My first cage (building)

[Shrilly]

OK so as i have had a previous thread with general questions i have startedworking on my cage but i have questions the front will be mesh but what will the back be? it was previously mirrors on the back but i am taking them out im thinking a humidity creating matereal? but what would that be any suggestions? heres a pic so you have a general idea

 

[Trundy]

Very cool... Did you buy this with the cage in mind or was it just laying around? ... Going to look excellent... keep us posted

 

[Shrilly]

ya i live on a farm(ish) area and i have a barn i keep a bunch of crap that includes a 1960s el camino an old bronco and a cool old coupe oldsmobile love to get them running havent tried since i put them in there they were running when i did but ya i have a bunch of crap laying in there and when i layed eyes on this i knew it had potential it was like the angels coming down awwwwwwwwwwww lol

 

[Shrilly]

So here is what it looks like stripped down where to go from here? besides the cleaning of course

 

[Trundy]

I'd give it a light sanding and some stain... Are you going to do a misting system? ... I'm guessing you'll be taking the wood from the inside top off I imagine right?..Will be nice as almost all equipment will be hidden... any ideas about drainage?

 

[Shrilly]

no this is also my first chameleon so i was hoping to get ideas from yall i will be gettign as misting system in the future idk about drainage im going to be geting a fiscus i believe and let my dripper water that and everything maybe?

edit: also it has a light fixture in the middle arch for either a UVB or heating lamp 2 UVBs on the side and 1 heating middle? or UVB middle 2 heating sides?

 

[Citizen Snips]

Hope you built that temporary cage already : )

you need a 5.0 reptisun uvb TUBE
mist king
house hold bulb works for basking
dripper

ficus works but i prefer the umbrella plant. place some large river rocks above the soil, but make sure they are too big for your chameleon to eat.

some fake exo terra vines that are securely fastened



Drill some vent holes for the lights

 

[Shrilly]

when you say vent holes what do you mean i was thinking about cutting it enough for the fixture to sit on the hole have mesh under it so it has a little casing per say if you get my meaning

 

[seanUTD]

Yea looking at that china cabinets shape and size I'm worried about your drainage situation... I would say (but this only MY opinion) cut out the bottom and build a set of doors that swing open and staple in some PVC tarp that empties to a center point... Then make a sturdy floor to the actual cage portion out of sturdy hardware mesh... Then you can place whatever bucket will fit in that odd shape (maybe trashcan?) underneath the PVC and that will create drainage... But otherwise I can't see how you can get good enough drainage... IMHO

 

[Citizen Snips]

I'm thinkin it would be ok if you hung the flourecent light from the top by a couple chains and place your basking bulb in either the left or right compartment. Then, have your mister on the opposite side, so it doesn't spray your lights but its still high enough to spray most of the cage. I would remove the fixture thats in it now and cover that hole with mesh. And drill holes in the ceiling part at the top. As for drainage, I can't see the pics very well on my phone but I'll try and look at it tomorrow. Sean has a good idea with the tarp.

 

[rancid22]

It must be very nice!!!! So how's the weather at your side?

 

[Shrilly]

pretty moderate realy maybe a little hot but thats ok! i cleaned it and all should i put a coating on it a finisher sand it and and all or just put a finisher or leave it the way it is a clear coat idk and should i put the 2 glass panels back on the bottom of it and leave the door a screen and leave everything else a screen and make the back panels out of shower curtain and the wood planks to hold it in the panels?

 

[Shrilly]

Ok. So i brought it inside cleaned it and all fixed the sides and put the round pieces back on still deciding if i should put a protectant around it and all to help against the humidity and if so what should i use? And as for drainage there is space under it to tinker with and for a drainage system i dont want the water spilling all over the bottom how to prevent this? anyway here is where we are at

 

[Shrilly]

I'm thinkin it would be ok if you hung the flourecent light from the top by a couple chains and place your basking bulb in either the left or right compartment. Then, have your mister on the opposite side, so it doesn't spray your lights but its still high enough to spray most of the cage. I would remove the fixture thats in it now and cover that hole with mesh. And drill holes in the ceiling part at the top. As for drainage, I can't see the pics very well on my phone but I'll try and look at it tomorrow. Sean has a good idea with the tarp.

The cieling part of the top is the part where the fixture is the highest point of this structure has the fixture in it and is in good working condition with a switch would be a shame to get rid of it since it covers the whole stucture with light idk its up to yall

here is where the fixture is(yes it still works)

 

[Justin Ward]

where do you plan on puttin the UVB bulb? it should take up most of the length of the cage

 

[Shrilly]

where do you plan on puttin the UVB bulb? it should take up most of the length of the cage

it could be where the fixture is now? the very top? but idk if it would work its true magic all the way up there? or are you saying using a tube UVB and have it run down the length?

 

[franticurchin]

yes a tube and not length but most of the width of the cage with a basking bulb on one side and a misting nozzle on the other mistking makes a quad nozzle that would be great for that cage

 

[Shrilly]

ok so i have (at the top) a left middle and right side where would the mister the uvb and basking light go preferably (see pics of the top of the structure)

 

[Citizen Snips]

I'd set it up something like this..

mister on the left
UVB in the center
basking on the right

 

[Shrilly]

alright thank you so much for that i can work with all that for sure=) helps me figure what i am doing right now im sanding it and after that im going to put finisher on it