I can’t stress how much me and my wife loves you. We’ve learned so many tips and techniques from your builds and implemented it to our beardie boy’s enclosure. Your explanations are always clear and easy to follow. Clearly showing all the products you use definitely helps a lot, we might not be able to find some of the exact same products here in Thailand, but it makes it so much easier to find something that is basically the same from other brands (same material/chemicals). You’re an angel.
Wow, thanks soo much for taking the time to write this and for the kind words. I'm so glad the video is helpful. That's amazing that you and your wife are improving your Beardie boys life with your own builds. Great stuff 👏 ☺️
You should get so much spot light on , this work is outstanding, this goes over the classic setup of heat from side to side , this is how it should be. MERAVIGLIOSO 😍
Outstanding! I love seeing naturalistic beardie enclosures. Every reptile owner should strive to provide the most natural environment possible for their pets.
The enclosure looks amazing!! Lol, I always over do it with the screws also! I really like and appreciate all the thought that went into the lighting also, very well explained.
@@ReptileWay It's definitely inspiring!!! I actually love the fact that no big power tools are needed! It makes me feel like I could actually achieve this. I hope to make something like this someday but not any day soon. 😂 I am going to start off small.. with the help of your content! I've been binging your videos so I'd like to say a huge THANK YOU!! ❤️
I am decently handy and like to tinker around and build things but your enclosures (and your rock backdrop tutorials) are on an entirely different level! I’m so impressed! Your tips and tricks are brilliant and I’m going to build a couple of things now based on your tutorials. The finished products are nothing short of professional-looking and highly species appropriate. Thank you for posting all the videos that you do! You’re fantastic at this and I feel that if I apply your methods I’ll be able to really elevate my designs ❤
Thanks soo much for taking the time to comment and for the kind words 🙏 I'm glad the videos are proving useful. Goodluck with all your future builds. Thanks for supporting the channel 😀
Your videos are a joy to watch. You have a very soothing presence and your creativity is off the charts! Thank you! You've helped me so much through the process of building my bearded dragon enclosure. I have a quick question. Do you keep the grout wet for a few days while it cures? It seems unnecessary, but I've read that other people do it.
Thanks soo much for the kind words! I'm so glad the video helped. I'm slighty confused as to what you mean with your question, but I'll try to answer it as best I can. When applying layers of grout, wait for each layer to completely dry before you apply another layer. The layers at the start, you may see some cracks due to the grout being of thicker consistency. No need to worry as this will get filled in as you apply the thinner layers of grout. Some people's concreting and grouting strategies, after applying their layer, they will slightly spray it with water a few times over the drying/curing period to I think reduce chances of cracks appearing. But it's time consuming because each layer takes longer to dry and personally I don't use that technique for time management reasons. Hope that somewhat helps!
That is an awesome enclosure. Great work. That is one of the coolest rock features I've seen in a bearded dragon enclosure. I built a really nice enclosure for my bearded dragon but I've yet to create a background rock feature yet I'm inspired to do so now.
@@ReptileWay you’re very welcome. I’m building something similar right now but for tree frogs . I don’t think I can film the entire process like you did . Once again great work and I look forward to future videos from you
Love this video! Im in Kansas! Couple questions, 1. How often do you clean the enclosure? 2. What is your process on removing the sand? 3. If she poops on the grout/ramps is it easy to clean? Thank you, I plan on using this tutorial on a little bit of a smaller scale.
1. I wipe down the entire enclosure with a wet cloth dipped in water with a bit of earth dish washing liquid (natural product/not harmful to reptiles/grey water safe/does not strip waterproofing) in the water. However the enclosure is checked daily for poos and is cleaned up if there is one. 2. I only remove the sand to do a full enclosure clean every 4 to 6 months as the thorough spot cleans daily (removing poo, dropped food etc) keeps the substrate in somewhat of an immaculate condition. I remove sand using a dust pan and brush. 3. Pooping on ramps or any part of grouted structure can be easily cleaned as the waterproofing (Crommelin clear pond sealer) creates almost like a fibreglass/smooth texture. The more layers of waterproofing you do, the smoother and fibreglassy texture it creates. Making it easy to wipe up poos using a damp soft cloth. Hope that helps 🙏
Hello there :) I have a question for you as i have built my own 1500x600x600 out of the same material. I was just wondering what you would suggest for covering the bottom if I was to make it bio active down the road. Also you are the first person to teach me about clearing off the shiny foam layer because I have failed that on a previous build so i thank you for that. You're amazing and I love your content, thanks for being an great teacher.
@newbzlife1707 thanks so much for the kind words and taking the time to comment. There are various ways this can be done. A resource I highly recommend, is to go to the SerpaDesign TH-cam channel. Really knowledgeable with sealing enclosures and bioactive setups 🙏 All the best, thanks for supporting the channel 👍
I've been wondering about those acrylic sheets but I havent been able to get into bunnings to look. Do you find they can bend if pushed on at all? would you think they would work for snakes?
I have found that sikaflex pro sticks the best to the formply. And original liquid nails for the glass tracks just want to give the bottom of the track a bit of a rough up with some sand paper. For foam to foam. Gorilla glue or any other polyurethane glue works the best.
