# Help with cage measurements and price



## Dragonmom (Aug 3, 2017)

Hi! I have been debating on a tegu or a sav and I finally decided I wanted a sav. I am about to build a 6x2x3 enclosure for the baby and juvenile stages. (I will definitely get a bigger cage for an adult). Good someone help me think of the price that would cost and what materials are cheap and safe to use. Thank in advance!


----------



## Zyn (Aug 3, 2017)

Depends on what you use and how nice you want to make it. 300+


----------



## Dragonmom (Aug 3, 2017)

What would be the cheapest material?


----------



## mike jonesss (Aug 7, 2017)

Dragonmom said:


> What would be the cheapest material?


Im new to tegus as well but did a bit of research before I built my female argentine b&w tegu her cage last weekend. I built an 8x3x3 cage out of 3/4inch melamine and it cost a little over $300. However, the melamine came in 8x4 sheets (so I technically could have built an 8x4x4 cage with the materials I had I just didn't have enough room. Melamine seems to be a good option because it has smooth finished outer layers and can handle the humidity pretty well and is in the same price range as most other wood. (I believe it was around $35 per sheet) I would probably reccomend 1/2 melamine if you can find it to shave off a little weight( my cage is extremely heavy and Isnt easy to move)but my local Home Depot didn't have 1/2 inch. Also, just be sure to seal every crack when you are finished. If you go with a material other than melamine, keep in mind you need to use some kind of safe sealant on the wood such as drylok. I am by no means an expert, but if you have any questions I will try my best to answer.


----------



## Dragonmom (Aug 8, 2017)

mike jonesss said:


> Im new to tegus as well but did a bit of research before I built my female argentine b&w tegu her cage last weekend. I built an 8x3x3 cage out of 3/4inch melamine and it cost a little over $300. However, the melamine came in 8x4 sheets (so I technically could have built an 8x4x4 cage with the materials I had I just didn't have enough room. Melamine seems to be a good option because it has smooth finished outer layers and can handle the humidity pretty well and is in the same price range as most other wood. (I believe it was around $35 per sheet) I would probably reccomend 1/2 melamine if you can find it to shave off a little weight( my cage is extremely heavy and Isnt easy to move)but my local Home Depot didn't have 1/2 inch. Also, just be sure to seal every crack when you are finished. If you go with a material other than melamine, keep in mind you need to use some kind of safe sealant on the wood such as drylok. I am by no means an expert, but if you have any questions I will try my best to answer.


That is a really nice enclosure . How did you make the front doors, that is the part I am having the most trouble with


----------



## mike jonesss (Aug 8, 2017)

Dragonmom said:


> That is a really nice enclosure . How did you make the front doors, that is the part I am having the most trouble with


I actually didn't want to lworry about making the front acrylic slide, so instead I just cut out squares on each end of the enclosure and attached hinges to the pieces I cut out. That way they fit perfectly and I didn't have to worry about getting tracks or anything for acrylic or glass to slide on.


----------

