Started a New Habitat

[Wykd]

Working on a new 2x2x4 setup.

So far have the cage up and secured to open top end table that was just the right size. Mounted some artificial vines and plants also, but think will hold off on more artificial items until the real plants are in place and see how it fills out. At that point I will be adding in some display branches and various hiding spots.

more to come...

 

[ChamomilleCame]

Obviously, needs more vines and such, but other than that, good work
Your cat is cute btw :3

 

[Wykd]

Yeah he just sits and watches me, pretty chilled cat.

Oh yeah indeed need more of everything. But had to stop putting stuff in. I remember after taking the pix I forgot to put the acrylic sheet on the back wall.

So stopped and cut/screwed that in. Going to lowes @ lunch tomorrow and buy some cork sheets and glue to the back of habitat. Then back to adding stuff. Will add more pix as I go.

I always mean to take build pix but always forget. so trying to follow this time. lol

Obviously, needs more vines and such, but other than that, good work
Your cat is cute btw :3

 

[Wykd]

removed the back screen and secured acrylic to length of rear panel on inside of screen. I then put acrylic on the lower half of the inside screen and front lower door. I have to wait for the silicone to dry and will then put a aluminum screen brace along the outer edge and clean up the line/cage appearance along the edge.

As you can see the bottom of my cage/top of table has no real top. just cross braces, I am going to put the bottom in and weight it down in the center with a 35 weight and use my heat gun to cause a downward bow in the bottom. This will create low spot for water to drain to and out. I have a piece of acrylic bowed in the cage now to press the bottom of 2 panels tight to the frame while the silicone is drying on them.

I know why close it in on the lower half/back?
To help control mist on MY stuff. The walls in this room are covered in natural Venetian plaster and as such are mold/mildew resistant and help regulate humidity, but the furniture is suede etc... so a compromise was made with the wife. If I provide some moisture barriers then the cage could go in the family room. The cham may like water on its leafs/branches but the wife does not! It should also help with the humidity and create a different tempt/humidity zone in the habitat. The air flow loss is minimal as the big front door is uncovered as are the top half of the side walls and top.

 

[ChamomilleCame]

I think I see the concept now. Sounds good

 

[Wykd]

Well now that I put the mid screen brace on and stand back and see how I could of done this better and been more effective.

I should of covered the back panel and one side panel with the acrylic.

Then My front and one side would be open and the back and one side would be closed.

I could of then put my mister in the front corner of the screened side and pointed it to the corner of the covered side. The moisture would be blocked by the acrylic from escaping the cage and made that one wet side the humid shaded side.

Live and learn, live and learn. I will just make another cage in a month or so when the wife is not around. muhahaha!

Anyways went to lowes at lunch and bought some vinyl tiles for the back glass so i can hid the cords etc behind cage. and used heat gun/weights to create a bit of a bow/low spot in the bottom pvc and sealed it in to the habitat. will drill and plumb it later this weekend.

 

[Wykd]

Well got almost everything redone today. Just need to find me some tan AstroTurf for the false bottom and add some bamboo branches tomorrow.

Added 2 different types of bromilades, pothos, dracaneas, croton for my live plants.

 

[myma81]

Hiya, that all looks really great. Is it an all mesh screen cage? Just wondered because it looks exactly like ours but we can't figure out how to run branches accross the cage without poking holes in the mesh. I know there must be a simple answer but I can't find it. How have you attached yours?

 

[Wykd]

A bunch of people stick tacks in to the branches from outside the cage, however i....

i had a bunch of black bread ties that i bought some place a while back. I drilled small holes the the branches/vines and poked the bread ties in thru the cage and twisted them together in the cage. If that made sense... is early still lol.

I then got them where i wanted and came back around those wire ties and hot glue gunned them. No need but it was extra grip and covered the ties so no chance in them hurting the cham.

 

[Wykd]

all done I think, tell me what ya think!

I will hook up the mistking after I put down a false bottom covering. I am thinking tan astroturf or cocoa husk, or even grass. Opininos?

I am replacing the dual dome with a 24 linear reptisun 5.0 & 65k grow light next week.

 

[myma81]

Looks amazing I'm sure your cham will love it in there. And thank you for the advice, I can't wait to put the finishing touches to my little boy's home :0)