Building a big stackable 7x2x2 enclosure

[dragonov]

I got the windows in! That means this one is officially done! Two more to go... :lol: and still no beardie in sight... :roll:

 

[LemonyFresh]

Looks absolutely amazing. Also, thanks for the ideas...my little guy is tiny so I figured I have about 6-8 months to plan out a build.

Again, great work.

 

[dragonov]

Thanks and you're welcome!

 

[MetallicatTim]

Wow, absolutely beautifull viv!! Stunning 8)

 

[dragonov]

Thanks!

 

[gibz117]

im gonna steal your idea if thats ok with you. question, how much Styrofoam did you use. im gonna be making one similar to yours, and want to get enough off the bat.

edit...what substrate do you use, and what kind of lights did you get, and approximately how much did they cost, and where can i get some?

 

[dragonov]

That's totally ok with me :lol: I look forward to seeing your finished viv! I got enough styrofoam to fill my entire viv, because I found it easier to start with complete sheets for every layer. You could do with less, but then you'll have to re-use all the parts you cut off. For this viv I made the background layer by layer (sheet by sheet) from the ground up, but for my next one I am going to start by gluing all the styrofoam sheets together first and then start cutting. I think that will make it easier to envision the final shape and it will prevent seeing the layers in the final result more I think.

The lights is basically a matter of taste imo. You'll need UVB and heat and I used a UVB coil and regular household reflector bulbs for that, but most people prefer a UVB tube instead of a coil lamp. All lights are available at stores like Petsmart and the like. 10.0/12.0 UVB coils range between 20-30 and tubes are in the 35-50 range. For the regular household reflector bulbs you can go with low wattage because your background will insulate really well. I use bulbs ranging from 18 to 40 watts and have my temps perfect throughout the viv. For substrate I use reptile sand, but again that is somewhat controversial on this forum due to worries of ingestion/impaction. I make sure not to feed them directly on the sand and have plenty of spots without sand, and I think it's natural for them to have sand around.

Good luck with your build and feel free to ask questions!

 

[gibz117]

I meant what light fixtures did you use and where can one get them?

 

[ozzybabe77]

Wow.... just wow! I wish I could do something like this! Maybe in the future :wink: And I know you said you don't like how you can see the separate layers of styrofoam in the finished product, but I actually think it makes it look more rock-like! Because rocks *do* have layers, don't they? makes me think of like giant redstone cliffs! Amazing work, seriously! I also love the little touches like the fake grass, which makes it look really authentic, you're future beardie will sure be a lucky gal Seeing projects like this make me feel inspired to start something of my own! Maybe my baby boy will get something for next Christmas :lol:

 

[dragonov]

Wow.... just wow! I wish I could do something like this! Maybe in the future :wink: And I know you said you don't like how you can see the separate layers of styrofoam in the finished product, but I actually think it makes it look more rock-like! Because rocks *do* have layers, don't they? makes me think of like giant redstone cliffs! Amazing work, seriously! I also love the little touches like the fake grass, which makes it look really authentic, you're future beardie will sure be a lucky gal Seeing projects like this make me feel inspired to start something of my own! Maybe my baby boy will get something for next Christmas :lol:

Thanks for the compliments and you really should start something of your own!! It's not that complicated really, and the beauty of styrofoam is that if you make a mistake you can just glue another piece on and cover it, because you're going to grout all over it anyways.

And then the big news, we picked up two mature ladies last night!! Meet Hannah and Ellie

Hannah is a 4 year old yellow Citrus and Ellie is a 3 year old leatherback.

 

[ozzybabe77]

I think I will! I saw a picture of a styrofoam structure someone made which was like a castle and I became a little obsessed with the idea :lol: hopefully soon Ozzy will be living like a prince! and congrats on the beardies! They look super happy!

 

[dragonov]

Great! Make sure you take lots of pics and post your progress!

 

[gibz117]

What kind of light fixtures did you use and where can one get them?

 

[dragonov]

What kind of light fixtures did you use and where can one get them?

Hi, if you look at the first page of this post you are able to see the fixtures I used. You should be able to buy those at any hardware store. There's plastic ones and ceramic ones, make sure you get ceramic ones if you are going to use high wattage heat lamps. If you stay under 60 watts or so you can go for the plastic ones as well. For the wiring you can use regular household wiring.

 

[ReptileAddiction]

Nice cage. I might do something similar . I am just finishing my cage now and the background is slate colored with ledges and the like but I made it removable so I can make a new one later on.