Summer outdoor enclosures for my 2 panther's. Ideas input please.

[Kboz1991]

Okay so I had an idea for outdoor enclosures on nice summer days that weather allows but when it doesn't permit night time weather or day time isn't good below 60 65 rainy windy stuff like that they can come in at night or the day. I would check on them daily. It just cost a ton in the summer to cool a room to heat it up if that makes since because i use window airconditoning not central air. but if need be I will gladly pay the bill. I just want them to be able to thermoregulate so I can have the healthiest possible chameleon. I'm not trying to skimp out and give them the bare minimum either. I did tons of research and still do. All money saved will be going in to the indoor cages I've been working on for the times they have to be inside ( i will put pictures up of projects and cages they are in now tomorrow) so far for that I have a 6 foot wide frame that will be split into 2 sides both will be 3 foot, by 3 foot deep by 6 for tall cage with the 72 inch tropic blaze quad fixture I already have for when I finish the indoor cage.(they are both around 6 months I'm trying to find the right material to use on the cage don't want their nails getting ripped out)

I am trying to give them the best life they can have for being in a cage. O yea I tried free ranging in their room they wanted to be everywhere but the setup I had lol. What I was thinking is out door cages for the summer. That means natural uvb heat and I live near water so good humidity usually around%60 on average but depending on the day. I'm in maryland. I'll be using my misting system also. I was thinking of a setting up like in this picture I have found were I would have lots of foliage and do portion of the cage with like a half tarp top or some sort of coverage so they could get in and out of the sun as they please and plenty of foliage to feel safe. I would have the caging material to were insects could get in but no larger animals could get in and hurt them or stress them out. I would have my mistking system set up with ample misting to keep them happy and a drip system running all day so they would have water when ever they need it. This would be days with nice weather and they would have indoor cages still setup just so if it's too cool out for them at night storms and stuff like this. I take them out as much as I can now and they love it outside I always have to fight to get them back in. This would be a win win for both me and the chameleons. I live in the woods so I feel it makes them more comfortable than a blue painted room. I would like any comments anyone had good or bad and input thanks I appreciate it.

 

[Kboz1991]

Here's a few pictures of them

 

[EsqChams]

I too am building an outdoor enclosure - I'm using PVC pipe and aluminum screens. Mine is probably bigger than it needs to be (8x6x3), and I'll post pictures when it's done. Kudos on the effort to get your panthers some fresh air while it is nice!

 

[Kboz1991]

Yeah I'm thinking it will be good for both of us. I get a project to have fun with and they get more of a natural environment.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I live in Maryland and used to live in PA. What species are you keeping?
You have about 4months of outdoor weather, good for keeping chameleons outside.
I kept melleri, dermensis, and merus, outside, though the meru's had to come in during the hottest months. I built cages out of untreated wood ( yes it will rot, but takes several years and is better than toxic treated wood, IMO. You could use the composite lumber for decking. ) and shade cloth, from a greenhouse supply store. I place the cages I'm evening sun, shaded underneath a large willow tree and used a hose timer, with a drinking water safe hose ( garden hoses leach lead ) and they were happy as clams. Breeding occurred indoors, for me, though.

 

[Kboz1991]

I just have 2 panthers and that would only be summer cages until it gets cool

 

[Extensionofgreen]

They'd do just great, given some shade. What part of MD are you in? I'm 30 mins west of Baltimore.

 

[KLowery88]

I'm also working on an outdoor enclosure for my Veiled. He won't be out there 24/7 because of my worry about the hawks that live next to our backyard, but it'll be good for him to be outside during the days I can keep an eye on him.

I'm doing mine with a pvc frame and mesh.



Still waiting on the mesh, and I need a tall, shady tree for the middle, but it's coming together. I'm also thinking of adding some cross bars to add more strength.

 

[Kboz1991]

That's looking good. Good thing about using pvc is you can store it in the winter in a box. I live 30 mins North if that. I am in carroll county

 

[Lathis]

Get some tent stakes or wickets to hold down the base, too. That will help with the overall strength.

 

[KLowery88]

That's looking good. Good thing about using pvc is you can store it in the winter in a box. I live 30 mins North if that. I am in carroll county

For sure. We're also likely to have to move next year, so I can pick it up and take it with me.

