Chameleon Cage suggestions?

Hopefully everyone had a nice Holiday weekend. Mine was decent

Anywho, I guess I will hit the ground running here. I am building a pair of 4'x2.5'x2.5' Chameleon cages and I assembled the skeletons out of PVC. I am using an Ultrafine Fiberglass screen for now. I don't plan on leaving free roaming crickets in the enclosure so they should not be an issue (chewing through it/etc). Some cage builders use fiberglass screen, some do not, but from my research I have not seen that it will have any detrimental effects on the chameleons health. The only issue with that style is that a large or particularly strong cham may be able to tear through it, or that bugs can chew through it.

That aside, I have not applied to screen to the skeleton yet. I have been contemplating on how to attach it to the PVC. Initially I was going to line all the sides with dual adhesive Velcro stripping but that is not economical cost wise (Velcro is ridiculously expensive for something invented so long ago). Instead I am now looking and doubling over the edges of the screen and running eyelets through at every inch or so and using plastic fasteners to hold each piece to the skeleton. I know that some pre-fabricated PVC style cham enclosures come with a screen that is sewn into the dimensions of the cage with a zipper on one side to access the animals. I do not have a sewing machine, nor do I think I could sew the "skin" together properly even if I did.

As for the door, I plan on building it out of a second PVC frame and hinges on one side, and use weather stripping on the interior to ensure there is no open gap around the edges of the doorframe.

I am also assembling a misting system that will be automated and a drip system for drinking. I have support beams across the top of the enclosure to mount a spot light for basking and to mount fluorescent UVB bulbs.


I guess what I am getting at here is, does anyone have any experience with building PVC cham cages and if so, what did you use for the walls? Am I missing anything here in my general design/outline? I want to ensure that whatever I build it is collapsible and rebuildable, so I can make it larger or smaller simply by swapping out the skeleton....

I have seen several designs for PVC cages while searching around the net but none of them use fine screen, most are iguana or bird cages with metal or wide rope mesh. Obviously that would not hold any type of insect inside of it so it is out of the question. So... suggestions anyone?

Thanks in Advance.

In my PVC building experience I found that the cages aren't very sturdy. Other members from Chameleonforums.com have had escapes from PVC cages as well. If I were you I would just buy some wood and build a cage out of sealed wood as it will last longer, look nicer, and easier to chameleon proof. I am assuming you will be putting a larger species like a veiled or panther in there, correct? I highly recommend that site to do research and get advice, especially if these are for your first chams.

Thanks for the reply

Yeah, I found over the course of my building that they weren't particularly sturdy. I have reinforced the sides with t-joints and support beams. It can now hold 30lbs of weight hanging from any one of the beams. I will be connecting the top and bottom portions together with PVC glue when the final design is complete. I have worked as an electrician as well as doing HVAC so me and PVC have a long sordid history together :P

The main reason I opted for the PVC is the fact that I can alter it when necessary (I.E. make it bigger or swap parts to make it smaller) Also, being able to completely customize it from the ground up was nice. I do not have the equipment to make a wood enclosure that would look nice. I do not own any powertools so working with the wood would be a chore.

I am working on the layout for my automatic misting system right now.

As for research into chameleons themselves. I have compiled a personal care guide of epic proportions from all over the internet, some came from chameleonforums. I have kept herps on and off over the course of my entire life, and I am aware of the care requirements that chameleons demand. It is going to be a while yet before everything is complete, but I have been writing a guide and documenting all of the building as I proceed with the project. I figure this could act as a resource for any others who are interested in working with chameleons. Once I am completed I will be putting it into a PDF document with pictures and instructions for each portion of the setup

So far I have saved myself a few hundred dollars from doing this all DIY and the end result is going to deliver everything a chameleon needs and more.

The mist system is going to run on an electronic flow regulator with an interval timer to do mistings every 3 hours or so, as well as a built in digital hygrometer that will be running the ultrasonic humidifier. These in turn will be running into a drainage system built into the bottom of the cage to ensure there is no standing water.

The support beams that I have put into the top of the frame will act as mounts for the UVB and UVA spot lighting so nothing is hanging outside of the cage to be knocked over. The structural supports on the sides will be mounts for branches/climbing logs/hidey-holes/etc. Also, since I am going to be elevating the cages, having anything on top of them would be counter productive as I would not have ease of access should something go wrong or they need routine maintenance (I.E. Bulb Change)

However, that short novel aside, I still have not decided how to mount the screen "skin" to the PVC. I know that I could tack it on but the whole concept behind this build is versatility and collapsibility (<-- not a word). I need to be able to disassemble the cage at some point to get it out of the house.

I had considered working with wood or aluminum for a time before finally deciding on PVC. In terms of ease of use, a well as customization, PVC just seemed to be the easy choice and so far it is all working out well... except finding some sort of easy attach/detach screen.

Once again thanks for the insight

Also, I have seen many of your posts on ChameleonForums and found them to be pretty useful. So thanks are in order for that as well.