M’y bearded dragon is currently in a 120gal tank that’s long but not very vertical, do you think it would be more beneficial to have something like this?
This is a bit of a tricky one to answer. From a basic care perspective, you are meeting the enclosure size requirements. And you should be able to raise a healthy animal in such an enclosure. However, the enclosures I design and build look at more than just basic care. They are built around enrichment and encouraging the animals to do natural behaviours by incorporating elements that mimic their wild environment. That's why I have included the textures of wood, rock and sand, it being a Central Bearded dragon. Another aspect that I think is important is maximising Surface area. This can be seen in the design by it being able to access the floor space underneath ramps as well as the ramps. These guys can be amazing sprinters over short distances and I again want to encourage such behaviours. All these elements assist the animal to express those natural behaviours, such as running, climbing, jumping, exploring. I have spent quite alot of time observing these guys out in the wild and that's why I'm quite passionate with regards to mimicking their natural environments. Another positive to this enclosure design is that all the different textures are great to assist your animal to shed. Lastly the one thing I was amazed at was that this enclosure allowed me to create quite a large temperature gradient, and the fact that the animal has to climb up higher to get warmer and can pick so many different heights to bask at to assist with thermoregulation. Again mimicking natural environments with the large temperature gradients. So to answer your question in a very long winded manner, I think an enclosure like this is definitely beneficial, and provides more enrichment than 120 gallon tank 😊
You probably could have made like 3 videos out of this build. I loved seeing you build this(almost) entirely by yourself, and see how you used silicone and tape to make it work. I always have trouble when I watch builds by big guys and it looks achievable but when I go to do it myself its so much harder, because I have shorter arms and cant reach everything or aren't quite strong enough..
Thanks for taking the time to comment! The struggle is real 🤣 However with a bit of brain power there is always a way! Goodluck with your future builds!
@@ReptileWay I have ADHD, and tend to be excited and jump in and then get stuck halfway through and have to rethink things😅 I'm Canadian so don't have the same brands, but I really appreciate that you have the full item lists, it makes it way easier to not miss things😅
Hi Shannon I was just wondering if you still had Lizzie the blue tongue lizard I used to have her but I had to move away but now I am back so I was wondering if I could maybe get another one
Hi! Thanks for the message, unfortunately I have moved to Victoria with all the Reptiles. Lizzy is now apart of a breeding program. But she will not be breeding this season due to the move. So I don't have any animals available for sale. Sorry I couldn't be of more help 😔
That looks awesome, curious from memory to diy the whole thing what was a rough cost for all materials and how long did you spend building. And also what about locks etc? Looking to setup for venomous and cant find the decent locks anywhere haha. Thanks again
really loved this build. Just a quick question. We haven't got one yet but are planning in the next couple of weeks. You have the heat sorted from top to bottom but when he is down the bottom does he get sufficient UV as the bulbs are way up top or doesn't he stay down for long or doesn't he need it? I haven't a clue sorry but just trying to work it all out as this is the first time I've seen a tall enclosure like this and it looks amazing :)
Hey Shannon. This build is incredible and I’ve been following along to do my own, though yours looks way better haha. Did you use only 1 tub of the 1litre pond sealer for this build?
Thanks so much for the kind words! It is tricky to say as I think I had a few builds on the go. I would say about 1 however could be slightly over. So for me if I were to do this build again, the pond sealer can sometimes sell out, so if you have the funds and you might be doing other builds, maybe go with 2 and then you will definitely have enough 😀
I'm getting ready to make my own for my ball python, but i live in the US and don't have Davco. I know you recommended drylok, but I wanted to know if there was any grout that you recommend that is safe for an enclosure. Thanks much :)
Hi! I only build reptile products for my local area, Victoria Australia. However as of right now I am booked for the next 3+ months with builds for the TH-cam channel and my own personal collection. I think Bioactive have alot of benefits for reptiles and I've had some in the past. A great TH-cam channel to gain a wealth of knowledge in this area is SerpaDesign, as this is a big focus of the channel. I have personally made a few Bioactive enclosure for Blue-tongue Lizards and Green tree python's, however this is meant for animals in more tropical and humid environments.
@@ReptileWay Thanks for the response :) I live in Mernda Melbourne and Im in no rush to acquire an enclosure just yet so 3+ months might work for me! PS Serpadesign has awesome videos.
@Reptile Way how large do you feel a bearded dragon enclosure should be?… I’m about to upgrade as Fernando needs more space.., but everything about is 1200x600x600… I feel he needs more space than that …
The best way of doing it is waiting until you get the light. The power cord can be disconnected from the light, allowing you to make somewhat of a smallish hole and then threading cord through the hole and connecting it back into the light. You really should measure cord yourself and drill holes according to that incase light dimensions change. Goodluck 👍
@@ReptileWay not quite what I was after - the actual cord ends are the parts that need to fit through small holes in a melamine enclosure. But thank you!
