MOVING! MUST GO!
This enclosure is the culmination of 7 years of learning and testing things out to get the best result. The enclosure is made of wood with a metal horse trough for the substrate. The enclosure was custom made to fit in my reptile shed outside, so it has a steepled roof. It is 8 feet wide, 4 feet tall at the ends, 5 feet tall at the middle and 3 feet deep. I have it on cinder blocks to get it off of the ground.
The base again is a 8'x3'x2' metal horse trough with a wood frame around it. The trough is filled all 2' with substrate that consists of 70% regular dirt and 30% sand. It holds a burrow and moisture very well. The trough has a drain tube drilled in the bottom so excess water does not sit in the bottom. There is a 2” bed of coarse gravel in the bottom to keep the drainage water out of the dirt. There is also a hole drilled in the end side of the trough so PVC plumbing can be run out for the water bowl
The top half of the enclosure is made out of wood and plywood, painted on the inside with “ReptiShield”. Reptishield protects the wood from moisture and I haven’t seen any rot in 7 years of operation. The top half of the enclosure is made up of 6 separate panels. A back piece, two side pieces, a front piece and two roof pieces. This makes the enclosure easier to break down, fix and assemble. They are designed to fit together with no gaps to seal in moisture. They are assembled with screws and metal brackets for support. The front/access piece is just 2x4s with acrylic windows for a total viewing experience of the monitor and environment. There are two sliding glass doors that move within a plastic U-channel.
The “furniture” inside the enclosure includes a large, long pine tree trunk that allows the monitor to get from the substrate to the lighting. The perch allows for the entire lizard to get heat from the lighting head to tail. There are other branches that allow the monitor to get exercise as well as get from high to low to thermo-regulate. There is a triangle-shaped shelf on the hot side that is a piece of plywood attached to a branch that allows for hiding and warming up in seclusion or a “hot hide”. This could also be a great place for a nesting box. I have multiple “Retes stacks” on the shelf that allows for more options for the monitor. On the cool side, there is a plywood board that extends all the way across the cage and is secured under the front and back panels for stability. This is where the water bowl sits and I currently use a plastic concrete mixing tub. There is plumbing that allows the water bowl to be emptied out of the end of the cage using a ball valve. This also allows for a hide on the cool side where the monitor can dig and cool off.
Humidity is maintained by the airtight construction of the cage, with weather stripping between the panels as well as a tube that runs to a water spigot with 4 sprinkler heads (2 90 degree and 2 180 degree) inside of the cage. Running this for 10-20 seconds raises and maintains humidity at the desired 70%.
This enclosure really is my pride and joy and I have been told it is “show quality” or “better than at the zoo”.
I also have a custom melamine enclosure, it is 40"x24"x24". It is all melamine with a pine door frame and acrylic front window. Has cutouts with screen on top for a UV Light as well as a heat lamp. Holds moisture and 4" of substrate. Has a vent at the top of the back panel for ventilation as well as a slide to limit the air leaving the enclosure.
I am looking for:
$200 for the large custom enclosure (or Best Offer)
$50 for the custom holding cage. (or Best Offer)
I'm open to any offer. Just ask!
Many pictures below of everything.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Jeff 310-598-0700,
jharding08@gmail.com
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