Repairing torn screen and mounting a MistKing nozzle?

[PlanetRemulak]

I set up my Reptibreeze XL today, and I’ve got to say the whole experience has me feeling like a total mouth breather. I told myself how lucky I was that the cage was delivered to my doorstep with no tears in the screen. Soon after that, I accidentally dropped the front door panel onto the back (I had the cage laying on its back) while trying to screw in the door hinges aaaand I tore my screen In two places.




Both holes are probably a little smaller than a dime. I’m wondering if anyone knows how to patch up torn screen? I’ve got clear packing tape covering both the inside and outside of each hole (I’m obviously very inventive). I suppose I should say I intend to hybridize my cage with PVC sheeting or coroplast, and I won’t be removing it from the cage after I fit the pieces onto the side and back panels. The hole will get covered by the coroplast from the outside, I just don’t want any feeders to wiggle out or my cham’s nails to get stuck in the tears.

I was also wondering how the MistKing nozzle can be mounted inside the cage? I know there’s a nozzle wedge on Dragon Strand.. I conveniently forgot to order one. I’m also still not understanding how the nozzle fits inside the cage since the wedge appears to sit on the top outside corner of the cage. Do you just cut a hole through the screen and feed the nozzle through that?

thank you!

 

[Lindasjackson]

Yes you just make a small hole in the screen to put the nozzle through but I would recommend that you go to the mist king website and order that wedge thing before you do. I put my nozzle in without one and the vibration just keeps making the hole larger. I’m going to order one when I next get paid. As for the screen tears, I would get some screen from the hardware store, cut a patch and sew it in with some fine fishing line. You really should not use tape of any kind inside a chams enclosure because it can rip their skin should they come in contact with it.

 

[PlanetRemulak]

Yes you just make a small hole in the screen to put the nozzle through but I would recommend that you go to the mist king website and order that wedge thing before you do. I put my nozzle in without one and the vibration just keeps making the hole larger. I’m going to order one when I next get paid. As for the screen tears, I would get some screen from the hardware store, cut a patch and sew it in with some fine fishing line. You really should not use tape of any kind inside a chams enclosure because it can rip their skin should they come in contact with it.

Yikes, I will definitely be gerring the wedge then! The tape will definitely come out when I get the coroplast sheets, too. Thank you for the suggestions!

Speaking of MistKings, did you manage to figure out yours? I think I’m going to have to re-do my timer. I had it set to go off every night at midnight, but it keeps wanting to go off at 12 noon instead. ( I had it programmed it for AM, too!)

 

[Lindasjackson]

Yes I got mine figured out. I’ll tell you a secret that Klyde O Scope told me. If you hold down the up and down buttons at the same time for 5 seconds it will reset itself so you can reprogram it. Klyde O Scope was a great help to me when setting mine up!

 

[MissSkittles]

Even though I covered the sides up of my damaged screens, I did use hot glue to repair the holes. It’s not pretty but it works.
The mist king wedges are great, but I’m frugal at times and used a piece of heavy plastic screwed into the frame with appropriately sized hole drilled in it. It works fine for me.

 

[Lindasjackson]

If I were that crafty and had apiece of heavy plastic, I would do the same because I’m frugal to but sometimes you just have to spend the money. Also use the clips to attach the tubing to your cage frame because the vibration is a Killah! That’s what caused my bulkhead to loosen I think. also if you use the clips and the wedge thing it lessons the vibration and makes it quieter for the Cham.

 

[PlanetRemulak]

Even though I covered the sides up of my damaged screens, I did use hot glue to repair the holes. It’s not pretty but it works.
The mist king wedges are great, but I’m frugal at times and used a piece of heavy plastic screwed into the frame with appropriately sized hole drilled in it. It works fine for me.

I’ll give this a shot, thank you! I don’t need it to look pretty. Both rips are along the back and I can probably cover it up with plants.

 

[ERKleRose]

For holes in my screens, I either patch them with more screen covering the hole and sewing it to the cage with fishing line or use a window screen patch kit, which is a piece of screen with parts to bend into place to secure it to the cage

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

There are a number of styles/types of window screen patch kits. Some are tapes, some heat applied, some aluminum screen patches...

I suggest looking at several types, and YT vids on repairing small holes & tears.

Both the kits & vids can be found in the same google search.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=window+screen+patch+kits

... Or you could just Okie-rig something.

I suggest 1/4" sheet PVC over coroplast. PVC is more expensive, but much stronger & more durable—worth it, IMO.

