Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i just recently discovered google sketch up, and had a lot of fun playing around with it, but i wanted to draw something instead of just random thing so i ended up drawing a big corner cage that i think would be fun for a green tree.

i do not own any monitors but i love the greens and hopefully will get one some day, but that might not be for 20 years lol so i dont know...

anyways this is what i came up with let me know what you think just keep in mind i do not own any monitors and this was just something fun to draw trying to learn how to use google sketch up

those light colored parts can be cork panels i had the idea that the cork could be mounted to a piece of 1/4" they could be removable or changed out if it get really torn up. the pond is just to show water in there maybe have a frame to hold a removable plastic tub. there is plenty of climbing, heating and lighting (not drawn in), basking, hiding box... i was just having fun with it

an open view of the inside

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-Stephen-

0.1 Fiance (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)

I used sketchup to design several cages.

VERY useful for getting exact sizes and material requirements. Nice draw up.

Cheers,
Mike.

I think the overall cage design is awesome. but as for the fernishings I would go more natural. While that would possible work it your monitor wont like as much as a natural setup, and it wont look as good. Make sure that it can hold a good amount of substrait. A few shelves is a good idea but other than that tree branches and hollow cork tubes. I was thinking about putting cork on my tree monitors walls as well. Im just worried he will shread it. Good luck if you end up building this cage.

The cage is nice looking but the furnishings aren't ideal. The suggested idea of covering the walls with cork is a great idea. Thicker cork will hold up better or else just use virgin cork pieced together as that stuff holds up to claws very well. I recently used the Zoomed cork tiles to line my V.similis enclosure and am quite pleases with them. They are pricey but seem like they will hold up to claws quite well. Tree monitors will greatly benefit from having climbable walls. It adds tons of usable space. Cork also helps with humidity since you can spray it down and it will soak up water.

Ditch the shelves in favor of some vertically oriented branches. Think tree trunks here with at least 4" of diameter that go from the floor to the ceiling of the cage. Also as previously mentioned cork tubes are an important tool for them to utilize. My V.beccarii love to hide in very tight fitting cork tubes. You can place them at various heights and angles and temps and let the lizard pick which ones are needed and when. A nice deep layer of substrate is a good plan with oak leaf litter being my top recommended choice.

Water proofing the wood is an important concern for something requiring such high humidity. Lining the inside with FRP or coating it with epoxy resin are both great ways to do this. Stuff like poly urethane will not do the job in this type of setup.

Another thing to consider is to make sure the cage is up as high as it can be. Even placing a 6' cage on a 12"-18" stand will help. Lots of arboreal monitors seem to be more comfortable interacting with you when they are at or above your eye level.

I think it is a great idea to put up plans before building as that way you get advice before you have invested in the cage.

Cheers
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Steve

thanks for the advise guy i do appreciate it.

this was more just for fun like i said i was just trying out the 3d software. i wasnt designing this for to build it but just something to design to learn the program.

green tree monitors are on my "someday list" but that someday wont be for many years if at all, so if and when that time comes i will for sure spend more time designing and follow your advise!
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-Stephen-

0.1 Fiance (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)