Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm considering purchasing a reptarium for my bearded dragon Puff. I'm thinking a 260 gal. just cuz it is, well, huge and incase i need it for something larger later, I will still have it. A main reason for switching puff out of her cage is that my girlfriend wants to get a dragon, and I could give her my 29 Long. I have heard crickets can chew through them, is this the case? Even if so, Puff would devour anything before it got a chance to chew through i would think. So, could i get the temp to stay high enough?? Substrate will probably be like the mix on uro forums, but with more sand, so it isn't so dark. Anyway, I would love ALL advice because they are 100$ or more, and me being a Junior in high school, that is a lot to me. Even if you think to yourself, hay, that sounds good, just say it, and a NP in the title. Or, simply say a 260 is too big, maybe a ***. I really would like as many people to give their 2 cents, and perhaps a nickel here and there, too!

Thanks guys!
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0.1 Pogona vitticeps Inland Bearded Dragon Puff the Magic Dragon about 1.5 years.
1.0 Uromastyx malinensis Mali Uromastyx Fluffy approx 1.5.
0.1 Iguana iguana Green Iguana Taco 9.5.
0.1 Gekko gekko Tokay Gecko Brogan approx 4.
0.0.1 Oedura monilis Australian Velvet Gecko Danny 2.5.
0.1 Eublepharis macularius Leopard Gecko Jazmine 4/10/04.
0.0.1 Phelsuma standingi Standing's Day Gecko Emril 3/24/04.
1.0 Tabby Cat Sargon 15. Our real fluffy.

Impossible to heat, and crickets will chew through it. also your dragon will get its claws caught in the netting. I know the price is good but they are really for chamelons or snakes not Beardies. Save up and get a 40 gal breeder or 50 gal long and you will be much happier in the long run, since the money on a repterium would be money thrown away, since you would have to replace it after a couple of months anyway.

I would think that the 260 would really be waaay to big for your one beardie. I happen to really like reptariums, i keep my snakes in them. Alot of people would say that there are too many issues with humidity, but i have never had a problem before. Crickets will chew throught the mesh...i have heard that from more than one herper. BUT... you know best. Just make sure that no drafts will blow through the reptarium if you keep him in there. I would probably go with a 65g flat for your beardie. 100 at the most. hope my opinions help!!
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"i wasn't born with enough middle fingers"

1.0 ball python- Azazel
1.0 columbian boa- Brooklyn
1.0 JCP-Milton
1.0 red blood python-Hiss
1.0 peach phase thayeri-Sancho
0.1 creamsicle corn- Pandora
1.1 hognose- Pricilla and Odd
0.1 russian tortoise- Manja
0.1.1 leos- Boji and Kodama
0.1 beardie- Indie
1.0 BTS- Griffon
0.1 Iggy- Sunny
0.1 pacific parrolet- Mishka
1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon
1.4 ratties Rizzo, Bree, Blitzkreig, Raisin, and the Runt (R.I.P. Willard. )

If you look on Ebay orin your local classifieds there is always someone getting rid of a large aquarium cheap. Buy one of those and add a screen top and you have a very nice home for very little money. These large screen cages are not suitable for beardies.
Another possibility since you have several lizards, is to ask your Dad to help you make some melamine cages. Plans are available free online at various websites; you can make them with built in heat and light and have a display you could really be proud of. This project is a slightly higher cost but would be beautiful for a long time.

Try www.reptiledirect.com. They have reptariums at really good prices. I was using one for a little while and was definitely able to maintain the heat. You may need a few bulbs. If the temp really ends up being a problem you can always get liners for a couple of the sides.

I would not waste my time getting one for a beardie. I am not saying they are a bad product I don't really like them myself though. I would go with a 40 gallon breeder or a 50 long as someone else here said. They have a 40 gallon breeder at one of the pet shops here with a built in sliding screen top for right around 100 bucks. Actually they have the whole wrought iron stand that holds 2 tanks a 30 and 40 breeder they are nice. The breeders are nice because they are wide and long as compared to tall. If you really want to splurge Oceanic makes a really nice deal called the "Lizard Lounge" it is a glass tank. Kinda has a slight tint so you can't really see out but can see in well when the lights are on. Has 6 round vents in the back, 2 in each side and a glass top with 3 vents and a screen 4 x 36 screen in top. I just got one for some new leaftails and now want one for my beardie bad. WWW.oceanic.com has a picture of their products. They are a bit more than just tanks but are really qaulity for a lifetime built.
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"Why is it we treat the earth as if we have a spare in the trunk"

I use reptariums and I've never had a problem. Of course, I don't use crickets as a staple and am fond of greenhouse temperatures. I would use either a 65 or 100 gallon flat, whichever you have room for. Yes, sand will fall out the side, even with a liner. They do climb the mesh too, but I've never seen anybody get stuck.

Everybody has a different experience.
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2.2 corn snakes (Sid, Lee, Tao & Yin)
1 bearded dragon (Arvind)
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Thank you VERY much to all who posted. I think i will save up for a 40 breeder, looking at oceanic right now (btw, oceanicSYSTEMS.com, but easy enough to find, thanks man) Your inputs helped a lot, but i think i just might go with the 40, most people seem to use them. don't want to build a cage because she is "technically" my dad's, he thought she was VERY pretty, so i dont know where she is going after next year when i leave for college. thanks once again!!!!!!!
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0.1 Pogona vitticeps Inland Bearded Dragon Puff the Magic Dragon about 1.5 years.
1.0 Uromastyx malinensis Mali Uromastyx Fluffy approx 1.5.
0.1 Iguana iguana Green Iguana Taco 9.5.
0.1 Gekko gekko Tokay Gecko Brogan approx 4.
0.0.1 Oedura monilis Australian Velvet Gecko Danny 2.5.
0.1 Eublepharis macularius Leopard Gecko Jazmine 4/10/04.
0.0.1 Phelsuma standingi Standing's Day Gecko Emril 3/24/04.
1.0 Tabby Cat Sargon 15. Our real fluffy.