DIY CHAMELEON CAGE!

How to Build a Chameleon Cage for only $134! this is a step by step guide to build a chameleon tank.
List of materials
10 - 1x2 6 feet long
Aluminum screen 36inch x 25 ft
Sealer drylock waterproofer
#6 screws 3/4 inch
#6 screws 1-1/2 inch
#8 screws 2-1/2 inch
2 foot by 2 foot 1/4 inch plywood
Light duty door pull
Narrow hinges 2-1/2 inch
All Products I use: www.amazon.com/shop/chiefsuni...
Feel free to DM on my Socials
Twitch - / chiefsweet
Twitter - / chiefsweet
Instagam - / chiefsweetsuniverse
TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@chiefsweetsun...
Discord - / discord

[@millamcclain8411]

Im starting to build my chameleon’s new enclosure today following your video! I’m super excited! I did A LOT o research and your video is by faaar the most helpful one! It made me feel confident about building it myself with your simple and detailed explanation. Thank you soooo much 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

That means a lot. Thank you very much

[@millamcclain8411]

I made it and it ended up perfect!! I’m so happy!! Thank you again 🙏🏻😁

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

@@millamcclain8411 that’s AWESOME! I knew it!

[@caseydennis9489]

Thank you so much for this. I literally took notes bc you detailed this so very well. I really appreciate this. Thank you!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

No problem. Very much appreciated 🙏

[@JasonsFamily]

Excellent video. Great advice, and easy to follow instructions. I’ve been raising panther chameleons for years and I’m going to use your steps to make a few new enclosures.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you so much. I love panther chameleons

[@nattyr606]

going to use this to build mine next month😂

[@hannahsears2779]

Currently building this! Your video made it SO easy to follow along. Total build cost was about the same and all supplies were easy to find. Thank you for sharing this, I can’t wait to move my chameleon in!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you so much. Can’t wait for your chameleon to see its new home

[@jensjeppesen]

Wow, I've never seen that level of concentration on your face, when you screwed the hinges to the door in ;) No, jokes aside, these videos are great, my man. It's one thing that you can save money by doing it yourself. But you can also customize it to the exact size, that you want. Plus the biggest reward is the satisfaction on knowing, that you made it yourself :) I hope, your beautfiul chameleon appreciates all your hard work - it looks amazing!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you so much Jen! Yeah I was super concentrated haha. It is super rewarding when I look at it finished

[@ashleypenland3837]

Absolutely awesome I want to build one like this and this video will help so much thank you for posting it.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you 😊

[@janemariemcbrierty4667]

I just received a juvenile veiled and saw this and WOW. I’m bugging my husband to build ‘BRO’ his new enclosure! This one. Thank you for sharing!🦎

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Congratulations on your new chameleon!

[@ansnfbsknanssshshbsnsndnd5438]

Why don't you?

[@briannarossselot330]

Going to be building this as well as adding a base for drainage and to holding all food and supplies.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Awesome!

[@michaellukic3982]

That's a really nice custom cage for your chameleon

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you 😊

[@TeamHopeLS]

Man great video! I wish you would have included the measurements for the door but I will follow what you did in the video and it should work out, but for some reason when I went to the store I bought 6 8 foot instead of 10 6 foots so I’m sure only some scrap of wood

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

No worries more wood means you can build two lol jk

[@jorgerios8128]

hi this video is amazing !!! i’m truly inspired by this and am going to make one now , may i ask ? if i want my chameleons enclosure to be 7 feet high , by 2 ft x 2ft ? which type of wood measurements for the cage would i need 🤷 thanks for your time 🙃

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Buy 4 8 foot tall 1x2 pieces of wood. Cut them at 84 inches. Bam 7 foot tall instead of 4 feet

[@shelenawallable]

Do you think PVC would work for the frame instead? It’s so much cheaper than the wood and don’t have to worry about paint or rot.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Ohhhhh my goodness I didn’t even think of that. Yes it would. Thank you for the idea! Haha. I wish I thought of that 😂

[@kassievizier6536]

How does it drain?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’ll have to post a update because I’ve modified it so much now doesn’t even look like the same enclosure haha

[@thirdeyereptiles1772]

Is this a 2x2x4ft enclosure & how could I turn this into a hybrid cage? Plexiglass on the back & sides?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

This is indeed a 2x2x4 now I did tune mine into a hybrid cage pretty much just bought 2x4 sheets of thin plywood sealed them with drylock like 4 coats. Then screwed them onto the sides. The front is still screen though. But it’s just the door that’s the screen.

