My future beardie(s) home...

[vic5466]

So I bought this tank and a couple small ones off a guy on Craigslist. It measures:
70" L x 19" W x 17" H.

He listed it as a tank but turns out it is a display case. No biggie just a few modifications to get it running.
1. Need to make a lid for it, (debating to make it all screen or a wood lid with holes for the heat lamps and a few holes for ventilation since it will have sliding doors) Whats everyones opinions on lids, would having just a huge area open with screens not allow the temp to stay where it needs to?
2. since it is a wood flooring I was thinking of permanently putting tile of some kind, maybe a rough stone so there would be grip for them.
Is there any effect of gout on the dragons? I know that there is a danger using self adhesive tile with the glue heating up, is it the same with gout?
3. since it is HUGE I had the idea of putting a wood divider and making it two seperate living spaces. there already is a light fixture built in so I can put two UVB bulbs for each one.
Would making it into two still be enough room for when dragons grow to adults? so it would measure as 35" L x 19" W x 17" H per dragon?
I have no problem just making it one huge tank for one (I've read enough on this and other forums to know the dangers of housing them together... and I would really like more than one dragon
4. Lastly I would need to get sliding doors for it which I would need to find someone to make them or I'd go buy acrylic glass and just cut it to fit

okay thanks for reading and any input y'all have
I am waiting till the reptile show in san diego to get my possible future pet(s) so I have some time to think and get this beast all fixed up

 

[Germ]

1. Need to make a lid for it, (debating to make it all screen or a wood lid with holes for the heat lamps and a few holes for ventilation since it will have sliding doors) Whats everyones opinions on lids, would having just a huge area open with screens not allow the temp to stay where it needs to? Both have advantages & disadvantages, full screens allow for easy lighting relocation & setup, but do allow a lot of heat to escape, generally in a long enclosure, secondary heat sources are needed regardless, to achieve the proper heat gradient & bring the cool side temps up to par. Enclosed solid tops will keep more heat in & you won't likely need to use as much power to heat the enclosure. In my 90 Gal enclosures, I use both, about 50\50. Screened in the areas where I need to have my lights & allows me room to make adjustments rather than being limited by cut holes & solid where I don't. For screen I use Fine expanded metal edged with vinyl panel moulding, Coreplast for the solid areas & ceiling T-Bar for supports. With a 17" tall enclosure, I would not mount the heat bulbs inside the enclosure.

2. since it is a wood flooring I was thinking of permanently putting tile of some kind, maybe a rough stone so there would be grip for them.
Is there any effect of gout on the dragons? I know that there is a danger using self adhesive tile with the glue heating up, is it the same with gout? I have left a PM to Southern Dissolution, asking him to come & give you his input on this. He does this type of thing by trade, knows the ins & outs. I don't recommend using a rough stone, while they may have more traction on it, it would be difficult to clean & disinfect properly. Try to choose something with a medium to fine texture that may serve both purposes. But S.D. will be able to help you out better with that & with which grouts to use.

3. since it is HUGE I had the idea of putting a wood divider and making it two seperate living spaces. there already is a light fixture built in so I can put two UVB bulbs for each one. Dual UVB bulbs are not necessary & really would be a waste of money, also would not allow for areas of the enclosure to have less UVB should they want to get away from it, in the shade so to speak. Plus they will not be filtered by screens so you will already be getting the Full strength of the UVB emitted. If you put UVB bulbs in the fixtures closest to the basking spots & normal fluorescents in the opposite fixtures for added light, you will be just fine.
Would making it into two still be enough room for when dragons grow to adults? so it would measure as 35" L x 19" W x 17" H per dragon? Dividing it equally into 2 separate enclosures would give you the equivalent of side by side 40 Gal Breeders & would meet the minimum standards recommended for adult BDs.
I have no problem just making it one huge tank for one (I've read enough on this and other forums to know the dangers of housing them together... and I would really like more than one dragon
4. Lastly I would need to get sliding doors for it which I would need to find someone to make them or I'd go buy acrylic glass and just cut it to fit Personally I would prefer glass, but plexiglass would work too, but it scratches easily, even just from their claws when 'Glass Dancing'. Plexiglass is not a whole lot cheaper than real glass, if at all.

okay thanks for reading and any input y'all have
I am waiting till the reptile show in san diego to get my possible future pet(s) so I have some time to think and get this beast all fixed up

Nice Buy by the way, it will make some Dragon or Dragons happy homes. The above are just suggestions & some of things that I have used. .25" or even .5" hardware cloth would also work in place of the expanded metal, but wouldn't be as stiff or as strong.

