# Lizards > General Lizards >  I just got back into herps, say hello to my Chinese Water Dragon!

## Norsejeff

This is just a temporary set up for him while I save to build him a nice 6'x4'x2.5' enclosure. But it's enough for a few months anyway. The custom cage Im building will have about a foot of water on the bottom and take up about 3/4 the ground space. The rest of the height he will have vines and branches and little ledges to climb on. I can't wait to get building it! He's only ate about 4 times in the 10 or so days Ive had him, but I've been messing with his cage a bit too much as well. Anyhow, now his cage is set up just the way I want it until I can get his new one built, so hopefully he'll settle in and start eating normally.

How's it look?

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## Mettle

Looks like he has a lot to keep him busy!

That custom enclosure you're talking about sounds phenomenal. What are you using for the bottom to ensure that it properly holds that much water?

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## Norsejeff

> Looks like he has a lot to keep him busy!
> 
> That custom enclosure you're talking about sounds phenomenal. What are you using for the bottom to ensure that it properly holds that much water?


Yea he hardly ever sits still in there, lol. Always jumping from the highest branch into the water.

I'm not positive how I'm going to make it yet, but I'm envisioning a glass bottom sealed with aquarium silicone sealant and a wood frame around that to tie it into the rest of the cage. Basically an aquarium custom made for the enclosure. I'll build the rest of the 1/4th floor I have left to just above the water level. Probably 14 or so inches off the bottom of the cage I'll have two cabinet type doors that will open the height of the cage for easy access. I was planning on a mesh siding on all 4 sides above the water line, but I'm not positive how well that will hold humidity. The sides may end up being water proofed wood and just the doors will be screened. Lighting, heating, misting, etc will all be built into the top of the cage with safety guards around the heating elements. I think I may set up an automatic misting system while I'm at it, to stream line things. Overall I plan on spending a pretty penny and making this thing like a piece of furniture. I just hope it doesn't end up weighing a ton!

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## wafisherman

Here is the custom enclosure I built for my 2 water dragons.  They are doing really well. 

It is just a closet under the stairs that I converted into my mini-reptile room. In this room I have 3 snakes, a beardie, and the 2 WDs.  Oh, and a dubia colony...

It isn't finished yet, but functionally, it works fine.  

I have a MVB (Mega-ray 100SB) that keeps the UVB and temps just right for them.  
For humidity, I have a few potted plants and keep the subrate in them very moist.  The rest of the enclosure is just plywood lined with stick on tiles.  It is very easy to clean and disinfect when needed.  

They love to climb.  Tall and lots of vines and basking spots are great.  A nice quiet hide covered with leaves (fake or real) for hiding is good.

For the little one, Pheonix Worms are a great idea.  They pack a punch from a nutrition perspective.  I start them on that, then move to supers and dubias.

They mess up their water pretty fast.  They do all their poo'ing and shedding and stuff in there.  So I went with a large cat litter pan that offer plenty of room for swimming and soaking plus I can easily remove it 2 times a week (it gets nasty fast) and clean and refill it.  I also have a cheap filter in it, but it just helps keep the water looking clear, but there is always big chunks of skin, poo, etc floating around...

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## stratus_020202

Hello Mr. Chinese Water Dragon (What no name??)!! His temp enclosure looks really nice. Can't wait to see pics of the custom enclosure. Those from Chad look phenomenal!

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## Norsejeff

I just designed out how I'm going to build the cage. I decided Im just going to use my 20g H for his water tank since it's already built and it'd make constructing this thing super fast and easy. So that's what the container is in the bottom. I'll have potting soil in the bottom of the cage as well with live plants growing and a way up into the water tank (and out of it). The shelf will hold soil and be used as a place to put branches that'll reach the top of the cage. The top is going to be open and about 6 inches lower so I have a place to put all the lighting and such. All the open sides will most likely end up being a fine mesh that wont tear from his claws. Then obviously the front is how I'm going to make the doors. I can't wait to get started!

