Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i want to build a 10'L x 8'T x 5'D cage. it is going to be mounted to a wall in my basment. so 50% of the cage will be the wall and 50% of the cage we will make. so i was wondering is pine ok to make the foundation for lizards cage? and also could I use sheetrock for the wall?
Thanks,
Jake

They could dig through sheetrock like a hot knife through butter. My big albig and moisture darn near went through 3/4 inch melamine, I think sheetrock would last a few days if you were really lucky, and thats all. Id build it separate from the wall definitely. Line it with FRP, its waterproof, its darn near indestructible, and can be sealed at seams with GE silicone 2. Use pine plywood for the main construction, then paint the outside with indoor house paint.

what is that "FRP" exactly, and where can I get some?

Attach it to the inside of plywood, then let the adhesive dry then assemble. Seal it with ge silicone 2.

It sounds like a great idea to have a large cage mounted against the wall but it does have some contradictions.
First of all is that humidity from the enclosure (whether a rainforest environment, or just urine, spilt water, feces ect.) will ruin materials that make the cage and the wall. The enclosure should be self contained(4 sides plus top and bottom) and then mounted onto the wall. A water proof and heat resistant material should be used. Pine should be okay if properly sealed however I"m no carpenter. All my customs begin with 2x4's and plywood. I recently tried a rubber-based deck covering to line a tortoise table. A new adventure, it so far looks like it is thoroughly water resistant, easy to clean, and plenty durable enough to withstand digging attempts.
In comparison, I have some melamine enclosures that worked really well for a while, but a combination of heat and humidity cracked the surface layer and after that the wood quickly deteriorated.