Would this design be ok to use for a bearded dragon?

[liekey89]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnIBIeoHjv4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Right now my beardie is in a 55 gal tank. She's only about 9 inches so it works for now but she will need a more appropriate size for when she is full grown. She is plenty happy in the 55 and in good health. I got it for free and knew it was a temporary tank. As I was checking out designs for building my own viv I came across this video and was wondering if it would be ok to use something like this for a beardie. I use a MVB for my heat and UVB in one. This avoids the hassle of having to mount a tube in the tank.

Do you guys think it would be safe to use this design in place of the standard melamine or plywood design? Size wise I would still go with approximately 4x2x2. My biggest concern would be the potential of her getting to the foam and digging into it but I think with the tile that problem would be sorted out.

 

[Claudiusx]

The whole tank is made of Styrofoam? Including sides/ceiling? If so, no.

Spend the couple extra 10 bucks and use wood. Even plywood would make a better siding IMO than Styrofoam.

-Brandon

 

[SnowDog]

You could build an enclosure out of Melamine for under 200 bucks and your Dragon wouldn't be able to dig out of it like that one.

 

[dom1959]

i watched the vid and i don't see any way a beardie is gonna scratch thru the tile.
he would never touch the styrofoam imo.
i think it is a very smart idea and hope more opinions are shared on this build.

 

[jxl22]

beardies hate the type of flooring that they used in that.

Bought that instead of slate by accident and my BD hates it. need to grab some slate soon.

 

[ReptarsLandLord]

I agree that dragons need something better than adhesive tiles for a substrate. They need to be able to get traction, and imo the best look and function is natural slate tile. By that I mean the kind that is uncoated and rough that people use for outdoor spaces. I got the tile cheap from Lowe's and they were even able to cut them for me. They are heavy, so be careful when putting them in if you have a thin glass tank. Mine is 1/2" thick so I haven't had any issues. The rest of the design is interesting, but I'd stick with a crossfire or other similar design. Any type of wood would be more sturdy. Keep researching and find what's best for you and your skill/time/money.

 

[BeardiesOnBlast]

I would say NO. The reason being the high temps needed for a beardie would cause the glue on the tile to "sweat" and the fumes from the glue are toxic to the bearded...

 

[Claudiusx]

Which is why we recommend the non-adhesive versions :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[BeardiesOnBlast]

I use tile that has texture on it. My guys love it. I want to make a custom cage and I am going to use the slate.