PVC Enclosures?

[GabeCastro]

I've been planning on making a new build once I move to Oregon. Won't be happening till January But I do want to get another cham or two

I was thinking of building an enclosure out of PVC tubing. PVC is great because you can build a ton of stuff from it and it's super easy to clean / build. Then I can just use a staple gun and staple the mesh onto the PVC, or just build a roll cage like structure in the inside of a 2x2x4' lol

Even some members make a rain like system out of PVC and that can also be housed inside the enclosure.

I've been also wanting to get an emerald tree python and noticed they have a cool perch in most enclosures. People just use PVC piping and scorch them so they look like wood.

Now I'm debating if I should make my cage look like a jungle gym of scorched PVC pipes! You can add pvc joints and the possibilities would be endless. You can have a large ficus tree in the middle with PVC weaving in and out of it. PVC is strong enough to hang potho's plants from, drippers, etc. Also You can add tons of vines by wrapping it around the scorches pipes. PVC is fairly cheap and easy to get.

Here's a link to the scorched PVC pipes. You can even just use one pipe as a basking brach.

http://www.thecarnivorousorchid.com/i/scorchedperch.htm

Just thought I'd share my ideas, Maybe someone's already done it and can share pics. Or if you have a similar set up please share aswell!

I'll be making a smaller scorched pvc jungle gym for my crested geckos, but thought why not make one for a cham?!

 

[FSchams]

I am actually in the middle of building a pvc enclosure for my new veiled that i wil be getting in the next couple of weeks. But its not as easy here i South Africa like it is else were in the world as the range of products we have in SA is not..... well i think you get my point... But after i modified a few pvc couplings i think it wil come together nice. I am going to make a thread of the build once i am finished

 

[nightanole]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/att...w-light-light-your-reptiles-arcadia-small.jpg

I think my decisions were a 4ft/5ft base and 7ft tall. it was made from 1" pvc.

 

[GabeCastro]

I am actually in the middle of building a pvc enclosure for my new veiled that i wil be getting in the next couple of weeks. But its not as easy here i South Africa like it is else were in the world as the range of products we have in SA is not..... well i think you get my point... But after i modified a few pvc couplings i think it wil come together nice. I am going to make a thread of the build once i am finished

Haha I always forget we have members on the forums outside of the United States. Glad to see we have a very diverse and wide ranged members

I'd love to see how your enclosure turns out and please update with pics once you're finished.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/att...w-light-light-your-reptiles-arcadia-small.jpg

I think my decisions were a 4ft/5ft base and 7ft tall. it was made from 1" pvc.

Sweet! How much did you end up paying for one of the enclosures? I'm sure it was under $30 bucks? $40? What type of mesh did you use aswell? And do crickets ever escape?

I'm pretty much geared to make something exactly like yours, but just adding some joints in the fram to give the cham a jungle gym lol.

EDIT* just noticed it's one whole unit haha.

How much was the entire build cost? Thats cool how you can use it as a stand for other critters aswell.

 

[nightanole]

It was kinda of expensive.

$35 in joints
$14 in zip ties
8 lenghts of $4-5 pvc
3 boxes of $15 3ftx15ft heavy plastic mesh

And thats not counting the 2x4 lined plywood base, and $35 for enough paint to do 3 coats on 2 full sheets of plywood. And i didnt include the pvc primer no pvc cement.

 

[Carlton]

I built a big cage with a PVC frame. It wasn't as easy or inexpensive as I hoped. And, I found attaching the mesh (this particular one used fiberglass window screen) wasn't simple and it didn't look all that great either. Many adhesives just didn't work or failed over time. Zip ties work, but look messy. I found gluing or trying to attach anything at an odd angle to a piece of PVC was a pain. The weight of plant pots distorted the frames. Doors didn't fit snugly. It was hard to hide or cover attachment points. Other people's designs are probably better than mine, but the end result was...my next cages were not PVC.

