Nor Cal Outdoor Enclosure

[brycep]

I live in the Sacramento area. Anyone around here do outdoor enclosures for their tegus? If so how long throughout the year? How do you keep the humidity up, etc.? Thank you in advance.

 

[Jake lerch]

I am in the same situation. Ive posted a thread called "outdoor enclosure in CA" a lot of good advice in the replies. Im thinking of a couple things, cheap and not so cheap. You can do something very simple like corrugated steel sheet metal siding and on top of that some sort of chicken wire(high enough so the reptile cant reach it). The humidity is the biggest issue here in CA, with this set up you can do a hide box that can contain moisture with some sealed plywood using maybe drylock(reaearch that for applying techniques). Another is sealed plywood siding again using something like drylock and on the inside you could add corrugated plastic siding and again with a hidebox. The more expensive and maybe more effective material would be pressure treated (PT) wood. And using that all around. This is the wood that is used for outdoor decks and things like that. Are you thinking something you can walk in or something short? Let me know what you find out as i am still not sure what to do. As for the humidity, some sort of over head misting system hooked up to your water line.

 

[brycep]

Thanks Jake. I've been following your thread as well. Humidity is definitely the problem up here as well. I think I'm averaging anywhere from 20-30% humidity up here. I'm thinking of following the underground reptile cage design, with some slight modifications. I'm planning on cutting a hole in the hardware cloth on the bottom and taking some corrugated pipe below the substrate and into a Rubbermaid hide that will be full of mulch, top soil and leaf litter. I'm planning on burying the Rubbermaid and putting some OSB over the top so I don't lose it. I may put a mix of topsoil and gorilla hair in the main portion of the cage as well at about two feet of depth. With a couple other overturned rubbermaids with holes cut in them for the hides up top. Luckily I have a huge oak tree I can put half the cage under so they will definitely have a choice for temps.

 

[Jake lerch]

Thanks Jake. I've been following your thread as well. Humidity is definitely the problem up here as well. I think I'm averaging anywhere from 20-30% humidity up here. I'm thinking of following the underground reptile cage design, with some slight modifications. I'm planning on cutting a hole in the hardware cloth on the bottom and taking some corrugated pipe below the substrate and into a Rubbermaid hide that will be full of mulch, top soil and leaf litter. I'm planning on burying the Rubbermaid and putting some OSB over the top so I don't lose it. I may put a mix of topsoil and gorilla hair in the main portion of the cage as well at about two feet of depth. With a couple other overturned rubbermaids with holes cut in them for the hides up top. Luckily I have a huge oak tree I can put half the cage under so they will definitely have a choice for temps.

That sounds awesome. So basically just a moist hidebox underground? Ive never heard of this, where can i find pictures/designs?

 

[Walter1]

Thanks Jake. I've been following your thread as well. Humidity is definitely the problem up here as well. I think I'm averaging anywhere from 20-30% humidity up here. I'm thinking of following the underground reptile cage design, with some slight modifications. I'm planning on cutting a hole in the hardware cloth on the bottom and taking some corrugated pipe below the substrate and into a Rubbermaid hide that will be full of mulch, top soil and leaf litter. I'm planning on burying the Rubbermaid and putting some OSB over the top so I don't lose it. I may put a mix of topsoil and gorilla hair in the main portion of the cage as well at about two feet of depth. With a couple other overturned rubbermaids with holes cut in them for the hides up top. Luckily I have a huge oak tree I can put half the cage under so they will definitely have a choice for temps.

That'sxgreat if they can pick temps they need.

 

[brycep]

That sounds awesome. So basically just a moist hidebox underground? Ive never heard of this, where can i find pictures/designs?

It most definitely is not my idea. I just can't remember where I saw/heard it from. Basically all you're doing is digging a hole on the outside of the cage, digging a trench from the hole to floor underneath the cage and putting your corrugated pipe in the trench and hole. Cut a matching hole in the Rubbermaid and there you go. Just make sure your pipe goes at least halfway up the cage substrate. And I'm thinking when they're ready to go in the cage to put them in the box and they can "discover" their way out.

 

[brycep]

That'sxgreat if they can pick temps they need.

Thanks Walter. I think between the shade of the oak, the two rubbermaids and the underground hide they will definitely have the choice of temps they need.

 

[Jake lerch]

It most definitely is not my idea. I just can't remember where I saw/heard it from. Basically all you're doing is digging a hole on the outside of the cage, digging a trench from the hole to floor underneath the cage and putting your corrugated pipe in the trench and hole. Cut a matching hole in the Rubbermaid and there you go. Just make sure your pipe goes at least halfway up the cage substrate. And I'm thinking when they're ready to go in the cage to put them in the box and they can "discover" their way out.

Thats really cool!