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## dr del

Wow,

Definately keep us posted on that one - it sounds as though it will be stunning. :Surprised: 

Are you going to build in a draining system for the tank at the bottom to make cleaning it easier?

I always wondered how the food items worked out in those types of full display tanks - do you use feeding bowls or do they just get placed in the tank as normal?


dr del

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## Norsejeff

> Wow,
> 
> Definately keep us posted on that one - it sounds as though it will be stunning.
> 
> Are you going to build in a draining system for the tank at the bottom to make cleaning it easier?
> 
> I always wondered how the food items worked out in those types of full display tanks - do you use feeding bowls or do they just get placed in the tank as normal?
> 
> 
> dr del


I think I'll just siphon all the water out for cleaning. I do that now and it's easy enough. The branches and soil I will just spot clean. As for feeding, he's already eating right out of my fingers, so I'll probably just continue doing that. 

I'm going to price out Mahogany tomorrow as that is probably going to be the most water and rot resistant wood I can get. Plus it'll look really nice.

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## Norsejeff

Here's how it looks thus far



He's going to be nearly impossible to find in that place when this gets done! I'm gonna steal the above idea and hang ropes all over that place to act as vines. Also I've found a nice list of safe plants I can put in there. I'm going to fill that place with living plants to help keep the humidity up and make him feel more at home. How's it looking?

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## wafisherman

That is going to be killer.  Keep pics coming!

Keep in mind the water needs to be changed a few times per week minimum. I have a filter on mine and still need to change 2 to 4 times a week.  But I do have 2 WDs in there.  With the large cat litter pan I have my water it, it is just big enough that I can get it in and out full of water.  Any bigger and I'd need a new plan - like the drain plug idea.  But drained to where??  Right now I just take the pan to the next door bathroom and flush it.  Then clean it and fill it up and put it back.

I feed mine out of a large alum pan (cheap dog bowl from Walmart).  It is at least 12 inches across with 2 inch sides.  Holds in the dubias and supers just fine.

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## Norsejeff

> That is going to be killer.  Keep pics coming!
> 
> Keep in mind the water needs to be changed a few times per week minimum. I have a filter on mine and still need to change 2 to 4 times a week.  But I do have 2 WDs in there.  With the large cat litter pan I have my water it, it is just big enough that I can get it in and out full of water.  Any bigger and I'd need a new plan - like the drain plug idea.  But drained to where??  Right now I just take the pan to the next door bathroom and flush it.  Then clean it and fill it up and put it back.
> 
> I feed mine out of a large alum pan (cheap dog bowl from Walmart).  It is at least 12 inches across with 2 inch sides.  Holds in the dubias and supers just fine.


Thanks, I'm gonna seal the inside today and put on the screen tomorrow. Then I'll just wait a few more days for everything to fully dry and it'll be good to set up!

As for the water, it's gonna be filtered for sure and I'm handy enough with a siphon to just do that. I'll probably do 1/2 water changes a few times a week since that's super easy and the siphon will suck up the poo in the water.

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## dr del

Hehe,

Don't get distracted when starting the syphon.  :Twisted: 


dr del

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## wafisherman

> Hehe,
> 
> Don't get distracted when starting the syphon. 
> 
> 
> dr del


What's a little e-coli and salmonella and radom parasites between friends?   :Dancin' Banana: 

To seal mine, I used the stick on tiles and some caulking in the corners.  Works great.  Wipes down easy.  I can pull everything off the floor in about 1 minute and wipe it all down in another minute.  I keep my plants and soil in pots for humidity.  They can be easily moved out when needed.  If dubias ro supers get loose, they really have nowhere to hide and will be quickly hunted down and eaten by one of my 2 dragons.  The feeding pan helps me keep track of who is eating what and how much.  My younger one eats from my hand at times, but the older one is too grumpy and won't do it anymore like he\she used to.

Old pic.  I got rid of the little fountain and don't put the reptile carpet in anymore.  Both are bacteria breeding grounds...

