What type of enclosure to upgrade to? And where to get it?

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Vrx-chick

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Hi all,

My sons Bluey is still happy, healthy, and getting bigger. He is currently in a 2ft glass tank with a mesh top with light fittings, which I got off gumtree...

But as he is getting bigger, we need to start looking at a 4ft enclosure... So am I better off looking at ebay, gumtree etc again? And which type of enclosure should I be looking at?

It won't need a stand or cabinet, as we have a cabinet for it to sit on already...

Any suggestions would be great, thanks :)

Amy
 
My suggestion is to do it now and never use a 2ft for a bluey again.
I would maybe look at melamine as I find it cheaper and holds heat better.
eBay and gumtree are great but if you know a handyman it might be cheaper to have one built.

I would also look at how you are heating the enclosure, this might help with your decision too.
 
Thanks for the reply. I was advised that 2 ft was big enough for the first few months, as he was a baby (6 weeks) when we got him, from a reputable source...

At the moment, we have a 75 watt daylight basking lamp in the light fitting, and a 5.0 uvb bulb in an exoterra clamp lamp and glow reflector, that is clamped on to the side of the tank...

Have been looking for a while, but a little unsure as to what will be better in the long run, hence the questions...
Thanks
Amy
 
Small enclosures are fine for baby bluetongues (depending on their growth rate - up to about 8-10 months old). Is easier for them to find their live food when young and eating loads of insects,too easy for a cricket or worm or woodie to get away and loose itself in a big enclosure.
Don't waste your money on a particle board or melamine piece of junk from a pet shop.

Hunt up a 4'x2' secondhand solid timber coffee table (that'll be your stand) or your could convert it to a 4'x2'x1.5' enclosure without much trouble.

If not converting the coffee table, but some plywood and the fittings and glass or perspex and build your own bluey cave. He'll love the extra room.
 
Thanks for the reply. I was advised that 2 ft was big enough for the first few months, as he was a baby (6 weeks) when we got him, from a reputable source...

At the moment, we have a 75 watt daylight basking lamp in the light fitting, and a 5.0 uvb bulb in an exoterra clamp lamp and glow reflector, that is clamped on to the side of the tank...

Have been looking for a while, but a little unsure as to what will be better in the long run, hence the questions...
Thanks
Amy

I've found that 2ft is hard to keep a heat gradient.

So I have kept all of mine in 4ft for their entire lives :)

Like I said, I'd go with melamine, it's just easier to keep a gradient because it holds heat better.
There are people on here that build them. And depending on your location there may be sponsors of this site close by too.
 
Small enclosures are fine for baby bluetongues (depending on their growth rate - up to about 8-10 months old). Is easier for them to find their live food when young and eating loads of insects,too easy for a cricket or worm or woodie to get away and loose itself in a big enclosure.
Don't waste your money on a particle board or melamine piece of junk from a pet shop.

Hunt up a 4'x2' secondhand solid timber coffee table (that'll be your stand) or your could convert it to a 4'x2'x1.5' enclosure without much trouble.

If not converting the coffee table, but some plywood and the fittings and glass or perspex and build your own bluey cave. He'll love the extra room.

+1 :D That is an excellent tip!
 
Gum tree is a good place to grab a bargain...
and risky - you never know what nasty bacteria or viruses or fungi spores are being harboured in a secondhand enclosure. You could be bringing home an enclosure that is lethal to all your reptilian pets, and you can bet the seller will never tell you if he had very sick reptiles in it who died.

Not with the risk IMO. F10 is good but not perfect.
 
Hi all,

Thanks for the replies...
Have done much searching on the net, and still haven't come up with a solution yet...
Was looking at glass tanks, like what he is in now, but can't find one that would fit on the cabinet we have (is only 1.5ft wide, not 2ft), and most of the tanks are 4ft x2ft x2ft (for obvious reasons, as lizards need the ground room). So we are looking to see if we can move furniture etc in the house to put a tank / stand etc somewhere...
Have been looking at pet shops etc, and also ebay / gumtree, because as much as I would love to get a brand spanking enclosure, but just don't have the big dollars to spend... :(
So I am trying to figure out which way to go...

So if anyone in Brisbane knows where I could find an enclosure / tank (4ft) that would be great...

Thanks

Amy
 
Hi all,

Thanks for the replies...
Have done much searching on the net, and still haven't come up with a solution yet...
Was looking at glass tanks, like what he is in now, but can't find one that would fit on the cabinet we have (is only 1.5ft wide, not 2ft), and most of the tanks are 4ft x2ft x2ft (for obvious reasons, as lizards need the ground room). So we are looking to see if we can move furniture etc in the house to put a tank / stand etc somewhere...
Have been looking at pet shops etc, and also ebay / gumtree, because as much as I would love to get a brand spanking enclosure, but just don't have the big dollars to spend... :(
So I am trying to figure out which way to go...

So if anyone in Brisbane knows where I could find an enclosure / tank (4ft) that would be great...

Thanks

Amy
obvious solution, buy or build the 2' wide x 4' long enclosure and simply pull the cabinet out 6" from the wall and put the enclosure on top, the wall will stop it from falling off and void behind the cabinet can be used the "hide" stuff.

Wouldn't recommend a glass tank, lousey thermal properties.

Your best solution is BYO enclosure.
 
You can build a 4x2x2 out of melamine for less than $80 if you can find somewhere to get glass at a good price.
 
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