Might need to make a new cage... ?

[whispersinmyhead]

My boy (Freddie) is now almost 2 years old. He is 21.5" long including tail of course. I have been having a hard time controlling temps season to season and it is hard with my enclosure.
DSC_4826 by Whispersinmyhead, on Flickr

I have since added a second dome light to the cool side and had to go up to a 100W standard bulb to get the cool side up to 78-83. It was 72 before that. The basking light is a 150W spot bulb on a dimmer almost all the way up. Basking temp is 105. I have the temps goo this week but I always seem to mucking with it and it becoming a lot of work and a source of concern. I tried covering the vents on each side with lexan but that didn't change anything at all. Our house is 68 -70 in the winter.

His tank is 40"lx19"dx20"h. I know the min is a 40 gal breeder which is smaller than what I have.

So fist problem is controlling temps and second is a lesser concern but size. Second is although he seems happy, I would like to give him a couple more inches. I can't really build a much bigger cage because we don't have a ton of room.

I would like to build a slightly smaller version of of a crossfire enclosure using plywood.
Sorry for the huge post I always feel the need to explain all the details. If anyone has a crossfire type enclosure and could let me know if is is easier than a glass terrarium for cleaning and maintaining temps it would really help. Any input welcome. Also I would like to permanently grout slate tile as the floor.

Thanks for bearing with the long post.

 

[Slave2Scarlett]

I used the crossfire plans and we kinda tweeked it a little.. The wooden enclosures def hold heat a lot better than the glass... I have a GE 45w indoor flood bulb that keeps my basking temps around 105-108 (Scarlett is only 3 months old though so her temps need to b a little higher).. I also have a 40w daytime bulb for the cool side that keeps temps around 80-82 and then I use a 60w CHE at night.. Usually keeps the temp around 78... Once I finally figured out what bulb to use for the hot side my temps are always the same.. I never have to tweek them.. Here is a video I have on youtube if you would like to look at it.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXtXOoBa-qw

 

[whispersinmyhead]

That is a great looking cage! I like the hinged glass doors. I am thinking along the same lines. It may not be able to be quite 2 feet deep maybe 20"D x 42"L but he will get a couple more inches anyways. Most of the time he just sits and basks or goes and lies down. Mostly because he slowed once november hit. He seems better now that I brought up the cool side temps but just annoyed at me playing with everything. I think a wood viv will be better. Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear the wood vivs hold heat much better.

 

[Slave2Scarlett]

Thanks! Yeah I love the doors bc they swing out making it really easy to clean and get to every part of the Viv.. The main thing to remember is the floorspace is the most important.. Good luck!