It's not glass as the price of glass this size is astronomical. It is clear Acrylic sheet (some refer to it as plexiglass). This is fine for Bearded dragons and some other lizard. However, I would not recommend it if you're doing a build for snakes, as this material has slight bendiness to it, which enables some snakes to escape. Here is a link to the product I used: www.bunnings.com.au/suntuf-900-x-600-x-5mm-clear-acrylic-sheet-clear_p1010490?store=6400&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwhIS0BhBqEiwADAUhc8BT-8YsyekYlmTIpTpgm01kUrz1-dd_THLCzusN4WBHs23jrN6_mBoCmCoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Thanks for your comment. Once the building materials have cured (most products used in this build take 7 days to cure), builds like this can comfortably withstand temperatures up to 49 degrees Celsius. Heat of this magnitude does not cause a reactions in these building materials. That's why they are a popular choice within the Reptile building community. Hope that helps 🙏
If you are talking about the grouting stage over the foam I would say yes for longevity reasons, as well as for sanitary reasons. It can take anywhere from 3 to 6 layers of grout, to make sure there is no exposed foam or holes.
I’m attempting to replicate this for my beardy, but I live in the US. What would you recommend for sealer? (We don’t have the same pond sealer and I don’t want to hurt her)
Good question. Because you have put waterproofing over the top of the paint work and rock work, it makes for easy cleaning. Water and a soft cloth for general cleaning. Or soapy water (I personally use earth dish washing liquid: natural based product we get in Australia, grey water safe, it does not contain nasty toxic chemicals, safe for reptiles and lots of other animals) for stuck food, it even makes for easy cleaning when it comes to a disgusting Bearded dragon poo. The waterproofing also creates a fibreglass texture, which adds to the ease of cleaning. I would avoid harsh chemicals and alcohol based cleaners as this may have a high liklihood of striping the waterproofing. Hope that helps!
I just got an enclose a little bigger then this (but not much) and have been working on building a similar background and posted to some beardie groups, all excited about this, and got told my set up isnt big enough for her 😂😭 That they need length not height and that we cant provide anything proper fkr her in this. I swear it feels like i can jever do anything right 😢
You have to be really careful with those groups and I do not even partake in alot of the groups besides the Australian Reptile groups. As I'm finding there is alot of misinformation about our native Australian reptiles. This style enclosure does cater to the length needed for Bearded dragons, as it is advised 120cm or more. But also these reptiles are climbing reptiles. In the wild you see them climbing fence posts, shrubs and trees, hence physical features such as long claws for climbing. You want to make sure it's not to high that it can cause physical harm and high vet bills, that's why I have stuck to this height. Even though they climb greater heights than this out in the wild. A good way to know if you are on the right track, look at scientific papers, their natural habitat, behaviours, physiology, temperature and weather in the areas they are naturally found. Another aspect people don't talk about is temperature gradient. This enclosure mimics similar temperature gradients that they would experience out in the wild. I know this, because I lived in the areas these guys are found and I conducted temperature testing in their natural habitat. An enclosure like this can give you a temperature gradient of the cool spot being 26 degrees celsius and a basking spot of 47+ degrees Celsius and has every temperature in between that, depending on where the Bearded dragon positions itself in the enclosure. In essence facilitating thermoregulation perfectly and close to wild/natural weather conditions Alot of deaths for Bearded dragons are caused by incorrect heating and lighting. I'm unaware of any deaths or animals being unhealthy or suffering from preventable diseases being due to the dimensions of enclosure like this 🤣 There comes a time when one has to realise, just because something becomes the norm , does not mean it right, or the only way of doing something. In essence there are multiple styles of reptile enclosure that can allow your reptile to thrive. Hope that helps, and gives you your sanity back 🤣
@ReptileWay Haha, it does and thank you, I appreciate the response. I argued back with a lot of them that I was giving her more space and more enrichment then just her flat 120 gallon. She's 5 years old and just doesn't seem happy in it but the few minutes I had her in the new one while testing our size dimensions for the things I was making she seemed 1. Much less stressed to be approached 2. She didn't black beard my fiance, and she almost ALWAYS black beards him when he's near her current enclosure. 3. She was more active then she usually is in her 120, though this could be from it being something new. The one I got was about 3 inches bigger all around then the one you made. I'm probably going to scrap the background I attempted to make to go for something more similar to this. It's my first time making a false background and it just didn't come out the way I had hoped, which stinks because I've worked 20 hours so far on just the foam, lol. I initially wanted something I could remove from her enclosure, but yeah, not sure it's gonna work that way 😂 I noticed that she loves to climb from the little wall she has in her current enclosure and her little building in it she climbs up all the time. I also think this design of yours is much better for temp. Gradients then mine is.
Does any one know what kind of pond sealer I can use in the USA I’ve been looking for weeks and idk what to get that would be comparable to the cremellion pond seal I’ve gotten as far as painting and now need to go over the acrylic paint please help !
