Screen bottom
- Thread starter Juliaf3
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Psychobunny
Avid Member
It's way easier to just drill a bunch of holes in the plastic floor 
mowryrd
New Member
I have always had a screen bottom. I agree you can't put much weight on the bottom. If you put a wooden frame work under the screen so it is made into four smaller section and put two layers of screen I Think you could put a lot of weight on it. Mines only one layer of screen divided into two quadrants and it supported the weight of my cat (his very fat lol) no problem. I think having a screen bottom is the way to go, no worries about drainage and easy cleanup
Juliaf3
Established Member
Juliaf3
Established Member
Thanks for the input psychobunny and Mow. I did the drill thing. In order to have it drain quick enough I had to put holes that the crickets could get out of, so I am now switching it to screen as we speak. I took a little different approach the. Probably what is normally done- I'll post pics when I'm done
Psychobunny
Avid Member
If the floor is a sheet of plastic, like a reptibreeze, you can get something heavy, like a rock or brick, place it in the middle, get a hair dryer and heat the plastic untill it gets soft. The weight of the rock will create a dip.
You can then drill your holes in the center of the dip and the drain water will funnel into the dip.
I did that on 2 cages and it works very well, and eliminates standing water on the floor. You can place a oversize pan under the whole cage, and raise it up a bit with 4 blocks under each corner. This will allow the water to flow freely w/o and standing puddles.
deerharvester
Established Member
I use a 2.5" holes saw in the center of all of mine. Then underneath I hot glue aluminum screen.
Scott
Scott
Juliaf3
Established Member
Ok here's what I did! Took the plastic from the bottom- cut a big square out of it, hot glued screen to it time will tell if that was a good idea or terrible one. I like the idea of being able to removed the entire bottom and clean it without disturbing the entire cage. So far so good-
time will tell if that was a good idea or terrible one. I like the idea of being able to removed the entire bottom and clean it without disturbing the entire cage. So far so good- 
Psychobunny
Avid Member
Looks like you did a fine job.
I dont know if your going to like trying to clean cham poop off of screen every day, but time will tell
I dont know if your going to like trying to clean cham poop off of screen every day, but time will tell
Ok here's what I did! Took the plastic from the bottom- cut a big square out of it, hot glued screen to it
View attachment 95462
Not having wood in contact with water is a good idea-good choice!
NICK
If you have access to a staple gun that would be stronger then hot glue. Just a thought
I think if you stapled you would still need to hot glue to keep the feeders in.
Nick
Juliaf3
Established Member
Yeah that's why I went with the hot glue. It should hold I think. It's working great. The water is no long running towards the corner and down the wood.
JohnDoe
Established Member
Julia,
If this doesn't work out over time, which it did not for us. We switched to a thick piece of plexy glass (aka plastic) and drilled holes all over it. Holds great weight and drains really good. If you de ide to change let me know and I will take a picture for you.
Juliaf3
Established Member
I plan on changing once my chams can eat larger crickets, and completely redoing my drainage set up. I just had to do some thing because my current drainage system was working, but not very well. I've always pushed a lot of water through my cages. Their drippers run ALL day, and I was pump misting atleast thre times a day for a good ten minute, unless the humidity hadn't dropped enough. I was constantly having to mop up water. Which wasn't a problem since I have tile. It was just a nuisance. I recently purchased rain domes from Aquazamp. I'm totally excited about it! It's arriving tomorrow according to my tracking number. I just decides enough was enough. It was time to get these chams some proper stands built, with better drainage! Excited to have the rain domes! Although, I did like using the pump mister, and watching them enjoy the misting. I just feel like the rain domes are going to be much more enjoyable by the chams. Plus I can set it up to go off at the exact same times every single day. I find my chams are much happier with a nice smooth routine! My next purchase shall be the quad lighting fixtures from Light Your Reptiles! My husband is so over my new purchases for the Cham every other week. I can't help it though. When I first bought my jackson I had no idea what the heck I was doing. This forum is so helpful. Every time I think the cages are great, i get on here and find something to upgrade! Lol it really is not a cheap hobby by any means. I mean it can be done cheaply, but then your only providing mediocre care. I'm shooting for top quality care! Honestly.....every time I upgrade something, my jackson just looks more and more beautiful. It really does wonder for a Cham to live in a top quality cage. I have this idea for drainage that's going to require a welder, but if and when it goes down, it's going to be amazing!!! I've already drawn up the plans- just going to purchase better lighting first! I plan on letting them be outside a ton this summer-but we have very long winters here in Minnesota, so they definitely need the best lighting available!
fluxlizard
Avid Member
I can't stand non-screen bottoms. For my DIY cages, I've just been splining the screen into the bottom frame. I would have thought most brands would be the same, eliminating the need for hot glue and making a complete seal of the bottom so bugs can't get out.
