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Help Please?? Building outdoor BTM pen

allreptiles1966

allreptiles1966

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Hi
What I really need to know is how deep should I make my slab of concrete to keep it from digging under the buried walls? Should I use a pig blanket in the pen? Any type of added heat?? How about a pond? Is regular dirt from the yard ok? Should I treat the dirt with anything? Do I need to worry about fleas/ticks? What diseases can they get from being outside,or from any type of insect? Can they get tick diseases? Can Mosquitos give them disease?

Best foods? Supplements? Vitamins?

Thank you
Rich

Ps,can I house more than one in an outdoor pen? It will be very large.
 
just curious.. BTM? all I can think of is Black Tree Monitor and those don't require a big outdoor enclosure. Whatcha getting?

edit - Is it a black throat?
 
You can use pressure treated 2x8s 10s 12s, construct a frame of whatever lenth and width you want your cage, then screw down galvinized or even pvc coated 1"x1" welded wire, to the entire 2" part of the frame.

Then flip that over and set the frame into the ground, wire mesh down, you will have to dig.
You can fill it with what ever substrate you like, and build your cage on top of the frame.
This way they cannot dig out, if constructed properly.
 
Edwardo said:
You can use pressure treated 2x8s 10s 12s, construct a frame of whatever lenth and width you want your cage, then screw down galvinized or even pvc coated 1"x1" welded wire, to the entire 2" part of the frame.

Then flip that over and set the frame into the ground, wire mesh down, you will have to dig.
You can fill it with what ever substrate you like, and build your cage on top of the frame.
This way they cannot dig out, if constructed properly.
Click to expand...


Cool. That's simple enough. Thank you for the info. I will be doing just that.
 
Not in the summer! Lol. No,I'm setting up in SC. And it gets cold there too. But I have an indoor pen already for the cold months.
 
Schdy Summer is not that short man. It's warm for a few months. but as stated,I have a huge pen indoors from my bearded dragon days. My basement was set up with over 15 3'x5' pens. I combined a few to make a Savanna pen. But i could not tame the Eavi,so he had to go.

I've already made my trenches and filled with pressure treated lumber and fenced the bottom. I should be all set. Now if I can find the right BTM.
 
Personally I wouldn't do an outdoor enclosure in either of those states because they both can get very cold at night and possibly kill the BTM. I don't know what kind of space your working with but if you can build a nice walk in Viv in a garage that would be much better but just my 2 cents
 
mialma09 said:
Personally I wouldn't do an outdoor enclosure in either of those states because they both can get very cold at night and possibly kill the BTM. I don't know what kind of space your working with but if you can build a nice walk in Viv in a garage that would be much better but just my 2 cents
Click to expand...


I've been monitoring my SC yard for a few years,and with the heat I will be adding,a few cool nights will not kill him. I have talked to a couple of guys who also have BTM pens outdoors,and they thrive. Both in SC.

SC nights in the summer are not that cool man. But I understand your concern. But heat takes care of that.
 
Outdoor cages are not that great, simply because the keeper has little control over things, your very limited, your pretty much at the mercy of the weather.

Your much much better off spending your time, effort and money on a properly set up indoor cage, were you can control things, try different things, and then make the necessary adjustments, which is a big part of keeping monitors in captivity.
 
Thanks for the info. But I'm being told different things from two people in Nj and a couple from the Carolinas. The guys I'm talking with say an outdoor pen does work. I'm not looking to control weather. Just give them some outside time!! As stated,I already have PROPERLY set up indoor pens!! Posted earlier on in this thread. So,an outdoor pen is already in progress and will be completed by fall. Summertime outdoors in Sc in HOT,and will support a big BTM for a few months as I plan. So not sure what your thinking?
I'm not looking to house them outside in cold weather.
the only thing I won't be able to control is the weather,which I'm not looking to try and do. A good covered area will help give shade and reprieve from the rain if it wants it.

Again,thanks for your opinions. Ill update as I go along. I won't be back in SC until late summer to complete my outdoor pen.
 
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