HUGE Cham Enclosure construction & assembly video
- Thread starter Ilike4hornedchams
- Start date
JaxyGirl
Avid Member
WOW!!! That's an amazing enclosure!!! Just beautiful!!! What super lucky Chams!!!
Ilike4hornedchams
Established Member
Ok so I have a bolt lock and a latch lock that required an actual lock so I am already thinking ahead there, however the only predators that are in the area and I see regularly are Raccoons and skunks, very few birds of prey here, only pigeons, ravens and mocking birds. So this is what I was thinking about the raccoons tho, what if I put an additional chicken write fence layer around the base that is like 4 feed tall, and like 2 inches or so out from the inner screen. Do you think that would keep them out? Also I have s cool little slit window that can look from my bedroom straight at the enclosure so I can keep and eye on it without being noticed by animals much. Would a sensor light help o stress out the chams too much if it went on like every other night or something? Suggestions?
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
You obviously don't know anything about predators!
Raccoons will rip right through chicken wire and any kind of window screen you have. They will rip out staples. They will put their little fingers between wire and rip out your chameleon piece by piece if they can get hold of them. They will climb--I'm have to apologize but I burst out laughing at you thinking a four foot wire fence will stop them. If you have raccoons, once they know there are chameleons there, they will keep trying to get them night after night after night. You will not know when a raccoon takes your chameleon. They have taken a favorite rooster of mine that was right under my bedroom window and my dogs didn't notice. (My husband thought I had locked him up and I thought he had.....) They are incredibly strong, able to kill a big dog.
You are on a major hawk migratory route. You have hawks, lots of hawks, you just don't see them. You might have rats, too. Opossums are a risk if you have them in your area. I think you have coyotes, too. Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't around and checking everything out.
You will always have predators, just know your enemy.
Don't bother trying to get rid of them, another will just take its place.If you have raccoons, you really need to double wire it. My aviaries are made with 1/2" by 2" or 3" welded wire. Everyone (including the zoo who uses the same aviaries I use) assures me a raccoon can't get his little hands inside and grab one of my birds. I still won't put anything that the birds can sit on beside the wire that doesn't also have a square of smaller wire attached to keep out little raccoon fingers. A chameleon is more likely to sleep on the wire, so he can be grabbed. I have my veiled outside in a 1/2" x 1/2" welded wire cage and the first few nights he slept on the wire. I left lights on and my dog outside until he learned to sleep in the tree. I wouldn't chance it with a group of quads. One might be driven away from the safer perches by the others and end up sleeping on the wire. I would have an inner layer of screen and the outer layer (separated by the wood frame) of 1/2" x 1/2" welded wire. Make sure it is welded not woven. I would have had both layers the welded wire because I think it a benefit for any wild insects to come by for dinner.
Raccoon are really smart. I figure I can't outwit them, only make it impossible for them to get my animals.
Virgil1972
Avid Member
A 4 foot fence will not stop a raccoon, they can climb they live in trees. The best way to deal with predators like raccoon and skunk is to get rid of them, thats what I do.
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't agree with this. Another will replace it. Better to deal with the one you know than the one you don't. I think we should just make your enclosures predator proof because there will always be a predator out there.. I've only lost animals to predators when I made a mistake and left them unsecured.
Virgil1972
Avid Member
If one replaces it then get rid of that one to. There are only so many coons and skunks out there.
brownie64
Avid Member
Not that I have a great love of coons, or skunks, but they got to live too. I think I would have to agree with Janet on this one this isn't Pokémon can't catch them all.
To the OP Nice enclosure I wish you all the luck in your endeavors.
Ilike4hornedchams
Established Member
You obviously don't know anything about predators!
Raccoons will rip right through chicken wire and any kind of window screen you have. They will rip out staples. They will put their little fingers between wire and rip out your chameleon piece by piece if they can get hold of them. They will climb--I'm have to apologize but I burst out laughing at you thinking a four foot wire fence will stop them. If you have raccoons, once they know there are chameleons there, they will keep trying to get them night after night after night. You will not know when a raccoon takes your chameleon. They have taken a favorite rooster of mine that was right under my bedroom window and my dogs didn't notice. (My husband thought I had locked him up and I thought he had.....) They are incredibly strong, able to kill a big dog.
