DIY: Crested Gecko Tubs

I really like tub setups for my reptiles. Glass cages are nice, but once you acquire more than a few animals that each require their own glass tank, it gets rather expensive, heavy, and cumbersome.

I followed a few guides on how to make tubs for crested geckos and I thought I would post how I put mine together.

One tub only takes about 30 minutes to assemble so get your tools ready!

Materials List:
Plastic tub: I used the container store's "deep sweater boxes". They are about equivalent to a 10g and nice and tall. They are also some of the clearest tubs on the market.

Screen Mesh: I used fiberglass screen which can be found at the Home Depot or Lowes for about $5 for a huge roll. You won't need nearly as much as provided for one tub, but chances are you will be getting a new gecko soon, right?

Plants and climbing branches:This can be as boring or elaborate as you want. I use plastic plants from the dollar store, sterilized sticks I find outside, and paper towel tubes. Remember that your crestie needs good sturdy climbing surfaces as well as foliage for hiding spots.


Tools:
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These are the basic tools that you need to do this project.

The little blue thing with the cap on it is called an acrylic scorer. It is used to cut plastic and plexiglass. It works very very well at cutting tubs. You could use an exacto knife or a box cutter, but it will be much more difficult. These tools are only a couple of dollars at the home depot right by where they keep the plexiglass. Hopefully you all can recognize the other tools :)

Step#1:
Mark where you want your screened in opening to be. I made mine 7"x11". The screen size is directly related to the humidity. If you live in a humid climate, make a bigger screened area. If you live in a very dry climate, make the screened area smaller. You want enough screen to allow good air flow, but not too much so that it doesn't hold any humidity. The tub should go through a humidity cycle. After you mist, the enclosure should be able to dry out before you mist again.

I cut out two squares, one on the front side of the tub and one on the back. The screen also doubles as a good climbing surface for cresties.
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This is how you use the acrylic scorer.
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Step#2:
Wash your tub! I like to do this after I cut the square for the screen. Less surface area to clean and easier to dry. :)

Step#3:
Cutting the screen. Make sure you cut the screen a little bit bigger then the opening you cut in your tub. I made my screen pieces 1/2" bigger on all
sides.
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Place your screen on the inside of the tub and check to make sure it fits well. If it is a little bit big, trim a little off the sides and check it again. Start out a little bit bigger then what you think you need. It is much easier to trim a little bit off the side, and much more wasteful to re-cut the piece of screen if you make it too small.
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Step#4:
Hot glue the screen to the tub. This is probably the trickiest part. Lay the screen as flat as you can over the opening. I like to hold the screen nice and tight over the edges and put a little bit of glue there to hold it in place before I do the whole thing.
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Make sure the screen is touching the tub so that the hot glue can get into the mesh and adhere itself to the tub. I will sometimes press my finger over the freshly laid hot glue to press it in and seal it. This is kind of painful since the glue is very hot, but it isn't enough to cause burns (or maybe my skin is just that tough now :P). You don't need to do this, I think it looks a little nicer in the end if you do.
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Check to make sure the screen is secure. Gently press your hand on the screen from the outside. Make sure there are no gaps in the glue. If it feels nice and taught you are good to go!
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Tada! Your tub is now done! All that is left is to decorate it :)

Add in your substrate. I like to use paper towels. They look clean, and it is easy to spot poo. Mmm Poo.
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This is your chance to be creative. Arrange your plants, sticks, paper towel tubes, food dishes, hides! Here are some of my tubs that I have set up. Make sure you take advantage of the vertical space and put plants and climbing branches up there too. Cresties like to climb and jump!

Here is a good way to attach larger leaves and vines into your tub. I cut the leaves off a dollar store fake plant and threaded them through some soldered holes in the tub.
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The best part is, they are stack-able!
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Post pictures of tubs you have made for your geckos!

awesome tubs good work

Very nice! When I get some cresties I will definitely use this!

