Questions of a new enclosure

[Rocky]

I really didnt want to post this because I am positive something similar has been posted before, but after browsing ~20 pages in the enclosure section I am still left with many questions.

1. I have many 2x4's that I would be able to use to build a cage, has anyone used these? They seem kinda big and I'm not sure if i want the cage to be that heavy.

2. Also, I read a little bit about people using window screen kits to build them, and the pet store I bought my chameleon from said they bought all the materials from Home Depot and they had a metal framed screen enclosure. Has anyone found any "guides" or "blue prints" for building something like this?

3. Another question, I live in central texas and I was debating on if I should keep the smaller flexarium which is a 60 gallon 30" x 16.5" x 30" and build a decent sized outside cage (i was thinking roughly around 5-6ft tall x 3 ft deep) And let him stay out there the majority of the time on my back porch.

However the temperatures here get anywhere from low 20s during winter spring to 100+ during the summer so I have a feeling that he would have to be inside the majority of the time(unless anyone has other suggestions to deal with the weather)

And if not that I would be building a bigger (not as big as an outdoor) about 4-5 x 2 x 3 ish and thats where the question about cage blue prints comes in.



4. This goes along with the cage and some thoughts that I have had about building the cage. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience in using a 1 side wall with a type of "climbing wall". I saw one made of foam, but i was wondering how you thought it might work with attaching some moss and vines etc. to a solid wood wall. The moss I am talking about is the kind that grows on rocks near river beds. I don't know the name, but I remember as a kid i made a frog terrarium and used that as the bottom and it kept growing and lived fine with the mist that was sprayed on it. I'm not sure how i would go about it, but I am sure it could happen because i have seen the moss grow straight up rocks up to 4 feet (biggest rock I've seen out in the area the moss grows on our land)


Sorry about all the questions, but I really want to move my veiled into an enclosure that will last him the rest of his life and be the best possible thing for him.

I'm sure I will think of some more questions throughout the day but thats it for now

 

[TonyRockyHorror]

2x4's are pretty big. You can go to home depot and get some pine 2x2's for about a buck a piece. You just have to stain them, then seal em with polyurethane to protect them from moisture. Make the frame from those and use vinyl coated galvanized hardware cloth.

 

[JoshCrane1]

your cage will weigh 100+ pounds if you use 2x4s. i used 2x2s and 1x2s to make a 4x2x3 cage and it still weighs about 50pounds.

 

[beeze]

I use aluminum and screen from home depot. I am woring on one now and will post some photos tonight.

 

[beeze]

photos of the cage I'm building. It's 45 high 26 wide and 18 deep. I still have to put on the door, the top and put in the drain. It's for my little female veil.

 

[opihiman]

Wood is a great medium for Chams and it looks really nice. That being said. it also takes a lot more work to prep the cage to be ready for Cham...One more thing to make sure of is that you are not using pressure treated lumber...(with Hybor or some other anti-termite treatment). You can ussually tell this by the crystals that may form on the lumber. Wood cages will weigh alot more too and require alot more viv maint than an aluminum one.

When I get a place that is big enough I plan on building a wood cage. But I would like to have more space than I have right now.

Hope that helps

OPI

 

[Sporkthedork]

photos of the cage I'm building. It's 45 high 26 wide and 18 deep. I still have to put on the door, the top and put in the drain. It's for my little female veil.

That's a really nice set-up. I have a question though, what section do you find that aluminum frame in? Windows? Also was it hard to build? It looks professionally made.

 

[beeze]

That's a really nice set-up. I have a question though, what section do you find that aluminum frame in? Windows? Also was it hard to build? It looks professionally made.

The aluminum is back by the doors and windows. It's for making window screens. In that same area they sell the screen, end corners and the spline (the stuff that holds the screen into the aluminum). No, it's not hard to build and when you make your own you can build it any size you want. When I get finished, I'll post some more pictures.

 

[KCcham]

Beeze, I really like your cage! What did you use to hold the pieces of aluminum together? What kind of tools are required? I have a whole row of cages that are made out of wood: mostly 1x2 and 2x2 with screen, I am lucky to have a retired cabinet maker as my neighbor, who still has all the tools of the trade!!!

Jeffrey

 

[beeze]

Beeze, I really like your cage! What did you use to hold the pieces of aluminum together? What kind of tools are required? I have a whole row of cages that are made out of wood: mostly 1x2 and 2x2 with screen, I am lucky to have a retired cabinet maker as my neighbor, who still has all the tools of the trade!!!

Jeffrey

To hold the aluminum together I use to use screws, it would take a screw driver for that but now I use pop rivets and you'd need a hand held pop rivet gun and that's about it for tools.

 

[Rocky]

thank you for your pics beez thats kinda what i am wanting to build except a big bigger for my male. Do they have like joints or something that you can put to hold them together or did you just screw them together?

 

[jukeboxpunk]

Beeze

Beeze

I love the design you have made. This is getting me motivated to make my own. I need to have another enclosure ready in about 5 months. My 2 month old veiled is growing and won't like it if he is stuck in is 18x12x24 enclosure. Now are you going to put substrate at the bottom of the cage or leave it as an empty tub? I want to upgrade my guy to a 24x18x36-48, do you think that would suffice? Also, I have a similar cage that I had bought at a show, minus the tub.

 

[beeze]

Building you own cages is alot of fun you can put your own spin on them. I get alot of ideas from the pictures on the forums. I take my time to build them it takes me about a week. In the last year I have made about 10 of them. Here are some pictures of the cage I made for my male veil. 20' deep 32'wide 43'tall. On the bigger cages I have been using the cement tubs for the bottom. The tubs are easy to clean, when I have the cages inside water doesn't go everywear. I make stands for the bottom of the cage with wheels on them so I can move them from inside to out side. When they are outside the chams love it. I clean them with a garden hose about once a week.

 

[jukeboxpunk]

Awesome

I like the design. I had another idea for letting water run through the base, but your idea seems more ideal. The cement tub, how did you form it into a funnel type bottom? Or can you buy them like that with a hole in it already?

 

[beeze]

With the tub i use a 1 inch sink drain, you can get a screen to go into it so the crickets wont get out. When you put plants in the bottom it will make the center of the tub slope down and it drains good.

BEEZE

 

[ocdirtyjerz]

Building you own cages is alot of fun you can put your own spin on them. I get alot of ideas from the pictures on the forums. I take my time to build them it takes me about a week. In the last year I have made about 10 of them. Here are some pictures of the cage I made for my male veil. 20' deep 32'wide 43'tall. On the bigger cages I have been using the cement tubs for the bottom. The tubs are easy to clean, when I have the cages inside water doesn't go everywear. I make stands for the bottom of the cage with wheels on them so I can move them from inside to out side. When they are outside the chams love it. I clean them with a garden hose about once a week.

Wow! Incredible you made that? I'm interested if you have plans you could send me. Looks like a factory manufactured cage. I would like to know what tools you used too.

 

[Colleen]

or have the cage sloping to the back or front with collector to the collector all you would need it a 1/2 inch or less.......

 

[beeze]

I finished my cage

I started a new thread for my finished cage:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/made-new-aluminum-screen-16909/

If anyone's interested I pretty much have step by step photos.
Beeze