Posted by:
eric adrignola
at Wed Nov 23 12:31:01 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by eric adrignola ]
I actually don't have any good pics of my setups online, and I'm not at my
home computer. I'll be glad to post some in the future.
I feel the 2'x2'3' cages that I made are a good minimum size for adult
chameleons as long as they're held 3' or more off the ground. However, in
the future, I do believe I will make mostly 2'x2'x4' cages. While they extra
height is good, the main reason is because ficus and sheffelera (or any
other tree for that matter) will soon grow taller than 3'. A size of 2x2x4 is
ideal. A taller cage is good, but if temperatures aren't too hot, they'll
almost never use the bottom foot. Make it shorter and put it on a shelf.
I think baby cages are best made out of plastic. It's pretty expensive to
make a little cage. The cost of the cage is disproportionatly larger the
smaller a cage is. A 18"x18"x24" cage cost me just a little less than a
2'x2'x3' cage. If you're making them yourself, no problem. It's just hard
to sell them, since they cost almost as much as a much larger cage.
What I do for baby and juvinile cages is not pretty, but it works.
I take 20 gallon plastic storage containers, cut the top out, replace it with
screen,and cut in some vent holes on the sides, replacing them with
screen. Less ventilation than a screen cage, which helps prevent
dessication. The plastic is easy to clean - just remove the babies and
rinse. They're eaiser to drain as well - just drill a few small holes in one
end, and tilt the who cage on a block. Excess water drips right out where
you drilled the holes. Plus, the plastic prevents tiny pinheads from
escaping...they can fit through some screen.
They are easy to store - when the babies are gone, just rinse them off,
stack them up and throw them in a garage or basement. they're not as
easy to destroy as aluminum screen.
The cages I made were very nice and strong (when I drilled the holes in
the right place!). Thing is, they took H O U R S to make - I had a chop
saw for cutting, which helped a lot. The screening process was
excruciating at first. I do not plan to make any more to sell like that.
When I have baby chameleons to sell, I will do something differently:
I am in contact with a supplier that will manufactuer premade screen
panels for a price that is LESS than what I have been paying for raw
materials. I just need to order in bulk. When I have babies to sell, I'll
order all these panels, drill them and make them into cages. So my
customers will not have to get those cheap, tiny tiny exo terra cages that
breeders sell.
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RE: Very informative Eric. - eric adrignola, Wed Nov 23 12:31:01 2005