Those look awesome I have a few questions.. do they still climb the sides as well as with glass? I have had a few people say once water drops start forming on the tubs they just cant climb them like glass. I need to stack too.. only have so much room my babies go in tubs but my adults and juvis in exo terras. like this below. Thanks for your time!
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...sties001-2.jpg

They have a little trouble climbing the plastic at first, but after the static dissipates, they can climb it just fine. Plus they can stick to the screen as well. I don't really mist the sides of the tubs as much as the fake plants and climbing branches.
I should do a test to see how well they can climb the wet tub vs. the dry tub.

I wash the tubs really well a couple times before I put the geckos in them and they can climb pretty well.

I made an order last week for some bamboo sticks, so I am waiting on those and I will be adding more hard climbing surfaces.

Very nice tubs Kaorte. :gj: I never though about putting leaves though the ventilation holes like that--that's a really great idea!

My cresteds seem to be able to climb their plastic tubs fine. Some actually climb them better after I mist, when the tubs are a little wet as opposed to dry. My adults that are in enclosures with acrylic sides, pvc back and screen fronts definitely can't hold onto the pvc part of the enclosure when it is wet though.

As far as stacking goes--that is definitely something you will want to be able to make use of if you get into cresteds at all. My herp room is covered up in stacks. The most fun are the rows upon rows of 6+ high kritter keepers...ooh you make feeding and cleaning days so much fun! :P

Emily do you have a picture of your herp room? More specifically the rhac part? I really like to see how other people have setup their geckos :)

Haha, um I'm not sure I can get in there at an angle where I could get a decent picture. It's a little tight. :D I have plans to redo the whole rhac portion of the room, and I will definitely get photos when that is complete. But that also involves scaling back on the geckos quite a bit in order to reduce the stacks (I may have been a bit over zealous with the breeding in the last 2 seasons and ended up with kind of a lot of babies :P ).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

Haha, um I'm not sure I can get in there at an angle where I could get a decent picture. It's a little tight. :D I have plans to redo the whole rhac portion of the room, and I will definitely get photos when that is complete. But that also involves scaling back on the geckos quite a bit in order to reduce the stacks (I may have been a bit over zealous with the breeding in the last 2 seasons and ended up with kind of a lot of babies :P ).

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Lol! I know what you mean. I don't yet have my own reptile room (sad!) but I should have my own reptile "area" by this summer.

Definitely take pictures when you are done re-doing everything!

nice DIY enclosure

lance

Very nice tubs! This would make an awesome sticky!

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Originally Posted by bad-one

Very nice tubs! This would make an awesome sticky!

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:P I hope so! :giggle:

Steffe, did you order that tub online or did you find it in a store? how many qt's is that tub? we're looking into a crestie or gargoyle. thanks

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Originally Posted by jben

Steffe, did you order that tub online or did you find it in a store? how many qt's is that tub? we're looking into a crestie or gargoyle. thanks

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I got them from the container store. They are the deep sweater boxes. I have a container store by me so I went and picked them up.

The tub is the equivalent of a 12g (about 45quarts). Some say that is too small for a single adult crestie, but then they also say 20g is fine for two cresties.

Thank you Steffe. BTW nice DIY. we're going to try and build one this weekend, will post pics if we do, not sure where to get a crestie from but we've been checking out jbscresties.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jben

Thank you Steffe. BTW nice DIY. we're going to try and build one this weekend, will post pics if we do, not sure where to get a crestie from but we've been checking out jbscresties.

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JB is awesome, I actually got two geckos from her this weekend :) She is a pleasure to do business with, and she is just super nice.

check out Emilys site too: www.cookreptiles.com

She has a lot of great geckos available :)

Awesome DIY, thanks! I've been wanting to do this for a while, and it makes it so easy when you've got every step explained so clearly.

One thing I might add: I saw this when I went to a local breeder's house to buy some babies recently. She had cut about a 3 inch square hole in the front of the tubs (opposite the large square screen) very close to the floor, then she stuck magnet strips around the edge of the hole. She cut a piece of plastic (from the larger hole piece) that is basically the size of the hole plus the width of the magnet strips (about 1/2" more on each side) and stuck magnet strips on that piece to match. Now she has a little door on the front of each tub that she uses to exchange food and water dishes. She just pops it off, then it sticks right back with the magnets. It's pretty strong, so I doubt a crestie could push it off. I haven't done this myself, so couldn't attest to it. But she's been breeding for several years and claims it works great for all sizes... I just thought that was a very cool idea...

