Wire Cages

[GrouchoTegu]

I searched the forum and didn't find much info on wire cages. I found a place that sells wire cages and for the size and price it seems to be the most economical next to building your own.
I'd like to know if anyone uses a wire cage for their tegu and if so how is your lighting set up? pics? Thanks for the help...

Here is a link to the cage I was talking about http://www.bigappleherp.com/Mega-Long-Split-Lizard-Cage

 

[jdpFL]

While those are really cool looking, it seems it would be a very unhealthy home for a tegu, and most other types of large lizard! No way to hold heat, humidity, substrate....? And, for that price....you could find something more suitable without a doubt. Also, lizards will tub their noses raw on wire. They burrow, so there would be no way to put any substrate in there. Check out the threads in "housing and enclosures" for ideas and proper set ups!

 

[Strange_Evil]

^x1. That cage would not be suitable inside, you will find it extremely difficult to maintain heat in there and humidity. And for the price of that cage you could build 2 huge 8x4 cage's and still have money left over. The cage build should roughly cost you around $150-$300 depending on which route you choose to go.

 

[GrouchoTegu]

Thanks...That was my thought...Tough to maintain an ideal environment but I'm an amateur so wanted to hear from ALL of you! That also explains why I searched the forum for a while and came up empty in regards to wire cages

 

[kellen.watkins]

Probably not on here cause its so impractical, its hard enough holding humidity in glass cages I couldn't imagine using a wire cage, which I was always curious how people house chameleons in wire/screen cages since I heard they have crazy heat. And humidity requireents

 

[jdpFL]

Kellen, I'm afraid that's probably a big contributor to why people have trouble keeping them alive....sadly. Thank goodness for the internet, as a way to carefully research specific reptiles needs and husbandry! Assuming you can manage to weed out the valid info from the rest....lol.

 

[Steven.]

^x1 and thank goodness for the forum!!!

 

[mars]

Hey dude try looking at a boamaster their website shows alot of different cages for a pretty damn good price. And their sizes are huge just got to screw everything together though that's where I would go everyone else is a little higher in price but also good quality.

 

[GrouchoTegu]

Boamaster looks pretty good. Which cage would you recomend? Do you guys use humidifiers or spray distilled water daily in the cage? Sorry for the newbie questions...But...Hey, Im a newbie and want to create the most desirable environment for my 'gu

 

[Rhetoric]

I have a large soaking dish (dollar tree) that I have filled with water. Since my enclosures are in the garage I use the hose to spray them down when they get too dry. You can also get a mister or dump water into the enclosure and mix up the substrate. I don't treat my water before giving it to my tegus or using it near my tegus. I don't think we have funky water though.

 

[jdpFL]

Someone should make a sticky listing the required items for beginner set up. Size and material of enclosure, substrate choices, temp gun, hygrometer (to accurately measure humidity level), water bowl large enough for the tegu to fit in (more because they usually like to use it as a potty...), ideas for hides, etc. Maybe with an idea of price for set up and feeding included. It can be a real shocker trying to get set up after you've gotten the little guy and realizing what all goes into care, feeding, and proper enclosure. A "Before you get your tegu home" type list might be helpful!

 

[Rhetoric]

http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=8526#axzz1Xnls7tjR
Theres that which is "best of tegu talk" but I think a lot of people would benefit from another housing guide or care suggestion sheet. Maybe even the same ones in the link but formatted differently.