New Free Range In The Works...

We are still in the middle of shuffling things around at our place. A new free range and new drainage are the big projects at the moment. My GF and I live in a two bedroom apt. The smaller bedroom was the cham room with Lenny lving in the living room in a free range. Well we got two more melleri and a female ambilobe. There isn't enough room in the 'cham room' anymore. So we are moving them to the master bedroom and moving us to the smaller room. It makes a lot more sense seeing as we hardly use the entire master bedroom.... just a lot of open floor space that collects junk and dirty laundry... :rolleyes::eek:

This time around I am putting all of the racks on wheels so we can clean the floor and walls around the cages. Not doing this the last time was a big mistake :eek:. I also connected two racks to be one. Instead of two 5 foot long racks they are one 10 foot rack on six posts instead of eight.

The range is to house three or four melleri. I hope to wrap this up for the most part this weekend.

First rack being built.

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hanging shower curtain.

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Bamboo rods to support 'vines' aka soaker hose (learned this from Chamelisa aka Elisa from ChamEO)

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My blue zip ties to go with my blue misting system tubing.... and the blue bits on my Mist King nozzles.

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Soaker hose....

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This is one side of the free range that is for the most part 'done' but still needs more work. Hey Todd (or anyone) can you see Marge? She surprisingly stays in the range all day.

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Looking good, Kevin!!! I think it was just so much fun to create the first range you found an excuse to do it again:D I bet it is a blast!! Is the soaker hose just for walkways?
 
Misting stuff

This is the drainage....

Back side.

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Top side.

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front Side side.

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These are little gussets I made... the notch is for water to flow past, and not pool.

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There are five total... I just didn't take pics of the fifth.

The table or... whatever you wanna call these things are level at the back and the front has one side lower by one inch compared to the other side.

Here is the misting nozzles. from Mist King.

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Here is the misting system... taken apart sitting on the floor. It was actually really easy to seperate from the 'system' Just remove a couple of plugs and wires and it comes right out. It isn't done yet... so there are wires all over the place....

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Looking good, Kevin!!! I think it was just so much fun to create the first range you found an excuse to do it again:D I bet it is a blast!! Is the soaker hose just for walkways?

Yes.... but I am also going to use it at the top or back of the drainage tables... connected to water so they can 'rinse' the table. Maybe have it operate once a day.

if that works well I was thinking 'what if i hook it to the 'vines' and provide drinking water this way...' or if I ran some along the topof the range to drip down.... This could work for people with lots of cages, have one hose running along the tops of cages?
 
Nice! Where'd you get the shelving? Last time I bought some (years ago), I rushed and bought some that was not sealed/waterproof. Rusted quickly and have been using random tables and such since. I need to re-do my set ups so I may use some ideas...

edit: Just saw the Uline stickers. Did you get it direct from them?
 
That is awesome Summoner! I can't wait tell I can get more chams and make a free range. I'm in college although with limited space and still with my first cham, but hes doing great!
 
I think I spotted Marg! Is that her under the zip tie in the right of the pic? She's beautiful!:D That is an amazing free range for her! I bet all your chams are gonna be sooo happy when you've finished!
 
I love working on free ranges! When I had my melleri I too moved out of the house's master bedroom and gave it to the chams. I had a RainMaker Jr. misting system that looped through the main free range and also provided drinking water for a cage in the 2nd bedroom. Drilled a hole in the wall and threaded it through. Worked great. I built my "forest" on a big sheet of plywood set up on castors so it was moveable just as you've done with the shelving. Shower curtains...check. Such a simple idea and it really saves walls etc. I also use them on my indoor bird aviary.

Looks like a lot of fun!
 
Very nice Kev! What no gutters?!? :p

You have a very understanding GF...She's a keeper that's for sure.
 
Nice! Where'd you get the shelving? Last time I bought some (years ago), I rushed and bought some that was not sealed/waterproof. Rusted quickly and have been using random tables and such since. I need to re-do my set ups so I may use some ideas...

edit: Just saw the Uline stickers. Did you get it direct from them?

I work for them, so yes. :D

That is awesome Summoner! I can't wait tell I can get more chams and make a free range. I'm in college although with limited space and still with my first cham, but hes doing great!

Just remember chams do best alone.... with the exception of some species.... This range is for my melleri who are capable of cohabitation.

