Need a custom cage...

[Lastb0isct]

Hey,
First post here and am looking for some advice. I have a specific design of cage that i need. I have a cage currently that is made of glass and i want the exact same design but made completely of mesh. The cage is shaped like the superman logo and the dimensions are as follows:
Height: 50"
Front Width: 22.5"
front sides: 6"
back sides: 22"
I want to have an access door in the front that is 20" from the bottom and 12" tall, so its top would be 18" from the top.

I'll attach a picture if it can...my question is should i build it myself or is there a good cage maker that can make it for cheap?

 

[HiroProtagonist]

If you have someone else make you a custom cage like this...it's very unlikely that it's going to be what you'd call "cheap". If you have the tools you're probably better off making it yourself.

 

[dodolah]

Hey,
First post here and am looking for some advice. I have a specific design of cage that i need. I have a cage currently that is made of glass and i want the exact same design but made completely of mesh. The cage is shaped like the superman logo and the dimensions are as follows:
Height: 50"
Front Width: 22.5"
front sides: 6"
back sides: 22"
I want to have an access door in the front that is 20" from the bottom and 12" tall, so its top would be 18" from the top.

I'll attach a picture if it can...my question is should i build it myself or is there a good cage maker that can make it for cheap?

if you manage to find one, can you refer that person to me?
I would like to purchase a custom cage myself.

 

[Chill]

lol yah, I've built all of my own cages so far. that looks like a pretty cool design. Why did you choose that shape if you dont mind me asking. If I had more start up money and the time, I would say i could build it lol, I use sealed pine and screen. they look good when they're done.

 

[Chill]

It would probably cost me like 50 or 60 to make, plus work and shipping your looking at like, 90 to 100. I dunno if thats cheap lol.

 

[Lastb0isct]

Well the cage i have now is the exact same size and shape. The only thing wrong with it is it's all glass, so my poor veiled isn't too happy inside it. He still has a lot of space and i've put up small plastic netting for him to climb on for now, but i REALLY want to get him in an all screen enclosure.
I'm thinking about doing it myself, i might do the back two sides made out of wood, but i think that i'd rather have the whole thing screen so he can climb everywhere. I guess i'll have to see what my dad is up to these next few weeks to see if we can put it together sometime. It doesn't seem like TOO big of a project, just a little bit time consuming trying to make every edge fit perfectly.

 

[dectr6]

Well the cage i have now is the exact same size and shape. The only thing wrong with it is it's all glass, so my poor veiled isn't too happy inside it. He still has a lot of space and i've put up small plastic netting for him to climb on for now, but i REALLY want to get him in an all screen enclosure.
I'm thinking about doing it myself, i might do the back two sides made out of wood, but i think that i'd rather have the whole thing screen so he can climb everywhere. I guess i'll have to see what my dad is up to these next few weeks to see if we can put it together sometime. It doesn't seem like TOO big of a project, just a little bit time consuming trying to make every edge fit perfectly.

The last one I made, I made it completly out of window screen material. You can buy the window screen frame in 6 foot lengths at hope depot. It comes in different thickness' though. I used the heaviest 7/16. It turned out very nice looking. Looks just like those sold at blue beast and several others. It wasn't cheap to make though. I've got about 90 in it and about 10 hours labor. The size of mine is 42" tall by 19" deep by 28" wide. Considering all my labor, I didn't save much if anything. I was able to do several different custom details for drainage and the like though. Good luck. David
'

 

[Lastb0isct]

The last one I made, I made it completly out of window screen material. You can buy the window screen frame in 6 foot lengths at hope depot. It comes in different thickness' though. I used the heaviest 7/16. It turned out very nice looking. Looks just like those sold at blue beast and several others. It wasn't cheap to make though. I've got about 90 in it and about 10 hours labor. The size of mine is 42" tall by 19" deep by 28" wide. Considering all my labor, I didn't save much if anything. I was able to do several different custom details for drainage and the like though. Good luck. David
'

Is window screen good enough for the chameleon's? I heard that we need a certain type of screen so it doesn't mess up their nails. What size window screen did you use? 90$ isn't bad at all, i'd much rather spend 90 and do the work myself. Thanks for the input!

