Outdoor Cage

[jajeanpierre]

This kills two birds with one stone--it protects a weeping redbud from deer and bugs and gives my long-suffering veiled Graeton the outdoor cage he needs. I figure I can use it about 8 month of the year. The tree is almost 6' tall. Right now the door is zip-tied shut and not designed to be opened except once a year when I get him out. I have a little side door so I can put in food. I'll modify the door I go in through as I will likely use it during many days even if it is a bit too cold for him at night. I gave him a three-foot tall hibiscus at the base of the little tree which will give him leaves and flowers to eat plus the flowers will attract bugs. Hopefully he leaves the little redbud alone. I need to put more rocks at the base, but so far nothing has tried to dig into my chicken pens or parrot aviaries so I'm not worried about one little chameleon attracting a predator.

It was finally ready to put him in around 6:00 p.m. He was in heaven. He climbed up to the crown of the tree and stuck his face up in the natural light.

The little tree is in the middle of the cage which is about 5 feet in diameter. I expected him to stay in the tree, but he decided to sleep on the wire at the top. I threw a towel over him hoping no raccoon or opossum will see his little toes sticking out. I might leave the dog out tonight.

 

[jpowell86]

What a happy camper!!!

 

[Lathis]

Oh man, I bet he was a happy guy!

 

[jajeanpierre]

What a happy camper!!!

You should have seen him when he found the top of the tree. He poked his little face up to the light like a big flower. He just seemed so happy. He had better not trash that tree!

 

[jpowell86]

You should have seen him when he found the top of the tree. He poked his little face up to the light like a big flower. He just seemed so happy. He had better not trash that tree!

I bet!! Surely he won't trash the tree. Especially if there is a hibiscus to eat and trash, lol. Good idea with enclosing the Redbud. That should work out beautifully!

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

You made a giant tube cage!! HaHa they are a great design actually. Neat deal though you supersized it to encompass a tree. People normally use a plastic plant drainage dish for a top and bottom. That is a great way to make a giant outdoor enclosure GOC. I would put blinds or a non transparent plastic wall around the inside of the bottom. That way you may have chameleons climbing around the base or hanging on the screen all day.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[jajeanpierre]

You made a giant tube cage!! HaHa they are a great design actually. Neat deal though you supersized it to encompass a tree. People normally use a plastic plant drainage dish for a top and bottom. That is a great way to make a giant outdoor enclosure GOC. I would put blinds or a non transparent plastic wall around the inside of the bottom. That way you may have chameleons climbing around the base or hanging on the screen all day.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

He's a pretty big boy and he can reach the side from the tree itself. It's a weeping redbud so the trunk is not straight and the branches droop down and spread. He's found the screen and I don't know how to keep him off it. I don't want to add plastic as I am afraid of wind catching the cage. We get some pretty strong winds here although the cage is nestled against the house and the garage Last night, he slept at the top on the wire (I left my dog out to guard his cage). I managed to get him down into his tree where he was happy for awhile but then decided he really wanted to get into big oak tree that has a trunk almost 4 feet in diameter. I don't know if you can see it, but he's been hanging out looking longingly at that little branch that comes from the big oak 30 feet away. I might crisscross some branches across the top so he can get to the tree easily. I just can't have him sleeping on the screen as a predator can grab his feet.

 

[KLowery88]

Such a happy little guy! Veiled Chameleons really do love that sun. My project this weekend is an outdoor cage for my own young Veiled, though he's still too small to leave out 24/7.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

He's a pretty big boy and he can reach the side from the tree itself. It's a weeping redbud so the trunk is not straight and the branches droop down and spread. He's found the screen and I don't know how to keep him off it. I don't want to add plastic as I am afraid of wind catching the cage. We get some pretty strong winds here although the cage is nestled against the house and the garage Last night, he slept at the top on the wire (I left my dog out to guard his cage). I managed to get him down into his tree where he was happy for awhile but then decided he really wanted to get into big oak tree that has a trunk almost 4 feet in diameter. I don't know if you can see it, but he's been hanging out looking longingly at that little branch that comes from the big oak 30 feet away. I might crisscross some branches across the top so he can get to the tree easily. I just can't have him sleeping on the screen as a predator can grab his feet.

View attachment 158498

The problems is going to continue though. You have to think of a way that your chameleon is not climbing on the enclosure wall all day. I recommend a barrier at the base and trimming your weeping redbud. It is one of the main problems about keeping chameleons in a giant outdoor enclosure.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[ulamachula]

wow, what a gorgeous summer mansion!