Building the Mini Jungle Gym panels.

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Building the Mini Jungle Gym panels

The back panels are pretty easy - especially if you
have Home Depot pre-cut the pieces for you!

The full size of this back panel is [U].
Drill from the shiny side to make holes approximately every 6" to 12",
(which are for cable ties to attach the panel to the cage frame.)

Drill a few more right down the center to hold the panel securely
against the cage frame. Just mark and drill pairs of holes -- from the inside of the cage.

A one-piece back panel.

The corners are a little trickier, but not too much:

View from outside the rear corner

As you can see, the holes are drilled so that they line up with each other.

The narrow corner upper panels are: [V].
The narrow corner lower panels are: [W].

You'll need four of each for the whole cage.
That covers the rear corners and the two front corners.

A nice alternate option is to cut those front corner pieces from clear Lucite.

The best way I've found to join the corners is to notch them.

I use a template:

This is the actual template I use.

The dimensions of this template are:

[X] wide, with notches. To make the notches: mark 3/4" down from the top edges,
cut 1 1/2" in from the side edges, and cut back to the top edge with a 1/2" slope.

Another alternate option for the front is two mesh inserts...

I use 1" green plastic mesh (8 1/2" wide) and
lash it to bamboo poles (68" tall) using jute twine and a locking stitch -
and then cable tie the bamboo poles to the cage frame.

Use a smaller mesh for a smaller iguana.

But this a lot of extra work, when all you really need to do is to
cut more white melamine paneling or clear Lucite.

Or simply cable-tie green mesh into place around the door.

I like to think that these mesh panels improve the interaction -
and quality of life - of the cage inhabitant.

Mesh panels: for a clear view, fresh air, listening and hand-feeding.

The only other melamine pieces you need now are for the lower sides under the windows.

Cut two panels [Y] and drill holes that line up with the holes in the lower corner panels.
Remember to drill from the shiny side.

Now you can why I add the bamboo trim.

Now you can see why I add the bamboo trim.
The outside of this melamine paneling is just plain brown.

Another option would be to paint the outside of the panels...
maybe even the same color as the room they'll be in?
Or use some of that bamboo screen material to trim the exterior.
Now that's a nice look!

.....

Now we've done the frame, the door, the ceiling, and the back panels.
Once we do the windows and the Basking Hammock, we're done!

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