# building a vivarium?



## heavenly_d3vi1 (Mar 23, 2009)

Hiya, I'm wanting to make my own vivarium to keep some lizards in, I'm not sure what lizards yet tho. I'm sure I found a thread about it yesterday while browsing, but cant find it anywhere now! So, a few questions!

Firstly, I'm completely new to keeping reptiles. I'm using the word vivarium to mean a wooden enclosure with a glass door on that front, I think this is right!?

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I read that conti-board is perfect? Any other suggestions will be apreciated.
How do you go about putting ventiliation in?
I'm guessing the type of lights/heating I'll need will depend on what lizzards i decide to keep? Is there anything else that I'll need thats pretty standard for all reptiles?

If anyone could link me to any diy build threads, that would be great!


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## arthur cooke (Jan 22, 2008)

Equipment would depend on what sort of lizard you want to put in it, desert lizards, rain forest lizard, arboreal, terrestrial, etc etc.

Basking lights, heatmats, UV lights, plants.

There are all glass vivs, plastic vivs, glass fibre vivs, wooden vivs.

cheers arthur


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## heavenly_d3vi1 (Mar 23, 2009)

Well I gave up on building my own vivarium and bought a 4ft one instead. I've decided on keeping a bearded dragon in it. I've found some information on equipment I need, but just want to check that its accurate before I waste money buying the wrong things!

Is all this correct?

*Equipment for a Bearded Dragon.*​To house a single/pair of adults we would recommend a Vivarium such as the Viv *EX55* 55x23x24”, for a single Bearded Dragon we would recommend a 48”x18”x20 Viv Exotic *VX48* as an absolute minimum.

*Lighting*
For the VX48 & EX55. *PT-2054 *reflector and the UV Bulb *PT-2189* Repto Glo compact new 26watt,

The UV tube should be no more than 10” above your Bearded Dragon, you can place a branch under the UV where it can climb onto to reach the UVA-B rays. Change the bulb year as the light quality breaks down dramatically, reducing the benefit to your Bearded Dragon.

*Heating.
*Use a *PT-2138* Sun Glo Tight beam Basking spot lamp S20/100Watt. This gives the Bearded Dragon a hot spot that it requires so that it can digest its food.
Use a *PT2054* Glo Light 21 cm. The Exo Terra Glow Light gives you the versatility of placing heat and/or light sources in your Vivarium where needed.
You will need a *Dimming thermostat*. Use the thermostat for the heating/basking lamp *PT2138*. This should be put on a timer or only turned on during daylight hours 10-12, hours a day.
Use an *Algarde Heat Mat *23x11” for either of the Vivariums. Place under the basking area and leave running 24/7. This gives some background heating for the night time. I would put the heat mat on a thermostat as well as an insurance against overheating.

*Substrate*
For baby dragons we recommend brown wrapping pa per, wallpaper backing paper or newspaper for the first year. As they can get compaction of the gut by ingesting substrates, like Calci sand, sand, peat, corn cob, beach chips etc.
After a year old the best substrates are peat and playpen sand 1:1, Calci sand, beach chippings.

*Decor*
Use a *PT-2803 *Exo Terra Water Dish Large for adults and a *PT-2802 *Exo Terra Water Dish Medium for younger Dragons. Most Dragons do not drink from a bowl and should be sprayed twice a day, but a few do so a water bowl is recommended and should be used and the water changed daily. The water bowl should be kept at the cool end to avoid excessive humidity
Use a *PT-2813 *Exo Terra Feeding Dish X Large for adults and a *PT-2811 *Exo Terra Feeding Dish Medium for Youngsters. Use the bowl to feed their greens and vegetables.
Use a large piece of Cork bark tube of a *PT-2852 *hide cave for a baby dragon to sleep in . Make sure it is large enough for them. 
Branches (Bog wood etc.)Branches need to be strong and sturdy. Fruit tree branches are good but not cherry as it is poisonous as are conifer branches. Scrub them clean with hot soapy water, rinse and allow to dry. Bog wood and drift wood are good.
Large basking rocks. A large piece of sandstone placed under the basking spot light is a good addition. This holds the heat and helps them to digest the food properly. Place a thermometer on the rock or branch that is to be used for basking and adjust the thermostat until it reads about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Artificial plants. *PT-3000-3052 *these are just for decoration and make the vivarium look more natural. I would say three plastic plants and a vine *PT-3082*

*Vitamins T-268 *Tetra Fauna Reptocal or Nutrobal + a Calcium powder. Many reptiles require a diet based on live or fresh foods, due to their specific feeding habits. These are readily available, but in themselves do not offer a balanced supply of nutrients. To ensure your pet receives a properly balanced diet, it is important to increase the nutrient content of these foods with a nutrient supplement.


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## arthur cooke (Jan 22, 2008)

Doesn't nutribal already have calcium in it?
cheers arthur.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

i gave up reading the list, too many model numbers and far too exo-terra based. Wouldn't use a compact UV, they don't give off a massive amount of coverage..

somebody asked a similar question in newbies the other day and my reply is the first one on there.

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/newbie-advice/275162-bd-full-set-up.html

definately don't need a heat mat in there, especially on 24/7.

On the substrate side, your info says you can use calcisand / beech chippings when they're older - not recommended. calcisand can clump together and no matter how old a beardie is, its mouth is still bigger than its arse so if it can fit beech chippings in its mouth at whatever age it'll still struggle to get it out the other end.


Arthur, i think neutralbol contains calcium but not a massive amount. think its 5 days calcium and 2 days neutrabol / vits.


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## heavenly_d3vi1 (Mar 23, 2009)

Thanks, think that thread about covers all I needed to know! I'm gunna give up reading reptile websites! lol


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## arthur cooke (Jan 22, 2008)

Thanks Meko.
cheers arthur


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## wesidekillaz (Mar 18, 2009)

*best way to make a viv*

the best way to make a viv cheaply and as good as the shops is to go to a viv selling shop, measure all the dimensions of every section, go to B&Q or any wood merchants get them to cut the wood to the dimensoins you have, and bobs ur uncle, screw or silicone it together then roman glass is cheapest place around for 4mm toughened glass.
then choose ur reptile and put your extras in as appropriate. 
cheers.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

heavenly_d3vi1 said:


> Thanks, think that thread about covers all I needed to know! I'm gunna give up reading reptile websites! lol


 
i was the same when i first got a beardie.. they're all too confusing but then i narrowed it down to:
a big UVB tube not too far from the beardie
a big arsed light on a stat to keep it warm
stuff to climb on.


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

They are easy to build if you can use a drill and a screw driver, lol.

Here's a link to one I have recently finished - http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/equipment-supplies/276602-large-viv-stack.html

Cheers


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