I think I spotted Marg! Is that her under the zip tie in the right of the pic? She's beautiful!:D That is an amazing free range for her! I bet all your chams are gonna be sooo happy when you've finished!

Too bad Marge is gonna have to move into her screen enclosure within the next couple of days.... :eek: She does seem to like the range though.

I love working on free ranges! When I had my melleri I too moved out of the house's master bedroom and gave it to the chams. I had a RainMaker Jr. misting system that looped through the main free range and also provided drinking water for a cage in the 2nd bedroom. Drilled a hole in the wall and threaded it through. Worked great. I built my "forest" on a big sheet of plywood set up on castors so it was moveable just as you've done with the shelving. Shower curtains...check. Such a simple idea and it really saves walls etc. I also use them on my indoor bird aviary.

Looks like a lot of fun!

People look at me pretty funny when I am checking out of Target with 6 or 7 shower curtains..... lol I wonder what they are thinking. 'what if we have a shortage of shower curtains.... gotta stock up!'

Very nice Kev! What no gutters?!? :p

You have a very understanding GF...She's a keeper that's for sure.

I was gonna do gutters but went with my own system.... :eek:

I'll take some pics of the way I channel the water to the tubing.
 
Kevin,

What is the material the water runoff is being drained onto? Great idea on the soaker hose as vines, cheaper, and will look very close to the expensive vines we all buy.

If you are planning to activate a soaker hose, do you have enough pressure with a mistking to pump a soaker hose full of water??

BTW, I am amazed at the things you come up with!:D

Nick
 
Kevin,

What is the material the water runoff is being drained onto? Great idea on the soaker hose as vines, cheaper, and will look very close to the expensive vines we all buy.

If you are planning to activate a soaker hose, do you have enough pressure with a mistking to pump a soaker hose full of water??

BTW, I am amazed at the things you come up with!:D

Nick


I went in on a bundle of S-11312 with Steve Sims. We didn't pay the 'sticker' price... :D

It is basically plastic sheets of cardboard...... I cut it down using a H-838. It is pretty easy to work with.

I want to make it clear.. I did not come up with the soaker hose idea. I learned this from Elisa at ChamEO. I also learned how to plant my plants, what kind of dirt and trimming techniques ( I have not trimmed any of the plants in the range that you see in the pictures....).
 
Thats really cool! I would want to do something like that eventually but im sure my dog would go ripping right through it :(
 
Free ranging isn't really for people with pets that would want to eat or destroy a chameleon.... :eek:

haha i figured that. I think someday i might do that in my garage, its like a 1 1/2 car so i figure that would be real good for once i had one or two and the space would be taken up by cages anyway lol
 
For anyone who wants the pastic 'cardboard' material, you can usually find it at sign shops called coroplast or corex. Or if you lurk on a guinea pig forum site, they usually know where to buy it. They use it to make large cage bottoms for piggies. :)
 
For anyone who wants the pastic 'cardboard' material, you can usually find it at sign shops called coroplast or corex. Or if you lurk on a guinea pig forum site, they usually know where to buy it. They use it to make large cage bottoms for piggies. :)

Yeah the retail prices I am seeing for Coroplast are half that of Uline... plus you don't have to order in bulk.... I am not suggesting people buy from Uline.... although you might find it easier because of the service level and availability of stock. Have you ever called a company that picks up the phone (98% of the time) before the first ring tone or faster than 911 emergency? ;) We also ship same day if you call before 6pm and you will get you product the next day most of the time. :rolleyes:

OK enough tooting.... It's Saturday I don't need to pretend like I am at work. :eek:

But yeah, Coroplast is what I am using and I pay less than half the price you see on the Uline site... so.... It wasn't THAT much money considering how much I was able to use and was able to use out of the scrap. I only have a couple of small pieces I haven't been able to use, yet. lol :D
 
I know what this material is and am familiar with it's use in sign making. I do have to wonder what's the long term life of it constantly being exposed to water? Any thoughts Kev? This stuff would make a perfect replacement for the melamine board I built my Melleri cage out of.
 
I know what this material is and am familiar with it's use in sign making. I do have to wonder what's the long term life of it constantly being exposed to water? Any thoughts Kev? This stuff would make a perfect replacement for the melamine board I built my Melleri cage out of.

noooo freakin clue.... It seems sturdy in the form I am using it... with runner boards making it riggid. My concern is more.... will my hot glue keep a good seal and keep it all together over time? :eek::confused:
 
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