types of enclosures

[SaraC]

Hi everyone! I’m new to the forum. I recently bought a chameleon who I ended up having a respiratory infection from the pet store and passed away. It was so sad and I would really like the chance to give a reptile the best home. With that being said, I am someone who needs to travel often as I am a college student. I was wondering if anyone was familiar with any lightweight enclosures that I can easily transport. I’ve also seen some mixed opinions on full grown enclosure sizes. I have been told it needs to be 40, 75, and 120 gallons. Some clarity on this would also help!

Also any opinions on buying from a local reptile shop with 2 month old bearded dragons would be appreciated. I really don’t want to buy a sick reptile like I already have. It’s heartbreaking to watch them get sick and not be able to fix it!

any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[HoomanSlave]

Welcome to the forum!
So sorry to hear about your chameleon. Be gentle with yourself and make sure you give yourself all the time you need to grieve.

http://www.showcasecages.com/buy_online.htm has some pretty lightweight enclosures, though they're on the pricey side.

120 gallons (48"x24"x24") is considered an ideal size for an adult beardie. 75 is the minimum for average-sized dragons, but German giants will need something much larger.

The minimum age beardie you should get is 6 weeks, because they are less fragile than hatchlings in that stage. Check all of the beardies at the store carefully for signs of illness before you choose one.

 

[Toad Ranch]

Hi Sara,
I'm sorry to hear about your chameleon, they sure are beautiful animals but can be challenging especially if the pet store purchased it wild caught.
We build PVC enclosures that are relatively very light weight, easy to clean and hold temps very well. Toad Ranch reptile enclosures are made of durable 1/2" PVC body and 3/4" rigid plastic frame that is beautifully embossed with wood grain and variegated coloration available in 3 different wood tones- Mahogany, Teak, and Driftwood. We use high quality Tempered Safety glass with all polished edges for the front bypass sliding doors. All of our reptile cages come standard with ceramic base fixture(s) that are wired in a 1/2" ceiling electrical box- having the fixtures inside the enclosure really helps with heating and getting hot basking spots- we keep a lot of basking lizards . Our cages ship flat and are easily disassembled for moving in the future. Like HoomanSlave said a 48"x24"x24" is a good size for a beardie. You can check out our BC48 here:

https://toadranchreptiles.com/colle...x24pvcreptileenclosure?variant=36459987075231

and the rest of our enclosures here:

Reptile Enclosures and Stands by Toad Ranch

Finally an ALL Plastic Reptile cage that reflects the beauty in nature! Tired of all BLACK? Get BACK to Nature with Toad Ranch Reptile Enclosures! Beautiful museum-quality reptile displays at an affordable price. Our reptile cages hold up to the harshest conditions without even breaking a...

toadranchreptiles.com

Good luck with your next pet! I think a beardie is a great choice!