building a monitor cage

[Lrptls]

My savannah monitor right now it almost a foot long, he easily fits in a 100 gallon aquarium. but i'm selling all my aquariums to get plastic stackable cages for my animals. but the person i am purchasing these cages from only makes their cages as big as 6 feet long. i read savs need an 8x4x4 cage. so i guess i'll be building it sence i dont think any one makes them that big (without it being over a $1000) so what are the cheapest materals i can use that will also be safe. :confused:

[asphyxia]

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/985enclosure_007-med.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/985army_mich_and_enclosure_009-med.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/985Boa_BFC2_009-med.jpg

8' long, 4' high 3' deep as i like to be able to reach the back of the cage

Let me know if you have any questions

Regards
Brian

[Lrptls]

what are the sides made of other than the glass and vents? and where did you get the glass?

[Bartman]

woooow nice tank asphixia..but many people have told me the tank i have which is 6 feet long 2 feet wide and 2 feet high woul dbe good for a full grown sav...???

[asphyxia]

michele:
what are the sides made of other than the glass and vents? and where did you get the glass?

The walls are Melimaine, reinforced by 2x3's which are painted with "plastic" Paint The end viewing window is plexie or lexan I cant remember. I got the glass from Acadamy Glass in Markham

Bartman:
I Should have mentioned that that tank is for a Trio of Durms
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/985Durms_etc_017-med.jpg

Thanks
Brian

[sapphire_moon]

sweet cage

[homebrewed]

wow
:eek:

[Tim_Cranwill]

Awesome Brian! :)

[Dani33]

HHHOOOOLLLYYY!

[skinheaddave]

That's one swank enclosure, asphyxia!

This is a picture of Behemoth's enclosure. He's a V.exanthematicus. The overall measurements are somewhere around 6' x 3' x 4'+. The nearby part is the dirt box with plywood basking/hide spots. You can see where the heat lights are in the back right corner. The branch I have since taken out since it was just in the way. I have added a honkin' big flat rock under the basking spot as well. The far bit is a water dish with large circulating pump and filter. There is a ramp going down into it.

This enclosure isn't nearly as appealing as asphyxia's, but I find it to be quite functional. I make modifications regularily as I am learning more about the species and about Behemoth in particular. I will no doubt continue to make modifications until I feel I have a well tailored design and then maybe make something more aesthetically pleasing using what I have learned (this should correspond with moving to a new house).

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~ddesoer/behemoth_enclosure_small.jpg

Cheers,
Dave

[Lrptls]

thats a cool cage dave, is V.exanthematicus savannah monitor? i dont know scientific names at all. but do you think your cage is big enough for a full grown sav?

[Invictus]

Bryan & Dave: Your cages kick some serious arse.

[depressor86]

i thought at first glance that your enclosure was the back of a station wagon dave

[skinheaddave]

Lrptls,

V.exanthematicus = savannah monitor, not to be confused with the white throat or black throat (V.albigularis).

Yes it is large enough -- and I'll tell you why. It isn't just about space. My enclosure is set up in such a way that it provides good thermoregulation opportunities -- both in the open and hidden, plenty of digging opportunities and soaking opportunity. You see a lot of 8x4x4 setups that are just boxes with a water dish and hide box. That just doesn't cut it. If you want to break it down into cubic feet of usable space or something like that, then the depth of the substrate makes a huge difference. With a digging species like V.exanthematicus this is a real issue. The last point I should make is that while this species can top 4', those specimens are somewhat rare. Based on his growth rate and age, I wouldn't imagine that Behemoth will actualy become such a behemoth.

Cheers,
Dave