You will always have predators, just know your enemy.
If you have raccoons, you really need to double wire it. My aviaries are made with 1/2" by 2" or 3" welded wire. Everyone (including the zoo who uses the same aviaries I use) assures me a raccoon can't get his little hands inside and grab one of my birds. I still won't put anything that the birds can sit on beside the wire that doesn't also have a square of smaller wire attached to keep out little raccoon fingers. A chameleon is more likely to sleep on the wire, so he can be grabbed. I have my veiled outside in a 1/2" x 1/2" welded wire cage and the first few nights he slept on the wire. I left lights on and my dog outside until he learned to sleep in the tree. I wouldn't chance it with a group of quads. One might be driven away from the safer perches by the others and end up sleeping on the wire. I would have an inner layer of screen and the outer layer (separated by the wood frame) of 1/2" x 1/2" welded wire. Make sure it is welded not woven. I would have had both layers the welded wire because I think it a benefit for any wild insects to come by for dinner.
Raccoon are really smart. I figure I can't outwit them, only make it impossible for them to get my animals.
I lol'ed at all the chat about killin coons lol. I raised Chickens till I was like 15 yrs old so I know how Coons think, but it's been a while and I was in denial they'd like the taste of such an exotic creature as a cham. Ok so I am doing the welded wire for protection, not taking any chances. Plus just the front side I will do all welded wire and not screening so to catch the wild bugs
plus better viewing pleasure and yada yada yada great advice tho!. I read this all just in the nik of time too before I wasted some money using screen I shouldn't have. Just to share a funny story, I was raised in the country so I am not foreign to hunting and the coons around here, just straight up don't care and are hardly scared of humans here, cuz I have literally tried cutting some in half with a Naginata and they just run away as though I never hit them, their fur is like chainmail lol.. Haven't seen them ever back in my trash after that though.. It's insane how well adapted they are none the less..
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
I agree with the use of welded wire. I used PVC coated welded wire 1/2" x 1/2". Also I kept all gaps around the doors at 1/4" to 3/8" in an effort to keep mice or rats out.
Ilike4hornedchams
Established Member
Oh nice pic! PVC coated welded wire sounds nice for the parts the chams might have access to as well. Awesome suggestions. I want some like razor welded wire for the outside now lol, (Thats a joke) but I am getting some welded wire today!!
Extensionofgreen
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'd personally use shade cloth ( comes in large rolls of varying percentages of sunblocking ) on the enclosure walks, for the chameleons' feet, as it is soft and gentle as well as blocking some of the intense sun. I would follow that with the PVC coated wire and perhaps only use shade cloth on 1/2 of the roof to allow an option for access to more sun, but obviously cover both with PVC coated wire.
I built 7'X7'X7' summer cages for my melleri, outdoors. I used a hose timer and food safe hose and sprinkler for watering. I'm glad you are meshing in the bottoms, as you'd be surprised what chameleons can find their way out of and what can find its way in, with an uncovered bottom. I'd situate the enclosure in morning sun or under a shade tree, if in evening sun. Trees can help and hurt, due to potentially falling branches and birds roosting in the tree defecating on the cage and introducing parasites, as a result. Fireflies/lighting bugs are toxic, even deadly to small reptiles, so the shade cloth is a good excluder, though determined ones can still get inside.
I don't mean to caution you against building the cage or have you enclose the enclosure in a fireproof safe, but there are LOTS of things to be aware of, for safe chameleon keeping, outdoors.
Great job.
I built 7'X7'X7' summer cages for my melleri, outdoors. I used a hose timer and food safe hose and sprinkler for watering. I'm glad you are meshing in the bottoms, as you'd be surprised what chameleons can find their way out of and what can find its way in, with an uncovered bottom. I'd situate the enclosure in morning sun or under a shade tree, if in evening sun. Trees can help and hurt, due to potentially falling branches and birds roosting in the tree defecating on the cage and introducing parasites, as a result. Fireflies/lighting bugs are toxic, even deadly to small reptiles, so the shade cloth is a good excluder, though determined ones can still get inside.
I don't mean to caution you against building the cage or have you enclose the enclosure in a fireproof safe, but there are LOTS of things to be aware of, for safe chameleon keeping, outdoors.
Great job.
Alexander1
Avid Member
Super dope
