reptile enclosure build

[ddwdave]

Hey, new to reptiles. Just picked up a tv cabinet. Put a back on it, cut glass to fit.still need to cut a glass roof and glass bottom.sand it back and done.

Havnt sealed the little gaps yet,wanted to know what glues/gap fillers I could use. As would be on inside of enclosure..
Its 3 tier.
#Top for scorpions,
#Middle amd bottom is two story for bearded dragon.untill can afford a monitor.
#Does the soil look to moist for myflinders range baby's.?
(am not putting them in yet,just testing design/looks.)
Stones/bark and hay wont be there either, getting fresh bagged stuff from reptile city when finnished.

 

[ddwdave]

Is eco tech jungle coco peat good enough for a lizard/dragon floor bed..

 

[ddwdave]

 

[Reptiles101]

Bearded dragons do best on a fine sand substrate, coco peat isn't appropriate to use with dragons, if it's going to be a baby you can use newspaper or stick to sand all through its life time, I've never heard of baby dragons getting impaction from the sand as long as their food is in a bowl or dish. You can use the coco peat for the scorpions as that's what a lot of people use for them, you should be careful keeping scorpions together as they can eat each other. Hope this helps you a bit

 

[ddwdave]

Hey thanks. Getting sand tomorrow. Yeah they arent to bad at the moment. I have set a small second story for the small scorpions,and main big part for a big scorpion..
Yes helps heaps. Will postphoto when finnished enclosure

 

[Reptiles101]

You've done a really great job, we love pics hehe!

 

[Rogue5861]

Dragons wont become impact from sand when given the correct basking temps, any lower the around 40c and they can get blocked up. They need basking temps to be between 41-45c.


Rick

 

[ddwdave]

Ok. So buy a heat lamp and thermometer and set in a spot where they can go comfortably..its two story,so could have heat lamp ground floor and normal lighting and plants. in middle.
Thanks for the help, any advice will be taken to account. As verry new to to this. And know as much as the next monkey

 

[Native_EWD]

Looks pretty good man. I wouldn't bother with a heat lamp, you should be able to accomplish the thermal gradient with a decent basking light. You can pick up some cheap lights bulbs from bunnings btw, does the same job as a pet shop one would.

So you plan to put a beardie/monitor in each of the bottom and middle tiers?

 

[ddwdave]

Oh sick.bunnings it is.
Reptile city said I could have two reptiles in same enclosure,so I made it two story to give room for both..I personally thought two different kinds of dragons or lizards would fight..but yeah. Will have monitor in its own enclosure.(diy enclosure) They expensive and dont want it getting harmed or in the wrong emviroment .
Lots to learn.

What bulb would I get from bunnings..coz ur right, $22 a bulb is over priced haha..I would have paid that too..

To confirm what reptilr city said....can I mix two species one enclosure..bearded dragon and a skink..? Thanks peeps

Using taptalk, otherwise I would like the posts lol

 

[scorps]

I buy 60watt small spot lights from bunnings, no thermostat and have them pointing straight down on rocks/tiles, the Beardies figure out where they need to be.

They love it hot

 

[ddwdave]

Spotlight is plug n go.or I buy a lamp and bulb..I got some cool white rocks I can beam light onto. Like the ones in scorpion section.. Bunnings is cheap, got my
Glass. 1200x813
Wood
Trimming 2.4m legnths
Liquid nails
Screws
Spouting.
Less than $60
And free tv cabinet..
Saves Adding a 0 on the end of 60
Just got one more sheet and glass cutter to finnishe it off on the next nice day

 

[Native_EWD]

Yeah bunnings is great haha. Don't listen to any pet shop employees imo, most of them don't own reptiles, this is from my experience, there are exceptions.
If your new to reptiles, I would not recommend getting into monitors just yet, as you said lots to learn.
Beardies or skinks would be the way to go for learning I reckon. I don't think your enclosure is big enough to house a monitor either, maybe a pygmy if you furnish it right. Even then some may say its too small.

As for mixing reptiles, Its hard to say, it all depends on the species and size they grow too, wether or not they are territorial or not is also a factor.
With that setup, I probably go only 1 in each enclosure of pygmy beardie, mountain dragon, jackie and maybe smaller skinks than blue tongues. thats just off the top of my head. You could always use it for the first few months of your lizards life then upgrade.

Forgot to ask, have you thought about geckos?

 

[Native_EWD]

Be careful with mixing and matching lamps and bulbs, you don't want to put a powerful bulb in a lamp that can't handle it, probably start a fire.

Any electricians have an input for lamps/bulbs?

 

[ddwdave]

Oh ok, yeah will be building a big enclosure for the monitor on its own..and I will seperate reptiles just to be sure..
Never thought of geckos. I liked the skind colour of the skinks and dragon.

Yeah I figured shops will say anything to sell items.

My friend is auto sparky..and said make sure the bulb matches ballast or lamp. So was going to just get bunnings to find me a heat bulb or so..then match it with the lamp\ballast bulb connects to..I have fluro ballasts(not sure actual term for the part that houses bulbs and tubes) but dont like the size. After a lamp and shade that will blend in with the enclosure enviroment..

 

[dragonlover1]

if you buy heat lamps from bunnings no ballast is needed

 

[ddwdave]

 

[ddwdave]

door on the back

 

[ddwdave]

now in new house.

 

[Native_EWD]

Problem I find with bunnings is they don't have much selection when it comes to anything but led lights. Ive been to 3 different Bunnings and its all the same hideous flood lights, which is the only thing I can find which works for me...
Anyone have any suggestions where to pick up cheap light batten holders?