclosure.

I want to build a nicer looking hood sometime. this one looks really sloppy.

 

[philanddeb818]

Good job done. Happy Chamming!

 

[Sang]

Looks good for a custom done.


GL.. i have been thinking of several ways to do additional enclosures.

 

[Pure]

Looks like a great enclosure for your panther. Well done.

How long has this been built and how thick is the plexi? I've tried working with it before and unless it's thick it tends to warp over time.

 

[FirstTimeChameleon]

Since December, and 1/4"

I kept him in a smaller enclosure when he was a baby, so this one has only been 'active' since around April.

That sucks about the warping, do you know what causes it? Maybe I can try and take steps to prevent it.

The cool thing about the enclosure is it's mostly just bolts and nuts holding it together. There is some caulking to seal the mesh to the metal braces, and two big screws in the bottom, but everything else is totally take-apartable. If the plexi does start to warp, I could replace it with another sheet, or even with some mesh.

I'll let you know of any future problems.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I use plexi and similar for my enclosure doors. No warping has been noticed (one of the cages is well over ten years old now). The thicknesses range from 1cm and thinner. I use screws to attach to a think wood frame.

 

[Pure]

I should have been more specific. I haven't used it for this application. I've used it as a cheap top for aquariums. I'm guessing the screws holding it in place to the frame keeps it from warping. I had just the plain sheet of plexi no framing, just the lip of the tank.

I was actually wondering if the screw holding it in/to a frame kept it from warping. As you've had it put together since Dec and it hasn't warped, I would guess you will be fine. And Sandra confirms that.

At about 1cm thick it usually warped on me in a few days.

Sandra, how well does the thin stuff put up with heat?