 

[Chill]

I wouldnt worry about the thickness. If you go to big the crix will escape. i just use the same stuff you would use for windows.

 

[davemailcall]

The screen I used I got from Home Depot. Its classfied as "pet screen". Works really well and crickets can't slip through. Chams can also grip it. As I type this, mine is climbing his way up the door!

 

[dectr6]

I just used the same thing they use for window screens. The 7/16 I was referring to is the size of the frame itself, the part that holds the screen. I think the next size down is 5/16. The heavier one just makes for a more sturdy cage. I used the aluminum screening. The pet screen that they had there was poly instead of aluminum. Don't know if one is better than the other. Like I said, I didn't save much, but it was fun building it and was able to put in a slide out plastic tub that all my plants go into. That way it's easier to clean. The size of your cage really depends on what your going to use for a bottom. I had to size mine around the plastic tub. That's how I ended up with a 29Wx19Dx43T. Putting the screen in is a real Pain in the ....It's hard to get it tight in all Directions. Good luck and let me know if I can help. David

 

[Justin Carl]

yea i used aluminum screen to build my cage and i like it way more that porch screen. the light passes inside the cage better and it dosent rust and crickets cant chew their way out. my second cage was made of porch screen and it took one night and i had 2 holes in it. so after about a month i had about 2 dozen little holes.

 

[Fate X]

i re-screened 5 esu fresh air habitat with aluminum screen it takes for f forever unless you can use one of the machines they use to spline the screen to the frames,its cost effective if you gotta get 6+ cages but it aint time effective so what im saying is if you gotta hand spline all that screen you might save money but you will still lose money cause all the time it takes and if your making a 2x2x4 you gotta make jigs for the frames are after they done they will be all warped etc.

for you costom cage like a superman logo i would just buy a regular 18x18x30 cage n put it in your corner like a diamond it would look cooler but might not get so much attention as the superman idea.but you gotta decide on you cage plans then go from there.

 

[dectr6]

[i re-screened 5 esu fresh air habitat with aluminum screen it takes for f forever unless you can use one of the machines they use to spline the screen to the frames,its cost effective if you gotta get 6+ cages but it aint time effective so what im saying is if you gotta hand spline all that screen you might save money but you will still lose money cause all the time it takes and if your making a 2x2x4 you gotta make jigs for the frames are after they done they will be all warped etc.]

for you costom cage like a superman logo i would just buy a regular 18x18x30 cage n put it in your corner like a diamond it would look cooler but might not get so much attention as the superman idea.but you gotta decide on you cage plans then go from there.

I didn't have any problems with them warping, My tool just kept slipping out of the spline and causing a tear in the screen, so I'd have to start all over with a new piece of screen. You do get better though towards the end when you've had some exp.

 

[Fate X]

yeah i slipped on my first frame and cut through the screen after that i got it right though

 

[LaserGecko]

FWIW, shipping unassembled cages isn't expensive.

I sent a Russian Tortoise Cage (2x2x54") from Vegas to northern California. It took two boxes and weighed 110# total.

FedEx Ground was $47. Pretty cheap, really!

 

[Fate X]

i seen cages shaped like the superman diamond on the web somewhere but dont remember where i remember seeing them when i was looking for cages.
i was thinking about it this afternoon and i remember i seen them.

 

[dodolah]

i thought i heard some guy tell me that a medium/ adult cricket can shew its way out of window screen..

 

[Fate X]

i never heard of that one.

 

[Smitty]

They can chew out but it will take a while, it isn't just a quick process. By the time they would be hungry enough to chew out of a cage your cham should have made a meal out of 'em

The cage is an interesting concept for a corner piece. Good luck on that.