Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was using a rubbermaid tub so my dragon could bask in the sun, bad idea the temp climbed to 150F within minutes. Whats a good way to cage them outside so they can get actual sun light. Also they get scared to death when I take them outside the flip out. By the way a bearded dragon can climb up a brick house easily I came close to watching one run up the bricks. Damn I got lucky before he got too high I grabbed him.

There is a good link by txdragons about 3/4 of the way down. It's under "outdoor cages".

Josh

outdoor enclosures

Josh

I make mine with 1/4" hardward cloth. A picture of one is below.

In the wild the danger is from above. Large birds can and will swoop down and get a lizard in an open top container or on the ground. Here in New Jersey we have Hawks and Turkey Vultures that would happily eat a dragon.

Even with the screen above some dragons are still fearful the first time out. They settle down after they get used to it.

Even with the full venting of the screen you should still provide shade and if it's near 85 or higher I wouldn't bother putting them out at all as the risk off them overheating is too great.

In areas where it often gets over 85F during the day, air temp, its better to bring your dragon out in the morning or a few hour before sundown...when its cooler and still sun out to benefit your dragons.

Solid sided containers can heat up fast when its hot outside, so screen or clear sided containers (not glass!) with good shaded areas or placed mostly in shade, are better to use.

Dragons who haven't been out much or never outside before, can freak out easily as they are not used to having all kinds of things above them (other than a bright light and the ceiling of their cage. Not to mention all the other things moving about outside (trees, people, cars, animals etc) so its quite a shock to them. Its best to bring them out somewhere with as little activity as possible to get them used to it...but they typically calm down after a few sessions outside.

ALso make sure they are well secure in their outdoor cages as you don't want one to get away from you in a panic...
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PHLdyPayne

Where in NJ are you located? I'm in Long Island. I love NY but the winter weather sucks for herps. I'm moving into a new house and building some permanent outdoor enclosures for my monitors, frilleds, dragons and tortoises. Very excited about the prospect of nice summer enclosures.

HM

I live in South Jersey about 20 minutes Southeast of Philadelphia. It's still mostly country here. With farms, rodeo, etc.

It's risky to keep dragons outside here day and night because of the lightning bugs. If they eat one it's almost instant death so to have to bring them in before dusk. You also have to be careful if you leave cages outside that there is not one hiding from the night before.

One of the vets I work with has a farm just a couple miles from me. She puts her tortioses and Iguanas outside full time without issue in the summer. She said she had tried putting dragons out in the past but they developed some kind of fungus. I think it's really too humid here for dragons during the summer.

Will you post a few more pics from different angles of your outdoor cage? Is the top a lid? did you get the 1/4" hardware cloth at lowes or home depot?

This is the only other picture I have right now. I keep them in my garage when they are not being used so I can't take more pics. right away. Yes the hardware cloth came from Home depot and the top is the lid. I put groups in the cages and the top is the easiest place for a door. It had indoor outdoor carpet as substrate so I can wash it with a hose.

Hey thanks for the reply. Looks like something I might be able to build. I built my beardies adult cage with plexi glass(tinted plexi) with alluminum corners with liquid nails. I'm going to build another cage for my female with a front door that folds down, it will be way easier access. Thanks

I put my 2 week old babies out in the sun this morning in Las Vegas. As you learned, you never leave them even for a second. It was already 97 when the went outside at 9am. I sit with them and when one or two start to gape, I mist them will cool water. They do get a bit nervous at first, but 10 minutes out there they we loving it. Again I do not leave them for a second. If I go in the house, they go in the house. I will take them out again tomorrow too. The key is to keep them warm but not overheated. The clear bin throws a shadow on the sand if they dont want to sit in the sun, but most do (the only time my dragons are ever on sand) and the sand keeps them insulated from the sidewalk in the front of the house and the stones in the backyard. There is no enclosure that I would put a bearded dragon in and leave them unattended. I also do not leave the bins out side, so when the babies come out, the sand is room temperature and isnt hot when the babies hit it. I do the same thing with my adults.
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www.moonstonedragons.com

I live in deep south Texas... the weather reads 96F. but the heat index states it feels like 103F.

I've kept dragons in stock trough, outside in direct sunlight with a wood board covering half the 8ft trough. (we had no trees in the old property) The dragons had an island of rocks (flagstones piled with gaps inbetween) in the middle of the tub. I never had any deaths... dragons would be out sunning in the early morning, and afternoon... sometimes during noon. But once it got hot, they'd be hiding out between the crevices.. the shade area was at least 15-20 cooler than the area in the direct sunlight. We made a simple plastic screen for the lid, we never had any issues with hawks or birds of prey attacking.

The best results as far as color goes for these dragons is to house them in "shade" houses.... were they get sunlight, but its not at its full force blazing hot... they'll lighting up alot (same shade clothes used for plants, and all that)

http://riobravoreptiles.com/howto_outdoor.htm

Here is a pic of my babies at just under three weeks of age basking. It was 113 f here today. I sit with them for the hour and generate my own D3 while they hang out. This is their third time out and were calm as can be. When more than two start to gape, I mist them. I never leave them even for a second. If I go inside, so do they. They have the rock for shade or to climb. It is a great captive enrichment, but caution is a must at my temps.

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www.moonstonedragons.com

Cool post Mark. Curious to know what the top of that rock would temp gun at with 113 outside temperature. More than 140 on the surface I am guessing.