Reptar's homemade cage

[Aquaseafoam]

Frame is 1/2" pvc
bottom is a cement trough
1/4'' wire mesh
25x20x42
Still need to pick up a light fixture to span the top, and let the plants grow in.

Chillin'!

 

[lonomac]

Looks like it was cheap to make too

 

[MdngtRain]

Very nice job! I need to sit down one day & make my own...
Just make sure that the aluminum mesh is coated to prevent cuts on your cham.

 

[Aquaseafoam]

It wasn't as cheap as i thought it would be mainly b/c I had to order the corner pvc pieces online since they aren't used for plumbing they were $16 shipped.
$15 mesh
~$10 pvc
$5 trough
$2 zip ties
$5 hack saw for pvc
other odds and ends- probably about $50 plus lights and decor.
In retrospect- I would have made the pvc extend past the trough to make legs.
there are no sharp edges in side the cage, but i cut myself up making it!

 

[Cameochams]

nice job. I like the finished product.

 

[Justin Carl]

very very nice where didyou get the mesh i had to use aluminum screen that was the most exspensive thing. 4 rolls at 6.50 each

 

[lonomac]

You can get the mesh at Home Depot, also like the green plastic mesh too

 

[Justin Carl]

thats where i got my screen, but i guess aluminum is just exspensive. alteast it wont rust or melt

 

[Sage]

How did you attach the plant to the screen?

 

[Justin Carl]

looks like zip ties

 

[Sage]

on a regular cage will it kinda bend the screen?

 

[Dyesub Dave]

That's AWESOME!! I may do that for my next cage as I may be able to get the PVC tubiong for free. The only thing that I was wondering about was the screening. Wouldn't 1/4" be too large and crickets could escape?? I think that I would use tighter mesh just to be sure but what a great idea!

Thanks for sharing!!

Dyesub Dave.

 

[bg77]

How sturdy is it? How well does the door work? Are there big gaps for crickets to get out? I had thought of this to before I bought my cages. But the wife talked me out of it.

 

[mightyzug]

nice cage. kinda the same thing i did with mine for the pvc / zip tie / mesh walls.

if you make them fit together they are nice and sturdy, as far as crickets it depends on the mesh you use. i can't even try to free range crickets in mine hehe

 

[Aquaseafoam]

Thanks everyone!

It was a trade off on the mesh- I didn't want to use aluminum screen b/c of accounts of chams loosing nails/toes getting caught, so I got the 1/4" mesh which crickets can definitely escape from! I didn't see them escaping, but I found them hopping down the hallway, until my dog ate them :/
I guess I need to rip off a leg so they can't get out of the feeder cup, but I hate touching the things. I'm buying more roaches though, so hopefully I won't need crix at all soon.

It is pretty sturdy, not wobbly at all. the frame is very strong, the weakest part is where it connects to the base- like I said I wish i had made legs then the weight of the plants would hold the base down, instead of being wired together like it is now. The door works well, opens all the way the "hinges" are large, slightly loose zip ties and its held closed with a clip through the mesh on both sides.

I poked holes in the plant's pot and ran zip ties through it. I moved it down a little bit now- and left zip tie loops on the pot, and use a piece of wire as a hanger so its easier to move around. It does not bend the mesh on this cage since it is connected securely on all sides.

I got the mesh from Lowes, the Home Depot here stinks- almost no wire or mesh fencing to choose from. 1 roll 36" by 15' (i think)

 

[ChameleonsTree]

Just use a bigger feeder cup so they cant jump out...like a plastic milk jug cut down.

 

[Justin Carl]

you know you could have used T connections on the bottom to make it have legs. that way it wouldnt have to sit ontop of something.

 

[Guardian]

That looks terrific! How did you create a door??
~~G

 

[Aquaseafoam]

That looks terrific! How did you create a door??
~~G

A pvc panel slightly smaller than the frame on that side- so it fits inside of it.