What Size is This Enclosures?

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MangosMom1

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Original Poster
KarrieRee":mvmaz48x said:
Are you using this outside only?
Karrie

No, im hoping to use it for a permanent home because of my new job which requires a lot of travel, i need something that can fold into my backpack or suitcase.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Well its big enough but I would be scared of the lights basking light catching it on fire --- I am gonna let someone else weigh in on this one
Karrie
 

MangosMom1

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":1mpij4no said:
Well its big enough but I would be scared of the lights basking light catching it on fire --- I am gonna let someone else weigh in on this one
Karrie

Okay thanks.
 

Wickedpogana

Juvie Member
People do use "Grow Tents" for huge reptilians such as Tegus and they hold and take the heat well and take the weight and the claws of the tegu easily doesn't tear or rip so a beardie would do fine if u can pull it off , I would look into high quality grow tents if i was you and not just get this becuase its 50 bucks. Probably will run into ventilation issues and other issues like the whole thing collapsing go for the grow tent seems like it would fit what your trying to do3
 

Draven88

Hatchling Member
Looking at the link you provided I see that the top zips off it looks like, and at 24" height you would need to hang the UVB inside and the basking as well. I cannot see any way I would be comfortable hanging lights from that top, but the size is there.
 

MangosMom1

Member
Original Poster
Draven88":1j245w3a said:
Looking at the link you provided I see that the top zips off it looks like, and at 24" height you would need to hang the UVB inside and the basking as well. I cannot see any way I would be comfortable hanging lights from that top, but the size is there.

How close does he need to be to the lights?
 

Draven88

Hatchling Member
That depends on the light being used. You can use a range of wattage's for basking and move them up or down to keep basking temperatures correct which vary from baby to adult. For UVB though that's the correct distance for UVB exposure which is a huge factor in health. You will always want a tube bulb and not any coils (coils just don't work to provide enough UVB or reliability. Then it comes down fo T8 vs T5. And from there there is the bulb. Most Reptisun fixtures will come with a 5.0 tube which most immediately replace for a 10.0 (Reptisun T5 10.0 HO) or an arcadia tube which you can gain more distance with a 14% Arcadia tube. But none of them are going to get you 24 inches (minus basking height) through a screen.

As a range UVB can range in distance from 6 inches to maybe 20 inches from the basking spot but the latter would be an Arcadia 14% with a reflector in the fixture and nothing in the light path so it would have to be mounted inside. The real max may be more like 18 inches there are others that can be more specific. But that means IF you can find a secure way to hang a T5 fixture on the roof of that, you would need to then have a basking spot roughly 6 inches from the bottom under the UVB and also a basking bulb maintaining the correct temp (generally 100 - 110 F depending on age).

More specifically on the basking I would not want it attached to the top as for example to create a 110 F basking spot say 18 inches down from the light.... The basking bulb and its fixture are going to be hotter than that. You would want a way to mount the light inside that cannot possibly be knocked down or over. A stand that goes up then out to hold a hanging light could work but would need to be secured somehow to stay in place and would provide some height adjustment.

I would add that the material of that isn't really meant to hold heat in for the hot side so its something to pay attention to if it is getting the right temps. There is a lot of mesh on that and cold side temp will likely not be much higher than ambient room temp (that may be fine depending on room temp).

As a sugestion if it is viable for you. Using https://www.zenhabitats.com/collections/zen-habitats-reptile-enclosures/products/zen-habitat-w-wood-panels as an example. It may be possible to replicate their frame out of square pvc tubing and connectors for corners and such. In that way you could create a frame where you then place in 2ft x 2ft panels of pvc for floor sides and back screens on the top and acrylic doors. Then with a suitcase and foam to protect the acrylic you could pack it in a hard suitcase for travel disassembled. The foam and hard case suitcase recommended as acrylic is quite durable, but when it hits a failure at a stress point it will crack and no longer be usable. When you mention travel I am not sure if by car, bus, plane... So my suggestions are for protecting in worst case scenario.
 

MangosMom1

Member
Original Poster
My thing is traveling on planes, his enclosure needs to be able to fold into a suitcase or backback and light weight. He also likes to be able to look out at the world around him from his cage. I prefer a closed top so my cat cant get in. I've never had lights on the inside before either
This is the bulb I have, I just bought it this week: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptisun-Compact-Fluorescent/dp/B015HU2HF8/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=reptile+bulbs&qid=1590691557&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-3
The heat light is a 75watt bulb, I have 100watts too but it gets too hot if i use them.
 

MangosMom1

Member
Original Poster
Draven88":3n1uun6d said:
As a sugestion if it is viable for you. Using https://www.zenhabitats.com/collections/zen-habitats-reptile-enclosures/products/zen-habitat-w-wood-panels as an example. It may be possible to replicate their frame out of square pvc tubing and connectors for corners and such. In that way you could create a frame where you then place in 2ft x 2ft panels of pvc for floor sides and back screens on the top and acrylic doors. Then with a suitcase and foam to protect the acrylic you could pack it in a hard suitcase for travel disassembled. The foam and hard case suitcase recommended as acrylic is quite durable, but when it hits a failure at a stress point it will crack and no longer be usable. When you mention travel I am not sure if by car, bus, plane... So my suggestions are for protecting in worst case scenario.

