new beardie viv from the ground up: picture log!

[Doesj]

Wow lucky beardie. It is really coming together that thing looks beautlyful already. Thanks for the encouragment I think once my guy gets bigger I will attempt one of these. In the mean while Im building a fake rock midevil castle

-Steve

thanks good luck on the castle! (it'll mostly be a pain in the *** when grouting )


Meanwhile I've added all my electronics to the fake ceiling except for the 3 timers. I've also noticed one of the 3 nighttime-leds doesn't work but the shopkeeper has already agreed on changing it for a new one.

now the fake ceiling and front panel have:
- 3 50W spots built in
- 1 tube 120cm UVB reptisun 10.0 (with destroyed mounting so it takes up 5cm instead of 10!)
- 3 built in night time leds (partly sunken into the ceiling)
- 1 60W CHE with black hood (visibility + heat protection)
- 2 thermostats built in to front panel
- 1 dimmer switch built into front panel (controls the UVB tube)
- 1 on-off switch built into front panel (controls the right 2 spots)
-3 holes to let the thermostat-probe tubes pass through


I've also added one more layer of grout (no 3) , took me 2.5 hours!

still to do:
- 1 layer of red grout
- 2 layers of yacht varnish
- screw in lower front
- screw in fake ceiling
- screw in top front
- mount top panel on hinges
- go to the shop (45min drive) for new led lights & the 6mm glass windows
- carry the entire thing upstairs

sadly this will all have to wait a few days as I've managed to destroy my back this weekend... I'll keep everyone posted and show some more pictures later this week!
- mount

 

[Doesj]

final update before the finished product!

these pics were made yesterday. Meanwhile i've added the final layer of grout and the lower front panel. fake ceiling and top front panel go in tomorrow/day after tomorrow. Hopefully I can get my glass doors this weekend and my beardy next weekend!

 

[MyLittleFoot]

looks good

although you really don't need the night light

 

[Doesj]

looks good

although you really don't need the night light

thanks!

correction though: my beardie doesn't need the night light. I do! It's aesthethicly pleasing (sp?) and keeps the viv as a part of the room at night instead of being a black box...

 

[jargonchipmunk]

Correction: technically, though you need it for aesthetics, it's not very good for your beardie. Although you won't really notice it most times, it can interrupt the beardie's sleep patterns. It's generally advised that they have total darkness during their night cycles. This isn't always possible if you have them in a room with a T.V., a window to a streetlight, etc etc, but nightlights are frowned upon. As much as they *remind* us of moonlights, they are small, point source lights that don't really resemble a moon at all to the animal living directly beneath them.

That said, it's your pet. The tech-junky in me says, nice viv!

 

[Doesj]

Correction: technically, though you need it for aesthetics, it's not very good for your beardie. Although you won't really notice it most times, it can interrupt the beardie's sleep patterns. It's generally advised that they have total darkness during their night cycles. This isn't always possible if you have them in a room with a T.V., a window to a streetlight, etc etc, but nightlights are frowned upon. As much as they *remind* us of moonlights, they are small, point source lights that don't really resemble a moon at all to the animal living directly beneath them.

That said, it's your pet. The tech-junky in me says, nice viv!

thanks for the good comments.

About the night light (once more): I don't really believe they require complete darkness. It's not like there's no moon in the wild.
Agreed, there's no street lights etc. in the wild but that's why they're in my "office" room. At night there's rarely ever any light on in that room, and since we live on the first floor (not ground level), there's no street lights or passing cars causing any trouble.

The moonlight leds are indeed pointy sources of light. However, these are up in the ceiling aso won't be in the beardies eyesight unless he looks straight up.
Secondly, since the leds are aimed at a 90°C angle towards the ground, the cave in the left corner is COMPLETELY dark, even during daytime it's nearly black in there. Under the platform and under the log there's another 2 patches of shade which block out the pointy light source.

Finally, everything is on a timer:

6 AM : moonlight on
7 AM: spots come on
7.30 AM: UVB comes on - moonlight off

(perhaps during daytime UVB goes off some more if he gets too much uvb)

8 PM: UVB goes off - moonlight on
8.30PM: spots go off
00.00AM moonlight off (I go to bed)

this - I hope - adds to a sunrise/sunset effect in his tank. But it'll all come down to how he reacts to it. If I notice he has trouble sleeping or dislikes any of the lights, they will be changed. I don't have a beardie yet, but I'm already it's slave

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Looking nice!!!

 

[Doesj]

this morning

way too pink!

size reference:

everything back to grey!

 

[Doesj]

I'm nearly done!

to do:
- make a new lid for the cave
- 2 more layers of grout and 1 layer of varnish for the vegetable-bin
- make a hole in the back of the fake ceiling to pass the power cord through
- attach the top to the tank

I'll be picking up my beardie next sunday. Sadly enough the one I wanted has had some health issues so the owner decided not to sell him anymore. I think it was a very responsible decision by him, but it did force me to find a new beardie...

Which I did. This beautiful little guy is a (Dachiu red x blood) x Florida Orange:

 

[MyLittleFoot]

what a cute Beardie

that was very honest of the breeder not to sale you the sick one, I bet that doesn't happen to often

can't wait to see more pics of your baby in his new home, which looks real good.

 

[andrewlloyd]

WOW!!

What a great looking viv!

One question i have though is, How on earth do clean the poop off all that fake rock? Is it hard?

 

[Doesj]

WOW!!

What a great looking viv!

One question i have though is, How on earth do clean the poop off all that fake rock? Is it hard?

thanks!

about the cleaning: officially I don't know because I don't have my beardie yet.

But since all the fake rock is covered in yacht varnish, it's just as solid and smooth as tiles, so I don't expect cleaning to be a problem.

PS: as of this monday, my beardie will have his own webcam at http://massis.camstreams.com which will be on between 8 AM and 6 PM (CET or GMT+1 that is)!

 

[andrewlloyd]

No worries mate!

Ahh ok, lol
when will you be getting the little guy or girl?

Webcam?! This is ace! Lol

 

[Doesj]

No worries mate!

Ahh ok, lol
when will you be getting the little guy or girl?

Webcam?! This is ace! Lol

guy.

Daku.

this sunday.

way
too
exited!

 

[andrewlloyd]

sundays passed..

Pics of the guy>?!