Hi, (This is a very long post I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it and offer advice.)
I have a trio of Australian Water Dragons (2.1). I'm about to get rid of one of the males as they are going on two years old and the aggression is getting intense. But, I'd like to keep them in an outdoor enclosure year round (they are currently in a 4'tall, 4'long, 2'wide CagesByDesign enclosure) and provide a sort of "outbuilding" with a minimum temp. of about 55*. I envision maybe a 3'(interior dimension)cube, elevated off the ground to prevent flooding, with a small access tunnel, made of cinderblocks/plywood, with a door of some type so I can check on the AWDs. I would install a power outlet inside (3 electricians in my family) and use a small space heater with a thermostat. Ventilation would be through the access tunnel (I guess) and a small dish of water inside would keep the space heater from drying the hibernation chamber out too much. Hardware cloth would be used to prevent the lizards from getting to close to the space heater and dish of water. This is of course a very rough brainstorm of what I'm considering. Again, I live in South East Virginia (Chesapeake). The winters are not too intense, but January and February do have some cold nights in the teens. Any thoughts on this sort of structure so I can keep my AWDs out doors year round? I appreciate any comments or help. Thanks,
Chuck
