DIY viv update 2' 2' 4'

[reptileguy112]

Ok, so here is an update of my cage I am building for my veiled female.Its 2' 2' 4'. I have a 4' confederate jasmine (star), a 2.5 foot cape honeysuckle, and a 1.5-2 foot ficus plant.I have an 18" 5.0 uvb (5%) and uva (20%) combination, a compact uvb I only use between getting a new tube bulb, and a blue night bulb.It will have an ultrasonic fogger, homemade dripper, and maybe a bendy branch thing.Are there any tricks for drainage of the bottom?It will be on carpet.Thank you for reading this!

 

[ChiefRedman]

Looks like a start to a great piece! You are going to need a night bulb, and you are going to want to make sure you seal the bottom of it , it looks like particle board to me, so it wont hold up very long under being wet/weight of plants. Do you mean its going to be sitting directly onto carpet? Thats not the best idea either, if you are going to have it set up on a table or a rack from your local home depo store then you will be okay! Finally , drainage can be done a couple of ways. I made my table onto my cage so I just drilled a hole in the bottom and set my drainage bucket under neath it. Im going to attach a couple of threads for you to look at and get some ideas https://www.chameleonforums.com/drainage-systems-cages-get-creative-102038/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/my-diy-cage-130351/

 

[reptileguy112]

I have a night bulb.It is not going directly on carpet, it is going to have legs on it, and we just have particle board underneath to make the bottom not get dirty in the garage.

 

[reptileguy112]

I think its about 119 gallons.Biggest enclosure I have had.

 

[ChiefRedman]

LOL whoops I had a typo,sorry! You arent going to need a night light, any kind of light willl disturb them

 

[reptileguy112]

You can make something to block the light.Or just get a heat emitter I got her to eat some today.I hope she isn't egg bound.I found her siting on the lid of the cage last night.She is sneaky

 

[reptileguy112]

She had her first superworms yesterday, loves em.I am sick of crickets falling and dying.Got to remember to crush their heads.

 

[reptileguy112]

It has bottom, screening, and a door now.It will be done once we screw the door on.The plants look awesome in it.There is confederate jasmine, money tree, honeysuckle, ficus, nasturtium, and I might move some morning glories in there is they are safe.

 

[nick barta]

Drake, here are some thoughts:

1. As stated by other poster, no night light is needed.

2. You will want a 6500k tube light (Lowes/HD) to keep plants alive. Get a double florescent fixture, 24 inches long, this will be for your Reptisun and 6500K bulbs.

3. Veilds don't need a fogger.

4. You don't need to crush super worm heads-urban legend.

5. Skip bendy branches, use real branches and vines and make them horizontal highways from 6 inches from the top, to 1/2 way down.

6. Water containment: If you are just doing a dripper with hand spraying, you can aim the dripper at a different plant pot each time, and the plant pot will take all the water from one dripping. No containment system would be necessary. If you go to automatic misting systems, you will need a collection tray (LLL Reptile) and you can drill a hole in the bottom of the tray and cage bottom to drain into a 5 gallon bucket. Or you can go to Lowes/HD and get a clothes washer tray, it is about 28 inches square, so it will catch some of the splatter when drops hit the leaves and floor.

7. Seal the wood, especially on the bottom or you will get black mold….do all the edges on the bottom 1/2.

CHEERS!

Nick

 

[reptileguy112]

I have the ultraviolet light for the winter while it is cold and I am going to put a little box thing over it while it is on and make a tube and slot at the top so there is no light showing only heat coming out if it is below 65F I can make it automatically turn on.P.S. I can open the window and give natural light to the plants.I don't think I need a drip tray since there are so many plant and I ordered a little ultrasonic fogger for a few bucks yesterday