Alicia's Chameleon Cage and Cabinet

Here is an awesome Chameleon Cage with a matching cabinet. It is made from pine wood, oak plywood, plexiglass, and fiberglass screening. The cabinet holds supplies as well as a bucket for water drainage from the waterproof drawers that have drainage holes in them. The upper facade will hide reptile lights from view. The cage has a removable divider, creating two separate sections if necessary. There are waterproof acrylic lined drawers with drain holes, front stacked access doors, four acrylic viewing panels, and a solid oak plywood backing. This was stained with Minwax's water based Antique Jade. Dimensions of the cage is 42 inches tall, 42 inches wide, and 16 inches deep at the front doors. The cabinet is 28 inches tall with casters. I can't wait to see this all set up and decorated.

Fig 1. Find the bottom cabinet piece of plywood and use the silver panhead screws to attach the casters.

Fig. 2 Turn the bottom over to start panel assembly.

Fig. 3 Attach panel "A" to the bottom as shown. Use the predrilled holes to line up the 1 1/4" screws to go through the bottom plywood into the bottom crossbar of panel "A".

Fig. 4 Attach panel "B" on the opposite side the same way.

Fig. 5 Attach panel "C" to the back of the panel.

Fig. 6 This panel "D" sits next to panel "A".

Fig. 7 Panel "E" on the side next to panel "B".

Fig. 8 Attach the front panel "F". You might need to loosen screws to adjust your panels, but they will fit tight.

Fig. 9 Attach the top of the cabinet (1/4" plywood) to the top crossbars with 1 inch screws.

Fig. 1 and 2. Panels C, D, E, and F have plexiglass pieces that are marked with the matching letter. The letter is on the side that faces the inside of the cage and is the top edge. Use black panhead screws to attach plexiglass to the panel in the predrilled holes. You first must remove the protective film from both sides of the acrylic before attaching.

Fig. 1 Set the cage bottom on the cabinet.

Fig. 2 Panels "A" and "B" are attached together to form the back of the cage.

Fig. 3 and 4 Use 1 5/8" screws to attach the back pieces together.

Fig. 5 Let the base overhang slightly to the back in order to drive 2" screws through the predrilled holes into the bottoms of panels "A" and "B". You can match up the holes in the bottom crossbars of the panels.

Fig. 6 Attach Panel "C" next to panel "B". Once again, use the 2 inch screws coming from underneath. Then use the 1 5/8" screws to attach Panel "C" to "B".

Fig. 7 Attach Panel "D" the same as "C".

Fig. 8, 9, 10 Attach the divider base using two 2" screws. Line up the divider's predrilled holes with the ones in the base. Before attaching tight, put the drawers in place to make sure they slide in and out freely. Once all the panels are adjusted properly, you can remove the drawers and attach the cage to the base using two 1 5/8" screws as shown in Fig. 11

Fig. 12 Attach Panel "E" next to "D". Then use 1 1/4" screws to attach "E" to "D" in the side frames. This panel does not attach to the base, it sits above the drawer.

Fig. 13 Attach Panel "F" next to "C" in the same way as Panel "E".

Fig. 14 and 15 Attach Panel "G" to Panels "E" and "F" using 1 1/4" screws in the door frames. Then Line up the

1 5/8" Screw in the bottom crossbar of the door frame into the divider base.

Fig. 16 and 17 The divider panel sits onto the top of the divider base and uses the push pin in the upper back frame to go into the back panels in the predrilled hole.

Starting with Panel 1 on the left side, attach to the top panel with 1 1/4" screws. Attach Panel 2 same way, next to Panel 1. Then find the top brace (fig. 3) that has screws in it already and attaches between 1 and 2 as shown. Then continue on with Panels 3, 4, and 5.

Now you can set the entire top in place and secure with 1 1/4" screws in the predrilled holes in top of the front door frame and in the back of panels "A" and "B".

Thats It!!