Well, to start off you shouldn't keep any bulbs inside the screen as you risk burning the chameleon, especially young one as they do not thermoregulate as well as adults do. There are horror stories where chameleons have burnt of tails and back spines as well as badly burning little feeties. Chameleons also do not require hidey holes or logs (unless they are more like thick branches for climbing.) If you are using this cage for a larger species like veileds or panthers then you probably also wont need a humidifier unless you have an extremely dry house (which I suppose you may since you live in Arizona.) Because you should not put the bulbs in the cage you will not really be able to use fiberglass on the top as the basking spot will probably burn through the screen. I can see that you've put a lot of though into it and have a lot more information gathered than the average impulse buyer, but there are things that still need work.

If you are getting a panther or veiled this is a good website to read if you have not already come across it : http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

Yeah, I have the website in my bookmarks already

As for contact with the lights. I have read about such things and taken that into consideration with my plans. The foliage build encompass the entire the bottom until about 2.5' to 3'feet high. The higher stuff will be pressed against the back of the enclosure only (creating a kind of "L" shape in the cage). I increased the dimensions earlier today on the skeleton, it is now 3x3x5. The spot light will be positioned at the very front of the cage facing back into the other side, the mister will also spray from this angle (so no mist hits the spot lamp), there will be no plants or climbing material within a 12'' circumference of the lights. The UVB5.0 is a compact bulb and therefore, by design, does not get hot during use. That will be positioned on the other side of the enclosure above the foliage.

As for "Hidey-Holes". You guessed right, I just meant sections with some silk plants arranged into dark "cave" type spaces. At least until I can get a living plant to grow around a shell... *ponders topiary for a moment*

Once Again, Thank you for your time

P.S. It is VERY dry here in Arizona, especially in the city. Concrete everywhere does not allow moisture anywhere.

Edit* I meant *not* a compact bulb

Even so, I would urge you to use a piece of 1/4-1/2 inch hard ware cloth on the section where you keep the light bulb and put it above the cage. Better safe than sorry with a burned chameleon (you'd be surprised at some of the things they do) The UVB bulb could probably be placed in the cage but part of it should be very close to where the basking bulb is so that they have the option to receive UVB while basking and while not basking.

What kind of chameleon are you getting (or thinking about?) I find that my male Veiled chameleon wont try to hide at all in his plants (except while sleeping) But my female Panther chameleon definitely will. If I get too close the male just bites/gapes/hisses. If you do want to make a plant grow in a shape/cave like thing (it may just end up being decorative ) I would suggest a pothos with a wire of some sort in the shape that you want. You can tame them to grow the way you like as long as they have some sort of structural support.

Yeah, you have a very valid point there. Should the hardware cloth have a PVC coating? Isn't hardware cloth a little abrasive on the feetsies?

Yeah, the reason I was gonna have the UVB directly over the plants at the top of the "L" was so that when he/she was up there basking the spot light would be on one side as well, so, as you suggested, double lights.

As for the species, I am not sure yet. Initially of course I wanted a Parsonii, then an Oustaleti, then a Melleri LOL. I decided to err on the side of caution though for the animals well being and get something a little more suited for a first time Cham owner. I have had many different herps, hots and specialty, but I know chams are one of the most challenging.

I am thinking about Panthers, possibly a Nosy Faly and a Tamatave.

I have also looked into the C.verrucosus simply because they have both the size, and the hardiness. From what I have gathered their care requirements are similar to Panthers or Jacksons (cant remember which of the top of my head)

Eventually I plan on breeding, in a few months I will have all the time and income needed to start a setup, wherein I can assure the health and quality of life of every single animal involved. Which is another reason I am doing everything by hand. I will need modified everything to build a large system from scratch so it is good to start small in terms of modifications and designs

And just to be clear, I am not going to be breeding for profit, I may let go of some simply because I cannot keep a billion chameleons but for the most part it is just going to be an interesting hobby to pursue. I have always wanted Chams, since I was a small boy, and now I am finally in a position where I can legitimately make that a reality. Who knows, maybe I will go to Madagascar and study Parsonii in a few years to figure out why they are so difficult to breed captive LOL.

Big Dreams are the Only Dreams as far as I am concerned

Kinda went off on a tangent there.. anywho, yes, plants in shapes...

I have been playing around with gardening the past two years or so and so far I have had mild success. Things stay alive but I wouldn't say they are spectacular. Might just be the 120 degree heat every summer.. I have some nice snow peas going right now though :P and they are climbing up ropes and stuff, pothos is a vine as well right?

Yep, pothos is a vine. Parsonii are sooo awesome... Cost and arm and a leg though. The incubation is supposedly the hardest part... I wouldn't know though, never kept them Nosy Faly's make me drool. I have a female Sambava at the moment and my boyfriend has a cute little male Sambava. Possibly going to breed them in a good 8 months or so. I love the orange/red/yellow colors that Sambavas and Tamataves have! Oustaleti are terribly hard to keep so long as you do your research.

I was just thinking hardware cloth for the area/top for the lights so that you dont have to use it everywhere if you dont want, as it isn't always the most appealing. Also, if you plan to buy a baby make sure that you section off the bottom half of the cage until it is older so it wont get lost.

Pothos are a vine and grow like weeds. Something like 12 feet a year... I may be over exaggerating a tiny bit.