Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For Water Dragons, should I go with a 4X5X3' cage or a 4X6X2.5' cage? All are LengthXHeightXDepth(width)

By my quick math the 4x5x3 cage would only require 3 sheets of material. The 4x6x2.5 cage would require cutting into a 4'th and would leave a lot of scrap.

Of course if you might need the leftover for another project the 4x6x2.5 cage would leave a lot more scrap. That can either be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.

From a husbandry perspective, I don't now enough about the animals to say for sure. I have kept them and would be more inclined to provide them with lateral rather than vertical area. But there may be reasons not to do that.

Well...the reason I ask is because they're both the same gallon size...I was just figuring on possibly more climbing. But then again the species is only semi-arboreal. When you say 3x5x4, you're talking about 3 complete sheets of plywood? About how thick would you suggest...3/4" or 1"?

It would not be three complete sheets. At that size you would still have some scrap. Probably about one piece at 3x4' and another at 1x5.

If you want to maximize your use of the material I could play around with the numbers and let you know.

Regardless, be sure you can fit the cage through doors, around corners, etc. This is often overlooked.

1" plywood is specialty item. I have built larger cages from 3/4" with no trouble so go with that.

I've got til around December to build this bad boy...but I'm going to start this week. I'm taking a certain percentage outta my paycheck and try to complete at least one part. The trick about this cage is that it's going to assemble and disassemble. There's going to be the bottom, the the frame sides, the actual sides, and then the top. I'm looking at 2X6 or 2X8 for the cage bottom. There's going to be a small pool in the bottom of it with a drain. Pretty sure I'm going with Mortar for the bottom so I can shape it. i know that the bottom's going to be the heaviest part. So that's what I'm starting with. Just thought that I could help you if you do some figuring.Thanx

Chance

oops....I meant 2X8 or 2X6 boards for the sides of the bottom with the plywood about 2-3" from the bottom of each board.

I think a modular cage design is a great idea. If you go to Rockler.com there are fasteners that allow you to assemble and disassemble panels. Very similar to what you might find on some furniture.

You might also consider building frames out of 1x4 stock and then recessing thin plywood panels into those frames. This saves money and weight and allows these fasteners to be sunk into "real" wood instead of plywood. Even better it makes building beyond 4' increments less wasteful.

One of these days I'm going to do something like that for my girlfriend's bearded dragon.

What kind of screws/nails would I need?

Here's a link to a picture of the fasteners I mentioned.

Some of the other pictures on the site might be helpful to you as well. Not exactly what I was mentioning but sort of the same principal.

http://www.inlaw-outlaw.com/construction/img003.jpeg.html

How would I go about puttin grooves in the side frames so that plexiglass/plywood can just slide in?

I just run my stock across a table saw. It takes two passes, each rotated 180* to each other. A router also works.

I am also trying to make an enclosure for a water dragon. My deminisions are Lengthxheightxdepth (4ftx5ftx3ft. I have yet to start, and I have not really gotten a plan together. I have the picture of what I want to do in my head, but I don't know whether it would be better to make the whole thing out of plywood and having sliding front doors or, if I shoudl use Melamine which I keep hearing about,but have yet to find. I know I want to make a customize hood on top to house the ligths and flourescent strips, I also want a pond. I was going to go cheap and just get a pond liner and attach a drainage system to it. I would really love to follow you as you construct your habitat so that i can have ideas when I start mine. I will be starting mine within the next two weeks. I will also be putting sliding pads under mine so that I can get it in and out of doorways. Thank you.

Swipper's Mom