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 #1115262

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

All,
This is my new cage, it stands three feet tall and is 18" deep and wide. It looks bigger in person than in the pic. I got all the plants at Wal Mart, and all the wood from my work, it took my 4 1/2 hours to put it together. It has a straw-like beach mat backdrop mounted inside it to give added climbing surfaces, and has a nice big water bowl, with bubbler. Lots and lots of moss, both Spanish and green, top it off. Hope you all enjoy, I will try to post some more pics later, but for now this will have to do. Enjoy!

Evan

P.S. The red light is the result of my finger over the flash, it isn’t a candle.

 #1115282

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

 #1115292

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

Thanks pa!

Evan boy

 #1115780

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

 #1115798

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

Moot,
The lizards have been in there for about half a day and all have used it, and a couple are using it. The trick to securing it it to hot glue the edges to the silicone of the tank. The hot glue will peel off like a banana skin when it gets wet if it is stuck only to glass. The mat has to be cut as close to size as possible for this to work. I like to start at the bottom of the tank, with the mat rolled up, gluing about 4" at a time, unrolling the mat as I go. I also put several streak across the back of the tank, the part where the mat will be flat to, this adds "security" though isn’t as important as the glue along the sides. The coconut mats might come slightly unwoven, as a result of abuse form the lizards’ claws. The straw mats seem to hold up better. If you wanted to try the mats, check the thrift stores around you, that’s where I found mine, you probably wouldn’t need one as big. Hope this helps, if I forgot to say something, just post me back!

Evan

 #1123034

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

 #1123063

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

The tank cost $135. OK, now that you have regained consciousness, that’s not too bad. It could be worse. For one MHD, and given the lack of money, you could do something in the $50-60. Something like and Exo Terra 24" by 18" tall tank. OK, they’re more like $100 bucks, but they are the best of the mass produced and readily available tanks out there. I got my big one at a reptile specialty store. Everything in it cost, let me see I can’t remember without a list.

Large wood:$15
Smaller bits total:$30
Backing: $2
Plants, most of which came from Wal Mart: About $15-20 (If you like them, you should check Wal Mart out. They have some awesome plants for $.98. Really nice. Those are the patterned ones in mine, the small little bush looking things.)
Bendy vines: They are a bit on the pricey side, but the lizards really like them, about $50-55. There are four in there, at $12.99 each.
Moss: I buy the huge bag of green moss at Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) not sure if they have those where you are. The green moss costs about $5 for a huge pillow sized bag. Amazingly enough, I go through that in about 4 months. The Spanish was $4 for a smaller bag at a pet store.
The substrate: Bed-a-beast = $4.99, the Orchid Bark, (again a huge bag from OSH) was about $10, and the sand, (from OSH also,a 50lb bag) was $3.99. I like to mix them all together, makes it look more natural, and seems a bit less floodable than just straight bed-a-beast.
Water bowl: Was expensive, $19.99. The air pump was $14.99 and the tubing was less than $2 for 8 feet of the stuff.
Heating pad: I use one beneath the water bowl because it keeps the bottom from flooding by evaporating excess water, warms their bath water slightly, and raises humidity by also evaporating the water bowl water. Oh, it cost $19.99

I think that’s it, coming to a grand total of...(hang on, I have to add it up) $322. Which, really, isn’t that bad as most people don’t dress theirs up quite as extravagantly as I choose to do. You certainly don’t have to, I just like to decorate cages, it’s sort of my hobby I guess. They also have two light fixtures, an incandescent and a florescent one. But in spot light fixtures as the UVB is a coiled bulb. OK, if you really want it, I’ll add that to the total. Hang on... $382 for absolutely everything aside from the lizards. Phew, hope this helps you, I’m really tired now. By the way, welcome to our forum!


Evan

 #1136140

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

 #1136145

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

Mary,
I bought the tank. I didn’t build it. It came already made. I wouldn’t have been able to make my own, I’m not that competent with tools. By the way, I really like your pic with snickers and the family. Snickers looks a bit on the chubby side if you ask me...


Evan

 #1172933

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

 #1172952

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

Regular glass I believe

 #1173437

 My New Cage, All Done Up!!!

Yes, it is all glass.


Evan