Posted by:
filecore
at Sun Sep 21 04:27:33 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by filecore ]
Right, I'm planning on getting an uromastyx (probably maliensis or ocellatus), and I've done plenty of research (including reading many threads on this site) and, while many of your brands are unfamiliar to me (as I live in Europe), I have some experience with carpentry and am fairly confident that I have a realistic plan in mind. I just have a couple of questions about the specific design of the cage but mostly I'm just after confirmation that my plan is sound.
I'm planning to build 142cm x 52cm x 50cm (LxWxH) - that's about 60" x 20.5" x 19.5". The bottom, back, and sides will be wooden, while the top will be part wood, part mesh. I believe that a good hardwood like oak or maple is recommended. I'm not sure about what artificial boards are suitable (plywood, MDF, etc) and although I know that some are susceptible to warping with damp, the uromastyx likes a nice hot, dry environment so this shouldn't be a problem. I'd like to keep the cost relatively low, if possible.
I understand that ventilation is important, and I'm planning to have two wooden panels at either end of the top - about 52cm x 40cm (about 20.5" x 16" , with the gap of 65cm (25.5" between them being covered with mesh. The panels will be hinged at the ends for access to the cage, and the right-most panel will have a hole for the basking light. The UVB strip will hang from hooks at the inner edge of either panel, and can be easily removed for access.
On the front of the cage, I would of course have a viewing window - either glass or something like acrylic. I am aware that glass is better (against scratching and heat, and for general longevity); any other thoughts on this? It would be the entire 142x50 size of the front. I would seal the edges of all joins in the tank with silicon. Is this an appropriate material?
Finally, both the UVB and the basking lamp would be connected to a 3-socket timer, which would switch them on and off on a predetermined day/night schedule. Any recommendations for length of day/night cycle would be welcome. I am also planning to fit a dimmer switch inline for the basking lamp, as I'm sure it will take some experimentation to find the correct temperatures/heat gradient for this cage.
Well, that seems to be about everything (I'm not going to go into the details of the furnishings, I'm only concerned with the physical structure of the cage itself at this point). Is there anything I'm missing, or any other hints/advice/criticisms/questions? Thanks in advance!
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 Building an uromastyx cage - filecore, Sun Sep 21 04:27:33 2008
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