Screen enclosure Questions.

[CamoCritter]

Hey Guys,
I have a veiled chameleon but I read they grow fast,and have a few questions about the screen enclosures,What type of screen should be used?Any specifications on what wood to Use/not? Any suggestions on Chameleon safe paint?And a side question,For those of you who keep hibiscus Don't you ever have a problem with those ants that often reside within the flowers?

Help much appreciated,
- CC

 

[jannb]

Aluminum screen is best and we usually use aluminum for the frame instead of wood. The aluminum like you buy for window screens. You can get it at Lowes or home Depot.

 

[CamoCritter]

Is there a specific size of screen mesh that i need to get? Or will the mesh do?

 

[jannb]

Mesh is about the only way you can get it. That's what we use.

 

[SoCaliSon]

Is there a specific size of screen mesh that i need to get? Or will the mesh do?

Jann is right... Alum Screen Mesh is good, as it can keep in the feeders and what not... But at the same time some people choose wider PVC coated mesh as it is easier to climb so if he is climbing the sides you wont get missing nails...but you would have to strictly cup feed. Personally I think that if your Cham is climbing the walls it is probably a bad sign anyway...and the alum mesh with plenty of high climbing branches is the best way to go. Just informing you of options.

Hey Guys,
And a side question,For those of you who keep hibiscus Don't you ever have a problem with those ants that often reside within the flowers?

Hibiscus is a great plant... If you can get it to live in you enclosure... and if you can get it to flower you're doing even better!...but it is rare at least for me. But when there are flowers they tend to be too short lived to have any bugs... You're Veiled will munch those pretty flowers like a snack! I watched my sub adult male Munch two full sized leaves while Basking and showering the other day.

~Joe

 

[CamoCritter]

He is a climber he loves hanging on the mesh top of his glass tank,even with the vast amount of perches i have in the tank with him.,Would alum. be a good or bad idea for that habit because i certainly don't want him missing any toes.I was thinking of wood framing mainly because i could sculpt it as a piece of furniture.But if alum. is better i will go ahead and do that.

 

[FOREVER ENDEAVOR]

how old is he?

 

[FOREVER ENDEAVOR]

pvc works as well

 

[CamoCritter]

Well he is fairly young at the moment,a little over 2 months.But as i have heard they grow rather rapidly and besides that.I want to get him out of the glass enclosure As soon as possible.I have an Ultrasonic fogger,would that be alright to increase the humidity,or is it a problem?

-Thanks again.

 

[CamoCritter]

Also,the book im reading says to use soil,what are your opinions on this?

 

[mczoo]

i would search screen type on this forum.

otherwise, the main problem is as screen grows smaller more toe injuries. as screen grows larger more escapes of insects but safer meshes available. if you cup feed you cav get 1/2' pvc coated mesh at home depot. however i have found lllreptiles cages so convenient i have regreted the many attempts i made at building

Good luck

Sean

 

[CamoCritter]

Well,i can never keep the crickets in the cup. they always find their way out.SO Aluminum mesh it is.What about the fogger any comments on that?

 

[Roni013]

This post reminds me, I was wondering when you have a screen enclosure dont the bugs get out? What if you have a baby and are using little feeders, I've never had a screen enclosure yet so I was just wondering if the feeders escaping is ever an issue.

 

[Tygerr]

This post reminds me, I was wondering when you have a screen enclosure dont the bugs get out? What if you have a baby and are using little feeders, I've never had a screen enclosure yet so I was just wondering if the feeders escaping is ever an issue.

Most experienced keepers that raise hatchlings keep them in plastic tub type enclosures, so there shouldn't be any chance of the pinheads or fruit flies getting out of those.

As far as escapees go in general - they're pretty much a fact of life. If you keep feeder insects long enough and feed your chams regularly enough, at some point you are bound to come face to face with a cricket outside the cage... They are some of the most talented escape artists on the planet (apart from hamsters - maybe).

I've even seen evidence of crickets left in a aluminium screen mesh cage at a Reptile Expo, having chewed through the metal mesh within three nights... (lesson: don't leave uneaten crickets in your cages overnight).

Well,i can never keep the crickets in the cup. they always find their way out.SO Aluminum mesh it is.

There is also the option of fibreglass screen mesh. It's fine enough to do a decent job of keeping the feeder insects in (although with enough time, crickets can chew through it quite easily: this won't be a problem if you make sure to remove them from the cage overnight). What will be a problem is that your chams will cause little rips and tears in the mesh, but at least it will be the mesh that is damaged, not your cham's toes and toenails. Small tears can be easily mended, and the mesh isn't that expensive so you can replace full panels of it periodically if needed. In my experience, all screen/mesh types have their pros and cons - there is no perfect solution.

What about the fogger any comments on that?

I'm not a fan of ultrasonic foggers. See my comments in this thread:
here, https://www.chameleonforums.com/ultra-sonic-fogger-mister-5083/#post35870
and here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/ultra-sonic-fogger-mister-5083/#post35877

 

[Dave Weldon]

...What type of screen should be used?...

Howdy,

My favorite aluminum screen material is the 1/8" x 1/8" coated screen that www.cages.net offers as a free option for their enclosures. Since you are building your own enclosure you've got nothing to loose by asking them if they will sell you a roll of screen . The odds are against them selling it to you and I doubt that they will reveal the source of the screen either but it is worth a try. Their screen has a very thin coating covering the wire AFTER it was woven. This gives it a slightly less abrasive texture which may be a benefit to chameleons that tend to climb on the screen. The 1/8" holes are perfect for minimizing toenail tear-outs yet small enough to keep most small crickets from getting out.

(Ruler has 1/16" marks.)
(Both use the same gage wire. The O.D. of the 1/16" screen wire itself is a few thousandths thicker probably due to the enamel coating.)

Regular 1/16" x1/16" aluminum screen. Note what looks like tiny welds at the wire crossings. Slightly more abrasive:

Note the wire crossings have tiny droplets of something like enamel paint rather than what looks like little rough welds:

You could always "punt" and just buy one of their screened enclosures with the optional 1/16" screen and be done . P.S. They charge extra for adding the little access door at the very bottom of the enclosure but it is worth it. I bought one of their 24x24x48 enclosures (not cheap) and have had it for over 4 years. I've been happy with it. I also have a bunch of the typical LLLReptile type screen enclosures too. When you get them on sale, they are a pretty good value for the money.

 

[jukeboxpunk]

Cost

What is a rough estimate on how much it would cost to buid your own cage out of the materials most commonly found at Home Depot?

 

[JoshCrane1]

depending on how intricate you make it; a descent 4x2x3 costed me a little over $100 in material.

 

[sandrachameleon]

This link will give you some good things to think about when deciding on a cage.
http://www.animalarkshelter.org/cin/

I use wood frame, peg board, acrylic and wire screen - and being home made made it cheap and whatever size I want (big). I cup feed more than I free range feed because, being homemade and imperfect, bugs can get out fairly easily. All screen is much better for keeping bugs in, but its hard (i think) to attach things too, like feeding cups and plants. And where I live, keeping humidty up in a really open screen cage is difficult the Winter when central heating is used.