# Newb here. Dying for help. Rather urgent.



## Lizardon (Nov 4, 2021)

Hey guys, so a friend of mine is giving me his red tegu. So I am in the process of relocating and by that I mean in a year or three I will be moving out of this home to another home. 

I want to have a tegu set up I could easily assemble and disassemble. 

It has to be on the lighter weight side because I am very physically weak and frail, and I have only 1 friend to help me. 

I am going around to different custom cage builders and a lot of them are really expensive- which is fine... but I am concerned over quality too... 

Not trying to take a dookie on these people but I bought a zenhabitat and the materials are poorly made. Rather weak and flimsy. The tegu is currently going to be in a 4x2x2 zen, and it's only like a few months old. Rather big tho already. So I need to like upgrade it within a month or three I'd figure. I want to upgrade it to the standard 8x4x4 as that's the space I currently have available and everywhere states that it's enough of a size for them. Although ideally would like to give them a 12x5x5... but that won't happen for a long time. 

So like... I am thinking I sort of like the idea of zen habitats (even though their quality is dookie) of like.... a metal frame that's made waterproof one way or another.... So that I could just slide the panels in and remove them at will.

One of the problems I think they have is that the bottom doesn't have middle support. I think every 2 ft should have some sort of support bar... Also when I try disassembling the thing it broke... even though I followed all instructions... Long story short, got another zen from a person online... but thats only a temp fix.

I want to be able to light that baby up. I want the strongest lights because I've been frequenting a forum on fb and there's a few actual biologists there that speak on the fact that our lights are actually rather dim in comparison to outside light. That while we see these lights as being bright- it's because our eyes are adjusting to it.... 

Anyways long story short. Anyone know of anyone whose willing to sell easy to assemble enclosures that don't need actual powertools or just plain easy to assemble and disassemble? I have a rubber mallet if it counts. lol.....Just got quoted by someone for 6k USD for an 8x4x4 enclosure and it's using 3/4 inch of pvc panels... I want to have like strong support on the top of the cage so it can hold heavy lighting.... One of the lights I want easily weighs like 30-40lbs? Or so I got told.... the 4x4 lights are heavy. Rather expensive too. So don't want it breaking on me because it fell... 

Anyways any input would be super nice.... P.s. I can't build for my life. Don't want anyone in my house so I don't want someone to install stuff. I want to be able to easily put it together.


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## rantology (Nov 5, 2021)

It sounds like a Grow Tent may be a good option for you! I would suggest taking a look at the enclosures section on these forums (or googlin'), there are a number of threads that will give you ideas on how to set one up (like this). They are light weight, easy to disassemble/assemble (compared to any other tegu enclosure) and the most budget friendly option. The only downside is that some Tegus can potentially tear them and escape, but I have seen people reinforce them in a number of ways to prevent this. 

I've also seen someone here bought a plastic shed for theirs!

Another option would be an Acrylic cage... I would suggest Kages (AnimalPlastics from my experience has way too long of a queue the past year..) . These are both more expensive and heavier than the Grow tent option however...you will definitely need 2 people to assemble/disassemble.


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## Lizardon (Nov 5, 2021)

rantology said:


> It sounds like a Grow Tent may be a good option for you! I would suggest taking a look at the enclosures section on these forums (or googlin'), there are a number of threads that will give you ideas on how to set one up (like this). They are light weight, easy to disassemble/assemble (compared to any other tegu enclosure) and the most budget friendly option. The only downside is that some Tegus can potentially tear them and escape, but I have seen people reinforce them in a number of ways to prevent this.
> 
> I've also seen someone here bought a plastic shed for theirs!
> 
> Another option would be an Acrylic cage... I would suggest Kages (AnimalPlastics from my experience has way too long of a queue the past year..) . These are both more expensive and heavier than the Grow tent option however...you will definitely need 2 people to assemble/disassemble.


Yeah I heard about grow tents. Didn't want to use those. Now I am trying to figure out how to cut a slate tile...l ol without any tools


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## AnimalNerd (Nov 7, 2021)

Have you checked out https://lifetimehabitats.com/ yet? I've been eyeballing them for future reference and they offer payment plans. They have a specific build meant for tegus that looks pretty sturdy imo and are designed to be disassembled/reassembled. I currently have been struggling with the same problem getting a lizard I inherited moved in with me. Our solution was to create panels out of the existing cage that have special bolts and fittings you can get so you can assemble and reassemble them as many times as you need. Also. Even with minimal construction experience it's always good to have at least an electric drill and hammer handy.


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## Lizardon (Nov 7, 2021)

AnimalNerd said:


> Have you checked out https://lifetimehabitats.com/ yet? I've been eyeballing them for future reference and they offer payment plans. They have a specific build meant for tegus that looks pretty sturdy imo and are designed to be disassembled/reassembled. I currently have been struggling with the same problem getting a lizard I inherited moved in with me. Our solution was to create panels that have special bolts and fittings you can get so you can assemble and reassemble them as many times as you need.


wow, gonna check them out. Really need all the help i can get. Need to figure out how to make it waterproof. Have a zen habitat as a temp. been testing things out. Mine is pvc, it is not water proof. Leaked a lot ugh. struggling to keep humidity up.


