# Enclosure size



## Stef_W (Aug 13, 2018)

I've been cruising through many of the threads in this forum, and the resounding consensus is a minimum enclosure of 8x4x4. I'm really curious as to why a 4' high enclosure if not to use that height to give the tegu a foot or more of substrate depth? All I'm seeing are photos of big tall enclosures with a ramp built in so they can get to their lights, with only a few inches of substrate or even tile in some cases. Why not 8x4x2? It's the same amount of floor space, but not nearly as much enclosure to heat and maintain humidity in.


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## VenusAndSaturn (Aug 13, 2018)

If the enclosure was only 2 feet tall, once you added in at least 6-12 inches of substrate that's needed there wouldn't be too much space between the tegu and the lights and I believe most of the time people mount their lights inside the enclosure so you can sort of see the problem with that. I'd personally go no lower than 3 feet for height, but 4 feet is a lot more ideal so you can have more customization, more room for more substrate and also have more space between the lights and your animal for whatever reason.

Also, most enclosures don't have screen tops so keeping heat and humidity up is a lot easier and it doesn't escape as much. I have my tegu in a 6 foot tall grow tent enclosure and keeping temps and humidity up is super easy. As soon as you step inside you can just feel the warmth and humidity hit you.


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## Stef_W (Aug 13, 2018)

Well, that was my point about the wasted height in those builds without substrate.
How's the ventilation in your tent? Durability?


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## VenusAndSaturn (Aug 14, 2018)

Stef_W said:


> Well, that was my point about the wasted height in those builds without substrate.
> How's the ventilation in your tent? Durability?


The ventilation is pretty okay I'd say, theres 13 vents in total on the tent, I keep only 4 open the rest are closed. Air gets in fine, humidity never drops below 50%, this morning the humidity in there was 80% and I didn't even mist it. Its at 70% right now. 
I'd say the durability is pretty good for something that was pretty cheap. Her claws have yet to do any damage to it, although one of the vent holes did have a rip in it when it arrived, she made it bigger so I then had to put duct tape over it so she wouldn't escape. Which has held up pretty good despite the high humidity and her constantly clawing at it.


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## Stef_W (Aug 14, 2018)

That sounds interesting. Can you link where you purchased it?


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## VenusAndSaturn (Aug 14, 2018)

Stef_W said:


> That sounds interesting. Can you link where you purchased it?


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SUEHYJ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## EnjoysWine (Aug 14, 2018)

Stef_W said:


> I've been cruising through many of the threads in this forum, and the resounding consensus is a minimum enclosure of 8x4x4. I'm really curious as to why a 4' high enclosure if not to use that height to give the tegu a foot or more of substrate depth? All I'm seeing are photos of big tall enclosures with a ramp built in so they can get to their lights, with only a few inches of substrate or even tile in some cases. Why not 8x4x2? It's the same amount of floor space, but not nearly as much enclosure to heat and maintain humidity in.



Four feet of height seems overkill to me as well, unless using very deep substrate or a raised platform for basking. If the lights are more than 24 inches away, it's going to be hard to get a hot basking spot.


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