Starting large enclosure build... should I insulate?

[Nafun]

I'm working on a new vivarium for an Argentine Black & White Tegu. They have some pretty specific heat and humidity requirements. The cage is going to be 8'w x 4'd x 2'h. Do you think it's worth it to insulate the walls? I want to do studded walls, and I just so happen to have some sheets of inch thick styrofoam insulation lying around. Do you think it would be worth it to insulate?

Temp requirements for the Tegu are 120-100 hot, and 80-90 cold side, with humidity requirements in the neighborhood of 80%. 120 degrees is going to be a pain to maintain when it's 30 below out given the size of the enclosure.

[Nafun]

Decided to insulate. Went to Menard's today to get prices. This enclosure is going to cost me $750. For a $150 lizard.

[infernalis]

now factor in the food and husbandry supplies for the next umpteen years..... $$$$$$$$$$$

the things we do for our critters.

[Nafun]

I did the food math before committing to a tegu since I can't just feed it with home farmed rodents. I didn't want to buy a pet that I wouldn't be able to feed for the next 20 years. (One of the many reasons I don't own a giant, I can't afford to buy 20lbs of rabbit every 1-2 weeks)

They eat 4-8 ounces of food per day. I figured I can feed it 4 ounces of meat (ground turkey with ground liver and cod liver oil for the vitamins) garnished with home caught fish, hard boiled eggs, or feeder rodents for only about 50 cents a day.

Of course, if I didn't have a wall covered in rodent cages at the moment, I probably wouldn't be able to afford to keep such a monster.

Now if only I can convince my wife to breed rabbits....
or perhaps feeder puppies.

[emseeKAY]

lol somehow i see the puppy idea going out the window ;) haha rabbits do breed quickly though so thats a plus, i think they are ready to breed at 6 weeks