A Free Range Habitat for Meller's and other Large Chameleons

Step 4 Install the Standards for the wire shelving.

Wire shelving systems are also commonly called "closet organizers." There are several different brands sold at several different stores. It all works the same way: Heavy steel uprights called standards are bolted to the wall, and shelf brackets of various lengths fit and lock into the slots on the standards. They are very strong and highly adaptable, which is probably why they're so popular. People use these systems to organize their closets and storage rooms, some organize their garages and workshops with them, and others make simple bookshelves with them. A few weirdos turn them into reptile habitats. If you're one of those weirdos, make sure you get the heavy-duty style with two rows of slots.

The wall standards are the central framework of the free range, and they need to be mounted to studs. Your FR is going to support hundreds of pounds of plants, equipment and your precious chameleons, do you really want to trust all that to drywall? (especially drywall that will be sprayed with water every day) (You did protect your drywall by painting in step two, right? RIGHT?)

Use a stud finder or clever measuring (studs are usually 16" apart in American homes. Elsewhere, in metric-speaking areas, they are several dozen centipedes apart.) Locate the standards and mark the wall where you'll screw the standards in. We positioned our standards 32" apart, and it's working just fine. Use at least 3" screws. (about 7 centipedes)

As for the length of the standards, In our house, 6' standards worked perfectly, and could be mounted almost flush with the ceiling. If yours don't fit, cut off the TOPS of the standards with a hacksaw. Here's why:

TIP: The standards need to be perfectly level. Don't trust your ceiling to be perfectly level- our isn't and yours might not be either. Use a carpenter's level to check each standard against the one you just installed. This is especially critical when going around a corner.

Make sure your free range begins with a standard and ends with a standard. This way, the ends of the shelving units will be supported.

Note that the finishing paint still isn't done in this step. We originally weren't going to do a sponge print finish, but after the standards and the guttering, we changed our mind.