Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am going to build a cage for 2-3 Prehensile taile skinks. It will be about 7 and 1/2 feet tall, about 6 feet wide, and 2 1/2 feet deep. I want to make the structure out of bamboo to give it that tropical flare, but I may just use normal lumber because bamboo may be difficult to use. I was planning on making 2/3 of the cage closed in with plexy glass or a similar material. The plexy glass portion would be the doors. I want to make the top 1/3 of the cage mesh. It will house all the bulbs and such and be where the basking spot(s) are. The cage is being built into kinda of an alcove, so there will be only one open side. I wanted to built in "floating shelves" to hold up the food dishes, soaking dishes, hides, etc. I am planning on using branches(most likely from the oak tree in my yard) and drift wood for the "furniture". I want to use a humidifier/air exchanger to keep the cage humid and fresh. I have a ceramic infrared heating element that I hope will keep the cage warm(around 85). I also want to put heat tape in the hides. I am going to get full spectrum lighting whether or not they really need it. Please help me with this and give me any suggestions on material or anything else that you see a problem with. THank you very much, jrbl.

P.S. WHERE IS EVERYONE? No one has really posted lately. jrbl

>>P.S. WHERE IS EVERYONE? No one has really posted lately. jrbl
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Edward
Carpe diem

Size sounds great- I wisH I had that kind of extra space. You may have trouble with the bamboo- the only contruction I have seen with bamboo has been with the 'tubes' tied or roped together. It has a tendency to splinter/split. I would put the soak dish on the bottom as it will probably be the heaviest mobile item in there. They like to defecate on the bottom as well, and often will use the soak dish before, or during this. I use an ultrasonic humidifier hooked to a humidistat to keep the humidity around 60%. I had it on the inside of the cage for awhile, but condensation kept shorting the motor- now it is on the outside with the mist tubed it. So far so good...
People are probably all recovering from too much candy or too much punch, hence the quiet skink forum.
cheers, Jess B

when you drill or nail through it. I am going to build a cage for 2-3 Prehensile taile skinks. It will be about 7 and 1/2 feet tall, about 6 feet wide, and 2 1/2 feet
deep. I want to make the structure out of bamboo to give it that tropical flare, but I may just use normal lumber because
bamboo may be difficult to use. I was planning on making 2/3 of the cage closed in with plexy glass or a similar material. The
plexy glass portion would be the doors. I want to make the top 1/3 of the cage mesh. It will house all the bulbs and such and
be where the basking spot(s) are. The cage is being built into kinda of an alcove, so there will be only one open side. I
wanted to built in "floating shelves" to hold up the food dishes, soaking dishes, hides, etc. I am planning on using
branches(most likely from the oak tree in my yard) and drift wood for the "furniture". I want to use a humidifier/air
exchanger to keep the cage humid and fresh. I have a ceramic infrared heating element that I hope will keep the cage
warm(around 85). I also want to put heat tape in the hides. I am going to get full spectrum lighting whether or not they
really need it. Please help me with this and give me any suggestions on material or anything else that you see a problem
with. THank you very much, jrbl.

Here is a link to the humidifier I want to use. I am not sure if it is too small or too big. You might be right about the candy. I was kinda thinking of putting a soak dish on the bottom. I might put one on the bottom and one mid way up the cage. Thank you, jrbl
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