Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Im am going to build a new tank for my BD. It is going to be a 4'x2'6"x3'7". Is that big enough and what type of wood and caulking should i be looking for?

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0.1.0 Bearded Dragon
0.1.0 Red Rose Trantula
1.0.0 Boxer

You can use pine 2x2's or 2x4's and 1/2" plywood. You can get away with 1/4" ply on the sides and back wall if you build it sturdy. You can also use melamine. Silicon sealant is a safe caulking material. Plexi or glass will work on the front. Building materials are expensive. You can probably buy a shelf unit and a cage for the same money.

Geckospot.com

I'm building 3 4'x2'x2' enclosures (that stack on top of each other), and I haven't spent much over $200 on the whole deal. I did have some connections that allowed me to get some stuff for very low prices (just some lights and plexiglass...and some raw wood to turn into 1x2's), but still, you can build a decent 4'x2'x2' enclosure and a stand for it for less than $200, which is much cheaper than a 125 gallon tank (same dimensions) and stand. Plus, aquariums really aren't too good for reptiles. There's too much reflective surfaces, the screen tops allow for too much heat to escape (which brings with it moisture from your animals...it's like a big jerky maker). Plus they weigh more, and they're more breakable. Not to mention it's pretty scary and stressful for a lizard to have something coming down on it from above. That's why I'm building these nice new cages for my beardie and my uro (plus a spare in case I decide to get something else...I'm thinking about maybe a russian tortoise or two).

This is based on personal preference, but it seems that most people working with similar cages tend to prefer them to regular aqariums. Plus they're stackable so there's always room for more reptiles

I never recommended the use of an aquarium. I agree that aquariums arent the best enclosure for a bearded dragon. They are expensive and heavy. I have built many enclosures out of wood, screen, and plexi. Wood cages can be difficult to clean and usually have cracks & grooves which hold dirt and grime. Wood cages are also very heavy.

You can purchase a 36x24x12 bearded cage w/top screens from Herpcages.com for $150. Vision also makes a similar sized cage for $219. I believe that most large scale bearded breeders use either commercial plastic enclosures, rubbermaid or tupperware bins, or vision tubs and not wood. Some breeders do use melamine enclosures.

Geckospot.com