Dragonstrand Clear Cages - Setup

[absolutbill]

Hi Forum Friends! I've decided to spoil my boys and get them each a Dragonstrand cage from Santa this year. They will each have the Large Atrium setup, but I have very little creativity, so please post some pics of your Dragonstrand setups so I can get/steal some ideas for setting up mine. I'm also thinking about the clear side one instead of the all screen. I live in Naples, and would love to hear from anyone else in a warm/humid climate who uses these without issue. Thanks in advance!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Hi Forum Friends! I've decided to spoil my boys and get them each a Dragonstrand cage from Santa this year. They will each have the Large Atrium setup, but I have very little creativity, so please post some pics of your Dragonstrand setups so I can get/steal some ideas for setting up mine. I'm also thinking about the clear side one instead of the all screen. I live in Naples, and would love to hear from anyone else in a warm/humid climate who uses these without issue. Thanks in advance!

I use Dragonstrand breeder cages which have the solid white sides. For babies, I use a film door but have a screen service door at the bottom for ventilation. I don't know how the film cages are set up, but I would definitely have a screen door in the bottom or even a screen door.

 

[shomegirl]

Here is my clear sided enclosure. I have two small pothos plants, one on the left side and on on the back wall, both midway up. The rest are fake leaves, vines. Homemade ladders. I'm not super creative, but this turned out decent. Since this was taken, prior to getting the chameleon, I have added a couple more bendy vines and fakes leaves. You will love the dragon stand.

 

[rminnis]

I use Dragonstrand breeder cages which have the solid white sides. For babies, I use a film door but have a screen service door at the bottom for ventilation. I don't know how the film cages are set up, but I would definitely have a screen door in the bottom or even a screen door.

There is plenty of ventilation the top and side are huge and provide more then enough in my opinion.

 

[rminnis]

My guy loves his new clearside atrium did you go ahead and get the drainage tray?

 

[rminnis]

Also what light setup do you plan to implement ? I just put a 48 reptisun uvb & LED setup on mine and it is so sleak I love it. I looked at a few of the fixtures on light your reptiles but evenually just ordered this and love it.

 

[absolutbill]

I'm going to get the drainage tray, and then figure out a way to both drill a hole in the bottom and put a bulkhead in to drain into a 7 gallon carboy that will be in a cabinet under the cage. That's similar to the drainage I have now, and it works really well. I'll be tipping/propping up the tray somehow so that the water drains into the bulkhead instead of pooling.

As for lights I haven't thought too much about that. Right now I use a 24" 10.0 ReptiSun as well as either a flood light for my veiled, or a regular incandescent for my panther. I'll be looking on Light your Reptiles as well, but am still in the planning stages. Thanks for the replies and keep them (and the pics) coming! Shomegirl, your setup is awesome - is that a ceramic tiger in the bottom?

 

[rminnis]

the 48" overlaps just a few inches on each side which is fine with me u barely can tell its there!

 

[absolutbill]

@shomegirl - can you please post a larger pic of your mister? My husband is blown away by your design, and when I realized the benefits I was too! Did you come up with this on your own, or did you find it on a website? Thanks!!!

 

[shomegirl]

You can look on you tube for it in action from mistking
I use a mistking misting system with the optional rain dome. It is great!

 

[shomegirl]

I'm going to get the drainage tray, and then figure out a way to both drill a hole in the bottom and put a bulkhead in to drain into a 7 gallon carboy that will be in a cabinet under the cage. That's similar to the drainage I have now, and it works really well. I'll be tipping/propping up the tray somehow so that the water drains into the bulkhead instead of pooling.

As for lights I haven't thought too much about that. Right now I use a 24" 10.0 ReptiSun as well as either a flood light for my veiled, or a regular incandescent for my panther. I'll be looking on Light your Reptiles as well, but am still in the planning stages. Thanks for the replies and keep them (and the pics) coming! Shomegirl, your setup is awesome - is that a ceramic tiger in the bottom?

Thanks. Sorry for the delayed response. It is a fish bone tiger I got while on vacation in playa del Carmen

 

[absolutbill]

Thanks so much for the pics and info. My ProMist is about 8 years old and on it's last legs, so we're figuring that we'll just get a new misting system while we're at it. These boys are going to have a WONDERFUL Christmas

 

[pgr7]

This is my 24x24x48 clearside with the easy drip screen tray. I have a dripper and a mistking installed all work extremely well together with daily shop vacuumin of the pooled water

 

[absolutbill]

Thanks so much - and who lives in there?

 

[pgr7]

Thanks so much - and who lives in there?

This is Zoraks home,he is a Ambilobe Panther Chameleon ,he loves it Bill Strand knows his stuff.