75 gallon build

[Ryan15236]

I am upgrading my bearded dragon's home from a 40 gallon breeder to a 75 gallon I got yesterday. I will start getting some pics up later. I am sure I am going to have many questions along the way so I am creating this thread for questions and just updating progress

 

[Jdubclark]

It's a labor of love. I'm in my second week of my build with several more to go before being finished. I don't even have a dragon yet...

 

[Ryan15236]

Here is the tank

 

[Ryan15236]

I got some tiles to use for the substrate, they should do the trick

 

[rdoyle225]

Looks great. I only worry about the high heat and fumes from the glue.

 

[Ryan15236]

What glue? the silicone in the tank?

 

[Ryan15236]

Ordered some stuff for tank today. I ordered a infrared temp gun, Zilla fresh air screen top, 48 inch repti sun 10.0 bulb, and universal rock 3D background. Also collected some rock and wood for the tank

 

[Ryan15236]

Gomez's cage starting to come around

 

[PatsyB]

Looks nice! If you got the wood and rocks from outside, make sure you sterilized them before you put them in.

 

[Fiona]

is the back ground real rock or is it made of foam.

we bought Fiona a new tank and it came with a foam back ground that looks like rock...all she is trying to do is climb it....picking little flakes out of it. I am worried that she might try to eat it next.

thinking i will give making a few things for her tank myself also.

 

[Ryan15236]

The background is from universal rocks. The one you are probably talking about is the one that comes with the exo terra enclosures. Those backgrounds are made of foam that beardies end up destorying. Universals is made from a rubber material with real rock particles in it. This stuff is probably as tough as it gets. Trust me, cutting a 1/2 inch off of it was no easy task. Needed a hacksaw. You should definitely check out their backgrounds. I think mine was $85 after shipping but well worth it. You will need to use silicone to really secure it to the back of the tank.

 

[PatsyB]

Also with the foam backgrounds that come with the tanks you need to be careful with your feeders. Crickets love to hide behind them and also climb them and crawl out the little holes in the top of the Exo-Terra. I've actually put tape over the top of my tank where the wires go in just to make sure things can't get out.

When I first set up my frog tank I got this beautiful tree bark background and it was siliconed to the the back of the tank. The crickets still managed to get behind it!

 

[Fiona]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/56717276528719444/

this is a how to on a trim for a mirror and I have been thinking it might work do do as a back ground in her tank

 

[Ryan15236]

Yeah feeders are good at that. I think with this tank I'm going to keep the feeders out and try to feed him in a separate container. I'm not sure how he will respond to feeding in a Rubbermaid tote though

 

[Ryan15236]

So I have gomez in the 75 gallon and uh well it is really hard for him to use it right. Gomez is 10 years old and it is showing. He doesn't move as well as he once did and he can't climb the basking logs. I have set him on their and he holds on for awhile then the loses his balance and falls off and I don't want him to get hurt. The main basking log gets about 104 and the second gets to about 85. The tile ranges from 75-82. Anyways what I am getting at is he can't bask in this new set up it is too hard for him to get around. His nails are starting to curl over though so I am sure that is not helping so not sure what to do. I can put him back in this senior friendly 40 gallon or make some adjustments to the 75 gallon but this is a tall tank and its going to be hard to get that heat down that far. Poor guy

 

[Ryan15236]

I sat him up there to bask because I noticed he hadn't made his way up their on his own and he fell off. This happened both times I set him up there. This logs isn't covered in bark so doesn't have a ton of traction but still enough that he should be able to climb it

 

[Ryan15236]

Attached two basking lights. Left side is a 100w and keeps that log around 100-105. Right side is a 75 watt and keeps the right log around 80-85. Have a hammock on the way but I know gomez won't be able to use it. Also going to get a basking/hide rock from petsmart probably and need a plant or two

 

[PatsyB]

10 years is pretty impressive. He looks pretty good. I think he needs something that is more of a ramp and platform so he doesn't have to try to grip on anything and keep his balance.

 

[Ryan15236]

Yeah he has been with me a long time. I got him when I was in 7th grade so I was probably about 12 years old, I am now 22. He has been a great pet and very resilient when I might have been somewhat neglectful at times or always used calcium sand in his enclosure for 9 of those years. However, I have always gave him attention and tried to always give him the best care I could. It can be hard when you are young like that and you don't have the funds but these later years have been pretty good to us. I have him and a fish tank and my girlfriend and I have 2 labs. We always put are pets first and spend little on ourselves! lol That's alright though because that is what we enjoy doing. The animals don't have a choice to come home with us! lol

 

[Ryan15236]

Just wanted to share with any of you that may be following this thread that I did order a new beardie. He is a red trans leatherback and will be here tuesday. He will be going in the 40 gallon for awhile. I will continue to observe gomez in the 75 gallon and if I decide its to dangerous for him to be in there I am sure the younger more active dragon won't mind being in there. Gomez gets first dibs though however. Here is a link to the little dude
http://beardeddragoncentral.com/leatherback-bearded-dragon-1.aspx