For aesthetics reasons I just ordered online the arcadia lamp guard pro online. However it is somewhat pricey, so you could shop around for a different brand that would fit your light, or you could even DIY your own 😊
I ordered mine from Aquatic supplies, the one that I bought was 960mm at $84.95 (Australian dollars) plus postage. I chose this online store because it's in Australia and so am I, so it works well for me. Here's a link to where I bought mine: www.aquaticsupplies.com.au/products/arcadia-lamp-guard-pro?currency=AUD&variant=39402450780207&Google%20Shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqs6lBhCxARIsAG8YcDjY4a5CXSq4tJjg-OmSlHnYMV3gQscebnFJkA0WA5RumxPAdIZplpoaAoFMEALw_wcB
No it should not be flaking off. The reasons for the flaking probably have nothing to do with the waterproofing. Something has happened earlier in the build most likely. Reasons as to why it might be flaking off: - Not carving off the shiny top layer of the spray foam off. This results in the grout not being able to adhere/stick to the surface of the sprayfoam, which results in flaking. - Using a poor quality grout/concrete or not mixing is sufficiently. - If all the layers of grout/concrete were all of a thick consistency, there will be cracks that could result in flaking. You need to start off having a thick pancake consistency of grout and as you progress through the layers of grout the grout consistency gets thinner until there are no cracks on the piece. This can take anywhere between 3 to 7 layers of grout to achieve this. Generally if you follow the simple process of: Spray foam, carve the spray foam, apply thick grout consistency for first layers, as layers progress the grout will be runnier. No cracks appear in the grout then you can move on to next steps. Which is carving into grout (optional), adding paint detailing (optional) then finally waterproofing. I hope this helps a little bit. Sometimes building can be trial and error. Goodluck 👍
@@ReptileWay thanks I sanded all the foam so maybe I put to much paint or grout on there I’ll have to restart I used the poly blend grout 3 coats and polyurethane waterproofing the top didn’t crack up the bottom. I may not of got it as good
It was quite a bit of time ago when I did this build, so I can't really remember 🤣 But you can search all the products on the bunnings website and you can get a better estimate.
Here's a little trick, type this into google... Example: "600mm to inches" and it gives you the answer "23.622inches" Feel free to do that for all the measurements you would like to know 🙂
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 89 | คู่เอก "ยอดไอคิว vs คิริลล์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z3vYkHJ_5Ig/mqdefault.jpg)
The whole thing from scratch??? You are AMAZING!!
Thanks for the kind words. However if you take it step by step anyone can do it. 😊
I can’t stress how much me and my wife loves you. We’ve learned so many tips and techniques from your builds and implemented it to our beardie boy’s enclosure. Your explanations are always clear and easy to follow. Clearly showing all the products you use definitely helps a lot, we might not be able to find some of the exact same products here in Thailand, but it makes it so much easier to find something that is basically the same from other brands (same material/chemicals). You’re an angel.
Wow, thanks soo much for taking the time to write this and for the kind words. I'm so glad the video is helpful.
That's amazing that you and your wife are improving your Beardie boys life with your own builds. Great stuff 👏 ☺️
You should get so much spot light on , this work is outstanding, this goes over the classic setup of heat from side to side , this is how it should be. MERAVIGLIOSO 😍
@@riccardorotolo thanks for the kind words 🙏
Words cannot describe how impressive this build is!
Thanks for the kind words!
Outstanding! I love seeing naturalistic beardie enclosures. Every reptile owner should strive to provide the most natural environment possible for their pets.
Thanks soo much for the kind words. I'm so glad you liked the enclosure design 🙏
This tank is gorgeous. Currently building a bioactive vivarium for my crested gecko and I can already tell how helpful this will be!
Thanks soo much for the kind words! Goodluck with your build, and well done for putting in the effort to improve your scaly pets life 🙂🙏
It looks amazing . I had so much fun watching this.❤
Aww thanks soo much for that comment ☺️ soo glad you enjoyed the video!
Absolutely brilliant 👏 thanks for sharing this incredible enclosure
@@daleanderson1525 thanks for taking the time to comment and the kind words
The enclosure looks amazing!! Lol, I always over do it with the screws also! I really like and appreciate all the thought that went into the lighting also, very well explained.
Haha I'm glad I'm not the only one. Thanks 😊🙏
The lights look intimidating to me 😩😂😂
Great job 👍 love your builds 👍
Thanks soo much for the kind words and supporting the channel 🙏 😀
Very helpful in so many areas . Thank you so much
Nice work, your lizard will love the space
Thanks 😊🙏
You are a trully artist!
Thanks for the kind words. However it is a very simple design. Takes time, but not difficult 🙂
Ooohhh I've been binging your videos. So glad to see a new one 😊
Wow! Thanks soo much for choosing our videos to binge watch! 😃🙏
Who doesn't love a good binge!
Stunning! 👀
Thanks!!! 🙏☺️
Awesome videos & thanks for all the detail you give us. Very grateful. :)
Thanks for taking the time to write those kind words! No worries 😊 I'm soo glad this video is helpful 🦎
This is just amazing! It really makes me want to build!!! Very well done!
Thanks for that comment. That's great to hear as this was the goal of creating this video, to get people inspired to build!
@@ReptileWay It's definitely inspiring!!! I actually love the fact that no big power tools are needed! It makes me feel like I could actually achieve this. I hope to make something like this someday but not any day soon. 😂 I am going to start off small.. with the help of your content! I've been binging your videos so I'd like to say a huge THANK YOU!! ❤️
@AnonymousAmyMakes I'm glad hear. That is a good plan. Starting off small to build confidence and skills is great!
