ANY IDEAS HOW TO MAKE MY VIV BETTER??

i'm wanting to keep an adult bearded dragon in there,

i have a few questions if anybody could answer them.

i have painted in with an air gun, is it ok to seal it with P.V.A? (on toxic kind)

can anyone think of a good heating method, as it's quite large what do you think would be best? (ceramic, bulbs?) (i have wired three sockets in there so i can change the basking sites, maybe i could have three lower wattage bulbs?)

also i would like to make a water dish that blends with the rest of the enclosure, what materials could i make this from??
( i have been using bathroom grout for the sculpturing, then painting, but i don't think this will be good for the water dish)

i have some air plants that i want to plant in the enclosure, can anyone think of some other good hardy species that could be planted for this desert theme?

last question, does anyone have some neat ideas to how i can enhance this and make it better??

please let me know what you think!


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

peace
benz

 

Dude, that thing looks way to small for an adult beardie. Maybe you should go tropical and but a crestie in it.

 

too small?
really?? the dimensions are

W: 3'
H: 4.5'
L: 3'

which is 303 gallons

i thought it should be plenty, especially as many images on here of vivariums seem alot smaller?

am i missing something?

thanks for the reply, will appreciate it if you can again

cheers for your time,


peace
benz

 

Its way to tall, and I hardly think it's the proper set up for a dragon. There is way to much stuff in it, and the rock wall things takes away a lot of floor real estate. Oh and your dragon shouldn't have to climb to the top of the cage to bask, especially since dragons spend most of there days basking.

 

well thanks for your opinion but there are inputs for lower basking sites too.

 

i think that a beardie would prefer a more horizontal tank vs. a vertical one.

 

thanks for the reply shanna66,

maybe guys...........
as it's still in the design stage and not planning on buying any species of lizard until may/june,
maybe I could re-design in inside, putting in a vast ledge that has lots of floor space so effectively it would be divided by two (two levels)
surely this would then give more floor space?

i wanted a bearded dragon, but can anyone think of another lizard that is of similar size and temperament?

i can pretty much change the sculpture, but i can no way change the physical size, literally set in concrete!

cheers

benz

 

well u have some platforms so that's good since that will encourage the dragon to also go in hights a little and it wil enlargen the surface area, a lower basking area is absolytely necesurry for a beardy but you still need to make sure that he cant get to clost to the spot witch is hard to do in that cage. i dout that the slender branches would be used so i suggest u ditch them and put something thicker insted. i like the background stuff cuse it increases the space and provides alot of natural hiding places.

it's hard to find something that would fit in there

 

i think that would be good for a bearded dragon. i have a costume Viv witch is a bit like that and he loves it . he climes all over the rocks. i have 2 basking spots 1 lower and 1 higher and he likes the higher one best. beardeds would love it.

 

thanks for the reply 'darren,
how tall is yours?
also how old is the dragon, full grown?
i'd like to see your vivarium

thanks for the input

 

I have to disagree with some of you guys partly. I have a Reptile wall display with two layers of tank, one one top of the other. The BD cage has a small part on the second layer and a larger part around the corner on the other side that is lower. It is connected by a quite steep grout rock wall. My BD always climbs up there, and even though I have a lower basking site, and move him down there frequently, he always climbs his way back up. As long as you take him out of his cage for some excercise every once in a while, he should be fine. That tank is a teeny bit small, though. I also think he will use the branches. My beardie has one of those "jungle gym" wood things you get at petsmart we got on sale and decided to try. He will not get off that thing if you don't take him off of it!

He is 2 yrs this April, male.

Now I'm no expert on temperaments, but I think Rankin's Dragons are smaller and similar to BD's. You could also look into collard lizards and other similar species. Other have recommended cresties, which may also be good.


TS

 

hey turtlestock
thanks for the response

im pleased to hear that you think it may be adequate, also great to hear that the bearded dragon may use the walls that i made!
i knew from the start that some of the more slender branches wont be good for climbing, but i think the "trunk" will be ok.
i suppose the only down fall with making something that is custom is you have to get everything right.

what did you use for the grout, paint, dye? if paint what did you use for the seal?

cheers
benz

 

benz you really need to concentrate on not what kind of animal you want but instead on what kind on animal would do best in the tank. Everyone has chimed in that a dragon would not do good in there except one person, who happens to only partially agree with you. Benz you need to put the animal first, that the first rule of pet ownership. If you are not able to adequately give a animal what it needs then you shouldn't have it. That tank will not give a dragon what it needs, If you want a beardie, then get a new tank and use that one for something else.

 

chill dude,

i am putting everything first, way before my needs, why do you think i have been patiently getting opinions and advice? i'm not planning on getting anything until may or june. believe me i am putting every effort into the consideration of the animals welfare.
i don't need a lecture from your self, thankyou.
i have not said "i must have a bearded dragon", if you had the patience perhaps you would have read my other forum posts and realized i have been asking what species would be OK in there.
read before shooting

 

I just used plain grout. But I do totally agree with what Guy said. It may be best to put an arboreal animal in there. The rankins I did a brief search and they get only 10 inches, so they may be an option. I also think that that might be good for a collared or some species of arboreal reptile. I am pretty sure collareds will use the climbing space.

TS

 

Well apart from all the arguement i think it looks really great and i dont think i have the patience to build something like that.
i dont have any bearded dragons but maybe if you get a young one by the time you need a bigger cage for it youll have the time to build another one that would fit an adult. but like i said i dont have one i have iguanas,plated lizards,torts,water dragons,and a few smaller geckos.
but i like your cage alot.

 

i have my adult 1 in mine. baby will find it hard to clime the walls so you may want to put it in a different tank until it gets a bit bigger. i would put pics up of mine but i dont know how to. some people may disagree but my bd dont stop climbing.

 

TS! that's an amazing idea! i didn't think of the rankins dragon!
i shall do some reading etc.
thanks!

peace

 

thanks for the reply MikeDr0,
do you think this vivarium will make a good home for a water dragon?
i have ordered some water dragon and crested geckos books that should be arriving shortly, so i can gain a greater understanding what species would be ideal in there and make any modifications as necessary.

thanks to everybody posting to my questions, you're helping alot in pushing my designs.

******message to BionicDarren*********

go to www.photobucket.com
set up an account (straight forward)
once that is done there will be an option to 'UPLOAD IMAGES'
click that, then a browser window should pop up that shows your files within your computer
choose a photo, click ok then it should upload it.
once that is done it will generate 4 different codes in a list (HTML, IMG, etc)
copy the 'IMG' code then simply paste it onto the 'QUICK REPLY'-where you sent me a message

that should work,
i hope that's clear (and right!!!)

cheers

 

hey benz, photobucket doesnt' have anything bad on it does it? cause my internet filter blocks it out. but if theres nothing wrong with it i can get my mom to unblock it.