Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As I am about to prepare a new larger enclosure I am looking for an appropriate mesh to keep crickets in but also allow good visibility,I haven't found any that is wide enough for good visibility but I found lots of meshes made from PVC but they are very dense and they cover more than 40% of the surface.What are you using?

I would avoid any vinyl screen, the crickets can chew through
it easily. There is a thicker vinyl coated polyester
type called "pet screen" that is pretty tough, but offers poor
visibility. I usually use black aluminum screen, offers the best visibility... but you have to make sure your chameleons don't climb on it (toe snags.) You can enclose with black screen,
then add an extra layer of the green plastic diamond yard fencing
to give them something to climb on if it's a problem.
The screameleons website has some pictures of this method
if you look through some of the photos.
If you want good visibility, free ranging is best,
but you have to get creative with containing lizards and insects.
I've always had problems with caged chameleons trying to get out, climbing all over the place... so I've mostly switched to
free ranging them and haven't looked back.
Garrett

Some Ideas...

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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

I should have mentioned that the black stuff you can see in the first and third photo, is actually garden sun blocker, that you put down around the bottom of plants so that air and woter pass through, but the sun doesn't dry out the roots.

I have not had crickets crew through this. However, butterworms have NO problem whatsoever taking chunks out of this. BUT, butterworms will even bore right through those peices of wood that the cage is made out off... They have and will do that if you loose one in the cage.

The great thing about the black stuff is one layer of it, you can see through it pretty good, but two layers of it, its all black, barely any light gets through either, so at night it doesn't disturb them to have the lighs on. Also, I can stack cages like in the photo side by side without problems with them seeing each other. Its really cheap too...

The front of it is aluminum, and they VERY rarely crawl on it, because they love the green link fencing.

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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

Hey good pictures, that's exactly what I was talking
about
gw

I know, as soon as I read it, I was like "OH! OH! PICK ME PICK ME!"
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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

I have not read the whole thread, so what I am saying was probably said somewhere else; but here it goes....

I use regular aluminum insect screening. You can buy it at almost any hardware or home improvement store, for rather cheap. It will keep all the insects in for sure. They make it in a few colors; I use the bright silver. They make a charcoal aswell, but it is a little harder to see through. I don't think you should use fiberglass screening, or even pvc screening, cause the crickets and other insects might be able to chew through it. But remember, if you are trying to make the cage insect proof, even if the screening can hold them in, be careful how you make the door. If it isn't made exact, there is a good chance crickets will be able to get out, especially if the wood starts to warp. If you have enough lighting on top (not too much!) you should be able to see in just perfectly.

Ank-Inc.
Adam.