Good Luck in your future endeavors.

 

[SouthernDissolution]

Glad you decided to go with tile Grout has no adverse effects on the dragons at all if sealed properly with a WATER BASED sealer. Now, that being said, conventional grout (the kind you mix with water) also needs to be sealed once a year. So I absolutely recommend SpectraLock from Latticrete. It is epoxy with silica sand. Never needs to be sealed, and is completely water proof....and in our case, poop proof

As far as tile itself, there is no need for rough stone as long as you use a 4x4 tile with atleast 1/4" grout lines. They catch traction perfectly fine on a semi gloss, which I use in both of my beardie homes. They can catch traction no problem...You could even go as far as getting a tumbled style tile, when you grout it fills all the dips and cracks in the tile, gives it a cool mottled, calico effect lol.

Hope this helps, if you have anymore questions, Im here.

 

[SouthernDissolution]

I would deff. make a divider for that, that its like two 40 breeders in one....MASSIVE lol

 

[vic5466]

this is the light fixture that is in the tank. there is another one on the opposite side, its one lamp with two bulbs, and it would divide perfectly. Hopefully I can find bulbs for it, if not ill have to take it out and just get a regular fixture to go on the outside of it
Germ, so your saying that since the fixture would be so close the the dragons and cover the length of the tank it would not be good for them? Even with hides? and thanks for the advice on the top covers. I will look into what I can make for it.

S.D. thanks for the tips! Ill have to stop by a hardware store soon and look around. I am a little lost on what tiles you are talking about... I have no knowledge of tiles other than installing them around my parents house. Can you explain more what tiles I should be looking for? any particular brands to narrow it down? by 4x4 you mean the 4x4 inches and not the square foot ones? and semi gloss and tumbled have me lost... lol sorry to me a box of tile is a box of tile
thanks in advance for explaining

 

[Pat B]

S.D. thanks for the tips! Ill have to stop by a hardware store soon and look around. I am a little lost on what tiles you are talking about... I have no knowledge of tiles other than installing them around my parents house. Can you explain more what tiles I should be looking for? any particular brands to narrow it down? by 4x4 you mean the 4x4 inches and not the square foot ones? and semi gloss and tumbled have me lost... lol sorry to me a box of tile is a box of tile
thanks in advance for explaining [/quote]

Go to a home improvement store (Lowes/Home Depot) and look in their tile section. Look at the 4" x 4" slate tile. It is very nice looking and not very expensive. If you get a glossy finished tile your beardies might slip and slide. I am thinking you are thinking about vinyl tile. Not that kind....the stone kind of tile and there are a ton of brands. I bought what I liked....have no idea of the brand..... Measure your floor so hopefully you won't have to do any cutting. Hope this helps.

 

[Germ]

this is the light fixture that is in the tank. there is another one on the opposite side, its one lamp with two bulbs, and it would divide perfectly. Hopefully I can find bulbs for it, if not ill have to take it out and just get a regular fixture to go on the outside of it
Germ, so your saying that since the fixture would be so close the the dragons and cover the length of the tank it would not be good for them? Even with hides? and thanks for the advice on the top covers. I will look into what I can make for it.

making it two seperate living spaces. there already is a light fixture built in so I can put two UVB bulbs for each one.

2 spaces with 2 bulbs for each 1 ? I was thinking that there was a left & right fixture, front & back, 4 bulbs.

UVB should cover the basking spot & be setup to allow the dragon areas of less or no UVB should it feel the need to periodically get away from it. Hides are only a 'Just in Case' thing, if enclosures are setup properly, the BD will rarely ever use them. Their purpose is to give them a place to retreat to, should they feel the need. If they spend a lot of time in them, other than when older in the case of brumation, then you should be looking for the reason behind it, that is causing it. Extended time spent in Hides, is not normal behavior, again other than in the case of Brumation when older. Also extended time spent in the hides, keeps them away from the basking heat & UVB which is detrimental to their health.

Now I have the impression & by the pic that there are 2 UVB bulbs side by side total, rather than the 4 bulbs total that I understood before. As mentioned earlier, one UVB bulb covering the basking spot, on both sides each, if you choose to divide it into two & your BD can easily move towards the opposite side (Front or Back), or simply lower areas, if it feels the need to get out of it. 10.0 or 10% strength is recommended. If you do not divide it into 2, then only one UVB bulb is necessary covering the basking spot & you can fill the other spot with a regular fluorescent for added white light (UVA). Very little UVB will reach the floor as the bulb ages.