Mistking sells the same wedges, which are also PVC. You can probably get them for less through a MK dealer, or okie-rig some from what you'll trim off the side & back panels.

https://www.mistking.com/MistKing-Screen-Top-Wedge-Installation-ZooMed.html

The best way I found was to attach the wedge to the top of frame first, then using an Exacto or hobby knife, slice an X into the screen from the bottom using the hole as a template/guide—don't try to cut a circle. Use the nozzle to push through from underneath. This works cleanly/neatly, making the smallest opening and a snug seal.

 

[JacksJill]

I use hot glue to patch small holes. Large holes I use pieces of screen and hot glue into place. Never use tape inside your cage. Chameleons will find a way to get stuck on it.

You can see small holes or tears up with fishing line sometimes.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Chameleons will find a way to get stuck on it.

 

[PlanetRemulak]

Yes I got mine figured out. I’ll tell you a secret that Klyde O Scope told me. If you hold down the up and down buttons at the same time for 5 seconds it will reset itself so you can reprogram it. Klyde O Scope was a great help to me when setting mine up!

THANK YOU for this!! I definitely will need to reprogram mine and I was wondering exactly how to do this!

I use hot glue to patch small holes. Large holes I use pieces of screen and hot glue into place. Never use tape inside your cage. Chameleons will find a way to get stuck on it.

You can see small holes or tears up with fishing line sometimes.

Thank you for your input! great to know I can just use hot glue in a pinch. I didn’t want to risk tearing the screen more so I figured the tape could work for now, but the idea of the new cham getting stuck on it is a definite no. The tape is going for sure!

There are a number of styles/types of window screen patch kits. Some are tapes, some heat applied, some aluminum screen patches...

I suggest looking at several types, and YT vids on repairing small holes & tears.

Both the kits & vids can be found in the same google search.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=window+screen+patch+kits

... Or you could just Okie-rig something.

I suggest 1/4" sheet PVC over coroplast. PVC is more expensive, but much stronger & more durable—worth it, IMO.

Mistking sells the same wedges, which are also PVC. You can probably get them for less through a MK dealer, or okie-rig some from what you'll trim off the side & back panels.

https://www.mistking.com/MistKing-Screen-Top-Wedge-Installation-ZooMed.html

The best way I found was to attach the wedge to the top of frame first, then using an Exacto or hobby knife, slice an X into the screen from the bottom using the hole as a template/guide—don't try to cut a circle. Use the nozzle to push through from underneath. This works cleanly/neatly, making the smallest opening and a snug seal.

Very helpful as always! I was just wondering if I should cut a hole for the nozzle. You’ve made it so I don‘t have to come back and ask more ridiculous questions
As far as the screen goes, looks like I’ll be going with adhesive screen patches. Next to hot glue, that seems to be the best solution (and I can’t burn myself with screen patches. I always manage to burn myself with hot glue).

Couldn’t seem to find any 1/4” sheeting in the size I’d need, which is a bummer but I’ve decided to go with this over coroplast (I want to say @Beman mentioned this is what she uses): https://www.homedepot.com/p/3-8-in-...374-in-x-23-75-in-x-47-75-in-404828/313824063
Great news about this is that the sheets are already pretty much the right size, so I probably won’t have to do too much cutting.

For the billionth time in just under two months, thank you for your help everyone!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Couldn’t seem to find any 1/4” sheeting in the size I’d need, which is a bummer but I’ve decided to go with this over coroplast (I want to say @Beman mentioned this is what she uses): https://www.homedepot.com/p/3-8-in-...374-in-x-23-75-in-x-47-75-in-404828/313824063
Great news about this is that the sheets are already pretty much the right size, so I probably won’t have to do too much cutting.

Coroplast is just a registered trademark for pretty much the same thing as the link—corrugated plastic.

The same Home Despot has:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda...-Reversible-PVC-Trim-Sheet-H060XWS6/312995340

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Palight...-236-in-Foam-PVC-White-Sheet-159841/206402715

You might have to try a different location, or Lowes, which usually has the same items.
Another possible source is sign-makers and/or sign-making supplies.

 

[Lindasjackson]

How do you attach this to the reptibreeze?

 

[PlanetRemulak]

How do you attach this to the reptibreeze?

my plan was to drill holes into the top and bottom edges of the coroplast or pvc sheet that align with the screw holes on the top and bottom of my Reptibreeze XL. I was going to use the screws that came with the cage and attach them directly to each panel that way. Apparently others have used stick-on strips of Velcro so the coroplast panels can be removed

 

[Lindasjackson]

Sounds like a really good idea! I just have a fitted shower curtain around 3 sides of my reptibreeze xl that I attached around the top with command strips but I made sure they were stuck to the metal frame and a Eustis couldn’t get to them.