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## AnimalNerd (Nov 7, 2021)

Lizardon said:


> wow, gonna check them out. Really need all the help i can get. Need to figure out how to make it waterproof. Have a zen habitat as a temp. been testing things out. Mine is pvc, it is not water proof. Leaked a lot ugh. struggling to keep humidity up.


Ah okay! So, the only current downside to my enclosure build that you would have issue with is the bottom is super heavy. It's basically a bottom 'tray' that's sealed/water tight for the substrate while the top half (the one we had to rebuild to fit through my apartment door lol) is 3 sides of acrylic panel in wooden framing (wood is sealed and stained) and 1 side of what appears to be wood with vinyl siding material on the inside (like what's used on the outside of sheds/houses). The bottom tray section that's 'water tight' is what I believe to be panels of a black acrylic/ plastic sealed on all corners with a silicone sealant and placed inside a slightly larger wooden tray or it's a premade material with one side plastic the other wood (I'll take a closer look when I visit tomorrow). If you can find a way to seal the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 of the enclosure where your substrate will go you'll have no issue with leaking. You can find sheets of plastic/vinyl and cut it to size and as long as you have something sturdier to back it and the right sealant you'll have something water tight. You can even find wood that is sealed to plastic/vinyl to save time and trouble. I'm surprised to hear something made of pvc is leaky actually. When it comes to humidity you'll notice even in a more air tight enclosure that it's hard to keep up during the day but climbs into that ideal 70-90% at night. This actually mimics the natural cycle of humidity in an outdoor environment and as long as you provide a humid hide and opportunities to soak your tegus they should be alright. You don't want an enclosure that's super air tight since that can cause mold and bacteria buildup with all that moisture.


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## Lizardon (Nov 7, 2021)

AnimalNerd said:


> Ah okay! So, the only current downside to my enclosure build that you would have issue with is the bottom is super heavy. It's basically a bottom 'tray' that's sealed/water tight for the substrate while the top half (the one we had to rebuild to fit through my apartment door lol) is 3 sides of acrylic panel in wooden framing (wood is sealed and stained) and 1 side of what appears to be wood with vinyl siding material on the inside (like what's used on the outside of sheds/houses). The bottom tray section that's 'water tight' is what I believe to be panels of a black acrylic/ plastic sealed on all corners with a silicone sealant and placed inside a slightly larger wooden tray or it's a premade material with one side plastic the other wood (I'll take a closer look when I visit tomorrow). If you can find a way to seal the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 of the enclosure where your substrate will go you'll have no issue with leaking. You can find sheets of plastic/vinyl and cut it to size and as long as you have something sturdier to back it and the right sealant you'll have something water tight. You can even find wood that is sealed to plastic/vinyl to save time and trouble. I'm surprised to hear something made of pvc is leaky actually. When it comes to humidity you'll notice even in a more air tight enclosure that it's hard to keep up during the day but climbs into that ideal 70-90% at night. This actually mimics the natural cycle of humidity in an outdoor environment and as long as you provide a humid hide and opportunities to soak your tegus they should be alright. You don't want an enclosure that's super air tight since that can cause mold and bacteria buildup with all that moisture.


A bit confused about what you said regarding the sealing process. Does it come already sealed, or do you have to seal it yourself? The enclosure looks to not provide a lot of ventilation. Is that even ok? 

I plan on going bioactive all the way because I assume tegu poop is smelly and I sleep odd hours. I have currently bearded dragons and their dookies are atrocious... 

Frick, should had asked about the weight. lol... at least it comes with wheels? How much does the bottom weigh? I don't really have any friends who can help. Anyway to make this a one man job- in terms of lifting?


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## AnimalNerd (Nov 7, 2021)

Lizardon said:


> A bit confused about what you said regarding the sealing process. Does it come already sealed, or do you have to seal it yourself? The enclosure looks to not provide a lot of ventilation. Is that even ok?
> 
> I plan on going bioactive all the way because I assume tegu poop is smelly and I sleep odd hours. I have currently bearded dragons and their dookies are atrocious...
> 
> Frick, should had asked about the weight. lol... at least it comes with wheels? How much does the bottom weigh? I don't really have any friends who can help. Anyway to make this a one man job- in terms of lifting?


So by 'Seal' I mean putting a material in the cracks where the panels join to make it water tight. Even if you find a material like wood with a vinyl side you have to seal the pieces together so water doesn't get through the cracks. In this case a silicone sealant (like what you use to seal around tubs and sinks) is what you'd use. Another way I use 'seal' is when referring to wood it needs to be 'sealed' with stain, coating, or paint before it's used or else it will warp and potentially grow mold when wet. The enclosure has an 'open' top (previous owner just had a big slab of wood as the 'lid' and the doors aren't super tight/complex so plenty of air gets in, plus there's a hole on the back panel for all the cords/wiring. It's honestly not the most elegant of designs but It's what I've got for now (hence why I'm looking to upgrade to something from lifetime habitats in a few years lol) . I wouldn't recommend using this design type necessarily for that reason. The bottom is definitely a 2-man job and sadly no wheels/casters. Next best thing is maybe instead of a top and bottom you make 4 panels and a bottom 'floor' you can put together? 2/3 or 3/4 of the panels can be acrylic and the 'bottom' portions can be a water proof material? Then when it's all assembled you can seal the bottom half. Im finding with this enclosure whatever material my friend used to seal needs to be redone so if you need to move the sealant can be scraped off to take the enclosure apart then reapplied. Maybe you can look up some tutorials and videos about basic frames for animal enclosures to start getting some ideas?


