New enclosures

[donprec]

I finally have the new cages setup, they're so beautiful! Got them from Beeger Boxes. I love not having to worry about my cats or son knocking down the lights from on top of the tanks anymore. I had read this article back when I first got Precious and it became a constant fear for me:
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2008/12/one_iguana_lives_the_other_per.html

Precious loves the doors on the side and is trying to figure out how to get out of them on her own...sometimes she's not too sure which part opens and doesn't, lol. But I was wondering if anyone has suggestions on what I could use as a ramp to let her come out of her cage and back in again at will, safely. I have a long piece of foam left over from the basking houses that I made for them. If I could figure out how to hook it up against the cage securely somehow, that might work. For now, she's been using our laps lol:

 

[PatsyB]

Those look great! they have like carpeted cat scratchers that are just a board covered with carpet, maybe something like that just leaned up against the tank. We put a stool in front of Luci's tank so he can climb out and he doesn't use it. Apparently yesterday he jumped completely over it and knocked his head on the garbage can across the room! He forgets that he's not as light as he used to be

The story about the iguanas is sad. I've always been worried about the heat lamps. When we had our geckos my cat would sit on top of their tank next to heat lamp and I had to keep coming up with ways to keep her away. She even burned herself once and it didn't stop her. Now we have our tanks on a wire utility shelf so I've clamped the lamps to the shelf so they won't fall.

 

[donprec]

Thanks, I love them! The little ones seem very happy in them too! I like the idea of a cat scratch board...maybe I could get a piece of wood and staple some carpet strip on it? We used the screen from her old tank but as soon as she started down it, it shifted and would've fallen with her on it if I wasn't there to catch it. Patsy, do yours know to go back in to the cage when they're getting too cold? I would give Precious more free time if she'd be able to go in and get warm when she needs to, that's what worries me and makes me cut her free time short.
Oh my goodness poor Luci! One thing about Precious is that she's definitely not graceful...seems Luci isn't either, lol! Or is that all beardeds? Precious climbs up unsteady things and knocks them down, barges right through things. And definitely, like Luci, doesn't seem to know how to estimate her little jumps (I call them pops) appropriately. What makes me laugh is when she puts in a lot of effort for a dramatic jump...only to go maybe 2 inches lol.
That sounds like a typical cat, lol! But the utility shelf is a great, crafty idea!
What I find odd is that it seemed the only thing important to Precious was her hammock. But I made that basking ledge for her new cage, she loves it and hasn't touched the hammock since! I'm thinking about getting rid of the hammock and adding on to the ledge, making it more of an L-shape for her, idk...

 

[PatsyB]

Luci doesn't go back in his cage or even by the sun when he gets cold. Dexter doesn't either. Not that she'd be able to get to her tank because she's got the top shelf but she doesn't go to a warmer spot when she gets cold. I keep a close eye on them and feel their bellies. If they get too cold I either put them on the heated blanket on the back of the couch or put them back in their tank. The couch is kinda like the safety zone as soon as they are put on the back of the couch they usually just lay down and stay put.

Luci is not graceful at all. He seems to forget that he isn't as small as he used to be and he's constantly jumping off of things before I can catch him. He runs straight into closed doors all the time as if they are going to magically let him through. We decided to use the metal shelf because we don't have a lot of space. This way we are able to put them on top of each other. Each of the shelves hold 350 pounds so it's pretty sturdy. It's not very pretty, but it works.

Sometimes they go through phases where they really like something and then they stay away from it. I have a turtle shell in Dexters tank that would work as a hide and she never goes by it. Then I think about taking it out and there she is sitting on it for days!

 

[donprec]

A heated blanket...that's perfect! You're always coming up with great ideas!

 

[PatsyB]

Dexter and my old cat fight over it! It's just a throw blanket so it only has 3 settings. I don't set it real high and I always check her belly to make sure she's not getting too warm.

 

[Toni17]

Nice enclosures. I finally bought the materials to build one. I remember that fire in JC. I'm going to assume you live in New Jersey.

 

[donprec]

I wasn't brave enough to try to put enclosures together myself! Seems like it would be fun if I was handy though. Just moved from NJ 1 1/2 years ago, lived there almost my whole life. I'm in DE now...haven't looked back! Are you in NJ?

 

[PatsyB]

My brother builds cabinets for a living. If he lived closer to me I would totally be building my own enclosures with him.

 

[dragonwagon]

I noticed in the picture that the bulb has not cover, might want to get one? Nice setups by the way, love them!

 

[donprec]

Do you think Precious (my bearded) could get to the bulb? In the top cage for the skink, I did wind up cutting the bottom of her house down about 2 inches so it wasn't so close to the bulb. I had originally planned on her house being on the cooler side (on the opposite side) but she spends most of her time with it where ever it is, so I decided I better keep it in the warmer area so she'll digest her food properly. Her wattage is much lower than Precious's.
I wouldn't even know where to get a bulb cover, do you know where? I could try to make one myself but what would I use?