Get some tent stakes or wickets to hold down the base, too. That will help with the overall strength.

Yeah those are definitely on the list. I was looking at some heavy duty U-shaped stakes used to help hold down trampolines.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Okay so I had an idea for outdoor enclosures on nice summer days that weather allows but when it doesn't permit night time weather or day time isn't good below 60 65 rainy windy stuff like that they can come in at night or the day. I would check on them daily. It just cost a ton in the summer to cool a room to heat it up if that makes since because i use window airconditoning not central air. but if need be I will gladly pay the bill. I just want them to be able to thermoregulate so I can have the healthiest possible chameleon. I'm not trying to skimp out and give them the bare minimum either. I did tons of research and still do. All money saved will be going in to the indoor cages I've been working on for the times they have to be inside ( i will put pictures up of projects and cages they are in now tomorrow) so far for that I have a 6 foot wide frame that will be split into 2 sides both will be 3 foot, by 3 foot deep by 6 for tall cage with the 72 inch tropic blaze quad fixture I already have for when I finish the indoor cage.(they are both around 6 months I'm trying to find the right material to use on the cage don't want their nails getting ripped out)

I am trying to give them the best life they can have for being in a cage. O yea I tried free ranging in their room they wanted to be everywhere but the setup I had lol. What I was thinking is out door cages for the summer. That means natural uvb heat and I live near water so good humidity usually around%60 on average but depending on the day. I'm in maryland. I'll be using my misting system also. I was thinking of a setting up like in this picture I have found were I would have lots of foliage and do portion of the cage with like a half tarp top or some sort of coverage so they could get in and out of the sun as they please and plenty of foliage to feel safe. I would have the caging material to were insects could get in but no larger animals could get in and hurt them or stress them out. I would have my mistking system set up with ample misting to keep them happy and a drip system running all day so they would have water when ever they need it. This would be days with nice weather and they would have indoor cages still setup just so if it's too cool out for them at night storms and stuff like this. I take them out as much as I can now and they love it outside I always have to fight to get them back in. This would be a win win for both me and the chameleons. I live in the woods so I feel it makes them more comfortable than a blue painted room. I would like any comments anyone had good or bad and input thanks I appreciate it.




View attachment 158767

Oh, I like that one. Be careful ants don't set up shop in the bottom of the plant and make sure there is drainage.

My husband made one similar that is about 5 feet in diameter and 7 feet tall. It protects a weeping Redbud from the deer. My veiled will stay in it until it starts dropping into the low 40s at night. Not sure of the lower temps but I think 40s will be okay. Don't be afraid of a little rain or cold weather. They warm up in the sun even when the temps are on the cool side.

This uses 2" x 4" farm fence as the basic structure. It is covered with 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth. I had not expected him to roam the top but he is so I will put a network of branches around the top so he isn't on the wire as much. He spent the first night sleeping on the wire but now he puts himself to be in the tree. I hang a cup off the wall for food and just run the hose on him twice a day for water if it doesn't rain. As Extensionofgreen mentioned, hoses leach lead although the new ones don't. I just run the water through, so I don't water him with any water that was standing in the hose. when the weather starts to get hot, I'll run one of those cheap patio misters for him.

 

[Kboz1991]

That's a awesome setup 2.I see a cat running around every now and again I think I'm going to make a base and raise it about 3 or 4 foot off the ground to make them feel a little more secure and keep them away from any critters I'm going to price materials tomorrow to figure out everything I need.

 

[Kboz1991]

I was thinking of hoisting a rope over a tree but then it would sway in the wind and don't need any shaken chameleons

 

[Kboz1991]

I'm going to male a outdoor misting system out of pvc and using a timer and hose I was wondering if you should use pvc glue I don't want to hurt my little guys

 

[Kboz1991]

Well I got one built today and tomorrow I'm going to put the tree in.I am going to put a inch or 2 of stone with filter cloth on top so the holes I drilled for drainage don't get clogged I'm going to put a good bit of organic poting soil with top soil on top with river rock on top. And I'm making a big feeder cup. Then after I finish the other one I'm going to build a pvc misting system I can have go off a few times a day. The table and light was a casualtie of war I accidently cut through it.

 

[Kboz1991]

120 dollars to make 2 cages and plant them. Will never buy a cage again