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## Lizardon (Nov 7, 2021)

AnimalNerd said:


> So by 'Seal' I mean putting a material in the cracks where the panels join to make it water tight. Even if you find a material like wood with a vinyl side you have to seal the pieces together so water doesn't get through the cracks. In this case a silicone sealant (like what you use to seal around tubs and sinks) is what you'd use. The enclosure has an 'open' top (previous owner just had a big slab of wood as the 'lid' and the doors aren't super tight/complex so plenty of air gets in, plus there's a hole on the back panel for all the cords/wiring. It's honestly not the most elegant of designs but It's what I've got for now (hence why I'm looking to upgrade to something from lifetime habitats in a few years lol) . I wouldn't recommend using this design type necessarily for that reason. The bottom is definitely a 2-man job and sadly no wheels/casters. Next best thing is maybe instead of a top and bottom you make 4 panels and a bottom 'floor' you can put together? 2/3 or 3/4 of the panels can be acrylic and the 'bottom' portions can be a water proof material? Then when it's all assembled you can seal the bottom half. Im finding with this enclosure whatever material my friend used to seal needs to be redone so if you need to move the sealant can be scraped off to take the enclosure apart then reapplied. Maybe you can look up some tutorials and videos about basic frames for animal enclosures to start getting some ideas?


I just looked at the duncan and its real nice. I guess it needs a seal. Maybe i can just use a pond liner or something?


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## AnimalNerd (Nov 7, 2021)

Lizardon said:


> I just looked at the duncan and its real nice. I guess it needs a seal. Maybe i can just use a pond liner or something?


I don't believe that is one where you would need to seal the bottom but it wouldn't hurt to ask them how it does with bioactive substrate! Also I edited my comment but another way I use 'seal' is when referring to wood; It needs to be coated in something waterproof before use like stain or paint to prevent water from warping it and making it rot.


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## Lizardon (Nov 7, 2021)

AnimalNerd said:


> I don't believe that is one where you would need to seal the bottom but it wouldn't hurt to ask them how it does with bioactive substrate! Also I edited my comment but another way I use 'seal' is when referring to wood; It needs to be coated in something waterproof before use like stain or paint to prevent water from warping it and making it rot.


Wait so it doesnt need to be altered? the duncan?


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## AnimalNerd (Nov 7, 2021)

Lizardon said:


> Wait so it doesnt need to be altered? the duncan?


Most likely not barring a pool liner if you wanted to play it safe. Again they'd be the best people to ask! They look like they have everything you're looking for including casters on the bottom and being professionally built for disassembling/transport.


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## Lizardon (Nov 7, 2021)

AnimalNerd said:


> Most likely not barring a pool liner if you wanted to play it safe. Again they'd be the best people to ask!


okay thanks


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## Dude Bro Man 433 (Nov 13, 2021)

Lizardon said:


> Hey guys, so a friend of mine is giving me his red tegu. So I am in the process of relocating and by that I mean in a year or three I will be moving out of this home to another home.
> 
> I want to have a tegu set up I could easily assemble and disassemble.
> 
> ...


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## Dude Bro Man 433 (Nov 13, 2021)

Grow tenit’s are great if your not in your forever home, tegus don’t care . You can get one for 200 dollars . Hang the lights on tie wire add a humidifier and you me good.


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## Lizardon (Nov 13, 2021)

????


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## Dude Bro Man 433 (Nov 13, 2021)

Lizardon said:


> ????


I should really read before I post, grow tents are great and easy to setup. I’d advise going bioactive to help with clean up


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## Lizardon (Nov 13, 2021)

Dude Bro Man 433 said:


> I should really read before I post, grow tents are great and easy to setup. I’d advise going bioactive to help with clean up


yes I was 100% going to go bioactive. As for growtents i was more excited to get something that looks very easthetically pleasing


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## Dude Bro Man 433 (Nov 13, 2021)

How’s this for aesthetically pleasing, if you find something cheap, easy to move , functional and pretty, let me know


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## Lizardon (Nov 13, 2021)

Dude Bro Man 433 said:


> How’s this for aesthetically pleasing, if you find something cheap, easy to move , functional and pretty, let me know


Not my style but I guess functionality wise its nice. 


I spend a lot of time in my room so thats why i wanted prettiness.

I am taking inspiration from dorrows enclosure made by a really talented member here. Fell in love with the style, but I want to add my touch to it.


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## gamingatot (Nov 23, 2022)

If grow tent is your style, get the ac infinite. It can be a 10x8x8 and cost like 120 dollers.


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