New Gecko enclosures/rack.

[Clarke.93]

Hey guys just knocked up a very rough drawing on paint to put under my 60cm x 40cm reptile one tank that currently houses a pygmy bearded dragon.
Well first of all the red part is a normal bookshelf im buying for like $10-$20.
Step 2: (Green) which is where i will cut melamine to fit which i will have to buy a whole sheet which last week i saw for $10 at Bunnings.
Step 3: (Yellow) is to use melamine again for the "lips" to hold the substrate in the enclosures.
Step 4: (Blue) is to attach the hinges to hold perspex over the front of the bookshelf (anyone know how much this would cost to cover a metre by 60cm?)
Step 5: Is where you guys come in, not sure about ventilation should i cut a hole and buy vents or could i get away with drilling holes in a neat diamond formation, in each side of enclosure and back?

Anyone have any tips on improving this idea would be greatly appreciated, dont be shy.

Cheers,
Jake.

 

[GeckoJosh]

First thing I can think of tis not very practical as every time you open in you are going to have crickets and geckos trying to escape, personally I would scrap the door idea and just build it around some tubs

 

[dylan-rocks]

your better off going with geckoman's idea plus way beter to clean

 

[dickyknee]

I agree with Geckoman , It will be a pain in the neck each time you open that single door ... I would scrap the yellow / lip pieces and the door and find some tubs that fit in the holes . f you are set on doors I would use sliders for each bay that way you can be safe knowing when you open 1 door the other 5 geckos wont be trying to get out.

 

[Rocket]

I think a set-up similar to described can be made into an attractive bay of enclosures. However, I agree, a single door for the entire unit isn't really ideal. If you can get sliding or individual hinged doors for each enclosure, that would be the best way to go.

In regards to ventilation, pop-in and screw-in vents are cheap and readily available from most hardware stores and you could place them on the sides, back or both of each enclosure.

 

[Clarke.93]

nah i dont like the tub idea although practical id like to be able to see them at night and just look over and see them running about.
maybe i could buy 2 hinges for each bay then use magnetic things to close them up?
then ill have 6 little doors??

 

[Red-Ink]

You mean a gecko rack like this....

Here's one I prepared earlier lol

 

[Clarke.93]

hahha yep just like that!!
how hard is it to install the glass on runners though?

 

[kupper]

Measure it twice and cut once and you will have no problems with the runners

 

[Red-Ink]

hahha yep just like that!!
how hard is it to install the glass on runners though?

Really easy if you get the measurements right and the cuts straight. Once you glue the runners in just take a measurement of the gap and give it 3-4mm extra and get the glass cut to that measurement, they will hold fine without them falling out.

My suggestion of doing the side by side enclosures is have the glass covering the full face of each cube then just slide them from one side to the other. You will get a full access to the individual cubes then. Check the middle walls of mine in the pic...

 

[Clarke.93]

Really easy if you get the measurements right and the cuts straight. Once you glue the runners in just take a measurement of the gap and give it 3-4mm extra and get the glass cut to that measurement, they will hold fine without them falling out.

My suggestion of doing the side by side enclosures is have the glass covering the full face of each cube then just slide them from one side to the other. You will get a full access to the individual cubes then. Check the middle walls of mine in the pic...

Yea, i thought that to make each level on same sliding glass track.
seems a little to hard for me though ahha.