Outdoor enclosure/pit questions

[dragondude]

Hi all,

I'm looking into building or rather assembling (I'm a lousy handyman) an enclosure/pit in my backyard. I was wondering if I could pick your brains and have a look at what I have come up with so far.

Please bear with me here as I list out my plans/ideas.

I plan to use a raised garden bed

and wrap it with some chicken wire (1 metre) high to add height and also make the lid as I want to maximise the sun entering the pit. ( I read somewhere that using a full mesh enclosure might result in some reptiles rubbing their noses against it so therefore I went for the raised garden bed idea) Thoughts?

I also plan to provide the necessary shade, cool off spot and an esky shelter with hay in it.

I also need to dig a trench for the garden bed to sit in and lay some chicken wire or tarp in the pit to prevent escapes.

I've done a few search online (some threads from this forum) about flooding in the pit but it seems as tho there's no real concern about it or there's no in depth discussion about it (how to prevent it etc etc) so based on that I'm assuming it's not a big deal, especially if that spot is subjected to a lot of sunlight anyway..?

Now you're probably asking in your head, "what reptile do you want to put in the pit"? Well just to be safe I'd say local dragons such as Jacky, Mt Dragons and Cunninghams. I'd also like build another one for beardies but I'll just save that for another thread.

As you may have noticed it's a simple pit/enclosure plan/idea as I have minimum tools and such so please bear that in mind.
Would it be safe to say that my plans above will work and keep dragons or skinks happy?

Go easy on me as I am new to the reptile scene

By the way, I currently own and care for 7 Mt. Dragons, 3 Jackies, 4 Geckos and 3 Tarantulas.

I appreciate any help/suggestion and any constructive input.

Cheers

 

[smileysnake]

gday mate and welcome from what you have said sounds pretty good there are quite a few people on here that have built some really amazing outdoor pits/enclosures that could help you just keep searching for the threads not sure what his name is but there is one guy who has built one that is probably 10-20 times the size of yours will a bulldozer and backhoe so he is the man to ask....also i think some people use like a paver for the underneath then cover that with your soil/substrate to stop the digging/etc...make sure substrate thick enough so they can still burrow cos some of your reptiles probably like doing this....just type in outdoor pits/enclosures on your search option on here should come up with a few ideas for ya if that fails try youtube for a complete step by step instructional video i am sure there are a few there...and i live close to blacktown so if you need a bit of a hand just pm me on here and we can work something out....good luck mate put pics up of your progress......

 

[bigjoediver]

You could also bury some corrugated polycarbonate roofing sheets under the substrate to stop them digging out, get the really cheap one light to transport and can be cut to size with a cheap pair of tin snips and I doubt the smaller sized lizard would get through it.

 

[nonamesleft]

You could also place some burried conduit pipe for your skinks to escape on hot days/cold nights.

 

[paultheo]

prevent flooding by putting drainage pipe under the pereforated flooring. every 600mm there should be a trench running double the length of your enclosure leading to a decent sized pit, it should be on a 5degree slope so it drains freely instead of sitting there and pooling, place drainage pipe in trench, backfill with 20mm gravel or roadbase. the pit should be 1m deep and 2m across, fill with gravel then put the dirt you took out of the hole and cover the gravel, you wont even know its there, you can plant with shrubs and bushes to soak up exess water. using laserlight or tin will stop natural drainage so go for gravel, the 20mm variety it stops the digging as it is a hard surface especially if it is nice and thick, you can use a wacker to compact it further if you feel it is necessary. the pit can be sized up or down as needed.no drainage and a heavy rain and you not being at home to save your herps may end up in a drowning. Also provide lots of high places to climb bro, they love it.

 

[dragondude]

Thank you guys for your helpful replies. will definitely put into considerations the infos you guys provided.
cheers

 

[snakemanbenny]

Outside Cage for Snakes

Hi Guys,

I built an outside cage for my coastal and diamond pythons, which they share together out of my old bird cage and left over fence corragated iron and snake wire. The cage is 3 meters x 1.5 meters x 1.8 meters high. I have no heat lights because i wanted it to be natural as possible, I have several differant hot and cold spots, pvc pipes underground, a deep pit in the centre and 2 hide boxs at diffrent hights. I had talked to alot of people and did alot of research about putting the snakes outside and fitting no type of heat source for the colder months, but they are fine. The only thing you have to watch out for is mites and ticks and other nasty things that get in, i had a tick on one of my snakes but it had only been there for a day. I got my coastal 6 years ago and for 5 of those years is was in a wooden box and since i put him outside he looks more relaxed, eats better and looks better so i guess i have done the right thing by them.

 

[dragondude]

Nice Enclosure. I'm sure your snakes love it.
Just wondering, what time does the sun hit that spot in the morning and what time does sun leave?

The spot I'm considering for my enclosure gets the sun at 9.30am until 6pm (Summer).

 

[MathewB]

Nice Enclosure. I'm sure your snakes love it.
Just wondering, what time does the sun hit that spot in the morning and what time does sun leave?

The spot I'm considering for my enclosure gets the sun at 9.30am until 6pm (Summer).

That's a great time slot, my outdoor only gets 9:30 to 2:00, only because my parents put a bunch of big palm tree's next it haha I'm going to move it though

Post pics of yours when it's done

 

[dragondude]

That's a great time slot, my outdoor only gets 9:30 to 2:00, only because my parents put a bunch of big palm tree's next it haha I'm going to move it though

Post pics of yours when it's done

I should have it completed by the end of this Month.
Definitely before the Castle Hill expo.
Will bombard this thread with photos.

 

[dragondude]

Finally had some free time to start building my outdoor enclosure.
It's a simple one, not too fancy but I like the look of it. : )
I had my mate, Jlaw0786 to help me out with most of the stuff.

Frame completed

Roof Sheetings in place.

Spent a few hours today to get it to this stage
Hopefully I can finish it off tomorrow : )
Just have to dig 4 holes now and sink the legs
Lay the weedmat
Lay the chickenwire
Get some soil
Decorate it in the next days/weeks : )

 

[Jlaw0786]

Awesome looking pit u got there!!! Lol

 

[dragondude]

Enclosure's legs now buried

Beardies testing it out

Chicken wire

Weedmat

 

[KristianG]

I noticed some gaps where the plastic (or whatever it is) meets the frame, would they be able to escape through there

 

[dragondude]

Roof sheets.
Probably not, but I plan to block it.

 

[dragondude]

Slowly getting there.
I'd like to put a few grass type of plants for shade and for looks.
Maybe a couple of lemongrass and bigger water source.

 

[dangles]

Dragons will eventually work out they can climb the timber as it weathers, in the corners, cut pvc pipe into 1/4 to cover it to stop climbing

 

[dragondude]

I was actually planning on nailing down a piece wire mesh on top of the enclosure on each corners. So even if they get up there, they're blocked.

 

[bigjoediver]

Well done, simple but effective. I'm sure both you and it's residents will enjoy it for many years to come.

 

[mad_at_arms]

I would be putting some mesh over the whole thing.
Keep cats, birds etc. out.

How deep is the substrate?
Any chance of the guys digging under the rocks or logs and getting trapped?