Wardrobe Enclosure

[siz]

I am converting a wardrobe I have into an enclosure for my male veiled. It is 5ft high and there is a divider down the middle, so I am trying to decide on one of a couple options..

1. The easiest option - I can take the divider out and use the whole thing for my cham, but there is no back to the wardrobe so this would make it very unstable. We have put corner braces in, but I'm not sure if it would hold up long tem with no 'support wall'. This would give him plently of room.

2. This is what I would prefer to do - Put the cham on one side and divide the other half into two sections for cresties or something. This would give me three enclosures. My only questions regarding this is: Is half the wardrobe big enough? I have included a diagram below with dimensions. It is very high but not particularily wide or long.

There are two front doors which we have cut out and will staple screen to, and the back wall will be screen as well.
Once I get it all set up I will be using live plants as well.
Will any non-toxic bathroom or kitchen paint do to paint the exposed wood?

 

[jojackson]

The first hurdle I can see is that the ceiling will be a solid 'barer' peice. If you remove it, you weaken the structure, if you dont, your forced to have lighting/heating inside. This is potentially tradgic for your cham.
I think you'd do better simply buying a commercial cage for a cham, (converting anything never quite works out well, your better off building your own to your exact needs. Screen cages are better for chameleons) and turning the robe on its side , dividing in two long cages for geckos.
A longer cage, provides a better thermal gradient, and despite most being arboreal, if the gecko species are small, height is not that much of an issue.

 

[reptilemancan]

The first hurdle I can see is that the ceiling will be a solid 'barer' peice. If you remove it, you weaken the structure, if you dont, your forced to have lighting/heating inside. This is potentially tradgic for your cham.
I think you'd do better simply buying a commercial cage for a cham, (converting anything never quite works out well, your better off building your own to your exact needs. Screen cages are better for chameleons) and turning the robe on its side , dividing in two long cages for geckos.
A longer cage, provides a better thermal gradient, and despite most being arboreal, if the gecko species are small, height is not that much of an issue.

ye totaly agree with jack, also if you are going to have screen tou need 2 side to be dcreen or the air is not drawn through and then you may aswell have a glass cage.

 

[Malicious]

Is this one of those white malamine cabinets? Being in the furniture business I'm going to have to say to pass on it. Trying to convert it will just be a can-o-worms, and in the end you still may not be happy. Your going to run into drainage issues, along with the fact that wood and water need special finishes to work together. LLL has cages on special at the momment. 18x18x36" $58 24x24x48" $79. Then you can come to me and I'll sell you a fancy stand to put it on.

-Jay

 

[reptilemancan]

Is this one of those white malamine cabinets? Being in the furniture business I'm going to have to say to pass on it. Trying to convert it will just be a can-o-worms, and in the end you still may not be happy. Your going to run into drainage issues, along with the fact that wood and water need special finishes to work together. LLL has cages on special at the momment. 18x18x36" $58 24x24x48" $79. Then you can come to me and I'll sell you a fancy stand to put it on.

-Jay

lol why not, fancy stands are great!