Goodluck with your builds 😊
great build. you are such a good builder.
Thanks soo much for the kind words 🙏 😊
Thank you for this great video very inspiring. I appreciate all the time and energy you put into this.❤
Thanks for the positive feedback and kind words, it's greatly appreciated 🙏
I am decently handy and like to tinker around and build things but your enclosures (and your rock backdrop tutorials) are on an entirely different level! I’m so impressed! Your tips and tricks are brilliant and I’m going to build a couple of things now based on your tutorials. The finished products are nothing short of professional-looking and highly species appropriate. Thank you for posting all the videos that you do! You’re fantastic at this and I feel that if I apply your methods I’ll be able to really elevate my designs ❤
Thanks soo much for taking the time to comment and for the kind words 🙏
I'm glad the videos are proving useful. Goodluck with all your future builds. Thanks for supporting the channel 😀
Your videos are a joy to watch. You have a very soothing presence and your creativity is off the charts! Thank you! You've helped me so much through the process of building my bearded dragon enclosure.
I have a quick question. Do you keep the grout wet for a few days while it cures? It seems unnecessary, but I've read that other people do it.
Thanks soo much for the kind words! I'm so glad the video helped.
I'm slighty confused as to what you mean with your question, but I'll try to answer it as best I can.
When applying layers of grout, wait for each layer to completely dry before you apply another layer.
The layers at the start, you may see some cracks due to the grout being of thicker consistency. No need to worry as this will get filled in as you apply the thinner layers of grout.
Some people's concreting and grouting strategies, after applying their layer, they will slightly spray it with water a few times over the drying/curing period to I think reduce chances of cracks appearing. But it's time consuming because each layer takes longer to dry and personally I don't use that technique for time management reasons.
Hope that somewhat helps!
Thank you! Yes, that helps
I loved this video. I actually followed this video and made the same habitat for my bearded dragon. Thanks for this video.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Soo glad the video proved useful!
thouroughly enjoyed this process
That is an awesome enclosure. Great work. That is one of the coolest rock features I've seen in a bearded dragon enclosure.
I built a really nice enclosure for my bearded dragon but I've yet to create a background rock feature yet I'm inspired to do so now.
@@JBDossie thanks for taking the time to comment and for the kind words 🙏 😊
I'm so glad it inspired you! Happy building!
It looks amazing ❤!!!!
Thanks for the kind words 😊🙏
Fantastic job!
Thanks for the kind words!
Nice work!
Thanks soo much 😊🙏
Awesome video ! Great detail as well
Thanks so much for the kind words 🙏 😊
@@ReptileWay you’re very welcome. I’m building something similar right now but for tree frogs . I don’t think I can film the entire process like you did . Once again great work and I look forward to future videos from you
@MichaelEugenio wow, Goodluck with your build! Thanks 🙏
Love this video! Im in Kansas! Couple questions, 1. How often do you clean the enclosure? 2. What is your process on removing the sand? 3. If she poops on the grout/ramps is it easy to clean? Thank you, I plan on using this tutorial on a little bit of a smaller scale.
1. I wipe down the entire enclosure with a wet cloth dipped in water with a bit of earth dish washing liquid (natural product/not harmful to reptiles/grey water safe/does not strip waterproofing) in the water. However the enclosure is checked daily for poos and is cleaned up if there is one.
2. I only remove the sand to do a full enclosure clean every 4 to 6 months as the thorough spot cleans daily (removing poo, dropped food etc) keeps the substrate in somewhat of an immaculate condition. I remove sand using a dust pan and brush.
3. Pooping on ramps or any part of grouted structure can be easily cleaned as the waterproofing (Crommelin clear pond sealer) creates almost like a fibreglass/smooth texture. The more layers of waterproofing you do, the smoother and fibreglassy texture it creates. Making it easy to wipe up poos using a damp soft cloth.
Hope that helps 🙏
Amazing!
Thanks! 🙏😊
She is VERY TALENTED!!!!!!!
Thanks soo much for taking the time to comment and for the kind words ☺️ 🙏
Looks great! Just a tip.. when you spray foam hold the can upside down, the flow is better.
Great tip! Thanks 🙏
Thank you for all the techniques you have showed me. If it weren't for you, I'm not sure what I would've done.
Hello there :) I have a question for you as i have built my own 1500x600x600 out of the same material. I was just wondering what you would suggest for covering the bottom if I was to make it bio active down the road. Also you are the first person to teach me about clearing off the shiny foam layer because I have failed that on a previous build so i thank you for that. You're amazing and I love your content, thanks for being an great teacher.
@newbzlife1707 thanks so much for the kind words and taking the time to comment. There are various ways this can be done. A resource I highly recommend, is to go to the SerpaDesign TH-cam channel. Really knowledgeable with sealing enclosures and bioactive setups 🙏
All the best, thanks for supporting the channel 👍
Finally now I'm hPPY
That makes me so happy, you are happy 😊 😃
I've been wondering about those acrylic sheets but I havent been able to get into bunnings to look.
Do you find they can bend if pushed on at all? would you think they would work for snakes?
