# 8x2x2 Viv and background build.



## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

Hey guys 

Recently moved into my first house and now have my own reptile room, so decided my beardie could do with an upgrade. I've always wanted to make a large viv for him I just couldn't before due to my bedroom only being small.

So I started with a trip to B&Q, I was pretty worried that they wouldn't cut it accurately especially when the guy cutting it asked what I was making and suggested that when I put it all together I should use nails, as screws are just going to split it, even though I told him I was going to drill pilot holes first, he still carried on trying to convince me to use nails :lol2:

wood....


The boy himself for size comparison...




The plinths and middle support are going to be added at the end when all the background has been grouted and sealed 

Branches have been de-barked, the smaller piece is just under 4ft and the other is about 7ish ft.




I'll add more photos as I'm making a start on the background tomorrow : victory:

Cheers,
Chloe.


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Wicked Chloe, love a good dragon viv and this has potential! I will do similar when I have my rep room however I think I'll go deeper and higher also, I find 2ft to small when the length is 6ft or longer. 

Subscribed! :2thumb:


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Awesome!! That is gunna be one happy critter!

Dave


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

nice. great to see a large accommodation for a critter :2thumb:
have you already designed the background?
you could have a wicked 3D background in there without taking up any floor space and having another level for the dragon to utilise (well with the one I have in my head you could :Na_Na_Na_Na with natural hides/caves to boot.

good luck with the build.

subscribed too


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> Wicked Chloe, love a good dragon viv and this has potential! I will do similar when I have my rep room however I think I'll go deeper and higher also, I find 2ft to small when the length is 6ft or longer.
> 
> Subscribed! :2thumb:


Cheers Tom , yeah I would of loved to have made him an 8x3x3 or even a 8x4x4 but I didn't want it too be too bulky as the room isn't as big as I'd like and I already have another six vivs in the room that will need upgrading in the future, I'm thinking of stacking some vivs on top of the 8x2 so didn't want it to be too high and I don't think I could trust him with that much height he's a kamikaze lizard :lol2: he's forever nose diving from his top ledge, and the way he lands! I'm surprised he hasn't broken his neck.
He does have free roam of the rep room as well, so it shouldn't be a problem 



my_shed said:


> Awesome!! That is gunna be one happy critter!
> 
> Dave


Thanks Dave  I hope he'll be happy with it.



s6t6nic6l said:


> nice. great to see a large accommodation for a critter :2thumb:
> have you already designed the background?
> you could have a wicked 3D background in there without taking up any floor space and having another level for the dragon to utilise (well with the one I have in my head you could :Na_Na_Na_Na with natural hides/caves to boot.
> 
> ...


Thank you 
I have made a small start on the background, but then I pulled a muscle in my neck :lol2: so its on hold until the stiffness in my neck eases up.

The main thing I had in my mind before starting the background, was that I wanted to utilise all of the height, I wanted it to be practical for him.



This is as far as I've got, but as you can see there's plenty of ledges which he'll be able to climb with ease 

I do have one ledge that comes out onto the floor but that's going to be the only one.

: victory:


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

Haven't done as much as I'd like to have done by now as I just got a new job, but I'll have some spare time this week to get on with some more grouting hopefully 











: victory:


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

looking gr8! :no1:


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

tremerz97 said:


> looking gr8! :no1:


Cheers Trem, can't wait to get it all finished and move him in


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## TractorTotty (Jun 3, 2013)

That looks amazing! I cant wait to see more pictures of it! He is one lucky beardie :2thumb:


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

TractorTotty said:


> That looks amazing! I cant wait to see more pictures of it! He is one lucky beardie :2thumb:


Thank you


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## skilzo (Mar 16, 2013)

Looks brilliant cant wait to see it finished


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

Look awesome so far


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

skilzo said:


> Looks brilliant cant wait to see it finished





cubeykc said:


> Look awesome so far


Thanks


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good Chloe, such a lucky dragon, it's massive!


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Looking good mate!

I thought mine was big when i first put it together that thing must look huge!

