Buying vs DIY huge indoor enclosures

[mayamaya]

Hey I have an approximately 6-7 month old eastern water dragon. S/he's in a good sized enclosure at the moment for their size (5-6cm snout to vent, not incl tail) but at the end of this year or next year or whenever s/he grows out of it, I want to get the final or at least long-term enclosure which has to be indoor for now. In other words, a very big one good enough for an adult EWD to live in.

I am aware that EWDs require basically giant-sized enclosure (not sure of the measurements, but it's a fairly large species compared to most geckos and skinks or small snakes). So yeah I need a huge one!

For other people who have had experience with getting a big arboreal indoor enclosure big enough for 1 adult dragon, please tell me this. Is it better to buy or order an already made one, or to get all the equipment you need and build one yourself? I don't have any experience building one, but I live in Brisbane and I can never find any that are large enough & if I do I'm sure they would be wayyy overpriced like all the other reptile supplies & smaller terrariums here are so I am thinking of actually just looking up some instructions and building it myself!

If DIY is the way to go (with price and preferred size), I don't mind how time consuming it is, as I'm willing to do it gradually (gradually building it everytime I'm home) since my EWD still has quite a while until he grows out of his current one anyway. I just need to know exactly what materials and tools to get and where from (eg. bunnings, etc) and how much I'll need to have for everything altogether.

But if ready made ones are better somehow, I'll need to know where to get one, how much and measurements.

Thankssss

 

[LIZARDZ_11]

i would say do DIY because if would be hard to find an enclosure that big to start off with and plus you can make it how ever you wont it ( height width)

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

I'd say get one made or remodel a large cabinet. You'd be surprised what materials would add up to for a large enclosure...

 

[Erebos]

I'd say get one made or remodel a large cabinet. You'd be surprised what materials would add up to for a large enclosure...

Or just get one of you because your enclosures are unreal.

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

Or just get one of you because your enclosures are unreal.

True but that would be unethical to advise that

 

[CentralianKing]

I just built a pine enclosure 2200x800x1800, wood set me back around $150, still to buy the glass, if I was to buy this size enclosure I would be looking at around $2000 plus, enclosures built for reptiles are way overpriced, getting a cabinet maker to build you one would work out cheaper then buying one from the people who build specifically for the reptile keepers

 

[Mighty_Moose]

True but that would be unethical to advise that

Nothing stops me from directing people to yours I've seen your enclosures close up and they are UNREAL buy them if you have the cash. I've bought all my enclosures... And I've always thought.. I wanted it 'x' amount bigger..or wider or a platform here small details... I've decided I'm going to build/covert my next enclosure just because I want to options and my god some of the ones I've seen turned out amazing + cheap. It is really up to you but I love to look of the converted cabinets or the built massive enclosures just because they look good and it gives you a bit of warm and fuzzies knowing that you built that and your pets/animals are enjoying it.

 

[Tinky]

Do the math first

I just built a pine enclosure 2200x800x1800, wood set me back around $150, still to buy the glass, if I was to buy this size enclosure I would be looking at around $2000 plus, enclosures built for reptiles are way overpriced, getting a cabinet maker to build you one would work out cheaper then buying one from the people who build specifically for the reptile keepers

Ply sheet $240
Sealer $30
Brushes $10
Glass Tracks $20
Screws & Glue $20
Light Fittings $20
Light Covers $40
Lights $40
Dinning Thermostat $200
Then add the glass. . . . $$$

Do not be fooled enclosures are not cheap to make. You can produce a nice enclosure using an old cabinet, or a basic one using melamine, but it is not waterproof and you will still have the fittout.

I am currently doing a double display enclosure that I am tracking costs. It will end up being close to a grand for the finnished item.

 

[Virides]

Ply sheet $240
Sealer $30
Brushes $10
Glass Tracks $20
Screws & Glue $20
Light Fittings $20
Light Covers $40
Lights $40
Dinning Thermostat $200
Then add the glass. . . . $$$

Do not be fooled enclosures are not cheap to make. You can produce a nice enclosure using an old cabinet, or a basic one using melamine, but it is not waterproof and you will still have the fittout.

I am currently doing a double display enclosure that I am tracking costs. It will end up being close to a grand for the finnished item.

