DarkRapture
New Member
so here is what i used/stats for my entire habitat:
*HEIGHT is 6' 2" total, with the enclosure part at 5' 1", 30" WIDE and 25" DEEP.
*1" X 2" CEDAR - sealed with 4 heavy coats of water based POLYURETHANE
*1/2" PLYWOOD - base
*2" X 4" SPRUCE - for the legs
*VINYL FLOOR TILES - slate coloration (bathroom stuff!)
*3/8" FLOORING UNDERLAY PLY - smooth stuff, used for shelf
*7/8" O.D. VINYL TUBING - used 5 12" lengths in bottom for drainage
*13" X 20" BASIN - to collect H2O runoff (underneath cage)
*WOODEN DOWEL, 2 HOOKS CLEAR SHOWER CURTAIN W/ HANGERS - used at the back for H2O runoff/over spray
*6 X 1 1/4" SILVER HINGES - 3 doors
*2 DOOR HANDLES
*BLACK ALUMINUM SCREEN - all sides and top
*SET OF 4 ANGLE BRACKETS - for each door
*2 SPRING-LOADED MAGNETIC AND 2 REGULAR MAGNETIC LATCHES
*KITCHEN & BATH SILICON (clear) - stuff cures in 24 hours! its great!
*2 CLAMP LAMPS: 1 75W INFRARED SPOT, 1 65W PLANT SPOT
*24" REPTISUN 5.0 WITH ALUMINUM REFLECTOR (currently using a 48" zoomed reptisun 5.0 because i had an accident LOL. new one is ordered )
*DIGI THERMOMETER - with min/max memory
*HYGROMETER
*6' TALL FICUS BENJAMINA - yes it actually fit in there with a little persuasion
*24" tall SCHEFFLERA
*3 30" BAMBOO
*12" FICUS
*4 SILK PLANTS
*RIVER ROCKS - used to cover the coconut fiber potting substrate (plants re-potted in it)
*A DOZEN OR SO DRIFTWOOD STICKS
*BLACK ASIAN-STYLE BOWL - for feeding (contrasts great against dusted buggies!)
*ZAP STRAPS - some with the screw holes to affix stix, silk plants...
it took a lot longer that i had expected to do everything - as these things always do... i had a lot of washing to do and rinsing, to make sure that no chemical exposure is risked. the polyurethane cured for about a week before i used the silicon and laid the floor tiles. i soaked the driftwood in the bathtub with OXY bleach powder and rinsed the heck out of it after (about a 30 min hot shower!) as most were too long to fit into the oven. i used a bleach/dishsoap solution to wash down all the plants. the main plant has been in my house pesticide free for about 5 years but i still washed it anyways (dust 'n stuff, you know).
i am very happy about the shower curtain on the back and think that it looks great as it is clear. the dowel is perfect to clamp the lamps onto... the 2 basking spots are at 94-96F and directly in between is 87F. the temp at the top outskirts is 79F ambient temp is 77F close to the top and 72 near the bottom. humidity is at 55% in my house (i live in vancouver and it rains a LOT here), 60-65% in his cage and goes up to about 80-90% during mistings.
i mist 2-3 times a day using a garden pump-sprayer with boiled/partially cooled water - so it's luke warm at 6" away. the sprayer is the best invention! no spitting!!! i am going to set up a dripper next weekend so i have the reassurance that he can get to water when i go to work. i will also eventually get a timer for the lights. at the moment i get up at 6:30am so his lights go on about 6:45 and go off about 7-8ish pm.
so what do y'all think? i love it, i know my lil dude likes it too he doesn't seem pissed or stressed about the transition either sorry if this is a really long post with the pix, but i'm so excited about this! it is the most elaborate and planned out cage i have ever built. i am no carpenter but i am ok at math and it seems i did this quite well! i cut each piece of everything with my skillsaw and hand saw, and predrilled all my holes. i may be a tiny girl but i sure can do stuff! lol i'm so weird sometimes, listen to me ramble!
and now, the pix
the top with my lights...
front view:
bottom door and vinyl flooring (if you look really close you can see my little holes i have for the drain tubing)
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3926.jpg
both bottom doors open
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3927.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3928.jpg
magnetic latches
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3929.jpg
top door open
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3933.jpg
shelf with feeding dish
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3936.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3939.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3948.jpg
Marley is getting ready for bed... so cute
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3943.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3945.jpg
spring loaded magnetic latch
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3947.jpg
side view...
i really hope i'm not boring anyone to death out there! lol
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3950.jpg
so whatdya think?????? i love it hehe
*HEIGHT is 6' 2" total, with the enclosure part at 5' 1", 30" WIDE and 25" DEEP.
