Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Also what's the easiest and best materials to use if I build a lid?

Any other suggestions?
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Chris Vanderwees

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Well my whole enclosure is built out of plywood. Im not sure what yours is built from but if you dont want a wood top i'd reccomend a plexiglass top.

Jaye

It is a galvanized steel feeding or watering trough for horses or cattle. It is supposed to be rust proof and it is pretty strong and sturdy. (10' x 3' x 2' deep)

For the lid...I was thinking I'd construct it out of a plywood frame and for the screening on top I was thinking I'd use hardware cloth or something stronger maybe like dog kennel caging.

What would be the advantage to having a plexiglass top??? I would think that the ventilation would be cut down and the heat would build up too high. Maybe I'm wrong but let me know.

Any suggestions?
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Chris Vanderwees

E-mail Me
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons
1.1.0 Crested Geckos
1.3.0 Veiled Chameleons
3.5.0 Corn Snakes
1.3.0 Tokay Geckos
2.2.0 California Kingsnakes
1.3.0 South Florida Kingsnakes
1.1.0 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snakes
1.5.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Green Iguanas
3.3.0 Mali Uromastyx

I would think since the sides and bottom is medal you will have to watch the temps all the time.
It might get too hot with a completely covered top.
Diana

A solid (plexi or wood) top (with a small vent) will cut down ventilation. A screen top will allow alot of ventilation.

I think the most common cage building mistake by very new keepers is to over-ventilate.

I prefer to keep the heat in the cages, and not bleed it out into my room, I also prefer to keep any moisture in the cages (it will escape with the heat).

I don't know what will work in your situation, but I do know:
1) Houses have very low levels of humidity, levels that are low enough to slowly dehydrate reptiles.
2) All my troughs are covered, I use troughs for argus, ackies, goulds, and for a time jobiensis.
3) I have more problems with heat loss than heat buildup

--Robert

Hmmmm I do believe i was under informed as to what you were using for an enclosure before i made my suggestions. I should of followed up with the proper questions. Since i've never used a trough, im going to assume( correct me if im wrong) that you can't cut ventilation holes in the sides of it, which is where i'd reccomend they should be placed to keep heat and humidity from escaping thru the top. If that is the case i'd say a plexi or plywood top with "small" vents could still be appropriate but my fear with that is not knowing the humidity levels in your area. If they're really low it could dehydrate it and too high could cause respitory infections and such. But what works in your favor is Savs dont require a lot of humidity, I maintain my enclosures between 40 and 50 percent. But no matter what you decide my only advise would be to keep a close eye on your temps and humidity. Good luck.

Jaye

Hi,

I am in agreement with Robert...most monitor keepers I know shun screen tops. It is more important to keep the humidity in for the health of your monitor. If have a problem with heat just use a lower watt bulb or put it on a thermostat. With a 10" long trough though, I'm sure you could heat the heck out of one side and have the other be room temperature no matter what you used for a lid. In my 29-gallon aquariums that I use for ackies, their basking spot is around 125 degrees F and they also have a spot of the cool side, with hide spots and burrow areas, where they can get 70 or so. And that's only a 30" long or so tank.

Just one other point...I would think 10' is overkill, and I don't think that 2' is deep enough to give an adult Sav deep enough substrate and also cage furniture. Remember, Savs love to dig and live in the wilds in grasslands and like to burrow.

Good luck,

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Phil Black
www.VaranusWeb.com