 

[SouthernDissolution]

Ok, Im on my phone right now, when I get home (at my breeders house working in the dragon room) Ill get you some examples and pics and explain everything in detail.

And yes 4x4 is 4" by 4"...The square foot tiles are too big and dont look uniform to me in a viv.

 

[SouthernDissolution]

And Pat, slate is VERY expensive. And they dont slide on semi gloss, the grout lines are there for traction and sealing. But being as im on my phone, you.can call me with any questions 910-610-3858 as I wont be home for a while. Im always open.

 

[vic5466]

sorry for any confusion, the fixture is built to have two separate bulbs (left and right) just on the back of the tank, none on the fornt (so two bulbs overall). they are those long skinny ones, dont know the exact name of them.
now im getting confused, if i go the two separate tank route the UVB bulb will run most of the back length of the tank. the dragon moving the the front of the tank be good enough to get away from it should it need to?

 

[Germ]

The long skinny tubes are Fluorescent Bulbs, by the pic look to be either 24" or 30", you shouldn't have trouble finding 24" UVB 10.0 bulbs, 30" may be a little harder to find or not quite as readily accessible. To the last question, 'YES!'

 

[Pat B]

And Pat, slate is VERY expensive. And they dont slide on semi gloss, the grout lines are there for traction and sealing. But being as im on my phone, you.can call me with any questions 910-610-3858 as I wont be home for a while. Im always open.

ok....that makes sense with the grout and semi gloss tile but....I didn't pay very much for my 4 x 4 tiles at Lowes....maybe $1 - $2. I only had to buy 18 and I don't know if it is 'real' slate or not....looks like it and my little beardie with an attitude likes it!!

 

[vic5466]

so i went looking around for tile and found this

I really like the look of it. Did not find the gout that S.D recommended at home depot, I'll have to look around a little to find it.
what is your opinion of this kind of tile? it is a "tumbled" slate. How is this cleaning wise with poop and such?

 

[Germ]

Would be good for Grip but looks like it would be quite difficult to get any ground in Poop out of it, would likely have to use a brush if it was dried at all. I don't use tile so am not familiar with it, SD will have a better answer for you, from his post, I understand that the grout will fill some of the cracks in that type of tile & give a grainy or mottled (I think he said) look.

But I really like the 'Look' of it.

And would be great to work as an emery board on their nails to keep them somewhat in check as they walk on it.

 

[Josh]

Nice find! Can't wait to see how this project progresses!

 

[vic5466]

Germ- that was my thought, I have no problem with the extra cleaning and scrubbing if thats what it takes. But my concern is if bacteria seeps in and will cause problems. I love the look and feel too but I won't put dragons at risk for that I'm going to message S.D on it
Josh- thanks! I have been working on it little by little and if the I find the right tile I'll prob have it done by next week I built the stands for it yesterday, yep I need two for this beast, it be easier to move than another giant furniture.

 

[Pat B]

That is sort of what mine looks like. I did measure my tiles and they are 6x6 not 4x4. I have no trouble cleaning up poo. If I catch the stuff after he dumps....it just wipes up or when it is hard I just pop it off. Not a problem at all. I have not grouted mine as they fit tight. I might someday. Spike has no problem walking on it....loves to sleep on it at night with belly flat....it is temperature cool and I think he likes that. Good luck with your building.

 

[vic5466]

Project Update: after making the stands for the tank I moved it and behold... the wiring to the fixture fell off... it was put together by tape and so now I have to see if it is salvageable or just go ahead and buy new lamps. Also got a better look at the floor, it is water damaged and warped so that all has to go. Oh well, just means more work and fun, will be all the more satisfying when it is complete... right?
Looks like I will have to wait longer to get some beardies though

 

[vic5466]

Update time again. ripped out the bad floor and but in the new one and added the tile. It is coming along well and is looking great. I'll post pictures when it is complete
Now I need to work on fixing the lamp fixture, either I can rewire it and but it back in or have to buy new ones.
Which brings me to a question. the fixture I am talking about would have been used for UVB bulbs. 10.0, 24" to be exact. If I can't get it to work I have a couple smaller fixtures I can use. But they use the compact bulbs vs the longer ones.
This is what I am looking at for the smaller bulbs

Would these work for beardies? And if so what wattage should I get?
And as for the basking light any regular white light from a hardware store would work correct? What wattage would be good for heating up a tank there the fixture will be 17" high?

 

[Germ]

The Repti-Glo compact comes in 2 wattages, 13 & 26W, you want the 26 W, if you are going to use them. I'd try to get the tube fixtures going if you can though.

Looking forward to the pics ...