Outdoor keeping questions

[Uri]

Moved into a new home with the absolute perfect backyard for outdoor chameleon keeping with the sun coming up in a good spot and going down behind the fence so they are only exposed for part of the day and with shade cloth they are exposed only in the morning for basking but my question is if this patio misting system is good for chameleons and the use I’ll need, and how to predator proof a reptibreeze right now the biggest problem me a neighborhood cat and probably some raccoons should I wrap it in a layer of hardware cloth? How do you guys deal with predators especially at night I want to take advantage of as MUCH of my summer as possible with them

 

[jamest0o0]

I used the pvc coated hardware cloth. I attached it to a pvc frame, but you could probably do the same with a reptibreeze. A raccoon could easily knock over a reptibreeze cage even if it can’t break through the screen. The cage I have is huge and I screened the bottom so nothing could dig under(maybe a rat?), but I never had problems and I live on the edge of the woods with all sorts of wildlife. My Cham stayed in it for about 4-5 months out of the year day/night.

 

[DonKeesh]

I use these for misting connected to a digital hose timer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P0KSXO?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00G2586NK?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I just use a reptibreeze screwed on top of a planter box. I have never had any predator issues but it would be a good idea to use something more durable than screen.

 

[Jpeff]

Most of time with predators there has to be something they want on inside like food not always but most of time. Where I live biggest problem is deer they put holes in screens. They yet to put hole in wire fence or push over light weight cages. But I live 15 miles outside of town. I do have raccoons foxes and just about any you can think of around. They used to just get in trash so now I go twice a week to dump and fixed the problem.

 

[Uri]

My biggest issue are cats there’s a cat around that’s large and likes to hop in our fence and hey are pretty smart so I’m worried about that I’m going to do the planter box method if not just a table and dump soil in directly and if it falls through the screen that’s fine it’s out there can a cat break the screen tho?

 

[Jpeff]

If the cat want in screen cage he will rip screen. Had cats at one time for kids. They ripped screen in widows and screen door hate cats.

 

[jamest0o0]

I love our raccoons, they’re friendly. That said, we have a lot of food around, a hungry and committed raccoon can get into a lot of things…way worse than cats IME

 

[jamest0o0]

I’d really be careful of rats too. If you can stop rats and raccoons, you can stop anything else(short of a bear lol). So I’d just plan for those 2

 

[Uri]

I might just do a pvc pipe with hardware cloth because my large cage is coming apart my 18 by 18 by 36 could work for my carpet chameleon and it’s still in good condition so for now I’ll only have one outdoors for now

 

[Uri]

I’d really be careful of rats too. If you can stop rats and raccoons, you can stop anything else(short of a bear lol). So I’d just plan for those 2

I should ask actually how do you propose one stops them?

 

[jamest0o0]

I should ask actually how do you propose one stops them?

Rats? Im not sure what would be 100%, they can chew through a lot if determined, but some hardware cloth I’d think would do the trick… like others mentioned, I think a key is to just have no reason for predators to be drawn to the enclosure(like having food left out). A lot of animals also look at roaches/insects like lobster lol. I left a whole huge colony of death heads roaches(not cheap roaches!) outside for 1 night once and some sort of animal came and had a buffet.