Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking into making a few cages. I have heard or seen pics of cages made from the window screens. How are they held together and does Home Depot sell them. How do you adhere the door so you can open and close?
If you have info or pics please post as I would like to do this weekend.
I have screen cages with wood but looking for something lighter.
I appreciate any ideas you have..
Joel
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0.0.42 Ambilobe Panther Chameleons

I've done it, it's not easy, but it's a great way to make nice, light cages.
You shouldn't use pre-made window frame - it's too expensive. You have
to use the light aluminum frame they sell and do it yourself. It's 3/4" X 1/4"
I believe, and ~$3 per 8 foot section. The stuff Home Depot and Lowes
sells is designed for making screen window frames, and it fits into the
grooves on the outside of most new homes. It's a bit thinner and weaker
than the stuff I use, which is more square in cross section. It's used for
wooden frame windows, and is usually only available through aluminum
screen suppliers.

The home depot stuff will work, but it will be less rigid.

You have to cut the aluminum frame, insert the plastic corner pieces, and
make sure it's all square. Then you have to cut the aluminum screen,
brace the frame (to prevent it from being bent while you run the screen),
and lay the screen in the groove with a screening tool. Then you have to
press in some spline wit hthe screen tool. Then trim the screen. Repeat
for all the sides.

To join the pieces, you must measure and pre drill holes, and then use
sheet metal screws. Hinges can be a pain, as sheet metal screws wound
be able to hold the hinges in place. You either need to use pop rivets
(work well, are cheap, but permanent), or use machine screws with nuts.

I made a bunch to sell at a reptile show in May, but the show was poorly
advertised, it was horrible. I still have a bunch left.

The ones I made for the show are 2'x2'x3', all black frame and screen,
even on the bottom.

They're really nice, very strong and light. I always made my own cages,
and I tell you these are much better than using heavy wood frames. Even
the light cages I made recently out of 1x2's are heavy in comparison to
these aluminum cages.

If you only need one or two cages, you're better off buying them
premade. You need certain tools to do it (aluminum circ saw blade, drill,
screen tools, different bits, etc.), and it takes practice. Escpeciialy the
screen. It's a pain to do, and I screwed up about 20 feet of 3' wide
screen before I had it figured out. v If you're going to make several cages ,
it's a worthwhile skill to learn. Heck, I've even screened in our windows
since I've learned how to do it...

Eric, This was a very informative post. I will defenetly refer back to it when I am looking to design and build my new enclosure sets.

Two 24"x24"x48" and two 16"x24"x48" and probably a good amount of baby cages if the cost is low and efficient.

Would you mind posting a few or more good photos demonstrating some of the instructions writen in your info? And maybe a hot of your setups?
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
1.2 Maroantsetra Panther Chameleons
2.0 Long Tailed Grass Lizards
0.0.2 Rhampholeon Brevicaudatus Chameleons

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.

Eric, awesome.

The idea with plastic bins for the hatchlines and babies is something we have been playing with. How do the pinheads not escape through the ventilation and drainage holes?

I need these cages designed and built in early Febuary. Money is tight, but I am a stickler for quality. If you would add me to msn (providing you use it) that would be awesome. I'm sure I could think of ways to haras you with questions. xexiledx@gmail.com

Much appreciated.
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1.1 Bearded Dragon
1.2 Maroantsetra Panther Chameleon
0.0.2 Rhampholeon Brevicaudatus Chameleon
EXILED PHOTOGRAPHY DOT COM

The drainage holes are usually either small or covered in screen as well. The pinheads usually don't climb the plastic much at all, and I usually don't place any additional ventilation holes when they're small. I have a fan blowing fresh air in the room, and the air circulation is good enough. When more ventilation is needed, just make sure the holes are more than a few inches off th ebottom, and the pinheads and chameleons will stay off.

Now, this works best with pinheads. Last clutch, I was using 90% fruit flies. You need to make sure you have a good lid when you use fruit flies.

Unfortunatly, for some reason I cannot explain, the last clutch of veileds I had were totally antisocial. 2/3 of them would curl up and turn black when they saw one another, and would stay that way for hours after they'd been separated. I had to resort to single containers...what a pain.

I've used the plastic bins for all of my veileds up until they were big enough for full size cages - my little male is now 10 months old, and he was in one for his first 6 months. I took him out right when he started his growth spurt.

Eric,
This is what I came up with.

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It shows a pic of a cage I made for my baby Jacksons. Aluminum channel w/screened panel inserts separate the cage into chambers so as to not stress out the babies from having to crawl all over themselves. If anyone wants particulars just let me know.

Bill

i used nylon, not aluminum window screen, but not the aluminum frame from window screens to make my veiled chameleon cage. it uses 1/8" plywood bottom and 1 x 1/2" wood strips for the framing and i staple-gunned the screen to the frame and used tiny hinges for the door. it is very light and no problems with crickets eating screen (which they do if the cage is very small and cham. not eating food each day. i'll post some pics if you want to see it.-jb

After considering what E. Adrignola said, I think I will just go to Petco tomrrow and buy 3 Fresh air habitats since there only 35.00. I built my current cages wood/screen and I am the worst builder in the country lol (seriously). I just need some small light cages to house my growing panther babies and separate the smaller ones from the bigger.

Again thanx for giving me something to think about. I hope others found this thread useful as I did.
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0.0.42 Ambilobe Panther Chameleons