Building new Closed Chambers Cage

[Yamaha4x4_19]

Hey guys just thought I would show a few pics of the process of building this new cage for my Sulcatas. It's not finished but hopefully it will be in the next week after I let it air out.
Here's a few pics of actually putting it together last night. I still have to stain the wood around the bottom. The inside wood has had one coat of black stain and 3 coats of urethane.
Putting the Epoxy on the bottom to seal it.

 

[mikeh]

Looks good. Care full moving it around, you don't want it to flex much, so the epoxy resin doesn't crack. Will it be on the floor or elevated?

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[Yamaha4x4_19]

Ok thanks good idea didn't think about it cracking. Wish I just could have built it inside so I wouldn't have to move it but I figured the fumes would kill everything in my basement lol And it will just be sitting on the floor.

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Does it crack easily? I hope not because I'm going to have to put it on its side to get it through my basement door.

 

[mikeh]

Handle it at corners and you will be fine. Get help moving it if you can. You want the floor where you place it to be smooth surface, so it doesnt twist/bend the chamber in any way. As its going to be sitting on the floor, ask yourself how cold is the concrete, how deep will your substrate be. Wood is an insulator,but its just think plywood. If you think the floor is pretty cold, and may be effecting inside temps. you can get 4x8 1"polystyrene, place it in the floor and sit the chamber on top of it. Do this while its empty, you really don't want moving it much once you have everything in there. This will also help consume less electric and keep possible condensation build up between the floor and bottom of the chamber. However this may be not likely to happen.

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[Yamaha4x4_19]

Ok thanks a lot for the tips. I may put something under it. But where it will be it wont be on concrete. I have a finished basement and it's carpeted.

 

[mikeh]

Ah carpet!...Then perhaps just use plastic sheeting 3-4 mill thick just in case you get some leaks under. An option is also to line with it the inside bottom and up the walls to substrate level. When its time to change the substrate it will make it that much easier. You have put lot of effort and time into this, just sharing ideas so you don't have to redo it over and over like I had to. . I will tell you, if you have a cool basement, you will get lots of condensation on the plexi and won't be able to see inside clearly. Just another thing to ponder over.

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[Yamaha4x4_19]

Maybe I should put a liner in it but I probably won't on the inside because that's why I put the Epoxy on the inside floor was because I had lenolium and the Sulcatas were just ripping it up unfornatly. I wish they weren't diggers lol

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*Maybe I should put a liner under it

 

[mikeh]

I forgot, the diggers. Yes liner under. Do u have pictures of them?

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[Yamaha4x4_19]

this will only be their temporary winter home. Once I buy a new house next year I'm going to building them a huge enclosure the size of a whole room or bigger. And I'll just use this cage for my Indian Stars. Or possibly some leopard tortoises I want to get.

 

[Yamaha4x4_19]

 

[mikeh]

Oh boy, that resin will be put to the test.

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[Yamaha4x4_19]

Yea lol maybe I'll just make the substrate extra deep and then just fill in holes if I see them starting to dig.

 

[mikeh]

Pieces of slate placed vertically along the walls would slow then down from getting to wood

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[Yamaha4x4_19]

Just have to screw on the hinges for the door and put on the door handle and it'll be finished!!

 

[mikeh]

Looks good man. Lots of work. Are you sure you don't want to hinge that whole panel? It would make access so much easier then just the plexi.

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[Yamaha4x4_19]

Well the whole end piece will be on a hinges. I'm not putting hinges directly on the plexi if that's what your saying. The piece with the lights is 3ft and the piece of wood with the plexi in it is 5ft long and that whole 5ft piece of wood will be on hinges.

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And thanks yes it has been a lot of work and money but I really like it!