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New large enclosure design

Waters

Member
Messages
81
Starting another large lizard enclosure....this one for my new Tegu :) It is going to be 8' X 3.5' X 3.5'. Will be using some equipment from my last enclosure including a Mist King and UV with Arcadia bulbs. Will be run with an Apex controller, which currently runs my reef tank and Bearded Dragon enclosure. Need some opinions on what to do with the center cabinet? I was considering removing the doors and enclosing it with an acrylic door and using the whole cabinet as a hide, with a ramp leading down? Just not sure if I want (or need) the extra space as part of the enclosure. It would have to be completely sealed (I would probably use ceramic tile) and possibly have its own heat source. Seems like a lot of extra work. Any other ideas as to what to use it for? An underground lake ;)?? My original idea was to just store the water for the mister, and any other equipment I have but I have 8' of cabinet space.....I don't have that much equipment lol.

tegucage.jpg
 

Waters

Member
Messages
81
Slowly making progress.......the canopy is coming together. Got the UV and heat lights....waiting on the night time heat lamps so I can place those before cutting the canopy room up and placing the wire mesh. Also purchased the larger storage container for the misting system which will fit in one of the cabinets.
cage.jpg
canopy.jpg
 

Waters

Member
Messages
81
Thanks......it was hard not making it look more natural looking, which is how I normally design my cages. Figured I better go more towards ease of keeping it clean and doing normal maintenance tasks.
 

Waters

Member
Messages
81
Final picture....removed the large ramp and plant.....added some Manzanita branches and some driftwood. Cage with two large ramps looked too unnatural for me. I will have to modify it as he gets bigger with a bigger driftwood ramp.

cage9.jpg
 

Waters

Member
Messages
81
Ok I lied.....one more picture lol. Removed both ramps, added some driftwood, painted the swimming pool a semi-gloss brown (as well as sealed with silicone so water doesn't get behind and underneath it from the misters), and added a hide (since he kept using the small ramp as a hide). The hide is also constantly wet from the misters so it keeps the hide at a higher humidity.

cagefinal.jpg
 

Waters

Member
Messages
81
Made yet another change lol. Removed the water dish platform and hide and made more natural looking areas to hide, along with attempting to "hide" the unnatural looking litter box. Also added some live plants, using the one along the back wall to catch drips from the mister (which doubles as an automatic plant watering device :))
newcage.jpg
 

twitchster

New Member
Messages
16
That's awesome dude! Where did you get the glass and how did you set it up? I've been looking online for plexiglass but it is stupid expensive. How many nozzles do you have set up? I have the Mistking Ultimate and my Tegu is in a 6 X 2 x 2 aquarium with 4 nozzles. I have it going off 5 times a day for 40 seconds but according to my hygrometer, it goes from 80% humidity to 40% in a couple hours.
 

Waters

Member
Messages
81
That's awesome dude! Where did you get the glass and how did you set it up? I've been looking online for plexiglass but it is stupid expensive. How many nozzles do you have set up? I have the Mistking Ultimate and my Tegu is in a 6 X 2 x 2 aquarium with 4 nozzles. I have it going off 5 times a day for 40 seconds but according to my hygrometer, it goes from 80% humidity to 40% in a couple hours.
Thanks! I actually just used these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006FKUCC/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 along with cut 1/8" glass from a local glass shop. Once the cage is built and the track is in place, you just measure and order the glass with polished edges. The glass pieces were only about $38 a piece, which is MUCH cheaper than plexiglass which scratches extremely easy and doesn't slide well on plastic tracks. I currently have 3 nozzles set up.....one in the far right on the cool side an two in the center. I learned from my last cage not to put any on the hot side since the bulbs just evaporate it too quickly, causing the system to keep kicking on and soaking the rest of the cage. Placement of the humidity probe is extremely important also. The humidity is always going to be much lower on the hot side so make sure your probe is in the center somewhere. Also don't be afraid to keep the humidity lower than your hygrometer shows........I use a second gauge to check the levels at ground level. Post some pics of your enclosure!
 

twitchster

New Member
Messages
16
Here's a picture of what she is currently in. This was back in November. She brumated for about half of December and all of January. The water bowl is now in the far left corner and Carlita loves to burrow underneath it. To the left is the cage for my Frilled Dragon. He's pretty awesome, although he was recently VERY sick. $700 later he's starting to get better! I know Carlitas cage is dull but I've read a lot of places that there's really no need to add a bunch of decorations because they'l just tear them up anyway. Honestly though, I'll probably decorate it in the new cage, at least with more ledges and rocks if not plants. Since this pic, I've added a misting system, temp probes and a hygrometer.

20181111_074520.jpg
 

Waters

Member
Messages
81
Looking good! Are you able to set up a temperature gradient and basking spot with the lights setup like that? I hear ya about not wanting to use a bunch of decorations......that was my plan also. Now, in addition to the last pic that I posted in this thread, I have added some carnivorous plants as well as more driftwood lol. I like the natural looking enclosures and couldn't leave it how I originally built it. Post some pics of your Dragon....one of the few species I have not kept but have always liked.
 

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