Unfortunately they have quite a bit of bend to them, so as they are, quite a few species of snakes could escape.
@@ReptileWay Thank you for letting me know, I had a feeling that might be the case
I have found that sikaflex pro sticks the best to the formply. And original liquid nails for the glass tracks just want to give the bottom of the track a bit of a rough up with some sand paper. For foam to foam. Gorilla glue or any other polyurethane glue works the best.
M’y bearded dragon is currently in a 120gal tank that’s long but not very vertical, do you think it would be more beneficial to have something like this?
This is a bit of a tricky one to answer.
From a basic care perspective, you are meeting the enclosure size requirements. And you should be able to raise a healthy animal in such an enclosure.
However, the enclosures I design and build look at more than just basic care. They are built around enrichment and encouraging the animals to do natural behaviours by incorporating elements that mimic their wild environment. That's why I have included the textures of wood, rock and sand, it being a Central Bearded dragon.
Another aspect that I think is important is maximising Surface area. This can be seen in the design by it being able to access the floor space underneath ramps as well as the ramps. These guys can be amazing sprinters over short distances and I again want to encourage such behaviours.
All these elements assist the animal to express those natural behaviours, such as running, climbing, jumping, exploring.
I have spent quite alot of time observing these guys out in the wild and that's why I'm quite passionate with regards to mimicking their natural environments.
Another positive to this enclosure design is that all the different textures are great to assist your animal to shed.
Lastly the one thing I was amazed at was that this enclosure allowed me to create quite a large temperature gradient, and the fact that the animal has to climb up higher to get warmer and can pick so many different heights to bask at to assist with thermoregulation. Again mimicking natural environments with the large temperature gradients.
So to answer your question in a very long winded manner, I think an enclosure like this is definitely beneficial, and provides more enrichment than 120 gallon tank 😊
Thank you for this video. I think this looks like a great project for my daughter and me. What was the estimated total cost of the project?
Muy muy original, mi enhorabuena
Hello 👋 very good 👏
You probably could have made like 3 videos out of this build. I loved seeing you build this(almost) entirely by yourself, and see how you used silicone and tape to make it work. I always have trouble when I watch builds by big guys and it looks achievable but when I go to do it myself its so much harder, because I have shorter arms and cant reach everything or aren't quite strong enough..
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
The struggle is real 🤣 However with a bit of brain power there is always a way! Goodluck with your future builds!
@@ReptileWay I have ADHD, and tend to be excited and jump in and then get stuck halfway through and have to rethink things😅 I'm Canadian so don't have the same brands, but I really appreciate that you have the full item lists, it makes it way easier to not miss things😅
@@Codeexcited check out the Serpa design channel. They should hopefully use products you can get. All the best!
Hi Shannon I was just wondering if you still had Lizzie the blue tongue lizard I used to have her but I had to move away but now I am back so I was wondering if I could maybe get another one
Hi! Thanks for the message, unfortunately I have moved to Victoria with all the Reptiles. Lizzy is now apart of a breeding program. But she will not be breeding this season due to the move. So I don't have any animals available for sale.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help 😔
That looks awesome, curious from memory to diy the whole thing what was a rough cost for all materials and how long did you spend building. And also what about locks etc? Looking to setup for venomous and cant find the decent locks anywhere haha. Thanks again
really loved this build. Just a quick question. We haven't got one yet but are planning in the next couple of weeks. You have the heat sorted from top to bottom but when he is down the bottom does he get sufficient UV as the bulbs are way up top or doesn't he stay down for long or doesn't he need it? I haven't a clue sorry but just trying to work it all out as this is the first time I've seen a tall enclosure like this and it looks amazing :)
Hey Shannon. This build is incredible and I’ve been following along to do my own, though yours looks way better haha. Did you use only 1 tub of the 1litre pond sealer for this build?
Thanks so much for the kind words!
It is tricky to say as I think I had a few builds on the go.
I would say about 1 however could be slightly over. So for me if I were to do this build again, the pond sealer can sometimes sell out, so if you have the funds and you might be doing other builds, maybe go with 2 and then you will definitely have enough 😀
@@ReptileWaythank you so much!!! Can’t wait to see more videos from you.
@user-of7bd9ld4o I have a few builds on the go, one build is finished, I just need to put it into a video. So stay tuned!
I'm getting ready to make my own for my ball python, but i live in the US and don't have Davco. I know you recommended drylok, but I wanted to know if there was any grout that you recommend that is safe for an enclosure. Thanks much :)
Hi Shannon I was wondering if you do enclosure commissions? Also what are your thoughts on bioactive enclosures? Thanks 😊
Hi! I only build reptile products for my local area, Victoria Australia. However as of right now I am booked for the next 3+ months with builds for the TH-cam channel and my own personal collection.
I think Bioactive have alot of benefits for reptiles and I've had some in the past.
A great TH-cam channel to gain a wealth of knowledge in this area is SerpaDesign, as this is a big focus of the channel. I have personally made a few Bioactive enclosure for Blue-tongue Lizards and Green tree python's, however this is meant for animals in more tropical and humid environments.
