# Lizards > Monitors and Tegus >  Large Monitor/Tegu Enclosures?

## Pampho85

I don't plan on keeping any large lizards within the next ten years, but, I'm just curious on how you set them up.  Obviously, most, if not all, are DIY since the cages would have to be at least eight ft. long and shipping would be a nightmare on such a thing.  

Please post a picture of your enclosure so I can get a visual of how exactly it's set up! It will be greatly appreciated!

Back on the main point, here are some things I want to address:
What substrate is the best?What are the specs for your enclosure?Sliding glass/hinged doors?How many UVB lights? And actual 'heat' lights?How often do you change the substrate?How large of an enclosure is needed for an large Tegu? (B&W or Red)How large of an enclosure is needed for a large monitor? (Nile, Water, etc.)What kind of wood did you use to construct the enclosure?


Also, if anyone has a DIY for such an enclosure, it will be helpful!

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## The Serpent Merchant

I plan on getting a monitor when I move out of my apartment and into a real house. I'll be building an outdoor enclosure. Concrete floor with a fence embedded into the concrete (to prevent escape via digging under the fence) the exact substrate/additional heating/configuration/size will depend on what type of monitor I get.

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## John1982

You may consider building an outdoor enclosure for the summer months at least, it's hard to beat good old natural sunlight and fresh air to help a lizard thrive. This is a tegu enclosure I built a few years ago. It's 8x8 and I put hardware cloth under the substrate to prevent escape by digging. The tube under the chair goes down to a hibernation/sleeping chamber that's buried outside in front of the enclosure(you can see where in the first pick, on the right side - about 2 feet under the driftwood).

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Arcapello (08-13-2012),bxsrt8mag (08-18-2012),_Pampho85_ (06-29-2012),_Ridinandreptiles_ (09-09-2012),_txcoker_ (06-30-2012)

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## Pampho85

That's an awesome looking setup! It looks like it took a long time to build too! 

How large is your indoor enclosure? If I may ask that is.

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## John1982

I used to have a 3x2 turtle table I built a top for and kept GUs in when they were young. I've since scrapped it and keep them outside most of the time. The last couple winters have been unusually cold and I've brought them inside but they just hibernate under a couch. This is the only picture I could find of the old turtle table. It was originally for my M. emys emys that spent their first few winters indoors, they're now outside year round also. Half of the lid was off for this photo but it was just a couple 1x4 frames with hardware cloth stapled/bracketed on and some hook locks on the sides to keep them secure. I stapled vinyl to the sides/bottom and sealed the cracks with silicon to keep it leak resistant.

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## jbean7916

> Back on the main point, here are some things I want to address:
> What substrate is the best?What are the specs for your enclosure?Sliding glass/hinged doors?How many UVB lights? And actual 'heat' lights?How often do you change the substrate?How large of an enclosure is needed for an large Tegu? (B&W or Red)How large of an enclosure is needed for a large monitor? (Nile, Water, etc.)What kind of wood did you use to construct the enclosure?
> 
> 
> Also, if anyone has a DIY for such an enclosure, it will be helpful!


I have a nile monitor in my garage. She has an 8x6x6 enclosure.

Her substrate is plain old dirt mixed with some sand. 

Since she poops in her water, we don't change the substrate, just mix it up every couple months. She has a 100gal stock tank for a swimming pool so we use a sump pump and pool skimmer to change her water out as needed. Its a heck of a job but the filter we had kept clogging up.

Here are some pics

 



The box on the left is a hinge topped hide box then in ramps up to a higher platform with a plexi window off to the side. She can see out of the window but its far enough away to not be ruined by her talons.



we boxed out an entry way since we have a full door this keeps the substrate in the cage and not on my floor. It also gives superman a place to sit and beg for dinner

 

Here she is basking under her bank of lights. We also made sure the lights are on a separate piece of wood that sits down into the roof. This helps when she has a light that is out but shes not in the mood for visitors  :Smile:  like when she looks like this :




Relaxing:


Bug hunting:



Napping

 

Enjoying a swim:



Hope this helps! 


Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

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_infernalis_ (07-04-2012),_txcoker_ (06-30-2012)

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## Virus

I too have been looking into getting a tegu or a monitor, so I'm interested to see what others here have done.

/subscribed

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## mumps

My ornate monitor enclosure is 12x6x4.  I couldn't go higher because there are 2 6x6x2 enclosures on top (one on each side) for my Burm and Red Foots.  It has a 2x3 framework with plywood/particle board walls.  All interior surfaces have 5 coats of Varathane Diamond finish, and all corners and seams around the bottom and up the walls are sealed with silicone.  Substrate is dirt/sand/coco fibre with leaves on top.  His 5x3 pool (actually a python tub from Vision plastics) is elevated to give him that extra bit of floor space, as are his basking areas.  Don't have any pics of the whole thing, but in this you can see his pool.



Chris

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## infernalis

jbean7916 that is one nice setup!!!

 Hit my site, there is a lot of good information there that can apply to most any monitor...

http://www.savannahmonitor.co/

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## jbean7916

> jbean7916 that is one nice setup!!!
> 
>  Hit my site, there is a lot of good information there that can apply to most any monitor...
> 
> http://www.savannahmonitor.co/


Thanks! We tried planting like you have in your savs enclosure but unfortunately, nothing survived the wrath of superman. She trampled anything that didnt die off and after about 2 weeks we decided to give up! I will be adding more substrate now that shes finally starting to dig (the person we got her from kept her on about an inch of reptibark) and i'd like to get some big driftwood to drill into that back ramp to give some more climbing/basking places.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

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## infernalis

My kids killed off the grass too, they dig up the roots and it dies quick after that.

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## KThnxBye

My boyfriend and I have been outside all week building our new enclosure... It's exhausting... I can't wait 'til it's done!  :Smile:

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_infernalis_ (08-03-2012)

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## Virus

> My boyfriend and I have been outside all week building our new enclosure... It's exhausting... I can't wait 'til it's done!


You better be ready to post pictures when it's ready.  :Snake:

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## KThnxBye

> You better be ready to post pictures when it's ready.


It will be a while still... but definitely!

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## Virus

:Very Happy:   I need to absorb all the info I can for when I pick up a blackthroat (albigularis), so this is appreciated.

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