I agree.

On face value it may look like enclosures are over-priced. But it isn't just about materials, it is also the labour involved. When you DIY, you are effectively saving on the labour component. Builders of enclosures may have a marginally better price on materials as they buy bulk (if they do), but really the cost of materials is much the same. What you are paying for, that makes the difference, is their expertise.

It is too simple to say "overpriced" when there is so many factors that drive prices.

 

[Tinky]

Virides,

Dont forget quality.

My enclosure has some "rustic" areas that a professional would have maybe done better.

Still it is very rewarding to say i made that lopsided leaking piece of *****. . .. and have your mate reply "Yea I can tell" :?

 

[Snakeluvver2]

Cost me $100 to make a 7ft by 3ft by 3ft enclosure.
That was lucky but I could do it again for $200 easy. Finding the lights and glass cheap is the hardest part.
Get the largest paint you can get and it will save you next time you build.
Building enclosures can be as cheap as you want or as expensive as you want.

It's just a box with glass really.

 

[Virides]

Virides,

Dont forget quality.

My enclosure has some "rustic" areas that a professional would have maybe done better.

Still it is very rewarding to say i made that lopsided leaking piece of *****. . .. and have your mate reply "Yea I can tell" :?

lol yea

i thought expertise and quality go hand in hand... unless ur an expert at making bad enclosures lol

I spent 2 yrs making an island bench in my spare time and it's not 100% pro, there are some visible "mistakes" but, here's hoping that someone in 300yrs talks about the maker of this piece to be "he made this in his early years as a kind of practice piece, quite frankly I love it's flaws, gives it character" lol

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

I just built a pine enclosure 2200x800x1800, wood set me back around $150, still to buy the glass, if I was to buy this size enclosure I would be looking at around $2000 plus, enclosures built for reptiles are way overpriced, getting a cabinet maker to build you one would work out cheaper then buying one from the people who build specifically for the reptile keepers

I hope this is not aimed at our enclosures, claiming they can be made for as little as $150....I make these as a full time job now and have gone to great lengths to get the material costs down as little as possible to keep our cost to the customers as low as possible. Even for a considerably smaller enclosure the timber cost alone is in excess of this. You would have to cut corners on strength or quality, not to mention the lights, plumbing, glass, rock wall and floor, waterbowl, hell our hinges , locks and castor wheels on their own blow this budget. The glass we use costs us many multiples of this too...the list goes on. And yes we do have to charge for labour, shock horror we are humans that have to eat too.

Yes you can save money building it yourself if you have all the tools. There is a lot more costs for a complete enclosure, the timber is only a small part of it. If you count the time it takes to build it and multiply by your hourly wage and work in the materials you will find that it will cost more to build it yourself. Will it be as well built, function as well or look as good ....I challenge anyone to try

 

[Cockney_Red]

I can never do it cheaper, cos of ahole glass suppliers, but I build all mine, cos i love doing it...

 

[Erebos]

agreed I build all mine only because I couldn't afford as many enclosures as I have built by you if I could I would get them from you no questions asked the quality difference is enormous. And recommend anyone wanting a great looking display enclosure.

 

[Jacobxvx]

I would say if you have no tools or skills working with wood, it would be far cheaper to get it built opposed to DIY, buying tools alone will blow the budget, although you can obviously use them again, if this is a one off project its not worth the cost in my opinion

I consider myself lucky with this, I have unlimited access to a cabinet making factory and have some experience in it- every reptile keepers dreams

 

[almostthere]

just dont make the same mistake i made, water dragons love water and love splashing it around. if you make it out of melamine be sure to seal it well or it will fall apart in no time - thats why im making a new one right now!!!

 

[cement]

Yeah I build all mine, but I am a builder and have build houses for the last 25 yrs so a snake box is no problem.

 

[Erebos]

Yeah I build all mine, but I am a builder and have build houses for the last 25 yrs so a snake box is no problem.

There to advanced for me how do you make big holed?

 

[Crystal..Discus]

I just built my first enclosure, and with the costs of the learning curve, it totalled around $300-$400...

I'd do it all again though. It's maximum control over what you want, and it's bloody fun.