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Norsejeff (05-17-2009)

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## Norsejeff

Nice pics there. I got my cage all sealed today so the humidity wont be a problem. I'm gonna install the door and mesh tomorrow and it should be complete. I'll just have to wait a few more days for the water proofing to fully cure before letting him loose in it. Here's a pic of it with the doors propped up against the cage. They arent attached yet.

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## Norsejeff

She's done. I made a bunch of rookie mistakes because this is the first thing I've ever built, lol. As you can see the doors are a bit too long and the lock I got for the doors is for something that opens vertically so I made a bunch of holes in the door for nothing, arg. But anyway, flaws and all it's done and it'll work nicely. Tomorrow I plant it and get the rope tied in.

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## Norsejeff

Can you spot the water dragon? lol. Anyway cage is all set up with safe plants and even a ficus tree! It's so awesome. I think I might have over done the size a bit, but ah well, he'll grow into it. And yes, he is pictured in this shot.

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## Norsejeff

He's super happy in this cage. He just ate a feeder fish and this pic is him takin a lounge after that big meal, lol.

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## K00l bean

Sweet!! That cage is awesome!   :Sweeet:

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## Norsejeff

> Sweet!! That cage is awesome!


Thanks. Ive changed it up a bit since then.



Works a lot better with the smaller water and such.

also my cwd has grown a lot!

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## Joe Cope

Your first pic of the Temp cage.  What makes it temp?

I have a 10 gallon (Too small?) tank and I am thinking about getting a Chinese water dragon.  But I want it to have a swimming area and a land area like that.  But I am having the problem of thinking of a good land area foundation.  Any help?

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## K00l bean

Thats pretty cool, ive always thought of getting a CWG

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## wafisherman

> Your first pic of the Temp cage.  What makes it temp?
> 
> I have a 10 gallon (Too small?) tank and I am thinking about getting a Chinese water dragon.  But I want it to have a swimming area and a land area like that.  But I am having the problem of thinking of a good land area foundation.  Any help?


I'm thinking it is temporary because it is too small.  A full grown WD will be around 3ft long and needs lots of room to climb, run, jump, swim, etc.

For water, the use of a big cat litter pan as you see in his and mine above works really well.  They get dirty fast, so you need to be able to access it and change out all the water and clean the pan a few times a week.  Since they are good climbers, you can just give them a branch, vine, ladder, etc to get up into and out of it...  And yes, 10 gal is way to small, even for a baby.  They grow fast and need to climb.    

Go here for more info:
http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/dragoncr.htm

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## Joe Cope

> I'm thinking it is temporary because it is too small.  A full grown WD will be around 3ft long and needs lots of room to climb, run, jump, swim, etc.
> 
> For water, the use of a big cat litter pan as you see in his and mine above works really well.  They get dirty fast, so you need to be able to access it and change out all the water and clean the pan a few times a week.  Since they are good climbers, you can just give them a branch, vine, ladder, etc to get up into and out of it...  And yes, 10 gal is way to small, even for a baby.  They grow fast and need to climb.    
> 
> Go here for more info:
> http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/dragoncr.htm


I got a beardie instead.

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## Norsejeff

Check out how big he's getting! 



He's really starting to look like a male, eh?

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## TroyL

I just got a baby CWD about a month ago. Your enclosure is amazing. I am wondering what you used as far as wood to build this monster of a cage? and you said you painted and sealed it I was curious as to what kind of paint you used and what it was sealed with. I am looking to build mine something similar. I want to do something very similar actually. I am thinking a 5-6 long by 4' tall and 2' deep. I love how you did this setup.  Any info you could give would be awesome.
Thanks in advance

Troy

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## ball python 22

Do they change colors in one pic the dragon is brown then in another its green

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## TroyL

> Do they change colors in one pic the dragon is brown then in another its green


Yes they can change from a very bright green with blue lines to a very drab kinda brown. Can change with temp and mood. At least I have noticed with my young male.

Troy

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