Thanks again for the great post!

Eddie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by diggityDawg

Awesome DIY, thanks! I've been wanting to do this for a while, and it makes it so easy when you've got every step explained so clearly.

One thing I might add: I saw this when I went to a local breeder's house to buy some babies recently. She had cut about a 3 inch square hole in the front of the tubs (opposite the large square screen) very close to the floor, then she stuck magnet strips around the edge of the hole. She cut a piece of plastic (from the larger hole piece) that is basically the size of the hole plus the width of the magnet strips (about 1/2" more on each side) and stuck magnet strips on that piece to match. Now she has a little door on the front of each tub that she uses to exchange food and water dishes. She just pops it off, then it sticks right back with the magnets. It's pretty strong, so I doubt a crestie could push it off. I haven't done this myself, so couldn't attest to it. But she's been breeding for several years and claims it works great for all sizes... I just thought that was a very cool idea...

Thanks again for the great post!

Eddie

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that sounds like an interesting idea! I might have to try that out sometime :)

STICKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYyy


Seriously. This needs to be up FOREVER.

Hey do you mind letting me know LxWxH on one of those tubs? Id like to find a Sterilite equivalent, The Container Store is nowhere near where I live.

15-5/8" x 13-1/8" x 13-1/4" h

The container store will ship also. I think they will ship sets of 6 of these. They are called "Deep sweater boxes".

Would a sterilite 73 qt, 23 x 16 x 15 work to house 2 adult females?

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

Would a sterilite 73 qt, 23 x 16 x 15 work to house 2 adult females?

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That would probably be fine. I know people that use those big 20gal storage bins for breeding trios. Some people turn them on their ends so they are vertical but I feel like that would fall over easily.

I plan on eventually doing a larger tub for breeding pairs or female groups.

This one: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/s...uctId=10003254

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

That would probably be fine. I know people that use those big 20gal storage bins for breeding trios. Some people turn them on their ends so they are vertical but I feel like that would fall over easily.

I plan on eventually doing a larger tub for breeding pairs or female groups.

This one: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/s...uctId=10003254

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Hmm. I just want whatever will allow them to live comfortably. Unfortunately 16 inches is about as tall of a plastic container that I can get, and I like the way it looks better than the 20g on its side.

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

Hmm. I just want whatever will allow them to live comfortably. Unfortunately 16 inches is about as tall of a plastic container that I can get, and I like the way it looks better than the 20g on its side.

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I agree. While vertical climbing space is generally best, as long as they have 15" or so of vertical height they should be fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I agree. While vertical climbing space is generally best, as long as they have 15" or so of vertical height they should be fine.

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Kewl thanks for all your help.

I went ahead and sticked this thread (should have actually done it sooner!). Excellent DIY info that I've already referenced several times myself in other threads--good stuff. :gj:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

I went ahead and sticked this thread (should have actually done it sooner!). Excellent DIY info that I've already referenced several times myself in other threads--good stuff. :gj:

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Wooo! Exciting!!!! :D :D

My very first sticky!

Strong work, Steffe!

I just wanted to add a few things to this thread as suggestions/alternatives for other people who will be following this awesome tutorial.

1) I made two of these tubs and for the life of me, I could NOT cut through that thick plastic with a scorer, an Exacto knife or even a razor box cutter. I ended up having to use a soldering gun to melt through the plastic. That plastic was a lot thicker than I thought it would be! I'd actually recommend skipping the scorer and just using a soldering gun because it was definitely easier and faster.

2) Instead of using hot glue, I used RV silicone to adhere the screen to the tub. I chose this method because I didn't want to risk burning myself with the glue, haha! To make sure the screen was taut, I siliconed the bottom of the screen first and let it dry, and then I did the sides and the top. It's held up great so far.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bones

I just wanted to add a few things to this thread as suggestions/alternatives for other people who will be following this awesome tutorial.

1) I made two of these tubs and for the life of me, I could NOT cut through that thick plastic with a scorer, an Exacto knife or even a razor box cutter. I ended up having to use a soldering gun to melt through the plastic. That plastic was a lot thicker than I thought it would be! I'd actually recommend skipping the scorer and just using a soldering gun because it was definitely easier and faster.

