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View Full Version : Our homemade iguana enclosure :)


ChristinaM
12-02-03, 01:15 PM
I didn't take many pics during construction, but I should have....ah well. Due to being short on space and adopting a 42" iggy, I decided to turn the spare room's closet into the enclosure. We removed the closet doors, and away we went.

Materials used:

painted hardboard
wire shelving
1x2 and 2x2 fingerjoint wood

http://www.linkd.net/~cmarvin/public/lizards/igcage.jpg

http://www.linkd.net/~cmarvin/public/lizards/larryscage.jpg

The space from the carpet on the room floor, up to the enclosure floor is for storage.

Internal:

Starting with the floor of the enclosure.
It's made from the finger joint's and hardboard...well supported, then anchored securely into the wall. We put about 6" around the walls of it, then siliconed where wall meets floor to avoid any "seeping fluids" from sinking into the wall.

The first wire shelf in this pic is not the final. This was an oops. We had put the shelf in, too low from the top where all the light and heat is. Another oops, was the shelf did not span the whole closet width, which would have allowed tail or limb to be caught.

So we redid that one, changed from the wire shelf to a shelf made like the bottom. It fits wall to wall, no open spaces and is 8" below top wire shelf.

The top of the enclosure is where the top wire shelf is. There is a 4ft double fluorescent fixture suspended from the room ceiling, it rests about 1cm from the wire shelf. There are 2 basking dome lights which sit on the shelf.

The walls have shelf paper for a lining. Very easy to wash.

Carpet on the base level and basking spot, not affixed for easy removal and cleaning.

Ramp is a 2x6 screwed on to the shelf.

External:

Again, it is framed via finger joint and hardboard.
The 4 holes in the hardboard allow convection currents to run through, a ventalation system. The bottom two are covered with hardware cloth.(the iguana can access these, the top ones no because they are above the top wire shelf).

Doors, simple wood frame with aquarium type glass.

Locks: on the outside of the doors there are sliding locks, on the inside of the doors there are hook and eye locks.

Electrical info:

2x48" fluorescents
2xdome lights

wired in together. The main dome light is on a dimmer(to adjust temp as needed). The secondary dome is a "if need be" heat source, and it is on a lightswitch.

One plug into a timer. The fluorescents and main heat come on in the morn. The secondary heat stays off unless I turn the switch on, then it would come on as well.

http://www.linkd.net/~cmarvin/public/lizards/igcagedone.jpg

The outside is going to be painted(decorated) etc.

Larry (female) is quite happy with it :)
http://www.linkd.net/~cmarvin/public/lizards/larclose4.jpg

Questions?

ryan337
12-02-03, 01:20 PM
That is a very cool enclosure. What made you think of using a closet?

J-Man
12-02-03, 01:37 PM
Nice enclosure... I also used a closet to make mine.

One thing I would think about, if I were you, is how far away the basking spot is from the uv lamps/heat lamps. I heard it's something like 18" away from the uv lamp and it becomes useless? What I would do is maybe make another shelf going up from the shelf you have now... like maybe going up and to the left from your current shelf? Then again I could be way off... that last pic looks very good and the shelf looks fine. So I dunno, just maybe something to think about.

ChristinaM
12-02-03, 01:40 PM
Originally posted by J-Man
Nice enclosure... I also used a closet to make mine.

One thing I would think about, if I were you, is how far away the basking spot is from the uv lamps/heat lamps. I heard it's something like 18" away from the uv lamp and it becomes useless?

Actually, it's 10"......Lar's basking shelf is 8" below the UV :) She's all set in that department. Thanks tho:) some people don't know about the UV.

ChristinaM
12-02-03, 01:42 PM
Originally posted by ryan337
That is a very cool enclosure. What made you think of using a closet?

Thanks Ryan :) The closet was my idea, mainly because the hubby wouldn't be happy with a HUGE reptile enclosure that Larry needs in a main room....

as well, to keep costs down :) Much cheaper than buying one, or even building a full one.

J-Man
12-02-03, 01:58 PM
10"? Wow... I always read it was either 18 or 12... but I guess it's always better to be pessimistic (spelling?)

Looking at that last pic I can buy it's 8". But the pic that made me think there might be a problem was the 2nd pic. But I guess it's just not done yet at that point.

marisa
12-02-03, 02:03 PM
It looks lovely! Just out of curiosity though how large is it?? I myself have an almost 5 foot long iguana and she would rip that closet apart. lol. :D

Marisa

Turtle Matt
12-02-03, 02:58 PM
Nice,but where's the coconut hide lol??
Matt

ChristinaM
12-02-03, 03:39 PM
LOL @ Matt ( the hides are taken by the snake and gecko's).

Marissa: It measures about 6ft long, her space height is about 5ft, and its 2ft deep.

I should add in that normally the doors are left open and she free roams that room. With some work I am hoping to have her completely free roaming. Right now she's recovering from the surgery and needs to stay put :( sucks cuz she loves to wander the whole room.

ChristinaM
12-02-03, 03:41 PM
Originally posted by J-Man


Looking at that last pic I can buy it's 8". But the pic that made me think there might be a problem was the 2nd pic. .

Yah, we made an OOPS on the measurements. and redid it during construction :) I think I wrote about that in my post ;)

sapphire_moon
12-02-03, 10:33 PM
Sweet looking enclosure!

Now only if my parents would do that for their almost dead iguana. Her head is black now and there is a little clear whiteish spot on the top of her head that I don't think you are supposed to be able to see. The problem with her nose is worse it is now a fleshy color, parts are dried looking, one nostril looks HUGE, and you can't even see into the other one, her tank is disgusting (she's about 4ft in a 55gal long), so is her water and you can see her ribs because "sometimes she don't eat" as my step dad said. But I got pictures of it all now, and I'm going to turn them in.....(so sorry had to rant, I just seen her today after about 2 weeks of them telling me they were taking care of her)

But sweet enclsure. I hope Larry gets better from her surgery and didn't you say in another post that she had MBD? If not Good, if so I hope she gets better! :)

JasonBrennan
12-03-03, 12:42 AM
Very cool enclosure. I am a big fan of the "converted closet" concept. Here is a link to my "closet conversion", but this was for snakes, not iguanas.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23007

ChristinaM
12-03-03, 09:30 AM
Sapphire: I just pm'd you.
Jason: responded to your enclosure post. It's awesome.

Thanks everyone.

nolagurl
12-14-03, 03:15 AM
that is really nice! make sure to post pictures once you have it decorated.

nolagurl
12-14-03, 03:17 AM
Originally posted by sapphire_moon
Sweet looking enclosure!

Now only if my parents would do that for their almost dead iguana. , I just seen her today after about 2 weeks of them telling me they were taking care of her
:)

Wow you're turning your parents in? That takes guts!