Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was going to pick up an aluminum cage for my new Chameleon (panther) but just read that larger Chams sometimes loose their claws and toes on the aluminum screening. After all the problems I've heard about crickets eating through Reptariums and zipper issues I really wanted to avoid getting one.

Now I'm torn - I don't want to invite potential problems and injuries - but I don't want crickets freely roaming my home either.
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Tosha

I use fiberglass screening, much softer than aluminum.

If your cage is indoors, a fiberglass window screen cage will work as the fibers won't degrade and shed if they are not exposed to full sun. There are other options to Reptariums. You could use a Reptarium temporarily and build or have built a nice fiberglass screen cage. Crix (and more often Zoophobas) can still chew through it, but it's not that common if you confine feeders to a box rather than free range. You can use metal, but find a cage with a mesh size that the cham's toes can easily fit through. They can still get toes snagged in fiberglass screen. Make sure your cham has lots of climbing routes to all parts of the cage. Some people even put panels of larger plastic mesh on the inside of the screen so the cham climbs on that instead. Check the Kammerflage Kreations website to see the cages they offer.