I use pots on the bottom too. Indoors I use the currigated roofing material beneath the cages- acts like gutters and supports the pots. Outdoors I build rustic table frames that look like ladders with rungs that go in pairs instead of singly. Each pair of rungs is spaced so they support one pot.
I use pots on the bottom too. Indoors I use the currigated roofing material beneath the cages- acts like gutters and supports the pots. Outdoors I build rustic table frames that look like ladders with rungs that go in pairs instead of singly. Each pair of rungs is spaced so they support one pot.
Juliaf3
Established Member
I really wish I knew what you were talking about but you lost me at splining, currigated roofing material, and rungs! LOL no idea what those are!
I also, can not stand not screen bottoms. It's drove me absolutely bonkers since the day I bought it! What a mess!
fluxlizard
Avid Member
spline- look at the screen on your house windows. You will see the same aluminum framing used to make professional chameleon cages. They are made out of the same stuff you can buy at your local hardware store. Spline is the rubber strip that is used to hold the screen to the frame. There is a channel in the aluminum framing that the spline is rolled pressed into with a little wheel tool that looks like a pizza cutter. The frames on the cages are the same way- you should be able to remove the bottom frame from the cage by undoing a few screws, lay a piece of aluminum window screen over the frame, use the tool and spline to fasten it in place, and then trim around the spline by sliding a box cutter around the outside of it, cutting off the excess screen.
Most commerical cages probably do what DIY did and that is provide an empty frame that the solid bottom rests on. That empty frame is just a window frame that can be splined and screened. If your brand did something else- for a few bucks you can make your own frame and spline and screen it and slip it into place down there.
It only takes a few minutes and a few dollars.
You are left with a professional quality, insect proof, screened cage bottom that matches the other sides of the cage.
I honestly can't understand the appeal of the foamish plasticish thingamajig cage bottoms that come with commercial cages. They totally suck. Super weak- can't support the weight of a large pot anyway, don't seal tight and prevent insects from sneaking out the bottom, have to be wiped clean even when outdoors (I just blast my screen bottoms with a spray nozzle on a hose to clean them outdoors).
And if you ever want to use your cage in a horizontal rather than verticle fashion (and I frequently do because I keep other small lizards and not only chameleons) the cage bottom just leaves a big floppy side that will fall open and has to be dealt with in some fashion before the cage is usable.
couple of links to see what I am talking about-
How to spline the screen into the frame- skip ahead to about 2 minutes in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kc-ga03dVY
corrugated roofing material. Lay this on top of a table that is at a slight angle (put a couple of bricks under one end or something) and it will support the pots and run the water off into a catch tub at the low end. Outdoors of course it is totally unnecessary- all you need is a table without a bottom so the water can just drop into the ground.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_12731-1115-1201A_0__?Ntt=tuftex+96-in+x+26-in+0.3+opaque+white+corrugated+pvc+roof+panel&UserSearch=tuftex+96-in+x+26-in+0.3+opaque+white+corrugated+pvc+roof+panel&productId=3010589&rpp=32
Most commerical cages probably do what DIY did and that is provide an empty frame that the solid bottom rests on. That empty frame is just a window frame that can be splined and screened. If your brand did something else- for a few bucks you can make your own frame and spline and screen it and slip it into place down there.
It only takes a few minutes and a few dollars.
You are left with a professional quality, insect proof, screened cage bottom that matches the other sides of the cage.
I honestly can't understand the appeal of the foamish plasticish thingamajig cage bottoms that come with commercial cages. They totally suck. Super weak- can't support the weight of a large pot anyway, don't seal tight and prevent insects from sneaking out the bottom, have to be wiped clean even when outdoors (I just blast my screen bottoms with a spray nozzle on a hose to clean them outdoors).
And if you ever want to use your cage in a horizontal rather than verticle fashion (and I frequently do because I keep other small lizards and not only chameleons) the cage bottom just leaves a big floppy side that will fall open and has to be dealt with in some fashion before the cage is usable.
couple of links to see what I am talking about-
How to spline the screen into the frame- skip ahead to about 2 minutes in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kc-ga03dVY
corrugated roofing material. Lay this on top of a table that is at a slight angle (put a couple of bricks under one end or something) and it will support the pots and run the water off into a catch tub at the low end. Outdoors of course it is totally unnecessary- all you need is a table without a bottom so the water can just drop into the ground.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_12731-1115-1201A_0__?Ntt=tuftex+96-in+x+26-in+0.3+opaque+white+corrugated+pvc+roof+panel&UserSearch=tuftex+96-in+x+26-in+0.3+opaque+white+corrugated+pvc+roof+panel&productId=3010589&rpp=32
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