Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This next week (after I rake in all the money from my birthday) I plan on buying supplies to build a couple of tanks.

I need to know what all I will need.

Also, purduecg I like your terrarium that you built. I was wondering, do you know if you can put another terrarium (like a 40 breeder) on top of the one you built?

If I could build one like yours purduecg, and be able to put a terrarium on top also that would be terrific.

Thanks in advance for any help!
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1.1 mali uro's-Ares and Apollo
1.saharan uro- Iris
1.2 bearded dragon-Hades and Draco
0.2 leo gecko-Kalypso
0.3 tokaye gecko-Sid Vicious
1.0 tarantula-Peter Parker
0.2 dog-cheeka
0.2 zebra finch-beeps
0.2 african gray parrot-keya
1.0 red headed parrot-pancho
0.3 Fish (sorry no names for them)

RIP Orion

I made a 2'x2'x6' terrarium using one 4'x8' sheet. I used a 4'x8' double sided 1/2" Omega plywood sign board(can be ordered through a sign shop and costs about $60) or you can use melamine board (at Menards or Lowes but it comes in 3/4" and this would make the terrarium heavier).
Then I went to a place that repairs screens and windows and had them make me a 2'x6' metal screen top with aluminum frame and a wood framed "double strength glass" front 2'x6'.($80 for both)
Then I scanned in a photo of a desert in Africa and took it to a sign shop and had it printed on vinyl and I applied it to the inside of the back and sides. Then I added four vents and put it all together. Not sure if this helps but it turned out pretty good and didn't cost too much...

what do you do with a tank two feet high? like do you make layers or "hills" or something? and if so, how do you make them?
if you use UVB lights, how do you make sure the light is actually reaching them? i see taller tanks all the time but i was always worried about getting them because i would not know what to do with them
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vonnie
***There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it. Mary Wilson Little ***

I actually make hills. Right now in the mali's tank I have varying pieces of wood under their sand, all different in height, that way they get their heat. The idea for this is when I get an egyptian next spring, that if he/she decided to glass dance that they will have enough room and won't be hitting his/her head on a heated surface.

See my brother's ex-wife, had 2 full grown mali's ian a 40 gallon breeder, and every time they glass danced they hit the screen lid and they were only about 15 (female) and 18 inches (male) long.

I'll also have 2 under tank heat pads (they'll only cover half of the hide that way if they still wanna be in their hide and be warm, then all they have to do is scoot over). I might make 2 or more enclosures. But I wanna make sure that if I build one like purduecg that the top will be able to hold weight so I could put a terrarium on top of a terrarium.
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1.1 mali uro's-Ares and Apollo
1.saharan uro- Iris
1.2 bearded dragon-Hades and Draco
0.2 leo gecko-Kalypso
0.3 tokaye gecko-Sid Vicious
1.0 tarantula-Peter Parker
0.2 dog-cheeka
0.2 zebra finch-beeps
0.2 african gray parrot-keya
1.0 red headed parrot-pancho
0.3 Fish (sorry no names for them)

RIP Orion

>>what do you do with a tank two feet high? like do you make layers or "hills" or something? and if so, how do you make them?
>>if you use UVB lights, how do you make sure the light is actually reaching them? i see taller tanks all the time but i was always worried about getting them because i would not know what to do with them
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>>vonnie

Well, below is a picture of what I did with two feet of vertical space. The top back shelf is about 5-6 inches below a 4 foot long shop fixture with 1 5.0 and 1 2.0 bulb in it. My uro usually spends an hour or more each day climbing around and playing up there so I know he is getting some good uvb.

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Mike Wilson
mwilson@fuu.net

I built mine 2' high because I use self ballasted mercury vapor bulbs (Mega-Ray brand). These bulbs put out the right amount of heat and also more UVa and UVb then any other light I've researched. The output of UV is at a distance farther than the usual 12" also. I hang them inside because a screen top will filter out some of the UV from any light that is set on top of it and these lights can't be moved around a lot . This also heats the tank better (because they are inside) and I can use fewer bulbs/heat sources this way.
I have photos but not sure how to post them

>> I have photos but not sure how to post them

Try imageshack.us. Basically using image shack you browse through your hardrive for the folder your pics are in ( I suggest making a folder in C drive and labeling it pictures (animals or other)).
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1.1 mali uro's-Ares and Apollo
1.saharan uro- Iris
1.2 bearded dragon-Hades and Draco
0.2 leo gecko-Kalypso
0.3 tokaye gecko-Sid Vicious
1.0 tarantula-Peter Parker
0.2 dog-cheeka
0.2 zebra finch-beeps
0.2 african gray parrot-keya
1.0 red headed parrot-pancho
0.3 Fish (sorry no names for them)

RIP Orion

Thanks, hope I did this right....
Now all I need is a better camera - lol
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Image

Yes, the way I built the tank it will definitely hold a 40 gallon breeder on top, NO PROBLEM. I think I could probably sit on the thing and it would be ok (and I am NOT a small woman, lol). The trick is putting that extra brace in the middle of the back of the tank, to keep it from sagging too much. If you really wanted to make sure it was sturdy you could put one on the front of the tank too, though I didn't because I wanted an un-obstructed view.

Were I to make the enclosure again, I might make it a little shorter, but since I was thinking it miay eventually house my Egyptian I needed that height.

I would be happy to send you the plans I drew up and the cut list I used if that would help.

Someone helped me and I would be thrilled to help others!

Elizabeth

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~echarris/archcage/

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1.0 Mali Uro Archimedes
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro Zuberi Mosca Khu (Mosca)
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

>>Yes, the way I built the tank it will definitely hold a 40 gallon breeder on top, NO PROBLEM. I think I could probably sit on the thing and it would be ok (and I am NOT a small woman, lol). The trick is putting that extra brace in the middle of the back of the tank, to keep it from sagging too much. If you really wanted to make sure it was sturdy you could put one on the front of the tank too, though I didn't because I wanted an un-obstructed view.
>>
>>Were I to make the enclosure again, I might make it a little shorter, but since I was thinking it miay eventually house my Egyptian I needed that height.
>>
>>I would be happy to send you the plans I drew up and the cut list I used if that would help.

I'd love the plans if I could get them please and thank you.

I'm thinking on making 2 or more of these enclosures. 1 is defenitley going to be made in preperation for an egyptian I will get this spring. So I do need height for that one. But the others are going to be for the mali's, my saharan, and then I'm thinking on buildling one more for my bearded dragon (he'd like a huge tank to run in).

Thanks.
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1.1 mali uro's-Ares and Apollo
1.saharan uro- Iris
1.2 bearded dragon-Hades and Draco
0.2 leo gecko-Kalypso
0.3 tokaye gecko-Sid Vicious
1.0 tarantula-Peter Parker
0.2 dog-cheeka
0.2 zebra finch-beeps
0.2 african gray parrot-keya
1.0 red headed parrot-pancho
0.3 Fish (sorry no names for them)

RIP Orion