Sounds like a good idea, though I dont fully understand.
 

Draven88

Hatchling Member
MangosMom1":2rxxyifs said:
Sounds like a good idea, though I dont fully understand.

The basic Idea would be making a frame out of something like https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-in-x-72-in-x-0-0625-in-T-Square-Tube-801127/204325635 (it can be found in pvc as well but for the example aluminum works as well and could be used) but where the zen habitat is a 4ft x 2 ft box which makes the bottom top and back pieces 4x2 (the wood/plastic/screen inserts.

In what I was suggesting the front could be left the same but with a connector halfway across to break down the frame/ the sides are already 2x2. the difference would be adding a frame piece in the middle on the bottom back and top so that instead of needing a 4'x2' back it can be two 2x2 pieces that would be much more realistic to fit in a case for travel. and making each piece of the frame under 2 ft. There are 3 way connectors of plastic or aluminum as well then would fit into the ends of the frame tubes to put it together (some would look like a T while the corners would look like a tripod when set on the 3 ends, the 2 for the back center support would be 4 way). Then it would just need the panels attacked and doors in rails.

I did a quick 3d render of the frame shape shown below (I am not a professional at 3d renderings so its nothing spectacular). I did them as continuous pieces just to show the idea, but at each place where tubes connect you would use one of the 3 or 4 way connectors. Rails for doors could be attached to the fronts top and bottom pieces for the acrylic to slide in. Then it would just need a 2x2 piece attacked on each square area bottom sides and back that is solid. and a 2x2 screen attached on each top square shown. Panels could be attached with bolts of the correct length using the a crown cap nut of the right size to match the bolt, example https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-20-Zinc-Plated-Cap-Nut-4-Pack-802031/204274065 so that there are not any dangerous edges.

This would also make the screen strong enough to hag your UVB from and using aluminum screen would allow a basking fixture to be on top of the screen and get the right wattage to heat the basking spot.

Maybe someone who has done something similar can jump in with what to search for to find the connectors. I have seen them many times in the past but I'm not finding a good link to them right now.

jrR4cCH.png
 

MangosMom1

Member
Original Poster
Draven88":2bad5f5u said:
MangosMom1":2bad5f5u said:
Sounds like a good idea, though I dont fully understand.

The basic Idea would be making a frame out of something like https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-in-x-72-in-x-0-0625-in-T-Square-Tube-801127/204325635 (it can be found in pvc as well but for the example aluminum works as well and could be used) but where the zen habitat is a 4ft x 2 ft box which makes the bottom top and back pieces 4x2 (the wood/plastic/screen inserts.

In what I was suggesting the front could be left the same but with a connector halfway across to break down the frame/ the sides are already 2x2. the difference would be adding a frame piece in the middle on the bottom back and top so that instead of needing a 4'x2' back it can be two 2x2 pieces that would be much more realistic to fit in a case for travel. and making each piece of the frame under 2 ft. There are 3 way connectors of plastic or aluminum as well then would fit into the ends of the frame tubes to put it together (some would look like a T while the corners would look like a tripod when set on the 3 ends, the 2 for the back center support would be 4 way). Then it would just need the panels attacked and doors in rails.

I did a quick 3d render of the frame shape shown below (I am not a professional at 3d renderings so its nothing spectacular). I did them as continuous pieces just to show the idea, but at each place where tubes connect you would use one of the 3 or 4 way connectors. Rails for doors could be attached to the fronts top and bottom pieces for the acrylic to slide in. Then it would just need a 2x2 piece attacked on each square area bottom sides and back that is solid. and a 2x2 screen attached on each top square shown. Panels could be attached with bolts of the correct length using the a crown cap nut of the right size to match the bolt, example https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-20-Zinc-Plated-Cap-Nut-4-Pack-802031/204274065 so that there are not any dangerous edges.

This would also make the screen strong enough to hag your UVB from and using aluminum screen would allow a basking fixture to be on top of the screen and get the right wattage to heat the basking spot.

Maybe someone who has done something similar can jump in with what to search for to find the connectors. I have seen them many times in the past but I'm not finding a good link to them right now.

jrR4cCH.png

All seems pretty great to me, thanks. You're good. The connecters making it foldable solves the problem I had last time I tried building a cage. I'll have to think more about the doors but the rest I think I understand better. Well at least I understand the frame, not so much how it can be foldable with the walls also attached to it, would there still be room around the frame to connect the pieces? It's hard to imagine that part for me, sorry. Does it have to be acrylic instead of all screen? I also have laminate. I've never had an acrylic cage, I don't know much about it. I have made mesh cages but nothing this complex. I think I can find the connecters. The Home Depot is over an hour away but there is an Ace Hardware near here, maybe they will have some of the stuff. I also have a bunch of old screen. The hardware store also has bearded dragons for whatever reason and I like to look at them. I do have a lot of bolts too. So I understand the frame part. Thanks so much btw. Love your idea.
 
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