Starting a huge project!

[Fox Hound]

I have a nile monitor stuck in a small 40 gallon... i want something bigger for him so i'm gonna make an entire wall from him. My wall is about 10 feet long and im gonna make it 2 feet wide and 4 feet high...

i'll ask a few friends to help since they're good with wood... i was wondering what kind of wood would u guys use for this?

[anders_240sx]

Spruce is easy to work with ...I wouldnt suggest pine because it slivers ... and dont use cedar cause it can be deadly... spruce is widely available..good luck

[V.hb]

OSB board. Treat it first with some kind of enamal. Ive used plastic coating in the past, works great. OSB holds up to alot of damage and becomes pretty durable once its treated.. And its very cheap.

[FoShizzleDizzle]

I used blond ply. You could use bircth or oak. Just depens. on how much money you want to spend....

[Fox Hound]

i went to home depot and i saw this piece for 24.99, 4x8... its right by melimine, im not sure what its called but it tan in colour, it doesnt look like melimine with all used up wood...

[klein]

i used 3/4 maple for the cage i just bought, it was $50 for a 4 x 8 sheet of it, it was really easy to use i think, there are pics in my gallery of it if you want to see what it looks like

[K1LOS]

why would you make it 2 feet wide? I don't think that will be large enough for a full grown nile. Why not make something permenant? Maybe i'm wrong...

Geoff

[V.hb]

Geoff is right, id make it no less than 3-4 feet wide....

[latazyo]

why not make it like a real wall with 2x4s and sheetrock...assuming your wall is made like that

[Fox Hound]

my basement is like wood... well theres wood tiles but i dunno

yea im gonna make it 11x3x4 its gonna be complete by next week

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Dont niles grow like 9ft long? So how would one go about turning around in a 3 foot wide cage?

C.

[Bighead]

Originally posted by latazyo
why not make it like a real wall with 2x4s and sheetrock...assuming your wall is made like that

They could dig through sheetrock pretty easily. I would stick to treated plywood or melamine.

[latazyo]

hehe...good call bighead...I didn't think of that

[dave68]

My adult male is in a cage that is seven ft. square and it still isn't big enough, yes he can fully move around and is not cramped whatsoever but he still comes out for a wander through the house quite often as he gets restless in his cage.

[YummyCdnMale]

Make a box!!! Glad your making such a nice space. You and your Monitor both will love it if you do it the cheap fast and easyway and it will add decor as well! Step1 buy (4) 2x4x10's in spruce they are the cheapest!... buy (8) 2x4x8's in spruce ... buy 3 sheets of drywall 4x8 cover only the outside as it is not urine or water proof. so now you built your box make sure to leave an opening for a large window infront aprox 2 feet by 6 feet that opening (window) you will cover in wiremesh not screen if you want to be fancy after the outside is painted etc you can add the mesh and then add a frame ontop of the mesh to make the window look more fancy. the inside i would use woodpaneling they sell alot of styles for cheap even the stone look in 4x8ft add some resesed lighting with wiremesh covers so your Monitor can't touch them put 3 if you can and that way you can add some color etc or even dimmers it's up to you. so now you have a box made of drywall inside the stone look window etc at one of the ends build a door or buy one and cut it down so you can get in there to clean! as for the floor you can use plexiglass or ceramic tile this should cost no more then 125$-150$ to build and it will look professional and as i said you will enjoy it as much as your reptile and reptiles to come will........ me personaly i build mine 4x6 and 7 feet high and i use a patio slidding double door that way i have my door and massive window to view all in one i buy the door where i am (the cheapest i can find) for about 2 hundred and another hundred for the drywall and wood and i put my airvent s at the top where there not seen. Hope this helps it's well worth it


Rob .

[JD@reptiles]

Originally posted by CHRISANDBOIDS14
Dont niles grow like 9ft long? So how would one go about turning around in a 3 foot wide cage?

C.

i have yet to hear of a 9 foot nile, lol

[V.hb]

JD, believe it or not there are niles recorded upwards of 9 feet, although rare.. it definatly is possible :P

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

LOL, sorry for being unclear, I said "don't niles grow like 9ft long?". I didnt know so it was a question. Maybe im confused and thinking of a water monitor or something? Anyways I think it's 7 feet? Not sure but I have heard of 9 foot niles as V.hb said. So not sure, but anyways, even if the animals is only 5-6ft long, how would it turn around in that kind of space? Shouldn't the cage be at least half the width of the animal? and if you have a 7 foot animal you would want 3.5 feet of space, and better yet, 4 feet? I would probably make it 4 feet minimum myself, but im just blabbering.

C.

[JD@reptiles]

i have been reading up on the net and in books, still cant find anything on a 9 foot nile...

[V.hb]

talk to mark bayless.. I'am sure hes got a paper, or at least records of the largest nile. I'am pretty sure it was 9 feet.

[YummyCdnMale]

Second thought! .... give up your bedroom and sleep on the couch!!! LOL ...... 9ft my ( Y )
Rob.:D