Help Tegu cage build design?

[Steven K.]

So my little red tegu Sherman isn't exactly so little anymore, since I got him at about 8 or 9 inches a few months ago, he grew SO fast he is now over 2 feet and is still in his 40 gallon aquarium. he looks so cramped in there and I am lucky its summer because i let him out most of the day to roam and hang around but it is definitely time for his adult cage. I dont want to build the big Eight foot by Four foot cage because it would be unnecessary since he will be free roaming outside most of the time. I want to build a 6 foot by 3 foot by 3 foot cage, with sliding glass/plexiglass front door. That is the basic design i want to go off of, and prefferably keeping it in a lower price range. Please help, ive built a gecko rack which was easy but im not really sure how to go about building this tank to keep it sturdy and lasting, and safe. So please help me like specs, type of wood, how to keep it sturdy etc. Thanks!

(i will try to post a picture of the little drawn model i made so you can get the idea)

 

[Steven K.]

for real? nobody?

 

[SamBobCat]

Sometimes it takes a bit for people to reply. Usually I don't get a response for up to three days after making a post. Just be patient, and people will either reply, or you will have to try and post again.

 

[Rebecca Stout]

I'm always on the look out for caging posts because I am also building one. I have 2/3 of my materials (or more) now. I know it's a simple "box" design. But sheesh, I've seen so many variations its actually confused me. I'm really bummed about the fact that I'm going to have to build it in the room. My halls, doors, etc, are too narrow to even build it as two boxes and then putting those two together once walked into the house. I wouldn't be stressing so much over building this cage, but like the original poster I'm on such a strict budget AND, have to make my cage as light as physically possible without it being flimsy because its going to be on a the second story of an older house. Yikes.

 

[Steven K.]

Wolfy/Rebecca I have to do the same thing and it is so annoying. I have all of this wood laying in my room because i cant carry it upstairs and it wont fit through my freaking door! its pretty nice that the home depot/lowes employees will cut the wood for you though, so all you are pretty much doing is assembling it. I went ahead and drew up some plans and the way I'm doing it is the bare minimum. I already have the melamine boards cut to size, but instead of what most people do, i am putting the melamine boards, secured on the outside of the frame to keep it all flat and even. I just need to get all the 2x4's cut to the size that the frame needs, then we are good to go. Also for future reference to anybody building a cage with plexiglass, find the finest blade you can to cut the plexi or it will shatter all over, and make sure it is firmly secured so it doesn't flop at all when you cut, I had to learn the hard way. 30 dollars wasted and a shard buried an inch into my arm. WEAR GLOVES TOO. so if anyone loses a finger don't say i didn't tell you to wear gloves.

 

[Josh]

Always wear gloves when working with power tools, blades, etc!

The cost and dimensions and methods for making it sturdy will depend on the materials you decide to build with. Are you going with all plexiglass? To keep your cost down, I'd probably go with a thick(er) pressboard. You can treat it by sealing it with a non-toxic seal. This and some smaller reinforcement wood will help you build a frame.
It's tough to give random advice - it would help to see the model of what you have in mind

 

[Steven K.]

The main frame is made up of 2x4's of different lengths and just the frame so far, i have been able to lay on with no creaking or wobbling and im 170 pounds. the boards on the ouside of the frame that really are the "enclosure" are 3/4 inch melaine boards. i only have a four foot by 18 inch space where the plexiglass is used for siding glass doors. the overall cast was a little over 200 dollars. To buy a cage like that would have been twice that much if not more. It really is a great way to save money, and feel accomplished once it's done! I'll try to post a picture of the model and plans and the cage if i can figure it out. (not a computer guy, lol)

 

[Rebecca Stout]

Are you serious?? My cage is ending up to be much more money than that. Just basic cheap pine plywood, 2x4's, drylock, screws, caulk/sealant, cypress (can't remember if thats everything). The big cost is the darn "doors". It was cheaper to go out and buy a cheap window and turn it sideways for sliding doors than to go out and buy the glass etc. At least in this area. Stupid window was 150 all in all.

 

[Steven K.]

jeez i didnt think about that. I had all the caulk lying around and the lucky me there was a sale on plexiglass at homedepot that day. The size i got would have been 40 bucks but it was marked down to thirty and the aluminum tracks/chanels were only like 12 dollars. what i did was get an 8 ft metal track and just cut it in half for two 4 foot long peices, easy as pie.

 

[Rebecca Stout]

People have found windows for like 80. And if you go to a surplus place or somewhere they are less. But I could not find anything like that here in my area for the life of me. And the glass, if I were to just use that? Was insanely priced here. Such a bummer. I really wanted glass sliders cause a window is so heavy and worst of all, expensive. What hubby doesnt realize is to come? Are the tiny extras. Like all of the lighting/heat we have to install and how much that may be. If we go with spot lights and a strip uvb from zoomed it won't be "too bad". If we go with powersuns, this buggers are 67 a piece I think. They last longer though is what someone told me? I don't know. I havent' decided. Teeny things add up though. It's like your sitting around and realize you dont have the extension cord(s) that you need for it. Mo' money. I just found out yesterday we've been put on hold from finishing another 2 weeks. ugh. I'm having to use my bathroom as an exercise area part of each day for Kaiju cause her temp tank is hideously small now.