# Tegu enclosure door



## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

I have started converting my under stairs space into a enclosure for my tegu and I'm at bit of a loss as what to do about the door!
I'm thinking cut the whole middle section of the door out and get a sheet of glass to fit in it's place, I'd be interested as to how you would do it?
Here's a few pictures, the door is 2ft wide by 4-5ft high.


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

think id be inclined to cut out the middle panel and replace with glass all that, only thing i can think of.


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

if it was me I would:
bin the door currently there (or put away somewere)
get some nice smooth wood build a frame that fits into the current door frame, fit glass in it and install a round handle (same colour as rest your houses door handles) whith has a key lock in the middle, paint it all white to match. Perfect, new secure door which looks like it is ment to be there

I mean a frame like these http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/foru...ilding-house-monitors-caiman-hopefully-6.html but made with smooth wood not stuff in that. use normal door hinges fitted into the already cut out bits of the door frame and install knob like this one in the correct place:
Entrance Knob Set Chrome - Door Handles & Knobs - Door Furniture & Accessories -Doors & Windows - Wickes

very easy to fit in a frame


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## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

Good idea Phil, the first link isn't working though. I was thinking this but wasn't sure how easy making a frame would be, though I am pretty good with wood work.

Edit- working now on the PC, i think this might be the best bet and that way I get to keep the other door.


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

I can see you've put liner down and perspex on the walls but is there not still a big risk of the humidity doing a lot of damage to the walls, woodwork etc? And how are you going to be managing ventilation in there? Guess it's not a small job but if you own the house maybe you could get most of the wall removed and just have the stud uprights so you could put ventilation along the front and have doors all across it? Of course if you don't own it or thats too big a job then just disregard my ramblings :lol2:

Dave


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## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

Hey Dave,

The only wood work that can be affected by the humidity is the trim tacking the liner up and the board across the bottom door frame which I'm not to worried about to be honest as both are rather cheap to replace, but hey it might be a idea to paint them with gloss to stop this?
Ventilation wise I'm planning on fitting an electric fan on the top section of the door, do you with one for blowing in and one of sucking out on times would do the trick?

Here's a few pictures of what I have decided to do with the door (thanks for the suggestion Phil) and it all ready apart from what will be coming out of the tegus viv s/he's in right now, hopefully getting the glass tomorrow and fitting it, painting and moving s/he over before heading off up north for work for the week (also good and gives her time to adapt to her new house). 

























And a few of my blue tegu


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Yeah a coat of gloss may not be a bad idea  I was thinking more about the walls, as it's probably just painted with trade emulsion, which tends to mould up and then flake off, and slowly but surely damage the plaster underneath. Of course this isn't such a biggy if you have relatively low humidity but I thought tegu's needed it at between 70 - 80%? In which case it could cause problems. I may be wrong though, I don't keep Tegu's myself and it's been a while since i looked into their care requrements.

For the vents, that could work quite well, although you'd be better of if there was any chance in having the fans at different ends, maybe something you could acheive with ducting? With both at the top of the door you'll maybe end up with moist stagnant air sitting below the levels of the fans and fresh air being recirculated at the height of the fans and above.

I take it that that is a heater on the underside of the stairs, and an MVB in the hanging reflector?

Dave


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## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

Yeah the walls is kind of an after thought DOH, I'm going to use eggshell or something similar to protect the walls from damp. 
Fan wise I'm thinking maybe whack one in the cool end, so bottom left looking at the enclosure. This will mean cool fresh air coming in low at the cool end and hot stagnant air sucked out from the top.
Yes on the right is a ceramic plate heater for ambient and the left is a spot D3 basking lamp which provides basking heat, UVA and UVB.


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

Ashley_Holings said:


> Hey Dave,
> 
> The only wood work that can be affected by the humidity is the trim tacking the liner up and the board across the bottom door frame which I'm not to worried about to be honest as both are rather cheap to replace, but hey it might be a idea to paint them with gloss to stop this?
> Ventilation wise I'm planning on fitting an electric fan on the top section of the door, do you with one for blowing in and one of sucking out on times would do the trick?
> ...


very nice thats just what i mean :no1::2thumb: I would paint it white to match the door frame and walls but that is of course upto you :2thumb:very good in deed

as long as you seal the edges of the perspex you should not have to much problem with any damged wood, but only time will tell i guess LOL


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## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks Phil 

I'm going to get the glass cut and maybe see if they can fit it, window putty and all that jazz as they could surely fit it better than I could, afters this is done the filler, sand paper and white paint will be coming out which I have sat ready and waiting


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## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

Well here you are then the door is done apart from the fans, I got shatter proof glass just to be extra safe!









Can anyone suggest any decent electric fans or is it just best to uses 12v PC fans?


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

To get decent airflow in that volume of air i'd be looking at bathroom extractor fans, or something similar. The door looks spot on 

Dave


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## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

Cheers Dave, the misses is happy with how the door has come out so that's good enough for me!

Fan wise i thought a 12v PC fan or similar would be enough thinking about cool air coming in at the bottom, hot air rising and the fan sucking it out, or vice versa?!?!


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Ashley_Holings said:


> Cheers Dave, the misses is happy with how the door has come out so that's good enough for me!
> 
> Fan wise i thought a 12v PC fan or similar would be enough thinking about cool air coming in at the bottom, hot air rising and the fan sucking it out, or vice versa?!?!


Hmmm may be adequate, but its a large volume of air to try to circulate. Say you have a fairly standard 2'-2 1/2' wide staircase, max height of 6', 2' high at lower end and length of 5'ish. 

This gives you a volume of air between 40 and 50 cubic feet. From memory i think pc fans usually circulate between 3 and 6 cubic feet per minute, which in theory makes it sound perfect. However I read a thread on an American forum some time ago about using fans to vent enclosures, and in fact the research cited showed that this was quite optimistic in vivarium conditions, mostly due to the humdity and it's relative airborne weight creating sluggish airflow. It had loads of detail......all of which I've entirely forgotten :lol2: 
I believe the summary was that you can use them but be aware that they may not be as effective as you'd think. 
Of course the flip side of the argument is that I could be entirely wrong......please do check with others too, I may have a decimal place in the the wrong position and they're flow rate could be 50 cubic feet! And Tegu's do survive in some pretty stagnant places 

Dave


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

I don't keep tegus so not very clued up on them but if they need high humidity and you add a fan in this will make it loose the humidity very quickly. most high humidity kept monitors have very little vents in the enclosures to insure it stays high, opening the door for feeding, water changes, maintances is normally enough.

on another note that door is just want I ment. IT IS PERFECT fits right in with the frame and walls :2thumb::2thumb::notworthy:. if I ever need some smart doors like that im pming you :whistling2:


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## Ashley_Holings (Aug 3, 2009)

Cheers Phil 

I did originally think that with the door opening at least twice a day for feeding and water change this would be enough, but then I thought adding at least one fan would be 'good practice'.
I will start off with no fan and see how it goes....

I can't wait to move him/her over into the new enclosure!


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