 

[Carlton]

Then I can just use a staple gun and staple the mesh onto the PVC, or just build a roll cage like structure in the inside of a 2x2x4' lol

Even some members make a rain like system out of PVC and that can also be housed inside the enclosure.

Actually I don't think a staple gun will work very well. If I remember right I tried this and gave up in frustration. Trying to get staples into a curved dense material was a total pain. Pulled out more damaged bent staples than I put in.

Yes, PVC can work great for rain systems and foggers. THAT'S where it shines! Now I can see how scorching a piece of PVC would create perches for boas pretty easily. The surface might be too hard to permit cham claws to grip it well.

 

[GabeCastro]

Glad you shared your struggles with the PVC cages. Makes me not want to use it anymore. I figured I'd think it was cheap and end up paying more than I bargained for. I might just stick with a full mesh enclosure and add a jungle gym type structure inside the cage.

When I built my stand out of PVC it seemed pretty sturdy. But I can def see it warping over time with added weight if I used it as a cage since the bars would be much longer. I guess you could add bars that go accross to add extra support and what not but I feel like it would be best for an outdoor cage. Some place where the weather is good enough.

Having an indoor cage I think id stick with a jungle gym inside of the 2x2x4' mesh enclosure.

 

[GabeCastro]

Actually I don't think a staple gun will work very well. If I remember right I tried this and gave up in frustration. Trying to get staples into a curved dense material was a total pain. Pulled out more damaged bent staples than I put in.

Yes, PVC can work great for rain systems and foggers. THAT'S where it shines! Now I can see how scorching a piece of PVC would create perches for boas pretty easily. The surface might be too hard to permit cham claws to grip it well.

That's another great point! Haha I figured I'd have to shoot the staples so they face vertical with the PVC pipe or horizontal if the pipes horizontal. But if have to use about 100+ staples lol.

Also I didn't think about chams being able to grip. I guess wrapping a bunch of fake vines around it would be great, but a lot of work. Usually people do that with geckos but geckos can climb pretty much anything.

This helps out with problem solving! Thank you!

 

[Carlton]

That's another great point! Haha I figured I'd have to shoot the staples so they face vertical with the PVC pipe or horizontal if the pipes horizontal. But if have to use about 100+ staples lol.

Believe me, you wouldn't have wanted to be around while I tried this. The air was blue, local dogs slunk under houses, birds migrated early, and the neighbors almost called 911 every time I stapled myself while trying to hold the mesh in place.

 

[vgaines]

I've been planning on making a new build once I move to Oregon. Won't be happening till January But I do want to get another cham or two

I was thinking of building an enclosure out of PVC tubing. PVC is great because you can build a ton of stuff from it and it's super easy to clean / build. Then I can just use a staple gun and staple the mesh onto the PVC, or just build a roll cage like structure in the inside of a 2x2x4' lol

Even some members make a rain like system out of PVC and that can also be housed inside the enclosure.

I've been also wanting to get an emerald tree python and noticed they have a cool perch in most enclosures. People just use PVC piping and scorch them so they look like wood.

Now I'm debating if I should make my cage look like a jungle gym of scorched PVC pipes! You can add pvc joints and the possibilities would be endless. You can have a large ficus tree in the middle with PVC weaving in and out of it. PVC is strong enough to hang potho's plants from, drippers, etc. Also You can add tons of vines by wrapping it around the scorches pipes. PVC is fairly cheap and easy to get.

Here's a link to the scorched PVC pipes. You can even just use one pipe as a basking brach.

http://www.thecarnivorousorchid.com/i/scorchedperch.htm

Just thought I'd share my ideas, Maybe someone's already done it and can share pics. Or if you have a similar set up please share aswell!

I'll be making a smaller scorched pvc jungle gym for my crested geckos, but thought why not make one for a cham?!

I LOVE the look of the scorched PVC pipes. I will be making some for Rebels new cage and I wanna make a few for my beardie's enclosure. Thanks for sharing the link...