SaintJimmy
Avid Member
Ah yeah plexiglass would look nice
I agree shower curtain does look a little rushed, I guess. That's why I won't use one for my cham-mansion, but the bird cage is different, it's just trying to save time and money.
A couple ideas! Please read
- Thread starter SaintJimmy
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Ah yeah plexiglass would look nice
I agree shower curtain does look a little rushed, I guess. That's why I won't use one for my cham-mansion, but the bird cage is different, it's just trying to save time and money.
MSAquatics
New Member
I worked for a chameleon breeder when I was in high school, and all he used was bird cages, mostly hanging cages. They can work great, however I don't think even the largest commonly sold bird cage would be big enough to keep a parsonii or melleri content. The ones I see for parrots are 6x3x4, and are like $500-1000 each. I can build a cage for MUCH cheaper with wood & 1/2" hardware cloth. I have two outdoor cages on wheels that measure 8x4x4, and I've got less than $100 in each one.
Leland
Leland
Lathis
Chameleon Enthusiast
I looked into bird cages when I was wanting to upgrade the amount of space for my Jax. Like MSAquatics said, I did not find the costs to be reasonable based on the amount of space you can get. Certainly smaller cages were more reasonably priced. I ended up making a custom cage that is so much nicer and more practical than anything I could buy for less than three grand. I'm not saying a bird cage can't work, just sharing my experience from when I considered it. Even used parrot cages on Craigslist were outrageously priced.
Having had smaller birds (finches) in a wire cage, I don't think the structure was any more sturdy than my 2x2x4 LLL Reptile screen cage and I definitely spent more money on the bird cage, but the wires would be very convenient to attach to.
Having had smaller birds (finches) in a wire cage, I don't think the structure was any more sturdy than my 2x2x4 LLL Reptile screen cage and I definitely spent more money on the bird cage, but the wires would be very convenient to attach to.
SaintJimmy
Avid Member
I could see how a cage that huge could have a huge price tag as well. I went looking on craigslist and amazon though, and I've never seen anything above like 300$ for my area at least. For a big cage.
Buying materials and making a simple big cage would be quite the project, albeit being a simple wood/screen cage. I prefer to go the lazy way out, unless someone wants to help me lol.
Regarding the last paragraph, maybe I should upload a video of when I poke the cage? My LLL screen cage is not very sturdy. I thought about ordering DIY cages but eh. The LLL was cheaper at the time.
If I even open the door to the cage the thing shakes like nuts. It makes Monty mad. There is no way to stealthily open the dang door.
I've had friends with birds, and the pet shop (local mom and pop store) has many bird cages, I've checked them out, they are definitely at least more sturdy/less shaky than my cage.
Maybe I should include a cons list in my original post?
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Kinda depends where you live.
I got the bird cages I used for my chameleons for around $100 (and they were 2 foot wide, 2 foot deep and just under 4 foot height). That's a lot less than what it cost me to build my current cages.
Dealing with humidity / how much cage design matters is different if your relative humidity is 10% vs 40% vs 60%. So where you live, your local environment, will matter.
When I kept fish tanks and hermit crab tank in the same room as my chameleons, humidity was never an issue. But now, having neither fish nor crabs, there are times of year when a wire cage or a screen cage would be terrible - regardless of the number of plants and even with drippers going.
I got the bird cages I used for my chameleons for around $100 (and they were 2 foot wide, 2 foot deep and just under 4 foot height). That's a lot less than what it cost me to build my current cages.
Dealing with humidity / how much cage design matters is different if your relative humidity is 10% vs 40% vs 60%. So where you live, your local environment, will matter.
When I kept fish tanks and hermit crab tank in the same room as my chameleons, humidity was never an issue. But now, having neither fish nor crabs, there are times of year when a wire cage or a screen cage would be terrible - regardless of the number of plants and even with drippers going.
I think bird cages for chams Is a great idea. Cheaper im not sure, For smaller chams probably. Unless you custom build one. I never built my cage I bought a repti breeze. My gfs bird cage cost about $400 and its a little wider but not as high. I could build a much bigger cham tank for about the same price as my repti breeze. For example I am building new tanks for all my snakes. I have one already done. Its 6ft by 5ft. As well as stackable. It roles on wheels also to make life easy. The rest will be done cheaper, because I will be going with a different glass cutter. And the rest will be smaller. Costing around $125- $100. Also this was the first one I built myself, so the next ones will be done way better and I might rebuild the first one.
in the long run I think it would be much cheaper to build your one tank. But bird cage would be a cool way to go. I think
in the long run I think it would be much cheaper to build your one tank. But bird cage would be a cool way to go. I think
SaintJimmy
Avid Member
Maybe you could reinforce the corners of the screen cage with little L brackets and either screws or epoxy? You could add some cross braces to the back, too. That might stiffen it up quite a bit, and it will cost you less than 20 bucks... Just a thought
Maybe I'll invest in that!
Another thing that might help... I'm planning on EVENTUALLY taking out ALL of the things in his cage. I will add a backing with fake rock and plant pots, will add baby tears and pothos (small ones) and also might have a branch sticking out for basking (grapewood or manzanita, probably will be stained or sealed without hurting the cham). The backing will help sturdy the cage once it's completely attached. Then I can begin using more grapewood and cut them to size and make my cage look attractive. After I'm done, I'll have a nice backing, grapewood branches (think Olimpia's cages. Beautiful! Neat! Clean! not trying to kiss butt, but dang I love those cages) going horizontally and my ficus for vertical. As well as munching plants and a pothos for climbing. THEN I'll add appropriately colored plastic siding (probably white) around the screen cage, attach on two sides (besides cage door and back) and then find thin pieces of wood to paint and air out (to add on the outside of the plastic), so it matches the rest of the drainage stand. This prevents MORE humidity from escaping and adds sturdines, while being nice and bright for the chameleon on the inside, and dark like the drain wood on the outside.
All the money that goes into that screen cage, lol.
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