Build vs buy

[MarineWife]

We are debating about building a new enclosure or just buying one online. We want to go ahead and do a 100 gallon so she will be set for life and wont need another one. Help us choose please!

 

[justjumpit621]

I built my 32x32x32 screen and wood enclosure for $7. Craigslist baby! LOL I found the old wood framed aluminum screens on craigslist for free and all I had to buy was the hinges, lock, and some extra wood.

 

[lucky]

is that a little frog in your dish on bottom of the cage?

and DIYcages has some nice ones. free shiping and for your female veiled you can get the 18x18x36 for i think 80bucks.

 

[ColorCham427]

is that a little frog in your dish on bottom of the cage?

lol looks like a fire belly toad!!!

 

[lucky]

is that for the cham to eat?

 

[pssh]

Depends. If you want a big enclosure then build, if you want a 4x2x2 or any other size they make I would buy. But I'm a lazy bum and my carpentry skills suck, so it really boils down to whether or not you have the skills and will power.

 

[justjumpit621]

lol looks like a fire belly toad!!!

Yeah that's Kermit.

 

[justjumpit621]

is that for the cham to eat?

No?!? That would be very stupid of me lol

 

[skully23]

We are debating about building a new enclosure or just buying one online. We want to go ahead and do a 100 gallon so she will be set for life and wont need another one. Help us choose please!

I didn't use any money expect for two hinges.
I found some friends that could get stuff from work, like the mesh screen and some things to build a frame. Thats the first thing you should do, ask around and you may get out of it cheap since the other things are expensive

 

[skully23]

I built my 32x32x32 screen and wood enclosure for $7. Craigslist baby! LOL I found the old wood framed aluminum screens on craigslist for free and all I had to buy was the hinges, lock, and some extra wood.

Is it on the floor? I would have got nailed by someone for that.

 

[justjumpit621]

Yes, it is too big to go on top of something in and it won't fit through any door but my front door. It is heavily planted though and tucked away in a corner.

 

[pssh]

Oh! You know what are good for raising things and not too expensive?

These things! (though on this site they are kind of expensive...) These are really big in the guinea pig world!

http://www.storefixtures-online.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=MGC

 

[nick barta]

We are debating about building a new enclosure or just buying one online. We want to go ahead and do a 100 gallon so she will be set for life and wont need another one. Help us choose please!

A female veiled can live in a 24 x 24 x 36 inch high, which will cost about $75.00 with the shipping from LLL reptile. To build that sized cage with wood and screen is about the same material cost, if you have the tools already, and use 1 x 2 wood and screen. If you don't have the experience building cages...it can cost more...
When you mention 100 gallon, it makes me think you are thinking of a reptarium zippered enclosure, which I would steer you away from due to the zipper issues down the road. If the 100 gallon is because your background is in fish only, and you haven't built screened enclosures, I would suggest you buy a LLL Reptile 36 inch or 48 inch high screen cage.

Nick

 

[skully23]

A female veiled can live in a 24 x 24 x 36 inch high, which will cost about $75.00 with the shipping from LLL reptile. To build that sized cage with wood and screen is about the same material cost, if you have the tools already, and use 1 x 2 wood and screen. If you don't have the experience building cages...it can cost more...
When you mention 100 gallon, it makes me think you are thinking of a reptarium zippered enclosure, which I would steer you away from due to the zipper issues down the road. If the 100 gallon is because your background is in fish only, and you haven't built screened enclosures, I would suggest you buy a LLL Reptile 36 inch or 48 inch high screen cage.

Nick

I doubt its same amount if you get it free from family and friends. I'd say it be alot cheaper to go free range if you dont want to spend alot.

 

[DJ Richey Rich]

I built my cage its 7' tall 4' square she loves the roaming room but be carefull she dont get lost on where her food is Gucci hand feeds most the time its a good way to bond with a chameleon like the saying gose dont bite the hand that feeds you

 

[sandrachameleon]

If you're just going screen, its probably easiest to buy. I prefer my home built cages because I was able to build specifically for the space I have, and also I dont like screen cages.

 

[DragonLady]

Kermit

I hate to be a bummer here, but Kermit REALLY needs his own tank. I have now, and in the past, kept lots of frogs. Fire-bellies being in the bunch. There are numerous reasons why you need to separate them. A ten gallon aquarium with a wire top will even work. All frogs absorb everything through their skin. If your cham was to defecate in his water bowl, he will absorb it into his body. Even if he is jumping around the bottom and sits on her waste matter, he will absorb it. Another thing is that fire-bellies are extremely toxic themselves. They should always be housed by themselves because their toxin can actually kill another species of frog, so I'm sure he could also secrete that toxin to your cham. Also, Kermit needs a substrate floor, which your cham does not. If you do some research into fire-bellies (and trust me, I have read everything on the net about them) the ideal set-up for them is a 2/3 water 1/3 land environment. This can be easily done with a ten gallon set-up. Please, for your chams sake and for Kermit's sake, separate them soon.

 

[Chamero]

I would say build is better.

How much space do you have to work with?

What size/type of chameleon are you housing?