I've had a few enquiries lately about how I house my small goannas, so I thought I'd post up some pictures. These enclosures are fine for V.brevicauda and storrri and for raising V.acanthurus, gilleni and tristis. They can also be used for adult gillens, but larger individuals probably need something a bit bigger.
My basic design is based on the 52 litre starmaid tub. Washed sand or red desert sand is used for substrate and a line of fluon is painted around the top of the tub to stop too many woodies escaping.
A large window is cut in the lid and aluminium flyscreen is glued in place, and a 240v Halogen is attached to the lid with a 35w globe. These are GU10 fittings. They generally come with a 50w globe with is too powerful. The 35w globe gives a really good localised hotspot of around 60 -70C, which is what goannas need. The globes are on a thermostat that switches the lights off only on hot days when the ambient temperature of the room gets to around the mid 30's. There is no other source of heat.
The tubs fit nicely in rows of 3 on those flat pack shelf systems available in Bunnings.
To give extra useable space I use rile racks and hides made from terracotta flower pot saucers. Cable tidy makes a great hide also and it's easy to extract the inhabitant.
For adult gillens I use slightly different set up -a standard enclosure with a 40w spot globe on a dimming thermostat.
Please feel free to add pics of your set ups
Bob
My basic design is based on the 52 litre starmaid tub. Washed sand or red desert sand is used for substrate and a line of fluon is painted around the top of the tub to stop too many woodies escaping.
A large window is cut in the lid and aluminium flyscreen is glued in place, and a 240v Halogen is attached to the lid with a 35w globe. These are GU10 fittings. They generally come with a 50w globe with is too powerful. The 35w globe gives a really good localised hotspot of around 60 -70C, which is what goannas need. The globes are on a thermostat that switches the lights off only on hot days when the ambient temperature of the room gets to around the mid 30's. There is no other source of heat.
The tubs fit nicely in rows of 3 on those flat pack shelf systems available in Bunnings.
To give extra useable space I use rile racks and hides made from terracotta flower pot saucers. Cable tidy makes a great hide also and it's easy to extract the inhabitant.
For adult gillens I use slightly different set up -a standard enclosure with a 40w spot globe on a dimming thermostat.
Please feel free to add pics of your set ups
Bob
