My new DIY Cage Finished FINALLY!!

[popwell89]

Made from an old curio cabinet. I cut and screened in the top and the front pannels along with the door. I foamed in the back and the bottom and painted and water sealed it. Cut out a waterfall look in the center. I have a tube coming out of the top of the waterfall that runs to my fogger. In the center i have 1 30'' and 1 24'' UVB bulb. On the right side i have my basking bulb. On the left i have a night bulb just to keep the temperature right. I have 4 thermometers measuring the cold spot, basking spot, ground temp, and the middle of the enclosure. I have a dripper that drops onto 2 big cupped leaves with spouts leading into my catch bowl which will be removed and cleaned each day with a stick coming out of it just in case my cham goes swimming by accident. I have outdoor artificial turf as my flooring with a heat vine underneath just to keep my temps right. I will not be spraying my cage with water only using fogger and drip system. I have many different sized limbs i bought along with bamboo sticks and many vines and artificial plants. Everything is on a timer Day lights, basking light, and heat vine for day 12 hrs. and only night infrared bulb during night 9:30 pm to 9:30 am. I have the top droor of the base with a drip pan just in case any water makes it out of the catch bowl it will funnel into the catch pan. My basking temp is between 90-97 degrees my cool temp is around 75 and my night temperatures are 75 at the warmest and 70 at the lowest. Any suggestions let me know but be nice ive put a lot of time and effort into this build

 

[VeiledChams]

That.. is.. soooo.. awesome.

I need to make something like this

 

[popwell89]

It took me about 2 weeks to plan everything and do all my research to build. And only about a week of a few hours each day to finish it. Most of the time spent was dry time allowing everything to set up good before doing the next step. Thank you for the compliment. I dont have anything in this one yet so id sell it but freight would be a fortune. I plan on making many more made from household furniture so that when people see it they aren't disgusted when they walk in and see a lizzard in a cage.

 

[Hoj]

looks very nice!

 

[heartben]

its very well thought about obviously... buttttt i see a problem...



not enough high quality pics! MORE PICS!

 

[popwell89]

Thank you. the inside is 42'' tall 58'' long and 15'' deep

 

[popwell89]

Im going to make a video tomorrow of inside and out and show how my fogger works. I will try to figure out how to thread it into here after i make it so everyone can see a little better

 

[VeiledChams]

You can use the instructions from the video contest and you'll be able to get it on here.

Here is the link:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-post-photos-video-3609/

 

[popwell89]

Here is my video its not the best because i did it with my camera but its better than just pictures

I hope im doing this link right


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzYV4-NJvyY

 

[DavidBuchan]

That's real cool - I did a matching pair for mine out of a wardrobe and a chest of drawers.....here's a link to the big one - http://www.youtube.com/user/davebuchan81?feature=mhee#p/u/28/A-vBtTeBUN4 Doesn't have a built in fogger though, but you're right, if you want to sell them it'll be a nightmare to deliver.........

 

[popwell89]

Nice. Im going to do an old entertainment center next about the same size just more width.

 

[popwell89]

This is the first of many hopefully. I would love to make and sell them and pick up furniture pieces from people who wanted one made and make it for them. Just not sure if the market is there

 

[boondyke69]

vERY NICE!!

That looks great! You used foam (like great stuff) for the rocks, I assume. What type of paint did you use?

now I wish I had taked that curio cabinet at the yard sale, was free cause most of the glass was broken out.

Did you use metal screening?

Sue

 

[bassjunkie]

yeah, what kind of foam did you use for the background rocky stuff, what paint and materials did you use to seal it with?

that is truly a masterpiece!

 

[maxttu]

I was thinking about doing the same thing as this! I've been looking in thrift stores for cabinets, curios and even gun cabinets. Nice to see that u've done such an awesome job! JOB WELL DONE, sir!

 

[popwell89]

Thank you so much

I worked really hard but it definately paid off. Most of the time spent was drying time and sealing time. I sealed the back really good before using the foam along with thompsons water seal in the spray can on all the wood mainly top bottom and outside. I also coated all the holes i cut with silicone to seal them as well. I used great stuff big gap filler with the black label, but didnt allow it to expand to full capacity by misting it with water. I sprayed it with an exterior light great spray paint you can pick up at walmart, and did one final coat over everything with thompsons water seal in the spray can. All the plants i used are artificial. I found some vines with leaves attached at a yard sale (a whole garbage bag brand new for $8) so i came out good. I used 2 boquets of bamboo leaves to cover the side rock pieces and used lilly pads for my dripper to run on that are right beside the waterfall carving. I attached these to the foam by coating them in silicone and pushing them into the foam. I simply stapled the vines to the inside wood pieces. I didnt want the dark screen you usually see on cages so i bought a roll of fiberglass mesh screen from lowes with a light grey color so i can see in better. I would love to make these for someone it would just cost a lot to ship unless you live close by. Let me know. Any more questions just ask. Thank you for the compliments I absolutely love it and im glad people like what i did. Im getting a new cham saturday so hopefully he'll like his little piece of jungle

 

[rangos]

Very Nice!!! how is the air flow in it?

 

[popwell89]

Since i have three sections of screen on top and 3 huge screen sections in the front the air flow is relatively good it would have a little more air flow if i would have used a little larger screen. But i will not have as much water in my cage bc i have no misting system. i use fogger for humidity and dripper for my water source i will mist still but not as much

 

[millsamus]

It looks like you used the foam in a aerosol can for your "bark" I was thinking the same thing.... what did you use to paint over it?

 

[popwell89]

Check this out for ideas