I need ideas ***Building an Iguana Cage*****?

Question

I have an Iguana and she is getting so big! I need ideas on how to build her a cage.
I need someone who has experiance in Iguanas for this question.
Best answer gets the points.

Answer 1

The best thing you can do for your adult Ig is to build an ultimate habitat complete with climbing limbs, resting/basking spots, humidity and temperature control, and it must be interesting. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER ABOUT IGS IS 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IS THE OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE FOR GROWTH AND OVERALL GOOD HEALTH. You have to be able to control the temperature inside th habitat year round so it is not a good idea to use screening, fabric, or mesh because you will loose all the heat. Also this type of material may get caught in your Igs finger and toe nails which in turn can break off and become infected. I have two Igs and I have built them each a 6'x6'X2' plexiglass/PVC habitat. This is the reccomended size for an adult Ig. You need to be able to maintain temperature and humidity so it is important to build a closed habitat. On one end of my habitat I built in hinges so I could open the plexiglass like a door. All of the sides are plexiglass and the frame is built of PVC so it is super light. I have supplied climbing branches, resting/basking spots in the top, middle, and bottom of the tank, bricks and rocks for scratching dead skin, tubs of water for swimming and bathing (and to control humidy), and a platform to hold the food and drinking water at the top of the enclosure. You also must remeber that fresh air needs to move in and out of the enclosure or it may grow mold and fungus which can also grow on your Ig. Supplying fesh air is simple, cut a vent near the bottom of the habitat on one side about 5 in long and 2 inches wide, horizontally. On the opposite side cut a vent in the same fashion as the first only near the top of the enclosure. This will move air into and out of the tank naturally. You can install a fan or vent cover if you like. All of the lights (basking, UV, and night) should be on timers to control the hours of daylight and temperature. I chose not to install a self humidfying system, instead I mist my Igs and the entire habitat several times daily to keep them hydrated plus it gives me an opportunity to bond with and handle them more often. The enclosed habitat will keep heat and humidity in which are EXTREMELY important for proper Ig care. Keep the substrate clean and dry at all times (except when misting; it will evaporate on it's own) and practice proper husbandry and shouldn't have any problems. Remember to clean up any fresh feces immediately,not later, NOW as they can be harmful to your Ig if left in the environment spreading germs. I bought 1.5 in PVC at my local Home Depot in 10 foot lengths and cut it to size. I connected the frame with PVC glue and PVC corners. The PVC supplies cost me about $50. The plexiglass depending on how thick you want it can range anywhere from $100+ to complete the project. The plexiglass can be glued to the frame using clear silicone adhesive (like the kind used around tubs) that way you dont have to worry about nails or screws which can be dangerous (and btw will crack the PVC). Also the silicone will seal all the edges so warm air and humidity can't escape. For each habitat I built it cost about $200. It seems expensive but I don't care. I am just concerned with providing a "real" home for my iguanas. Good luck!

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
I need ideas ***Building an Iguana Cage*****?
I have an Iguana and she is getting so big! I need ideas on how to build her a cage.
I need someone who has experiance in Iguanas for this question.
Best answer gets the points.

Answer 4

I am going through the same thing as well. There are some great ideas on the web. I will be custom building a cage to fit in the corner of my living room. I am planning 5x5x6 feet tall. I live in a cold dry climate, so I will be building in a humidifier and the front will be mesh with a plexiglass cover for the cold season. I am going to try to make it look really nice, like a display case, with a jungle painted background, but I have to make it easy to clean and well ventilated too. I would like it to look natural inside, like the smaller cage I have now. For climbing, i bought some pvc tubing (2 1/2" dia) and glued sisal rope around it and this works really well for exercis and a basking spot. Look under images on the web, for a lot of great ideas and then adapt them.

Answer 5

I don't have an iguana but I have a friend who had one that was 6 foot! I think he converted an old piece of furniture, like a wardrobe, into the cage he made for his iguana. He bought the wardrobe at a garage sale I think.

Answer 6

I've never done it, but one idea I saw and loved was converting an unused closet to an iguana home.

Replace the door with a glass and screen storm door and seal it well so you can control the air flow. Paint the walls with a latex sealant, like KILZ Latex, to protect them from the high humidity. Put up some plastic liner or shower liner if possible. (By the way- a free-standing shower enclosure works well, too!)

Line the floor and up part of the walls with heavy duty plastic, then put a few inches of 'litter' down to catch wastes and make cleaning as easy as scooping.

Rig up a BUCH of branches, ropes, vines, etc. The easiest way is to just nail them to the walls, but some people rig up big potted trees and so forth. include some food stations, etc.

Rig up a misting system, a lighting system, a couple different kinds of heaters, etc.

Answer 7

Unless you're absolutely set on building a cage of your own, try Cages by Design. I just bought a cage from them. They're sorta expensive, but by the time you get done buying all the material and the time spent building it, might be a good idea buying one thats pre-made, durable and easy to take apart and put back together. Just a thought.

Answer 8

I am going through this same thing right now.. Here are the sites i went to to look at examples. It depend on where you keep him, how much space you have and is he indoors or outdoors. I have no idea the climate where you live.. You might be okay with something made out of screen or mesh or you may need plexiglass. Look at these site. Also if you live in a really warm climate check out the Retariums. You can get huge ones for cheap.. They are not my favorite but in the right enviroment they can work for little cost.

Answer 9

I'm a guy, and individually, I don't like long nails. I actually know a lot of like very long, painted nails cause they're "so pretty", but I don't like them.

Answer 10

A little bit of nail is fine... but I agree with you. Long nails are kinda major.