[@daetabor951]

What are the exact mesurments of the door? (Including the half inch gap) Does the 21 3/4 prices of wood gets attached 14” above on the side of the enclosure? And the 21” pieces gets attached to the front and back?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Including the gap width is 21-3/4 inches length is 34 - 1/4 inch.

[@sicc_wit_it7139]

Hello what kind of dry lock you use I couldn’t find can you send a link of what it looks like and is there different colors besides white? Thank you your cage looks awesome

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’ve used drylock extreme and drylock original . They sell it at lowes and Home Depot by paint. They do have different colors but I have only seen white and grey

[@alyssaduffy8063]

Also, so you staple the screen on the outside of the cage? Did you use any trim pieces to cover it?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I didn’t use any trim but you totally can I did staple it on the outside.

[@blacksotoole4066]

how many feet is the enclosure

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

4ftx2ftx2ft

[@oliviahancock1504]

So can polyurethane be used for the beardie enclosure also? Or does it have to be drylok?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

you can use that too! I would use water based polyurethane though.

[@lizfl420]

Great video! What type of screen did you use? The screen on reptibreeze habitats is like a hard almost metal type. We're looking to do a full build like this.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Steel would be the screen to find. You can find it in the hardware section I used aluminum on this one though

[@lizfl420]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse thanks!

[@ipshwitz7510]

I"m late to the party on here, but how do you handle drainage from like a mister in this? Love the video, it's allowing me to already start building for my panther chameleon I'm getting shortly.

[@Pumpkinvr6432]

Wondering the same thing but the video is great and easy to follow.

[@831to702]

Thank you for the video! Just finished building one just like yours thanks to your video

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

No problem glad to help.

[@tryptameme4509]

Hey man, great video! I'm strongly considering doing something like this myself, and I'm curious about how the wood is holding up. Considering chameleons require a lot of water, and I'd like to use an auto mister, would the wood not rot?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Mine is going strong. If you seal it with waterproofer it should hold for a really long time. Mine is doing great and it’s been 6 months

[@OverMyDadBody]

Could you just build out of cedar?

[@mattapalmer7]

@@OverMyDadBody would recommend pvc or screen frame instead of wood tbh

[@linac5804]

How much time do you wait between each coat of paint

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I waited like 2-3 hours.

[@OverMyDadBody]

I have a fish tank stand I built myself, wanna use it for the terrarium I'm gonna build based on this video. Any reason to NOT go 4 foot long as opposed to 2?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Mine was space you can make it as big as you want. The spot I was putting it could do 4 feet high but only had 2 feet of space width wise.

[@elisewest6524]

Great enclosure. 😊 I have your basic Reptibreeze screen enclosure but I don't think it's working well for my Chameleon.I have a Oustalet Chameleon and he needs humidity so I'm wondering with your enclosure is it possible to enclose your 3 sides with solid wood and have the top and Door screen? Would that work on your design?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

100% it will work. I actually took the screen off later and used the same plywood I used for the bottom but added it around the sides. So it can keep humidity up more and I could spray the enclosure without it flying out of the enclosure on my walls and floors. But it will work

[@elisewest6524]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse Unfortunately my Chameleon died this morning .I only had him less then a week .

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’m so sorry to hear that. My condolences

[@elisewest6524]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse Thanks Hey I'm getting a Veild Chameleon and I enclosed the enclosure with that Window insulation kit u use a blow dryer to seal it .Does a great job .Do I leave it or open the enclosure up and remove the plastic? I disinfectanted the cage with hot water and Vinegar .I have no substrate but can I use it ? Coco fibre.

