New beardie enclosure for my 2 little buds. Let me know what you guys think!

[Gsxrsteve4101]

 

[BeardedHippy]

Hi, that is a great idea, love to see people build their own. I do hope you dont mind me being a little bit critical about it though, as I think you could have some problems. Firstly, you will need a good sealer and a few coats of non toxic paint as that wood will start to gas off when it heats up. The gas is quite carcinogenic (formaldehyde mostly i believe) and can cause irritation/damage to your beardies eyes and lungs. Im also not entirely sure how you will maintain a proper temperature gradient, especially in the bottom part, you may need a seperate heat source in that bit(and a vent or 2 maybe).
Lastly, beardies are solitary creatures, housing them together is not a good thing and will eventually lead to aggression, no matter how large the enclosure. One dragon will always dominate the other, even when they look like the best of pals (to our eyes) one will always be in a state of stress (usually the smaller of the 2). That is your choice of course, just be prepared for what could happen.
Overall, nice work though, once you have tweeked it a bit it should serve you well.

 

[Gsxrsteve4101]

Thank you for the advice! Maintaining the humidity and temp is pretty easy as i have that room sealed off with a dehumidifier, also there is an additional heat lamp i have yet to affix to it yet. i have been monitoring the temps and humidity closely and they stay right within range day and night. But i didn't know about the wood situation at all. I will have to seal it before putting them in there definitely. I also have heard that about 2 of them being together. So far at 2 years they seem okay, but i know it is something i need to consider should i see that happen i think i would simply split the tank at that point.

 

[Hdrydr31]

So will you have UVB on both levels? I agree with Beardedhippy on their statement..

 

[PatsyB]

Definitely needs more ventilation, especially in the bottom. You'll need a UVB in the bottom part and probably a basking too. I know someone that has a 2 story enclosure that works for him but he has multiple light levels and basking spots so the dragon has coverage wherever he is. Once you seal it, the temps and humidity might change so keep an eye on it. Be prepared to separate them too. Like BeardedHippy said they are solitary, they can turn on each other at any moment.

 

[Gsxrsteve4101]

Yes, i want to have another bulb on the bottom, my only problem is mounting? not sure how i'll do it. Also i can easily make vents on the siding and will do so. Any ideas on how to mount one of those lights on the inside?

 

[BeardedHippy]

You can use a standard ceramic fixture, like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Komodo-Cer...2&sr=8-1&keywords=komodo+ceramic+lamp+fixture

Make sure you get one that can handle the wattage of your mercury bulb. If the bulb is too low down in the enclosure, a guard would be a useful addition just so they cant burn themselves on it:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ProRep-Hea...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7WVCVGZMS4H1DZT92Z15

I must admit, I prefer seperate UV tube and heat bulbs, mainly because those MV bulbs have such a short lifespan (3-6 months)and are prone to blowing when you least expect it. I use halogen spot lamps and arcadia T10 12% tubes, the setup is more expensive but I think you save money in the longrun as you only need to change them once a year.

 

[BeardedHippy]

sorry I meant T5 not T10

 

[Gsxrsteve4101]

Thanks! I'll probably go with getting a couple of the T5 bulbs and mounts as they seem best. I ended up splitting them up just to be safe. I don't know if anything is happening when im not there and don't want to risk it. Drill more vent holes in the bottom and sealed all the wood as well Hopefully Rahool is happy in there I put my other beardie Ives in a 75 gallon tank all to himself. So he should be happy. but he tends to be smug and think he is the boss often head bobbing even at me lol.

 

[Natie]

You can use a standard ceramic fixture, like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GVDTUNI/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Make sure you get one that can handle the wattage of your mercury bulb. If the bulb is too low down in the enclosure, a guard would be a useful addition just so they cant burn themselves on it:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00817ZAUE/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I must admit, I prefer seperate UV tube and heat bulbs, mainly because those MV bulbs have such a short lifespan (3-6 months)and are prone to blowing when you least expect it. I use halogen spot lamps and arcadia T10 12% tubes, the setup is more expensive but I think you save money in the longrun as you only need to change them once a year.

What would you recommend as a mounting fixture inside of a homemade enclosure for the Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 Fluorescent Lamp 24” T-8? I’m looking at making my own enclosure out of an old dresser and don’t know what plug-in mounted fixture to use for that bulb? Thanks