Let's talk OUTDOOR enclosure

Hello, everyone! Spring is on the way and I'm wondering how you guys have gone about giving your dragons' outside time. What type of materials have you used for an outdoor enclosure? If you have pics, please post them! I'm looking to do something inexpensive and sturdy, perhaps collapsible so it can be put away for winter... I'm thinking up ideas, but I want to make sure it's safe and Brutus won't be able to escape- he's a climber and a jumper!

I've used a baby playpen before with a screen door laid over the top.



And also this enclosure made of wood and screen. It was originally made for a chameleon, but now it is laid on it's side with the door as the top.

Here's my outdoor enclosures...only difference is that my beardies live outside almost all year round except when it gets down to 60or lower...several changes have been made to this cage.

here's the resident...going on 8 years old this summer and has lived outside his whole life...big Lou

and my other raised cage



dimensions are top: 6ft tall by 6ft long by 4ft wide ...smaller cage is 2ft tall by 4ft long by 2ft wide
good luck...people always talk about how bearded dragons are semi aborial but they never see them climb...give them height and they will climb...just my opinion considering mine sit up at the top of the cages for about 90% of the time.

Wow, thanks guys! Great enclosures!

I was thinking about using something like this http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100318386&N=10000003+90075&D=mesh, and thinking up a way to make it collapsible, maybe using dowel rods to stake it in the ground. I've thought about using baby gates, but I think that might get costly...

ronni1221":957ee said:

Wow, thanks guys! Great enclosures!

I was thinking about using something like this http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100318386&N=10000003+90075&D=mesh, and thinking up a way to make it collapsible, maybe using dowel rods to stake it in the ground. I've thought about using baby gates, but I think that might get costly...

Click to expand...

Let's just make a chicagoland bearded dragon outdoor cage building day at your place!

ronni1221":c28d1 said:

Wow, thanks guys! Great enclosures!

I was thinking about using something like this http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100318386&N=10000003+90075&D=mesh, and thinking up a way to make it collapsible, maybe using dowel rods to stake it in the ground. I've thought about using baby gates, but I think that might get costly...

Click to expand...

I couldn't get the product to come up. Can you fix the link?

I had the baby playpen, so just used what I had.

How about something like this: (supposed to be a breakdown cage)
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/9008/pvccage.html

LJean":578a2 said:

ronni1221":578a2 said:

Wow, thanks guys! Great enclosures!

I was thinking about using something like this http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100318386&N=10000003+90075&D=mesh, and thinking up a way to make it collapsible, maybe using dowel rods to stake it in the ground. I've thought about using baby gates, but I think that might get costly...

Click to expand...

I couldn't get the product to come up. Can you fix the link?

I had the baby playpen, so just used what I had.

How about something like this: (supposed to be a breakdown cage)
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/9008/pvccage.html

Click to expand...

I can't get a "clean" link. Basically, it was poultry netting, vinyl covered galvanized wire. That geocities link is a very good idea.... hmmmm... I would like to not have a bottom/floor to the cage, but allow the grass to be the floor. Anyone see a potential problem with that? Putting a bottom to the cage will kill the grass- it'll look like crap by the end of the summer when I remove it. The lawn in the back gets the best sun exposure, so I'd like to keep it there when he's outside. I wouldn't have him out all summer long. It would only be on mornings/afternoons that I'm home, and I'd be checking on him out there.

GoFast":578a2 said:

ronni1221":578a2 said:

Wow, thanks guys! Great enclosures!

I was thinking about using something like this http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100318386&N=10000003+90075&D=mesh, and thinking up a way to make it collapsible, maybe using dowel rods to stake it in the ground. I've thought about using baby gates, but I think that might get costly...

Click to expand...

Let's just make a chicagoland bearded dragon outdoor cage building day at your place!

Click to expand...

Yeah. Maybe we can have a beardie day! hehe. We should form the CBC (Chicagoland Beardie Club).

We got this old rabbit hutch from somebody and re did it. We just finished it a week ago. Its 8x3x3. They are slowly getting used to being outside.

This is one of the best step by step setups you can make....

http://www.riobravoreptiles.com/howto_outdoor.htm

I've seen them first hand, and they're great....