Keep the updates coming

Lewis:2thumb:


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> Looking good Chloe, such a lucky dragon, it's massive!





lewkini said:


> Looking good mate!
> 
> I thought mine was big when i first put it together that thing must look huge!
> 
> ...



Thanks, its definitely an upgrade from his current viv 4x21"x24" 

Three coats of grout so far,





Still a few more coats of grout to do, then its onto the painting, sealing and then I can make a start on the electrics and lighting :victory:


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## *Blackadder* (Jul 16, 2011)

Looking ace so far,will be nice to see it finished


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## Raych (Mar 1, 2010)

Looking good :2thumb:

What kind of wood did you use? I have a B&Q next to me and we're looking for white for the shelving we're doing as I'm building a viv into the shelves. Or at least trying to.


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

*Blackadder* said:


> Looking ace so far,will be nice to see it finished





Raych said:


> Looking good :2thumb:
> 
> What kind of wood did you use? I have a B&Q next to me and we're looking for white for the shelving we're doing as I'm building a viv into the shelves. Or at least trying to.


Thanks guys : victory:

Here you go 
White, Furniture Boards, Sheet Materials


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

Don't know why my pics have done a disappearing act :whistling2:

Right I was hoping this would of been complete a week or two ago, but nope me and my ex partner parted ways, so I had too move back in with my mother.
So no more reptile room , but my mother was kind enough to give me her large bedroom while she moved into the box room.

Moving an 8ft viv isn't easy :lol2:, we couldn't get it up the stairs. I had the bright idea of...









We took both 4ft sections upstairs and bracketed it all together again, it was that or throw it on a rubbish tip.





































Had to make the supports blend in...



























Lighting wise I have two Arcadia 75w halogens, and a Arcadia T5 Twin 54w 46".
One of the UVB lamp is positioned on the top plinth as far into the hot end as possible and the other uvb is positioned 6 inches away from the first uvb and 8 inches away from the hot end, as advised by John


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

Pretty much finished now, just waiting on some air plants and another 46" Arcadia T5 and reflector to go along side the other that's already in there.


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)




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## stecal (Aug 11, 2011)

Looks great lucky beardie.


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## rexob (Sep 1, 2012)

Fantastic build, such a shame you had to cut the viv in half though but these things are sent to try us, you have one lucky beardie :2thumb:


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

stecal said:


> Looks great lucky beardie.


Thanks 



rexob said:


> Fantastic build, such a shame you had to cut the viv in half though but these things are sent to try us, you have one lucky beardie :2thumb:


Thank you. If it was 6 inches shorter in length then I could of got it up the stairs in one piece :lol2:

It all worked out in the end, thankfully


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## Sjames (Apr 8, 2013)

Very nice viv lucky beardie! What did you use for the shelfs/backing as I'm the middle of a build and wanna do something like that?


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

Sjames said:


> Very nice viv lucky beardie! What did you use for the shelfs/backing as I'm the middle of a build and wanna do something like that?


Thank you 

I used celotex, I got mine from wickes.

Celotex Cavity Wall Board 50mmx1200x450 - Polystyrene Insulation - Insulation -Building Materials - Wickes


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## Sjames (Apr 8, 2013)

c_1993 said:


> Thank you
> 
> I used celotex, I got mine from wickes.
> 
> Celotex Cavity Wall Board 50mmx1200x450 - Polystyrene Insulation - Insulation -Building Materials - Wickes


Thank you. As I'm a bricklayer I have loads of this at work might just have to borrow some!


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

What's the plant down the cool end? Is it real or artificial?


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> What's the plant down the cool end? Is it real or artificial?


Artificial eucalyptus bush


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

c_1993 said:


> Artificial eucalyptus bush


Ah shame, looking for some nice edible plants that will survive! Think I may have found one.


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## Sjames (Apr 8, 2013)

tomcannon said:


> Ah shame, looking for some nice edible plants that will survive! Think I may have found one.


Why we're on the subject of plants where do you get them grass things from?Can't get them anywhere!


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