2) Instead of using hot glue, I used RV silicone to adhere the screen to the tub. I chose this method because I didn't want to risk burning myself with the glue, haha! To make sure the screen was taut, I siliconed the bottom of the screen first and let it dry, and then I did the sides and the top. It's held up great so far.

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Good suggestions! I have been using an acrylic scorer on thick sheets of plastic for years now, so I don't mind the time it takes to make a clean cut. I don't normally use the scorer to cut all the way through the plastic, just to make a big enough groove to snap it.

I never thought about using silicone! My hot glue has been holding up well though! (over a year).

This is awesome! I am going to get either a gargoyle gecko or a crested at a reptile show in a week. I was going to buy a terrarium there, but this seems cheap and effective. Thanks!:D:D:D

I know this thread is old but I thought I would post what I got so far.

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Nice! I like the little raised shelf you made.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Yea its cheaper then buying a magnetic gecko ledge. I'm building a few of those also.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/pet/3923318020.html

Just found this ad on CL, and can't help but wonder if this is one of our members...look at the tub!

Btw, if it is, I would be extremely interested, if I had the money right now. But I do have an awesome setup. :D

Do you think there would be any issue with cutting a screen piece into the lid? This would be for a heat lamp! I live in Washington and it can get a little too cold in the winter. Do you think the heat lamp would ruminate or melt the plastic? For anyone that has used these tubs do they/you just set your house heat and go by that? Our house is old and has no room/house temp. So I need to monitor the exact temp in the terrarium. Of course, if the lamp will melt the plastic I have to rethink this whole idea. My plan is to pick up a female to go with my male and house them in a tub similar to this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JaredJEstes

Do you think there would be any issue with cutting a screen piece into the lid? This would be for a heat lamp! I live in Washington and it can get a little too cold in the winter. Do you think the heat lamp would ruminate or melt the plastic? For anyone that has used these tubs do they/you just set your house heat and go by that? Our house is old and has no room/house temp. So I need to monitor the exact temp in the terrarium. Of course, if the lamp will melt the plastic I have to rethink this whole idea. My plan is to pick up a female to go with my male and house them in a tub similar to this.

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Are you housing crested geckos? They are pretty forgiving on temperature so not sure if you would even need a heat lamp. In fact, I think a heat lamp would get way too hot for them unless you use a dimmer switch.

In any case, I don't see an issue with putting mesh on the lid, but only if you use a dimmer switch to control the temperature. Also it is worth noting that the humidity will escape mostly from the top, so the more mesh you put on, the more you lower the humidity. Using a heat lamp will also decrease your humidity. So get your spray bottle ready. lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Are you housing crested geckos? They are pretty forgiving on temperature so not sure if you would even need a heat lamp. In fact, I think a heat lamp would get way too hot for them unless you use a dimmer switch.

In any case, I don't see an issue with putting mesh on the lid, but only if you use a dimmer switch to control the temperature. Also it is worth noting that the humidity will escape mostly from the top, so the more mesh you put on, the more you lower the humidity. Using a heat lamp will also decrease your humidity. So get your spray bottle ready. lol

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I agree with you, I think a heat lamp will be too much. I am from England, and our winters aren't very nice, and my gecko gets on just fine without and heating at all. I do have a normal light above her to provide a proper day/night cycle and soon to provide light to my live plants, and the small amount of heat from this brings my viv up a few degrees alone!

Thanks for your help Kaorte and George. I have been using a heating lamp thus far for my crestie. He finds his way up under the light more than you think. But the real danger is forgetting to turn it off. I usually just turn it on for an hour or so to get his tank temp at about 75 (that's my goal). Sometimes it's lower, sometimes it's higher.

I imagine there won't be too much circulation if I am using a plastic tub like this (thus the cut out on the side). But it relieves me and worries me to not have to make a cut out on top. It relieves me because the enclosure will be safe and easy to make. Yet, I worry about it getting too cold for him? I guess the danger for cresties is extreme hot, not cold? Thanks for your input thus far and anymore you have.

I am going to start this project this weekend and I will post some photos, assuming I find it presentable. Thanks!