vivarium plan. thoughts please

baloo · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:54 pm Post subject: vivarium plan. thoughts please

i'm about ready to get a tegu unless i decide on a black roughneck monitor. not quite sure yet so i let the price decide
here is a viv i have in mind
what do you think
messurements are 2000x900x1400
thats 6'6" x 3' x 4'7" long deep and high
plenty of space for lights and some hanging green for my own viewing pleasure. it is not exactly to messure so don't worry if it looks like there is not enough room in places. i may go even wider then 3 foot

for the time being i modified an old viv til he, tegu or monitor, gets bigger
temps are tried and tested
_________________
uli

if you don't eat your meat you can't have any pudding
how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat

Johelian · Retired Mod Joined: Nov 22, 2004 Posts: 848

That looks like a nice design. You certainly like the idea of a "natural" viv, which is great - and I imagine far more stimulating to the inhabitants than the bare basics of what they need!

If the black throat is aboreal or semi-aboreal (which I believe it is), this set up may be more beneficial for them as adult tegus really are mostly terrestrial - when I watch my tegu clump about, I am constantly amazed that he was ever able to climb. While they will use the ramps with no problems, they are more likely to clumsily tumble off the edges of the platforms.

A couple of things to bear in mind;
1) Make sure that you will be able to drain the water pool. Even if you dont fix it permanently to the viv, if it is very large it will be almost impossible to move when it is full - which will mean many trips back and forth to a drain as you empty it bucket by bucket. Since many lizards like to defaecate in the water, it is essential for you to be able to disinfect it from time to time, as well as clean it out and add fresh water.

2) I would still say that more floorspace would be better, since a 4.5ft tegu stretched out will have only 2ft between it and the end of its home. Can you go 7ftx3?

baloo · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:17 pm Post subject:

its a roughneck not a black throat
a varanus rudicollis

unfortunatly i can't go to 7 foot as i would have to turn the viv by 90 degree and my tanks wouldn't fit
6.5 is the length limit
i will add a drain for the pool and it will likely be textured with tile adhesive and sealed with G4 pond sealer
i can recommend it
this is a drawing of my fish house
3.2m long by 2.05 m wide and 2.2 m high
thats 10'2" x 6'7" x 7'3"
3D drawing

scetch from above.. ignore the lizard list. i wasn't sure what i wanted at the time

i suppose i could go to 10 foot lenght but that would mean the viv could only be 2.5 foot wide and it would have to sit on the floor which would probably stress the tegu or monitor. i'm waiting to hear about that price
_________________
uli

if you don't eat your meat you can't have any pudding
how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat

baloo · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:04 pm Post subject:

here is what i've planned shouldi get the monitor

_________________
uli

if you don't eat your meat you can't have any pudding
how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat