Safe screen in DIY cage

[Hippie992]

I'm going back and forth between ordering a DIYcages 2'x2'x4' or just building one myself. I have a roll of metal screen from another project a while ago but I'm worried about whether or not it would be safe with a heat lamp on it and if it would rust with the Mistking. Also, pros and cons of building or buying a cage, and how you would secure branches and plants in an all screen cage without damaging the screen.

 

[Dgood]

Hey there, in my opinion either of those ideas are great but a lot will depend on the age of your cham. You don't want to keep a baby in a 2x2x4 that's too big he won't be able to find his food. I use custom made cages and reptibreeze and I love both. I have a male ambilobe Panther who will be 2 years old in May, he's huge! He measures around 17 in. You really can't buy a suitable cage for a guy that size unless you got thousands of dollars to spend. Building you own enclosure is a lot easier than you would think. For screening the cage I used 1/2in black plastic hardware cloth. It can be found at home depo or lowes. It won't rust and I have 3 lights sitting almost on top of it and no issues with it warping from the heat. I also like it because it is a lot softer than metal cloth and prevents any injuries from nose rubbing. Let me know if you have anymore questions

 

[Hippie992]

My male ambilobe is 75g now, he's getting up there. It's time for his big boy cage but I was under the impression that 2'x2'x4' would be adequate for an adult panther. How big would you suggest?

 

[Dgood]

Yes he could, but I always feel like bigger is better, if he's growing quickly and going to be a big boy he may out grow his 2x2x4. The more room he has to roam and hide will make him feel more secure. Of course you can only build a cage according to how much space you have. If you have a suitable place to put a big cage than I would reccomend building him one. He will be thanking you for it lol and you won't be regretting it