Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm planning on building an indoor enclosure to house 1 or 2 dwarf caimans. I'm thinking of using cement blocks to raise the base about a foot or 2 off the floor so i can install a floor drain, and lining it with an EPDM pond liner. But then I started wondering since the caimans have sharp claws, what's the likelihood of it scratching through the liner and flooding the basement? I have seen others using pond liners for their gators, so should this be a concern or not? Thanks.

When I was a kid I had a huge pond that was designed using one of these thick pond liners, as I recall the largest animals I ever had in this pond was a 4-5ft Dwarf Caiman and a 4-5ft Dwarf Crocodile ..... I never had a problem with them ripping or puncturing the liner.

BUT ... I wouldnt make a pond like this now, to risky!! If you liner gets ripped or punctured you would have serious problems!

If I where you I would go with a thick heavy kiddie pool like the little tykes models, one of the thick black preformed ponds or I would make my own pond using fiberglass or epoxy.

Yea, that's what I'm starting to think too. The pond liners are good for outdoors where a small leak probably wouldn't be a big deal. One of the rigid preformed ponds looks like the way to go for me and my setup. I will probably create a raised platform out of 3/4" plywood and cut a hole for the pond to fit into.

Thanks for the info.

DavidY, I have been searching for the same solution, and I was told from several liner distributors that there has been issues with dogs damaging them. So I'd say there could be an issues, I would like to know your soltuion for I have a large gator and currently am in planning phase of building a larger tank also.

Other then the pound liners, Which I have questioned my gators damaging the liners, I have now found the following solutions that can be used. These are Spill Containment liners which are alot thicker.

PS. Talk to Mario Cruz, He can send you some samples for the ( Urethane, CP2K, XR-5 )

Mario Cruz
UltraTech International Inc.
800-353-1611x204
http://www.spillcontainment.com/

I have also checked in to the toxicity of the material I mentioned update. The following documents where provided to me.

Page One:

Page Two:

Sorry There are better images.

Material Safety Data Sheets

Page One:
http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=urethanecontainmentbermbl7.jpg

Page Two
http://img123.imageshack.us/my.php?image=urethanecontainmentbermpt4.jpg