I am new here, so, hi. Just thought I would post pics of my new DIY enclosure. It is 5x2x2. I am a home remodeler, so I had just about everything on hand, except the glass. When did glass get so expensive?!?!
I got my beardie on a rescue of sorts. I got Bubba from the mother of an uninterested kid. I have had him for about a month or so, so we are still getting used to each other. I think it is going well. I have had a snake or two in the past, but he is my first lizard. :shock: I hope its a he. :shock: He is approximately 10 or 11 months and about 16 to 18 inches. He came to me in a 5.5 gallon tank. Poor guy . I found a twenty gallon at a garage sale pretty quick. Better, but still not enough. So I threw this one together pretty quick. About 10 to 12 hours, over two or three days. He has been in it for 5 or 6 days now. I think he likes it, but still not sure how to handle all the space. He loves his criks. 40 to 60 a day(depending on size) I usually have to hand feed him the last five or ten. He has never had to hunt. In a 5.5, he just stood there and waited for the criks to come to him.lol Lazy ole lizard. He is really coming around, and getting very long & thick.
The sides and top are 1/2" baltic birch. The floor is a 1x4 pine "framework", w/1/4" luann floor.(plywood)(to minimize weight) Face frames are ripped down 1x6 yellow pine. Big screen opening on top. Bead board on both sides(outside). The inside is all laminated with counter grade plastic laminate. I could not believe the price for those plastic sliding door tracks. Forget about the aluminum ones. So I laminated some 3/4 x 3/4 ripped down MDF, and cut my glass grooves on the table saw. Besides, 1/4" glass is way too heavy, so I used heavy 1/8". Before I put the glass in, I had no problem carrying it by myself. With glass, it still only weighs about 35 or 40 pounds. Just too big and cumbersome to get a handle on it by myself. I use non-stick shelf liner for flooring. I have seen so many great ideas here on this forum. I can't wait to get another lizard, so I have an excuse to build another one. Bubba's current cage sits on my bar, between my kitchen and living room. So it is visible from both sides with sliding doors, and I wanted it to have a "furniture" look. Not a lot of room for styro-walls, but i have several cans of spray foam, many colors of sanded grout, and a few minutes to spare, so I might just get creative. Thanks for all of the ideas guys, great forum.
This is so addictive. I'll be 41 next month and i'm 6'1" @ 240lbs, and i'm all giddy over a dang ole lizard and his new digs. Go figure
Sorry for the long winded post, just new daddy syndrome i guess 
I got my beardie on a rescue of sorts. I got Bubba from the mother of an uninterested kid. I have had him for about a month or so, so we are still getting used to each other. I think it is going well. I have had a snake or two in the past, but he is my first lizard. :shock: I hope its a he. :shock: He is approximately 10 or 11 months and about 16 to 18 inches. He came to me in a 5.5 gallon tank. Poor guy . I found a twenty gallon at a garage sale pretty quick. Better, but still not enough. So I threw this one together pretty quick. About 10 to 12 hours, over two or three days. He has been in it for 5 or 6 days now. I think he likes it, but still not sure how to handle all the space. He loves his criks. 40 to 60 a day(depending on size) I usually have to hand feed him the last five or ten. He has never had to hunt. In a 5.5, he just stood there and waited for the criks to come to him.lol Lazy ole lizard. He is really coming around, and getting very long & thick.
The sides and top are 1/2" baltic birch. The floor is a 1x4 pine "framework", w/1/4" luann floor.(plywood)(to minimize weight) Face frames are ripped down 1x6 yellow pine. Big screen opening on top. Bead board on both sides(outside). The inside is all laminated with counter grade plastic laminate. I could not believe the price for those plastic sliding door tracks. Forget about the aluminum ones. So I laminated some 3/4 x 3/4 ripped down MDF, and cut my glass grooves on the table saw. Besides, 1/4" glass is way too heavy, so I used heavy 1/8". Before I put the glass in, I had no problem carrying it by myself. With glass, it still only weighs about 35 or 40 pounds. Just too big and cumbersome to get a handle on it by myself. I use non-stick shelf liner for flooring. I have seen so many great ideas here on this forum. I can't wait to get another lizard, so I have an excuse to build another one. Bubba's current cage sits on my bar, between my kitchen and living room. So it is visible from both sides with sliding doors, and I wanted it to have a "furniture" look. Not a lot of room for styro-walls, but i have several cans of spray foam, many colors of sanded grout, and a few minutes to spare, so I might just get creative. Thanks for all of the ideas guys, great forum.
This is so addictive. I'll be 41 next month and i'm 6'1" @ 240lbs, and i'm all giddy over a dang ole lizard and his new digs. Go figure
Sorry for the long winded post, just new daddy syndrome i guess
