- Joined
- May 21, 2016
- Messages
- 166
Hello from Vancouver, BC Canada.
I finished building my little Charlie the Hermann a new enclosure. He's outgrown his old one so fast! It's only been nine months and he's gone from 30 grams to 190!
1) Started with some laminated pine. The wood seems light to me and easily cut and worked with.
2) I made slats to reinforce and connect sheets together for the base. Total base is 60" x 32". These dimensions fit out my apartment door and into the elevator. Cannot make it any bigger or it will be difficult to move.
3) Sides are 12" tall all connected with drywall screws. Wheels were attached to the bottom so I can move it to clean the floors underneath.
4) The enclosure was painted with Behr enamel semi-gloss (100% acrylic) paint and sealed with Le Page Extreme repair adhesive (which is waterproof and safe in aquariums). I used corrugated plastic to line the inside of the enclosure and taped with high end water-proof/mildew-proof/mold-proof Nashua tape.
5) Once everything is completely sealed, I used 100% coco coir blocks - took 9 blocks or 3 packs of 3. Total was $30 in coco coir. I used to buy the already made bags but found no difference between the two for a fraction of the price. I can make a whole batch in about 20 minutes.
6) A finishing touch on the enclosure before loading.
7) I place cement blocks on the light stands for stability and am using 2 Mercury vapor bulbs. One is 160 W and one is 100 W. He likes his temp at about 34-35 C. The humidity is usually quite high when new substrate is in (up to about 80-90%). I spray and mix by hand some water when it gets dry.
I used a microwave tray for bacon as his water dish. It's impossible for him to drown in it due to the ridges. I used to put stones in a plant saucer but it's a pain to wash out and clean the rocks properly. The plants are mostly carexes. I find they live well with my coco coir and are extremely hardy. I have to trim the every week. He doesn't eat them either. I've tried succulents amongst many others but he destroyed them all.
8) Bum seems to be enjoying his new enclosure. Thanks everybody on the forum for helping me learn more about how to take care of my little guy better. Appreciate all the input from everyone on this site! I am so grateful for all the information.
James
I finished building my little Charlie the Hermann a new enclosure. He's outgrown his old one so fast! It's only been nine months and he's gone from 30 grams to 190!
1) Started with some laminated pine. The wood seems light to me and easily cut and worked with.
2) I made slats to reinforce and connect sheets together for the base. Total base is 60" x 32". These dimensions fit out my apartment door and into the elevator. Cannot make it any bigger or it will be difficult to move.
3) Sides are 12" tall all connected with drywall screws. Wheels were attached to the bottom so I can move it to clean the floors underneath.
4) The enclosure was painted with Behr enamel semi-gloss (100% acrylic) paint and sealed with Le Page Extreme repair adhesive (which is waterproof and safe in aquariums). I used corrugated plastic to line the inside of the enclosure and taped with high end water-proof/mildew-proof/mold-proof Nashua tape.
5) Once everything is completely sealed, I used 100% coco coir blocks - took 9 blocks or 3 packs of 3. Total was $30 in coco coir. I used to buy the already made bags but found no difference between the two for a fraction of the price. I can make a whole batch in about 20 minutes.
6) A finishing touch on the enclosure before loading.
7) I place cement blocks on the light stands for stability and am using 2 Mercury vapor bulbs. One is 160 W and one is 100 W. He likes his temp at about 34-35 C. The humidity is usually quite high when new substrate is in (up to about 80-90%). I spray and mix by hand some water when it gets dry.
I used a microwave tray for bacon as his water dish. It's impossible for him to drown in it due to the ridges. I used to put stones in a plant saucer but it's a pain to wash out and clean the rocks properly. The plants are mostly carexes. I find they live well with my coco coir and are extremely hardy. I have to trim the every week. He doesn't eat them either. I've tried succulents amongst many others but he destroyed them all.
8) Bum seems to be enjoying his new enclosure. Thanks everybody on the forum for helping me learn more about how to take care of my little guy better. Appreciate all the input from everyone on this site! I am so grateful for all the information.
James