@@ReptileWay Thanks for the response :) I live in Mernda Melbourne and Im in no rush to acquire an enclosure just yet so 3+ months might work for me! PS
Serpadesign has awesome videos.
What did you use for the sliding "glass" doors?
@Reptile Way how large do you feel a bearded dragon enclosure should be?… I’m about to upgrade as Fernando needs more space.., but everything about is 1200x600x600…
I feel he needs more space than that …
Bad @ss Build! Thanks for the steps/inspiration
Thanks for the kind words 🙏 So glad you found the video useful
This is brilliant! Wondering how big of a hole you made to get the T5 power cord through? Or did you make a hole before putting it together?
The best way of doing it is waiting until you get the light. The power cord can be disconnected from the light, allowing you to make somewhat of a smallish hole and then threading cord through the hole and connecting it back into the light.
You really should measure cord yourself and drill holes according to that incase light dimensions change. Goodluck 👍
@@ReptileWay awesome! What about the T5 cords like the Arcadia ones that can’t be pulled apart (well I don’t think they can!)
@@thingamabobby The light in this video is a T5 Arcadia and can
@thingamabobby this link shows it can be pulled apart th-cam.com/video/85Wd6d44rQc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=V-HvTJaod8ugRQoQ
@@ReptileWay not quite what I was after - the actual cord ends are the parts that need to fit through small holes in a melamine enclosure. But thank you!
What kind of glass did you use for the doors?
It's not glass as the price of glass this size is astronomical.
It is clear Acrylic sheet (some refer to it as plexiglass). This is fine for Bearded dragons and some other lizard. However, I would not recommend it if you're doing a build for snakes, as this material has slight bendiness to it, which enables some snakes to escape.
Here is a link to the product I used:
www.bunnings.com.au/suntuf-900-x-600-x-5mm-clear-acrylic-sheet-clear_p1010490?store=6400&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwhIS0BhBqEiwADAUhc8BT-8YsyekYlmTIpTpgm01kUrz1-dd_THLCzusN4WBHs23jrN6_mBoCmCoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Is there something about how the heat and the chemicals? In regards to the pets health?
Thanks for your comment. Once the building materials have cured (most products used in this build take 7 days to cure), builds like this can comfortably withstand temperatures up to 49 degrees Celsius.
Heat of this magnitude does not cause a reactions in these building materials. That's why they are a popular choice within the Reptile building community. Hope that helps 🙏
Can I put birch wood in there for him climb on I got it at Walmart but the bark is still on the logs
How long until the clear sealant smell goes away?
Does every little hole have to be filled ? I’ve went over mine twice already till some tiny holes
If you are talking about the grouting stage over the foam I would say yes for longevity reasons, as well as for sanitary reasons.
It can take anywhere from 3 to 6 layers of grout, to make sure there is no exposed foam or holes.
Ok thanks
What brand of lights do you use
I’m attempting to replicate this for my beardy, but I live in the US. What would you recommend for sealer? (We don’t have the same pond sealer and I don’t want to hurt her)
I’m confused with the sizes of the plywood
I’ve been struggling to find a North American equivalent to your pond sealer - any recommendations anyone?
The normal Drylok, SerpaDesign on TH-cam uses it quite a bit, it's almost like the grout and pond sealer in one product
How do you clean these enclousers?
Good question. Because you have put waterproofing over the top of the paint work and rock work, it makes for easy cleaning.
Water and a soft cloth for general cleaning. Or soapy water (I personally use earth dish washing liquid: natural based product we get in Australia, grey water safe, it does not contain nasty toxic chemicals, safe for reptiles and lots of other animals) for stuck food, it even makes for easy cleaning when it comes to a disgusting Bearded dragon poo.
The waterproofing also creates a fibreglass texture, which adds to the ease of cleaning.
I would avoid harsh chemicals and alcohol based cleaners as this may have a high liklihood of striping the waterproofing.
Hope that helps!
I just got an enclose a little bigger then this (but not much) and have been working on building a similar background and posted to some beardie groups, all excited about this, and got told my set up isnt big enough for her 😂😭 That they need length not height and that we cant provide anything proper fkr her in this. I swear it feels like i can jever do anything right 😢
You have to be really careful with those groups and I do not even partake in alot of the groups besides the Australian Reptile groups. As I'm finding there is alot of misinformation about our native Australian reptiles.
This style enclosure does cater to the length needed for Bearded dragons, as it is advised 120cm or more. But also these reptiles are climbing reptiles. In the wild you see them climbing fence posts, shrubs and trees, hence physical features such as long claws for climbing. You want to make sure it's not to high that it can cause physical harm and high vet bills, that's why I have stuck to this height. Even though they climb greater heights than this out in the wild.
A good way to know if you are on the right track, look at scientific papers, their natural habitat, behaviours, physiology, temperature and weather in the areas they are naturally found.
Another aspect people don't talk about is temperature gradient. This enclosure mimics similar temperature gradients that they would experience out in the wild. I know this, because I lived in the areas these guys are found and I conducted temperature testing in their natural habitat. An enclosure like this can give you a temperature gradient of the cool spot being 26 degrees celsius and a basking spot of 47+ degrees Celsius and has every temperature in between that, depending on where the Bearded dragon positions itself in the enclosure. In essence facilitating thermoregulation perfectly and close to wild/natural weather conditions
Alot of deaths for Bearded dragons are caused by incorrect heating and lighting.
