Cage Question for a Water Dragon and a Iguana.

Discussion in 'Water Dragons' started by Stealthy_C, Aug 18, 2003.

  1. Stealthy_C

    Stealthy_C Embryo

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    Hello,

    This is my first post here.

    I just bought a Water Dragon. Right now hes in a 10 gal tank. But want to move him to a big place. I found some plans to build a Screen cage out of PVC, and thought that would be good. But am not sure, i have been told not to use screen, to keep them in a glass cage or some sort. What would be a cage to use? Also i just aquired a 1 1/2 year old Iguana, from my sister who dosent have much time for him any more. And was thinking of using the Screen Cage for it, good idea?
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. phlat

    phlat Embryo

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    Well I can tell you what I have read and Im planning for my upcoming water dragon. Cage wise, I wouldn't go with a screen cage unless you keep the room it is in fairly warm. If you have a Asian/Chinesse/Green water dragon, they are very untolerant of temp and humidity changes. Austrialian/Brown water dragons can tolerate varying temps and humidity. So you might not be able to easily regulate teh temp and humidity in a screen cage easily. Also, water dragons do not understand the concept of glass, so they run the risk of rubbing their snouts off on glass. The living area I am planning is going to be fairly good sized. Size wise, it should be around 5x8x6ftt tall, made mopstly of plywood. I am also incorporating a small pond (26"x47"x12" deep, that will double as an fish habitat. If I can do it like I want, it will have a waterfall, and rocks that will vary the depth of the pool, and maybe an island with a basking lamp. Too big and overkill as my wife puts it. But we will see when she says "OOHH Let me help build it!" I would suggest the following link for more information: http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/ This will help with almost every aspect of keeping a healthy dragon. Also for more personal help, or to purchase a captive bread Aussie water dragon, I would suggest http://www.agamainternational.com/ They have given me lots of info that I haven't found elsewhere, and I plan to purchase from them when I am ready. Hope this info helps out any.
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. sapphire_moon

    sapphire_moon Embryo

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    No screen for the iguana, not alot anyways, they will shred it with their claws. They have iguana habbitats and such at www.bigapplehersp.com and you can get a good idea from there. Also try www.sSnakeSs.com they have a very active enclosure forum.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. Axe

    Axe Well-Known Member

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    Most of the commercially available iguana enclosure are far too small for adult enclosures, and even if the size you need is commercially available, often it's a lot easier & cheaper to build your own.

    I have two 5 footers right now. One is male & one is female, so they are housed separately. Skittles (the male) lives in an 8'x4'x8' outdoor enclosure, and Annie (female) lives in a 10'x5'x7' outdoor enclosure.

    The only place I've ever seen that does have commercial cages large enough for an adult iguana is Cages By Design, but they're extremely pricey (way beyond what it'd cost you to build your own).
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. biochic

    biochic Well-Known Member

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    The only screening that you can use with large lizards is metal or the thick plastic mesh/screening. Don't try to use storm door or window screening, too weak, like everyone has already said. If you want to be able to see through all sides of the enclosure, plexi-glas is best with a metal screening or chicken wire on top.
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. Axe

    Axe Well-Known Member

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    Plexiglass is good, but personally I wouldn't use it, an strong iguana would scratch the hell out of that in no time, heh. Tempered glass would be the best, but that's EXTREMELY expensive, so a little cost prohibitive on a huge enclosure unless you just happen to have won the lottery :)

    The porch screen isn't strong enough to stop a rampaging iguana, although we have found a workaround. We use porch screen on our 10'x5'x7' outdoor enclosure which houses Annie, our 5ft female.

    What we did, was to put a 24" high plywood skirting around all sides from the ground up, and on the wall sides of their basking platforms. They can only really get the power behind them to rip through it if they've got a good foothold behind them. Even with a 5ft iguana, if you've got a 2ft high piece of plywood covering the bottom of the enclosure, they can't get the hold they need to put the power into ripping the screen. Of course, we make sure our iguanas nails stay quite trimmed.

    Even a young iguana with extremely sharp nails could rip through vinyl porch screen, regardless. Sharp nails will work just like a knife tip slicing the screen.

    But, you can also get aluminum porch screen (they use it on chameleon cages). And you can get the vinyl coated aluminum porch screen (harder to find, and a lil more expensive, but can be worth it), which will give the appearance of the reguar porch screen, but be much stronger.
     
  12. biochic

    biochic Well-Known Member

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    We've had our oldest green iguana in a plexi-glas enclosure for almost 5 years and she hasn't scratched it at all. But then again, her "perches" are built away from the glass so that she doesn't really ever come into contact with it. But I know at you mean. It is very vulnerable to scratches and scuffs. Vinyl coated wire screen is the best though in terms of durability and safety.
     
  13. Darina

    Darina Embryo

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    Would anybody be able to send me pictures of your iquana enclosures. I am looking for ideas? I am from the united kingdom and i cannot get anybody to build one in my country. I have had to go to cagesbydesign in America to get a custum made one. They have not gave me a price yet and as you can imagine it is going to be very expensive. Can you give me ideas on furnishing materials, backgrounds, etc as I want to spend money on it and make it look great. I would like to go all the way and put a waterfall etc. into it and make it a centre piece in side my home.

    Any sugestions?
    Thanks
     
  14. GeckoKing_57

    GeckoKing_57 New Member

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    As far as your Water Dragon.... I would use a normal 55 gallon. You can get them for 100 bucks at most pet shops, maybe even cheaper... Make it half land and half water.... Just like the name, they love the water... They do jump from high places into the water so it may need to be somewhat deep.. But as with and herp, the bigger tank the better. And if you decide to get a large enclosure like that, try filling your bath tub up half way with lukewarm water and watch what happens, just make sure you have a medium size piece of driftwood that floats in there for a resting spot. Hope this helps
     

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