Beardie Cage

I am looking at building a cage for some beardies. I am planning to make it so that it can sit on top of my BP tub rack. This means the floor space dimensions will be ~36"x15 3/4". I am wondering what a good height would be. I am planning on using Melamine and the widest boards I have found at my home depot are 23 3/4". This would likely end up being the height. I am thinking of 2 beardies because a local shop that breeds them is doing BOGO Free. Would this be tall enough for them? I have seem people talk about melamine sheets but I can't find them at my home depots near by so I would have to come up with something else for the back and sides to make the height.

They don't really need a huge amount of height, floor space is what really matters. The only time height is really a concern is if the heat lamp is build into the cage. Many people suggest a 4 x 2 x 2 foot cage for beardies.

Here is a cage I just set up for mine (its an Animal Plastics T12 (4 x 2 x 2)

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9d01281b.jpg

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...psd2a35872.jpg

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...psd5d69adf.jpg

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...psff1b2eea.jpg

Full Specs here: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...n-Interim-Cage

I started out with a 20 gallon long tank

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...n/ec911d3a.jpg

So 23 3/4 height should be perfect.

I saw your setup in another thread. I really like it it looks like what I would like to build myself. Mine would end up being approx 2x2x3. Which is 12 cubic feet vs 16 in yours. I am a lil short on space which is why I was thinking I could just attach it to the top of the tub rack I just built. Build up rather than out lol I have plenty of dome lamps so I don't think I could put the fixture for the heat bulb inside I would do like what you did. The UV strip I could mount inside though. I imagine what I wanna do is cool for one beardie but how much more room do you need if you add another? I wouldn't think it would mean double the space.

You can comfortably put 2 beardies in a 4 x 2 x 2 cage as long as you provide good basking spots and they aren't both males (if they are a male/female group be ready for eggs...)

Where ever you put the UV make sure that there isn't any glass, or plastic in-between the bulb and the dragons, as glass/plastic blocks UV rays.

So if I don't want babies I need to make sure I get 2 females then? I am not sure I want to breed them...not yet anyways lol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gene Collins

So if I don't want babies I need to make sure I get 2 females then? I am not sure I want to breed them...not yet anyways lol.

---

That would be best.

no need for belly heat either right? Just a heat lamp is all they need?

No belly heat, they are all about basking.

Sweeet. I'm so proud of the tub rack I made that I'm super excited about this cage I'm working on.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

Would there be anything wrong with making a cage that was all screen? Except for the bottom of course. Since beardies don't need humidity does it matter if the enclosure is not all solid sides?

As long as they can't get out, and you can heat the cage, then it should be fine.

I would no suggest screen beardies often 'glass dance' and with screens they can abrade the scales on the nose (ronstal and frontal scales) I have a 'travel' cage that is a break down screen one and have had to put plastic liner inside to prevent this issue.

Remember they are semi-arboreal and should be provided with some opportunity to climb on things. My enclosure is 40x30x26 inches With a platform for basking.


http://images9.fotki.com/v178/photos...D7_0528-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

I like that kite! That looks damn near exactly like what I have in mind to make. I hadn't thought of a basking shelf though. I was just going to have a log or vine extending up but I might do the shelf. Thanks for the feedback.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2