Custom Tank Question

[ttegus]

Hi everyone, I am really considering getting my first b/w tegu. I have a few questions though. Would you recommend one of these for an average reptile keeper. Are they really as tame as everyone says? Comparable to a dog?

Lastly I am trying to draw up some plans for his cutom tank. The way my room is set up the tank will measure 6 feet long but to fit the tank in my room it has to have a 2 annd a half foot dimension. Should I put that as height for more burrowing or as depth for more space? This may sound a bit tight but he will be able to have free roam in my room once he gets big enough.

I've already thought about building the cage in my room but that really is not the best idea.

Thanks, Jaime

 

[rrcoolj]

First Welcome to tegu talk!

Second, they are very tame especially if you work with a younger one. But they are not dogs and can't show affection like dogs. But they are very personable and certainly seem to enjoy human contact for whatever reason. To accomidate the width of your door it might be better to build the cage inside your room instead of building it outside and bringing the fully finished cage into your room.

 

[ttegus]

Building the tank in my room isn't really an option. It may be moved a bit. But honestly once the tegu reasches a good size he is not going to be in the tank much.

So would the 2 and a half measurement be better at depth or width?

Jaime

 

[isdrake]

Welcome to the forum.

I think that 2.5 foot sound to small, both for depth and for height.
If we are talking about a grown up Argentine Tegu I would recommend you to have at least 31 square feet for the bottom surface and 3 feet height.

If you are getting an juvenile you can off course start out with a smaller terrarium. But at the time it's big it think that is the minimum cage you cane use, even if you let him/her roam free.

And if you can'f offer all this space you shouldn't get such a big lizard. In that case I would strongly recommend to get a smaller lizard, one that you can give proper space.

Have a nice day.

 

[ttegus]

Ah but its not that I don't have the room it's getting it into my room. It kinda sad to think a half a foot is prventing me from making this tank and getting a tegu.

Does anyone know any plans on how to make a cage that large in two pieces that I can snap together?

Jaime

 

[isdrake]

Haha, that's a problem that all Tegu owners faces. XD

We are building our terrarium in the same room that it will be used. There is NO way we can get it out. The trick is to make in in a way so you can break it up if you need to move it.

 

[Infidel_03]

This one is 6' x 3.5' x 3.5' built in 2 pieces. The base with the wheels is 6" minus the wheels and has pegs on top so the large portion 3' fits on top w/o sliding. You could do it like that just make the top 2.5' and the bottom "pan" 1'. That would give your Tegu 1' to dig in and still have 2.5' over it's head...Makes it easier to clean the substrate as well because you can just whhell the base outside or whereever.....

 

[chelvis]

Personally i think 2.5' is plently tall enough for a cage, especially if you put the lighting on the outside of it. Even with a foot of mulch a foot of top space isn't bad. Tegus being large animals are not the best at climbing, when they are younger they can jump and climb. I'd put all the size into width and lenght.

There are some people who have bolted two section togeather, last one i saw they framed the two halves at the same time to make sure they were sqaured and they used rubber weather stripping to seal the the ground area where the two sides meet. It is possible to do. There are also colapsable cages but the holes get stripped then the cage loses its stenght.

 

[thestem07]

I personally went with the break apart method and it seemed to work out just fine. I used deck screws to hold it all together, with counter sunk (so the screw head is flush with the wood) holes. With the screws, you can take them out and put them back in as needed and they generally will hold just fine. If you do end up stripping out a hole and the screw will not hold, simply go to the next bigger screw. Seems how I doubt you will be moving a large enclosure more than a few times I don't see a problem with using wood screws to hold the separate pieces together.
I built mine out of the room I was going to put into, then broke it into about 6 pieces and re-assembled it in the room. This not only allows you to have a larger enclosure but makes it easier to get it in the room as smaller pieces are easier to handle. if you are worried about the screws stripping out you can use the method above with the top pegging into the bottom. That is a very good and safe way to go as long as you don't break a peg off when putting the top on the bottom.

 

[Pikey]

if you make it 7x4x2.5 (put wheels on the back not the bottom) then when & if you have to move it to another room flip it on it's back and it will fit out of almost every doorway