# Anyone wanting to build a viv for small lizards (ie geckos)...



## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Here is how I am doing mine! Its much easier than building from scratch (and cheaper) - I should know, i've tried both!!!

First, I bought 2 of these (£30 each) - worked out cheaper than buying the equivalent in sheets of wood!!!










Buy Pine Tall Wide Extra Deep Bookcase. at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for .

Then, I altered the positioning of the shelves slightly. I'll get 8 vivs (4 on each case) measuring roughly L 30in x H 14in x D 11in. Perfect for keeping 1-2 geckos in (by the time i've added additional levels in each viv)










The electrics are all done and i'm just waiting on the floor tiles and the glass then (hopefully) my geckos will be moving in next week!

I will post pics up when complete!


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## MrDimmu (Oct 17, 2007)

Looks like a good idea!

When i was asking about wood for vivs etc people always advised away from pine, is this stuff ok as its got a finish on it? also how would you no the finish will be ok after had the heat in the vivs?

Not having a go or anything mate just more want to no if its safe as i want to do similar!


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## markandwend (Jan 28, 2007)

MrDimmu said:


> Looks like a good idea!
> 
> When i was asking about wood for vivs etc people always advised away from pine, is this stuff ok as its got a finish on it? also how would you no the finish will be ok after had the heat in the vivs?
> 
> Not having a go or anything mate just more want to no if its safe as i want to do similar!


 
Cos its not pine!!!!!!! Its MFC!!!!!


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## zukomonitor (Nov 11, 2007)

that idea is great, i was looking for a bookshelf like in the catalogue.

anyhow, are you going to use heatmats? if so how are you placing them?


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Hi there. Its not real pine, its made out of that contiboard stuff all the flat pack stuff is made out of! And actually, I dont even think I bought the Pine one!!! Its maple I think! Anyway...

Yes, it will be heated by heatmats. I've been wondering how to do it, so basically i think i'm gonna lay the heatmats in position on the shelf, and then cover the whole shelf with a really thin piece of backing board (the thin bendy stuff). The heatmats will be on the same side as the nightglo bulb, so that when the bulbs come on overnight, the cool end is still cool!

I tested it last night by just laying a piece of it on top of a mat unstatted (there was no rep in there so its ok) and the temps were getting to 96F so once statted it will be cool!


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

*Update:*

Here it is as of this evening!










All wired up, runners in, and backing on! Alls i need to do now is fit the flooring around the heatmat and put in the glass!


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## Philcw (Feb 7, 2008)

Love this idea!

I will be using roughly same but slightly larger :no1:



Phil


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Mikey_C said:


> Yes, it will be heated by heatmats. I've been wondering how to do it, so basically i think i'm gonna lay the heatmats in position on the shelf, and then cover the whole shelf with a really thin piece of backing board (the thin bendy stuff). The heatmats will be on the same side as the nightglo bulb, so that when the bulbs come on overnight, the cool end is still cool!


i've got a similar setup in mine but used laminate flooring on top of the shelf


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Meko said:


> i've got a similar setup in mine but used laminate flooring on top of the shelf


Great idea. Later on we might do that! In the middle of a cash crisis at the mo. (after buying some great geckos we are left with slightly less than we thought!!).

Just getting it up with minimal fuss at the mo without much decor, as the geckos are all living in plastic tubs at the mo.

Once the student loan comes in at the end of the month, we'll then start thinking about kitting it out fully!!


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Would you mind posting a pic Meko?


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Philcw said:


> Love this idea!
> 
> I will be using roughly same but slightly larger :no1:
> 
> ...


Yeah, as we will have 8 - 10 geckos the decision was to go slightly smaller vivs so that we can get both stacks side by side (in our tiny living room!), and also geckos dont require a whole load of room. So we opted for the slightly smaller sized bookcase.

When we come to do our beardie stack later on in the summer, as we only have 2 beardies (and by that time will prob have no more than 4) we wont be needing as many vivs, therefore 1 wider stack will be sufficient, and we will prob go with a 4 viv stack, 3.5 - 4 foot wide!


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## MrKing (Mar 15, 2007)

Looks good so far, looking forward to pictures of the finished project

could you also list the prices / total cost of the project when you have finished please ?


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## el_phantasmo (Jan 30, 2008)

I'd be interested in pics too chap! Might be able to convert other shelving units for similar purposes.... got me thinking now!


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Mikey_C said:


> Great idea. Later on we might do that! In the middle of a cash crisis at the mo. (after buying some great geckos we are left with slightly less than we thought!!).
> 
> Just getting it up with minimal fuss at the mo without much decor, as the geckos are all living in plastic tubs at the mo.
> 
> Once the student loan comes in at the end of the month, we'll then start thinking about kitting it out fully!!


Freecycle mate.. everybody who has laminated a floor has some left over in a cupboard 'just in case'.



Mikey_C said:


> Would you mind posting a pic Meko?


 
i'll try.. i'm at work at the minute and leant somebody my camera. It's quite dark where it is so phone pics aren't too clever.

you can kind of see in some of these pics..

meko_D/2 stack - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

second row second pic shows the shelf backets on the right hand side and 3rd and 4th pics you can see the shelf on the top viv.. Top is for a gecko and bottom for a royal, hence the bamboo.


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## paulibabes (Jan 6, 2008)

me three i'm a creative! i've got some great ideas gonna get the stuff and build some nice vivs! i don't do much in way of planning things just get an idea like ahhh... and it goes from there.


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Here you go. The vivs are structurally complete and the geckos have moved in!

Theres still a little bit of work to do, mainly cosmetic, which will be done as soon as i'm paid at the end of the month. We have big plans for the decor... it certainly will be different.

Anyway, here are the pics at tho mo:




















They will also eventually be bolted together to look like 1 giant stack, rather than 2 stacks standing next to each other.


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## Philcw (Feb 7, 2008)

Good Job A+ :no1:



Phil : victory:


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Cheers Phil. Good luck with yours when you get started!!

If you wanna ask anything gimme a shout!


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## ANT (Nov 11, 2007)

looking awesome!! cant wait to see it when its finished!! well done!


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## Mikey_C (Oct 19, 2007)

Nor can we! VERY big plans for decor. As we say, it'll VERY different to anything anyone on here has done (to my knowledge).

Alls I can say is it'll be very relevant to their region of origin, (but not sand and rock)!!


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## Hammy (Feb 2, 2008)

looks really good, looking forward to more pics! : victory:


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## johnc79 (Feb 29, 2008)

Great vivs and really clever, this is the way for me I think :notworthy:. I have a few questions though please.

Would this be ok for Hognose, king snakes and corns?
If I need to go bigger, where can i buy them from?
How did you venterlate the vivs?
Would 4 heat lamps on a dimmer be sutable?
If I wanted to fit a Uv light for lizard would it be possible?

Sorry about all the questions:bash: I just want to make sure this project is right for me.

Many thanks John


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