NOOB question about enclosure for baby

[carlynpfef]

I am planning on getting a baby dragon, roughly 5 inches long right now, and I was unsure of the minimum adequate size enclosure. I plan on converting an entertainment center into a terrarium in the next couple months, which will measure greater than a 40 gallon breeder. In the interim, will a 20L tank suffice while I get the bigger one finished? And for about how long?

 

[kirkp]

Hello all, another newby here and happen to be related to the OP so that I'd elaborate a bit. We have a couple of options for the BD and aren't sure which way to go. Note that we are starting from scratch for the most part so we'll have to buy everything. Hopefully whatever we buy now will be able to be used for the ultimate plan
1. buy a 20L for the near term knowing that it will at some point outgrow it. This is obviously the least cost alternative.
2. buy a 40 breeder which COULD be its final home but we have a different plan which will be described below. Obviously more expensive and not ultimately needed.
3. Use a 75 that I have which I would partition based on some other posts we read. This would less costly but the downside is that it wouldn't be in her room where we think the increased interaction would be beneficial.

While we were looking in her room for where we could locate a tank, we had a brilliant idea. We have an old entertainment center that we realized could be made into a great home for her BD. At least we think so and are looking for some input.

The opening dimensions are 36"W x 29"H x 20"D. The 29" is to the top inside but the moulding reduces it a couple inches. My thought was that I would buy some 1/8" Melamine to cover the bottom, sides and enclose the back. I could get some plexi to make double sliding doors assuming I can locate the tracks for the top and bottom. Push comes to shove I could probably make some out of wood. Lights could be suspended from the top inside of the enclosure. So have a few questions
- is 29" too tall? Could be cut down but thinking that we'll loose some height when we install the heat lamp so maybe to clear height would be on the order of 22".
- would it be wise to add some vents as I've seen on some enclosures?
- think some kind of screen would be needed at the top?

Appreciate your time and look forward to getting your input/comments.

Kirk

 

[Eavlynn]

I find that it's more cost effective to set up a 40 gallon for your dragon to grow into, and just cover 3 sides to make it seem more secure and less intimidating. 20 gallons can work, but are small and difficult to create a proper heat gradient in, and wouldn't last more than a couple months as quickly as young dragons grow.

I've done custom builds, but haven't done an entertainment stand conversion. 29 inches is taller than a dragon needs, but if you provide a ramp or climbing area leading up to a platform, you can utilize a lot more of the space. Vents are always a good idea, you want airflow to help keep things fresh and dry. If you use the entire open area of the entertainment center, closing everything off, a screen top shouldn't be needed.

As for tracks for sliding doors, I found mine on amazon for a great price. No local stores carried them.

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[PatsyB]

I'm with Eavlynn. I would start with a 40g tank for a baby. You can add lots of cover for them to feel secure. Bearded dragons grow fast so a 10/20gal isn't going to last long. Plus, you need to get a temperature gradient from the basking spot to a cool side of the tank and you just can't get that in a smaller tank.

 

[kirkp]

Thanks for the replies. We picked up a used 40 gallon breeder tonight and will be purchasing the rest of the supplies shortly. Didn't take long to realize that a 20 gallon wouldn't take long to outgrow.

Eavlynn, wondering what you used for the "glass" doors. Was it really glass or plexiglas? What thickness and if it was glass, did you go with plate glass?

Thanks
Kirk

 

[Eavlynn]

I used 1/4 inch plexi and purchased plastic 1/4 inch tracks from amazon, which I epoxied in place. They're fantastic, smooth and quiet. Plexi has more give and is less likely to break. Also much lighter weight. Make sure you get a sliding door lock though, my boy already figured out how to slide his doors open. Dragons are too smart for their own good

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