I'm unaware of any deaths or animals being unhealthy or suffering from preventable diseases being due to the dimensions of enclosure like this 🤣
There comes a time when one has to realise, just because something becomes the norm , does not mean it right, or the only way of doing something.
In essence there are multiple styles of reptile enclosure that can allow your reptile to thrive.
Hope that helps, and gives you your sanity back 🤣
@ReptileWay Haha, it does and thank you, I appreciate the response. I argued back with a lot of them that I was giving her more space and more enrichment then just her flat 120 gallon. She's 5 years old and just doesn't seem happy in it but the few minutes I had her in the new one while testing our size dimensions for the things I was making she seemed 1. Much less stressed to be approached 2. She didn't black beard my fiance, and she almost ALWAYS black beards him when he's near her current enclosure. 3. She was more active then she usually is in her 120, though this could be from it being something new.
The one I got was about 3 inches bigger all around then the one you made. I'm probably going to scrap the background I attempted to make to go for something more similar to this. It's my first time making a false background and it just didn't come out the way I had hoped, which stinks because I've worked 20 hours so far on just the foam, lol. I initially wanted something I could remove from her enclosure, but yeah, not sure it's gonna work that way 😂 I noticed that she loves to climb from the little wall she has in her current enclosure and her little building in it she climbs up all the time. I also think this design of yours is much better for temp. Gradients then mine is.
Does any one know what kind of pond sealer I can use in the USA
I’ve been looking for weeks and idk what to get that would be comparable to the cremellion pond seal
I’ve gotten as far as painting and now need to go over the acrylic paint please help !
Get a polystyrene heat rod . Cuts through so quick
Great tip!
Where do I get the screen for the lights ?
For aesthetics reasons I just ordered online the arcadia lamp guard pro online. However it is somewhat pricey, so you could shop around for a different brand that would fit your light, or you could even DIY your own 😊
I ordered mine from Aquatic supplies, the one that I bought was 960mm at $84.95 (Australian dollars) plus postage. I chose this online store because it's in Australia and so am I, so it works well for me.
Here's a link to where I bought mine:
www.aquaticsupplies.com.au/products/arcadia-lamp-guard-pro?currency=AUD&variant=39402450780207&Google%20Shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqs6lBhCxARIsAG8YcDjY4a5CXSq4tJjg-OmSlHnYMV3gQscebnFJkA0WA5RumxPAdIZplpoaAoFMEALw_wcB
Is it supposed be flacking because I done 3 coats of sealer and it’s flacking for some reason
No it should not be flaking off. The reasons for the flaking probably have nothing to do with the waterproofing. Something has happened earlier in the build most likely.
Reasons as to why it might be flaking off:
- Not carving off the shiny top layer of the spray foam off. This results in the grout not being able to adhere/stick to the surface of the sprayfoam, which results in flaking.
- Using a poor quality grout/concrete or not mixing is sufficiently.
- If all the layers of grout/concrete were all of a thick consistency, there will be cracks that could result in flaking. You need to start off having a thick pancake consistency of grout and as you progress through the layers of grout the grout consistency gets thinner until there are no cracks on the piece. This can take anywhere between 3 to 7 layers of grout to achieve this.
Generally if you follow the simple process of: Spray foam, carve the spray foam, apply thick grout consistency for first layers, as layers progress the grout will be runnier. No cracks appear in the grout then you can move on to next steps. Which is carving into grout (optional), adding paint detailing (optional) then finally waterproofing.
I hope this helps a little bit. Sometimes building can be trial and error. Goodluck 👍
@@ReptileWay thanks I sanded all the foam so maybe I put to much paint or grout on there I’ll have to restart I used the poly blend grout 3 coats and polyurethane waterproofing the top didn’t crack up the bottom. I may not of got it as good
Don't the plants inside the enclosure need fertilization?
Is fertilizing the plants inside the enclosure not harmful for the reptile?
These are fake plants
@@ReptileWay Thanks 🙏
If you did have live plants then chemical fertilizers would be a bad idea, but nutrient rich soil, and compost if needed shouldn't harm the animal.
Do you put a bowl of salad on the lower enclosure?
Please put some shoes on . I was worried you would drop that cabinet on your little toes but I’ve subscribed anyway x
What is the total cost?
It was quite a bit of time ago when I did this build, so I can't really remember 🤣 But you can search all the products on the bunnings website and you can get a better estimate.
Where is the food dish
She has a food dish it just wasn't in the video. And she has a small water dish on the bottom of the enclosure
very nice job i love that peaople like u exist and love their pets i ogt a lot of inspiration for my terarium thankks!!!
Thanks so much for the very kind words 😊 🙏
dang woman! wanna come build me one of these? lol..
Hello can someone tell me the Measurements but in inches please 😅thanks
Here's a little trick, type this into google... Example: "600mm to inches" and it gives you the answer "23.622inches"
Feel free to do that for all the measurements you would like to know 🙂