anyone ever done this before?

[Clownfishie]

Hmmm -- this DOES sound like something I can handle As long as I can get the lumber store to cut the board to size for me...

Do I need to drill pilot holes before I put the screws in? If I wanted to use melamine -- would that work too? Would the lumber store still cut it for me?

And last question (I think... hehe)... If I wanted to have something a little more rectangular... what dimensions would I need for an enclosure say -- 16 x 16 x 20, or maybe 18 x 18 x 24?

LOL -- I know, that's why I want a front opening enclosure instead of a top opening one Not looking forward to the day when this guy gets me -- which I'm sure will happen at some point!

[Jeff_Favelle]

I wouldn't go less then 24 inches high for a GTP. No way.


And yes, if you use melamine, PRE-DRILL!!

[Clownfishie]

Maybe I typed the dimensions wrong there I meant it to be 18L x 18W x 24H -- does that sound ok?

Do you think that the melamine would be like a lot harder to work with? I just thought that it might make a nicer looking enclosure than the plywood, although I'm sure that both would work...

[Jeff_Favelle]

18" wide an deep kind of seems small for a GTP. They cruise (ALOT at night) and I'd think that they'd appreciate the room.

[BILLP]

clownfishie
I was repling about your original thought. I have done that with several cages. I use them for day geckos though. I just turn the tank on its side and find a long piano hinge. I think they sell them at home depot. They are 3 foot long then I take and screw it to some plexyglass then screw that to the cage. I also can drill air vents in the plexyglass that way. I really like the set up and the geckos love the extra hieght in the cage. I have never used it for a GTP though. I live in Phoenix, AZ and there are several places around here that work in acrylic and they will bould about anything you want if you just give them some plans. Hope this helps

[Clownfishie]

Thanks Bill

Do you just screw it into the plastic rim then? Do you find that there's enough air circulation in there for them?

I wish I could afford to have a cage made of acrylic! They look awesome

[Linds]

Good air circulation isn't about that size of the vents, but rather the placement. That's why I like using rubbermaids so much, you can strategically place the holes yourself for optimum air circulation. In my emerald's container the humidity is usually around 85% , but I have no condensation anywhere in the enclosure because the holes have been drilled to allow good cross-ventialtion throughout the entire thing. The problem with tanks is you cannot have cross-ventilation because only one side out of the six is able to be ventilated. Aquariums are good for fish and animals with low-medium (regular house humidity) requirements, they aren't suitable for anything with higher requirements.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Linds, I couldn't have put it better myself! Excellent post!

[Edwin]

Jen,

Why dont you try contacting Beth Wallbank, she builds really sturdy cages and is always willing to help another herper. She is the closest person to where you are that I can think of.

Hope this helps.

[Edwin]

Beth has a bunch of ATB babies, and she made some nice looking cages for them too. Here is a pic which I took from the corallus forums.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Clownfishie
Lisa -- sure, that would be great if you could attach a pic Wouldn't it be harder to control the humidity with a screen "top" though? And since the screen would be on the front, I think it would be hard to cover part of it to help maintain humidity -- not as easy as just laying a piece of glass etc on top of part of it like you can when it's actually being used as a lid...

Jen

oops i meant to post this sooner, been busy @ work

[tightsqueeze]

NO PLYWOOD THAT SMALLL WON'T WARP ,IF IT WAS 6X2X2 THEN YES OVER TIME IT WOULD WARP !!!!

BUT YES JEFF FAVELLE HAS A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION WIHT THE 2X2X2 MADE OUT OF 5/8 PLYWOOD
IF YOU USED MALIMINE THEN IF YOU DIDN'T SEAL IT PROPERLY THEN YOU COULD HAVE THE CHANCE OF MOLD

JAY AND KELLY