Starting two new cages

Well my black throat is just over a year now and closing on 5 feet and my 4 month old baby sumatran water monitors just hit 2 feet so its time to build two new cages. This time I'm working on two cage that should last them forever.

I going with 7' L x 7' W x 7' tall. I've decided to use 2x4 framing with 3/4 ABS plywood inside with 3/4 Red Oak Plywood for the front and side. I will fiberglass the inside plywood to hold in the humidity. I've already cut the trees I will use for the inside and have most materials ready to go. I will include a 7' L X 3' W wide fiberglass pound for the water but will only build a 3' W x 3' L pond for the black throat. Each will have 18" of substraight.
All will have a large RETES stack and a 2' W x 7' L basking shelf.

All internal electrical will be in water proof boxes and conduit. I'm only lacking the temp controls just researching what model to use and the lighting?

Chris Wilkinson, Meadow Lakes, Alaska

Sounds like quite the project. Pics when your done??

Well its been awhile since I opened this post. After several design changes I think I've hit on the best compromise considering home size, extreme winterers, and power losses. I wanted bigger but maintaining interior climate control consider a few of the variables noted above cost effectively was problem.

My over all dimensions for the following are:

Water Monitor(Neo) 7' tall x 8' wide x 7' deep
water tank - 36" wide x 7" long x from 2.75' to 3' deep
Electrical all internal, GFI protected, controlled from front panel
Heating electrical unit, 120, independent
Wood Frame, insulated, plywood sheeted, fiberglass lined
Lighting spot 5 75 watt fixtures, estimated 120 - 160 surface temps for basking,
interior - designed for water monitor see pic

Black Throat Monitor (Sebastian) 7' tall x 7' wide x 7 deep
water tank - semi circular 3" wide x 2' deep
Electrical all internal, GFI protected, controlled from front panel
Heating electrical unit, 120, independent
Wood Frame, insulated, plywood sheeted, fiberglass lined
Lighting spot 5 75 watt fixtures, estimated 120 - 160 surface temps for basking,
interior - designed for black throat monitor see pic

Still have a way to go but I'm taking my time, moved my boys to a separate location to keep them out of the smell (nasty).

let me know what you think

Due to file size this will group 1

Here you go this will be group 2.

Framing changed a little as we built them as we considered security for them, access for me, and maintaining interior climate all had to adjusted when the building starting and proceeded because if you ever built one before you get stuck with it in many ways.


Let me know what you think

Continuation of ruff ins

Continuation of build

you now see the cages coming together. I'm working on the tank for the water monitor, base as you see is heavily insulated. I slopped it to help cleaning. Approximately 120 gals +

I know some will say not big enough, they are correct.

Best I can do with what I got to work with.

Let me know what you think

Continuation of Build

You can see the water monitor tank ruff in completed.

You can now see the central (steam punk style) tree emerge. I needed a way to strengthen the tank so design change 9. The tree is created with individual slices of plywood to give me the freedom to create climbing points to the upper basking shelf.

let me what you think

Continuation of build

You can see the tree grow and connect to the upper basking shelf tieing them together. you can jump up and down and not move anything. I did not want my boy to injure himself playing around.

Next to the tank you can see where I designed at least 3' for digging.

Let me know what you think

Continuation of build

You can see the water monitor cage ruff ins are 90% completed.

You can now see where I begin working the Black Throat cage. Totally different set of variables to consider some the same many are not.

Interesting when merging to different cage designs at one time.

Let me know what you think

Continuation of build

You can see the same style I used to create the water monitor cage but my requirement for vertical play space is not as important. I needed a more gradual transition for him to move around. He likes to climb but he also needs a easy way down.

The Retes stack in the back gives him easy access to the basking shelf above.

Let me know what you think