[@valmcp7543]

I know you recorded you stapling the screen to the top of the enclosure...but in the last clips of the video, the top is not the same material as the sides. you can clearly see the shadows of something that looks like 1/4" steel mesh. Is that right?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes! I changed it cause it cut down on uvb way too much. So I went with the 1/4 inch steel.

[@alyssaduffy8063]

What kind of plants are safe for chameleons

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

There’s a lot but popular ones are pothos, grape ivy, Boston fern, ficus benjamina, dragon tree, parlor palm, Areca palm, schefflera tree, rubber plant.

[@diyfloristry8589]

what is the cheapest type of mister to get?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

This one amzn.to/44HjMFr

[@callen1622]

I am currently building the cage and I need some help. I cannot find the screen you used at all. I don't know what to do because I looked online and in the store and I just can't find it anywhere. What do I do?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Are you located in the United States?

[@callen1622]

yes@@ChiefSweetsUniverse

[@blacksotoole4066]

so if i was to build this chameleon cage what size length should be my uvb bulb and light fixture

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

24 inches. Even the 14 inch uvb would be ok.

[@RONPEE-STINGER]

@@ChiefSweetsUniversecan u put the light on the side

[@elisewest6524]

Say I'm using your measurements to build my Panther Chameleon a bigger enclosure .What is the measurements for the solid base and top?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

You want it wider or taller?

[@elisewest6524]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse The measurements I'm using is 24 x 24 x48

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

@@elisewest6524 oh yeah then the base and top will be 24 inches

[@brooklynholman4441]

Can you make a list of your supply’s so I can go to the store without struggling

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

List of materials 10 - 1x2 6 feet long Aluminum screen 36inch x 25 ft Sealer drylock waterproofer #6 screws 3/4 inch #6 screws 1-1/2 inch #8 screws 2-1/2 inch 2 foot by 2 foot 1/4 inch plywood Light duty door pull Narrow hinges 2-1/2 inch

[@brooklynholman4441]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse your awesome!!

[@Tater4200]

Very nice. Gonna build mine tommorow. Mine is in a glass enclosure and people are giving me hell on the Facebook group. Hell I thought he's 4 years old it must be ok!? Guess not

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Oh man Facebook groups can be very toxic. For a group that is supposed to help they will usually jump down new members throats instead of being nice and welcoming. However most of groups will have files or guides that are helpful it’s just the members that are sometimes not helpful haha.

[@RONPEE-STINGER]

Glass is better tho to keep it humid

[@SomeoneIsAlwaysMovingOnTheSurf]

Is painting the enclosure necessary?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

If you use a mister or plan to mist it yes. If not then you don’t have to. The water would rot the wood eventually

[@SomeoneIsAlwaysMovingOnTheSurf]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse Thanks, I think I will go with PVC pipes for the frame. I wanna do a base 4x2 feet so I'm trying to figure out drainage. I will probably caulk (aquarium safe) 2 -3 plastic plates to each other and the bottom frams, drill holes in 3 locations and put 3 home depot buckets underneath each set of holes to account for lack of slant' or I could put it the frame on a small slant and only use one set of holes with 1 bucket..

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

@@SomeoneIsAlwaysMovingOnTheSurf the pvc pipe for the frame is genius!

[@austincrowmusic2378]

Why not live plants that would be good for a Cham tho?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I built this in the winter. No place had any plants I just threw my pothos and other plants in haha.

[@_norbika_5145]

Can a chameleon live in it his life?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes

[@deanstobbart9735]

Plywood base?!?!?! that's going to rot with the amount of water that's needed

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

It’s been over a year and still going strong the drylock is essential for sealing it. You can also use pondarmor

[@mahmoudosman7539]

Might as well buy a new one where’s the videos where people build shit for 5 bucks

[@albutcher9152]

Poor set up.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Always looking to improve. Let me know what I can improve on.