Enclosure Stand?

Drew52

New Member
Hello everyone...I'm new to the hobby and plan on purchasing a baby panther within the next few weeks. I've already purchased his "starter" home (24x12x24) and understand that I will need to upgrade to a larger enclosure (48x24x24) at 8-9 months of age? I've read that the enclosure should be elavated but can't find a stand that is 24 inches wide. Do they sell such a stand? The room that he will be living in has no furniture at the moment, so I have to purchase something, just wanted to get some ideas as to what to use...Thanks in advance!
 
When thinking of a stand, consider something that will allow for drainage. Ideally you awant to be able to drill holes in the floor of your cage for water to channel down into some kind of bin. I have gotten lucky finding old pieces of furniture on the curb for trash day that worked perfect as a stand. The racks that they sell at Home Depot or Lowes work well for a cage or several cages as well.
 
I use these racks for holding my cages:
IMG_7477.jpg


For a simple one cage stand, A trip to IKEA might be in order. The table you see holding this cage is on sale for 12-13 dollars at IKEA. This table is prolly good for use with your small cage or a 16"x16" or a 18"x18" cage. You cut out the center of the table (very easy to do). Then you support the corners of the cage and place a heavy brick or plant pot in the center of the cage. This will cause the bottom of the cage to bow downward and the water will drain out the center.

IMG_6070RS.jpg


IMG_6078RS.jpg


IMG_6073RS.jpg
 
Adjustable shelves work great (as has been shown).
Additionally I end up building platforms to get cage heights where I want them.
The large enclosure pictured is on one of these ... it's just a box constructed of 3/4" plywood.
I do not have drainage in any enclosure. I use collection containers below the drippers.
The chameleons do not drink out of these or otherwise mess with them, unless it's time to go to the bathroom. They love to do it in the water!
Great for me, I just dump the containers every morning and refill the drippers.

-Brad
 
Howdy,

Here's a shot of one of mine back in 2005. I used a wooden bar stool from Target ~$30 and a Lazy Susan for added rotation. The drain pan is homemade. The bar stool is 29" tall and the other in-between items added up to the enclosure base being at 33". That puts the enclosure top at 81". That's just enough for them to be able to be above my head when they bask :).

1-FrontView.jpg


Later in 2005 (It's not quite so clutter anymore :eek:):
LatestSetup.jpg
 
Wow this has turned into a great example thread. I have never seen so many awesome setup pics in one thread!

Dave I really like that drainage pan you made. I remember seeing pics of it a while back. Very impressive. Do you have tools to work with plastics? You should have that patented.

~Joe
 
If you have any construction/welding experience you can just build a table! I just welded up this table with some scrap metal last week. I added some 1/2" rods up the side to clip the basking lights and heaters on to. The enclosure itself is the 265 gallon Reptarium (6' x 2.5' x 2.5'), and I'll be adding more foliage as Ichabod grows. A hole can be drilled through the bottom of the table, and a hole poked through the mesh, a tupperware container placed under the table, and TA-DA! you have drainage. I know this isn't practical for everyone, but since I only have one cham right now I can spoil him :) (If you look real close, you can see the little guy basking near the top on the vines)
 

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I use these racks for holding my cages:
IMG_7477.jpg


For a simple one cage stand, A trip to IKEA might be in order. The table you see holding this cage is on sale for 12-13 dollars at IKEA. This table is prolly good for use with your small cage or a 16"x16" or a 18"x18" cage. You cut out the center of the table (very easy to do). Then you support the corners of the cage and place a heavy brick or plant pot in the center of the cage. This will cause the bottom of the cage to bow downward and the water will drain out the center.

IMG_6070RS.jpg


IMG_6078RS.jpg


IMG_6073RS.jpg
The first picture of this post, those racks are perfect. Allows for drainage, and they come in all sorts of sizes, easy to build too.
 
What are the dimensions on your rack? I also use those but I have only been able to find ones that are 48"X18". also where did you get yours?

That's a 48"x18".
I picked it up a Lowes.
I can fit three 16x16x30's per shelf. Which work perfect because the 48" ReptiSuns fit right over them.
The far left cage barely rubs the pole when you open the door, and the far right cage door doesn't open all the way.
It's perfectly fine that the door doesn't open all the way. All I do is dump in crickets.
On the top are two 18x18x36's. I'm going to be removing and replacing them with the 16x16x30's.
This will become my female pardalis rack.
You can order larger 60"x24" racks on www.amazon.com . I think they are around 150$.
 
...Dave I really like that drainage pan you made. I remember seeing pics of it a while back. Very impressive. Do you have tools to work with plastics? You should have that patented....
Howdy Joe,

I like my pans too :). Unfortuantely they were a real pain to make. I used my brother's precision vertical circular saw setup to make the acrylic plastic cuts. Every time I made a pan it always seemed to take hours from start to finish :eek:.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Jason's production drain pans look like :).
 
Well here is my setups. I used to over do the drainage but the easiest way I found was a pan and a rack with lots of slots in it.

IMG_4591.jpg


IMG_4606.jpg


IMG_4394.jpg


IMG_4396.jpg


Enclosure-EmptyBotom.jpg


Enclosure-drainfunnel.jpg


Enclosure-all.jpg
 
That's a 48"x18".
I picked it up a Lowes.
I can fit three 16x16x30's per shelf. Which work perfect because the 48" ReptiSuns fit right over them.
The far left cage barely rubs the pole when you open the door, and the far right cage door doesn't open all the way.
It's perfectly fine that the door doesn't open all the way. All I do is dump in crickets.
On the top are two 18x18x36's. I'm going to be removing and replacing them with the 16x16x30's.
This will become my female pardalis rack.
You can order larger 60"x24" racks on www.amazon.com . I think they are around 150$.

Thanks for the link.

I have the same from Lowe's. Ill have to post some pics later. I have my 2 2'X4' on one shelf.....had to cut the legs down =p
 
If you have any construction/welding experience you can just build a table! I just welded up this table with some scrap metal last week. I added some 1/2" rods up the side to clip the basking lights and heaters on to. The enclosure itself is the 265 gallon Reptarium (6' x 2.5' x 2.5'), and I'll be adding more foliage as Ichabod grows. A hole can be drilled through the bottom of the table, and a hole poked through the mesh, a tupperware container placed under the table, and TA-DA! you have drainage. I know this isn't practical for everyone, but since I only have one cham right now I can spoil him :) (If you look real close, you can see the little guy basking near the top on the vines)

Interesting placement of your basking light (on the side).
 
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