*1" X 2" CEDAR - sealed with 4 heavy coats of water based POLYURETHANE
*1/2" PLYWOOD - base
*2" X 4" SPRUCE - for the legs
*VINYL FLOOR TILES - slate coloration (bathroom stuff!)
*3/8" FLOORING UNDERLAY PLY - smooth stuff, used for shelf
*7/8" O.D. VINYL TUBING - used 5 12" lengths in bottom for drainage
*13" X 20" BASIN - to collect H2O runoff (underneath cage)
*WOODEN DOWEL, 2 HOOKS CLEAR SHOWER CURTAIN W/ HANGERS - used at the back for H2O runoff/over spray
*6 X 1 1/4" SILVER HINGES - 3 doors
*2 DOOR HANDLES
*BLACK ALUMINUM SCREEN - all sides and top
*SET OF 4 ANGLE BRACKETS - for each door
*2 SPRING-LOADED MAGNETIC AND 2 REGULAR MAGNETIC LATCHES
*KITCHEN & BATH SILICON (clear) - stuff cures in 24 hours! its great!
*2 CLAMP LAMPS: 1 75W INFRARED SPOT, 1 65W PLANT SPOT
*24" REPTISUN 5.0 WITH ALUMINUM REFLECTOR (currently using a 48" zoomed reptisun 5.0 because i had an accident LOL. new one is ordered )
*DIGI THERMOMETER - with min/max memory
*HYGROMETER
*6' TALL FICUS BENJAMINA - yes it actually fit in there with a little persuasion
*24" tall SCHEFFLERA
*3 30" BAMBOO
*12" FICUS
*4 SILK PLANTS
*RIVER ROCKS - used to cover the coconut fiber potting substrate (plants re-potted in it)
*A DOZEN OR SO DRIFTWOOD STICKS
*BLACK ASIAN-STYLE BOWL - for feeding (contrasts great against dusted buggies!)
*ZAP STRAPS - some with the screw holes to affix stix, silk plants...
it took a lot longer that i had expected to do everything - as these things always do... i had a lot of washing to do and rinsing, to make sure that no chemical exposure is risked. the polyurethane cured for about a week before i used the silicon and laid the floor tiles. i soaked the driftwood in the bathtub with OXY bleach powder and rinsed the heck out of it after (about a 30 min hot shower!) as most were too long to fit into the oven. i used a bleach/dishsoap solution to wash down all the plants. the main plant has been in my house pesticide free for about 5 years but i still washed it anyways (dust 'n stuff, you know).
i am very happy about the shower curtain on the back and think that it looks great as it is clear. the dowel is perfect to clamp the lamps onto... the 2 basking spots are at 94-96F and directly in between is 87F. the temp at the top outskirts is 79F ambient temp is 77F close to the top and 72 near the bottom. humidity is at 55% in my house (i live in vancouver and it rains a LOT here), 60-65% in his cage and goes up to about 80-90% during mistings.
i mist 2-3 times a day using a garden pump-sprayer with boiled/partially cooled water - so it's luke warm at 6" away. the sprayer is the best invention! no spitting!!! i am going to set up a dripper next weekend so i have the reassurance that he can get to water when i go to work. i will also eventually get a timer for the lights. at the moment i get up at 6:30am so his lights go on about 6:45 and go off about 7-8ish pm.
so what do y'all think? i love it, i know my lil dude likes it too he doesn't seem pissed or stressed about the transition either sorry if this is a really long post with the pix, but i'm so excited about this! it is the most elaborate and planned out cage i have ever built. i am no carpenter but i am ok at math and it seems i did this quite well! i cut each piece of everything with my skillsaw and hand saw, and predrilled all my holes. i may be a tiny girl but i sure can do stuff! lol i'm so weird sometimes, listen to me ramble!
and now, the pix
the top with my lights...
front view:
bottom door and vinyl flooring (if you look really close you can see my little holes i have for the drain tubing)
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3926.jpg
both bottom doors open
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3927.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3928.jpg
magnetic latches
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3929.jpg
top door open
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3933.jpg
shelf with feeding dish
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3936.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3939.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3948.jpg
Marley is getting ready for bed... so cute
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3943.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3945.jpg
spring loaded magnetic latch
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3947.jpg
side view...
i really hope i'm not boring anyone to death out there! lol
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg242/darkrapture13/100_3950.jpg
so whatdya think?????? i love it hehe