Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A friend of mine caught this male DHL and asked if I would care for it because he knows nothing about lizards. Of course I would!!
I Set him up in a 40 gal long with a 150 watt basking light, a reptivite 5.0 UVB light, and a few objects to hide under. He seems to be doing well.
I'm moving in a couple weeks to a new house where I'd like to build a custom enclosure (inside or outside, undecided as of now) big enough to house a couple pairs of solare and platyrhinos. Looks like I'll get a jump start with this guy.
I have been doing my homework for the last year and am ready to take on the commitment.
I would like to build something similar to Jeff Judds' enclosure on the caresheets/enclosures page of phrynosoma.com in my "reptile room", if indoor is the route I decide to go.
If you guys could post some pics of the enclosures you are using these days I would be thankful!
-Ryan

Very nice looking DHL you have there Ryan.

Jeff, I would like to hear how that new design is working out and what you would change if anything. There is a reptile display at the ghost town and I am also trying to put together a display enclosure for them sometime in the coming months.

This is my new outdoor enclosure recently completed. It is really working out well. The top is completely covered with roofing material which works well to keep out the mid-day heat while always allowing some sunlight to strike the floor of the cage. I've drilled holes at regular intervals to allow the rain in when it comes. This one is 8ft by 16ft but could easily be cut down to 8 by 8.

Here's the link to my enclosure page with more pictures.
Link

Good luck Ryan
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www.phrynosoma.com

couple things, what kind of substrate are you currently using? also in a 40 gal long, you may also consider putting a 50 watt bulb at the middle of the cage. I have found that the cage at the cold side can get down much lower and the ambient temprature stays up a little better with the added bulb. Also I this is my own opinion from experience, but even some fake silk plants that look kind of deserty are very welcome. In nature they often stay close to the base of small bushhes and plants. The outside fixture is probably the best in that there is nothing like the sun (real sun). Night consider using cememnt block (home depot) very cheap and make a two foot high square what ever size you want in the back yard and make a 1/4 mesch screen top out of good 2x4 lumber (be sure and paint the wood as the elements reek havoc on wood, with a hinged top and this works very well. Concrete block is about $1.12 a piece and they are 16" x 6" X 8" which means 4 blocks laid in a row are approximately 5 ft long. And two blocks stacked on top opf each other is 32 inches high, you need to line the inside with some small rock and then buy playsand and fill up half of the outside with playsand and leave the other natuiral, dig up the gound on the natural side and plant some plants in there, even native plants from the same area they are found such as crosote, catus etc. This will go a long way. Last thig is to take a piece of 4" PVC with a Tee installed in the middle and capped on the ends (line the inside of the pipe with #_M non-skid tape)and then bury itin the ground and put an extended piece coming out of the tee to the ground level and then cover with large flat sand stone rocks or shale or even large concrete stepping stones so they can crawl under and find the hole when it rains or it gets cold they have a den they can go down in. A foot of sand over the PVC will keep it insulated well. Hoe this all makes sense... There are many ways to make these but the wood prices are going through the roof, and wood does not do well after being exposed to the elements fro years, where as the block makes an excellet and strong enclosure. Just another thought to consider. Good luck and cheers!!!
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Phrynosoma.com

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

I got on my high horse and made a mistake on the height of those blocks. They are 8inches high so it would take a row of 3 to make a 2 ft high enclosure...Sorry about that!!!
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Phrynosoma.com

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

Thanks Cable and Reptoman! I will consider both of these designs when the time comes and let you know what I decide. I like both designs.

note to Reptoman: I use desert vita-sand from zoo med for substrate. As far as an additional 50 watt light goes I think the temps work out fine with just the 150 watt light I have off to one side. The temps are about 105 on the side with the light and about 85 on the other. I have a few rocks for basking and plenty of cover for shade via wood, a silk plant, etc.The only drawback to my current setup is that I also house a few other lizards, (whiptails, side blotched, etc..) in the same enclosure. I hope this won't attribute to stress in the DHL. I think I will buy the 100 gal. glass terrarium anyways because I have much work to do in my backyard and won't get a chance to build a cage for some time and I still plan on aquiring more HL's in the meantime.
I'll keep you guys updated on how I am doing.
Again, thanks for the help!
Ryan