# Converting room into vivarium.



## clidbury (Mar 7, 2009)

Hi there!

I apologise if this has been covered before but I could only find a thread relating to a shed conversion (and I didn't want to resurface a super old thread!) 


But I was wondering, how would one go about converting a bedroom into a vivarium for a say... Iguana as an example. It's something I'd be interested in doing in a few years once I have my own house and was curious as to how to go about it. 


I saw in the shed thread that you'd need to insulate the entire thing (obviously), but is there anything in particular you'd need to make sure you do for converting a bedroom?


Thanks


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## caen (May 11, 2013)

I would sit back and have a good think about it. I don't know your circumstances but.........
that bedroom would no longer be a bedroom. would the other half agree to loosing a spare room. if a new house was on the horizon kids may soon follow and you may need that spare room. I would think about an outbuilding like a decent shed that can be insulated etc. at least if you move it can go with you and secondly if the other half starts moaning you can escape to the shed (I do:2thumb


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Agree with the above in terms of thinking it through more. However, if you continue, you need to do some serious planning. If its for an iggy are you going to want a rainfall systen/misting system. Live plants. Deep substrate. Etc. If so you may want to approach it int the same way people install wet rooms, with a floor drain and the room waterproofed to prevent long term damage from moisture. You may want to nsulate it too, depends on the level of insulation present. Heating costs for a large enclosure are something else to consider. 

There are many other things to think about, but I'd love to see it if you choose to yo down this route. I'm planning something similar for a conservatory type thing at my house  

Dave


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## Meefloaf (Mar 24, 2013)

i've never done it, but, would perhaps even having it as a massive enclosure in the room not be better ? say the room was 10x15, make the enclosure say 10ft wide by 7'6" deep ?

you could build it like Dave said, but say maybe make the lower foot and a half or so asif it was a pond and fill it with a drainage layer (pebbles etc) and then divide it with weed block and then your substrate ?

p.s you may need to reinforce that floor


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## plasma234 (Feb 27, 2013)

Your probably better making an enclosure in the room, not make the room an enclosure par se. I would look for a shed that is a similar size and build it inside the room.


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## bloodpython22 (Feb 19, 2010)

I converted half of a room into my caiman enclosure
But got realy bad damp in the converted part of the room
Id stick to building a enclosure in the room


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

Either an inclosure inside or one outside, I'd say the latter would be best because if the aforementioned children come along its not good to share a nursery with an iggy:whistling2:

On top of that you might not want to structurally affect your house with damp.


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