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Thread: need help building black n white tegu cage

  1. #1
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    Jul 2009
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    newyork
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    Post need help building black n white tegu cage

    im sorry for any errors in posting im new to the site and forum in general im looking to build a 6 foot long by2 and a half foot deep cage wich is roughly 20 inches tall any tips?.... ps low budget and thank you for you patients and time

  2. #2
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    OSB and 2x2's worked perfect for Thor, the total cost of wood was a little under 100$, but (unfortunatly) plexiglass is not cheap.
    www.myspace.com/christcody

    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu (Thor)
    0.0.1 Ball Python (Montee)

  3. #3
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    If you're planning on keeping an adult B&W white in there, that's a bit too small for a 4 foot lizard. The "rule of thumb" is 2 times the lizards length X 1 times the lizards length. So a 4 foot lizard would be best in an 8ft x 4ft enclosure. We keep our 3.5 foot Blues in 7ft x 3ft enclosures and take them out once or twice a week.
    1.1 Blue Tegus, 1.1 Cuban Rock Iguanas
    1.1 Bearded Dragons, 0.1 Veiled Chameleon
    0.1 Columbian Boa, 1.0 Ball Python, 0.0.1 Corn

  4. #4
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    Georgia
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    I ment 2x2 pieces of wood the actual tank I built is 5x3x3 (and yes its a temp tank) 2x2's just worked best for the cage structure
    www.myspace.com/christcody

    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu (Thor)
    0.0.1 Ball Python (Montee)

  5. #5
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    I also used 2x2's, and 1/4" plywood. 2x4's and 3/4" plywood are overkill.
    1.1 Blue Tegus, 1.1 Cuban Rock Iguanas
    1.1 Bearded Dragons, 0.1 Veiled Chameleon
    0.1 Columbian Boa, 1.0 Ball Python, 0.0.1 Corn

  6. #6
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    newyork
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    i dont know if ill realy need the 8 foot cage atleast i shouldnt because im gunna let him free roam my room is that ok? and if i do that can i ad like a cat door that i can lock to keep him outta trouble? oh and instead of a plexi door could i use screen? if you have any alternatives or suggestions please post thanks id realy like a nice enclosure that could even outlast the tegu but i dont want it too huge

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    San Antonio,TX
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    If you want to you can check out this link and pick the topic that can give you some infos on how to build the enclosure you want.I wouldn't recommend any screen on a big enclosure like that because some Tegus rub their nose on it and he/she can get hurt on it and it wouldn't hold any humidity.Yes, you can put a cat or dog door on it that you can lock.Feel free to ask us any questions and as many as you want to.That's what we are here for .

    http://www.www.thetegu.com/forumdisplay.php?f=10
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

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  8. #8

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    Would a 6'x4' be sufficient for a B&W or a blue?
    What about a large stock tank, 8' diametere?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Central FL
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    My tegus will nose rub on screen, just a thought. If it's too soft, they can rip it (they did that), and if it's too strong, they bloody up their noses (did that, too). I had a wooden cage I used as an in-between when they were yearlings and the door was screen. The builder used a metal screen and covered it with mesh screen. It didn't last long.

    I have two tegus in separate 8x4 cages and one in a 6x3 vision. I would have to say that it depends on the tegu. Two of mine would be fine in a 6x4, but then I have a very active one that seems better with just a bit more room. She nose rubs, jumps up to the screen window, etc. When she wants out, I see her with her elbow on the door ledge, looking out like she's thinking, "Hey, watcha doin? Are you coming over here to let me out now?"

    I would think a stock tank would work fine as long as it has a secure lid. By the time you fill it with substrate, the wall will be short enough that a tegu will spend a good part of the day trying to scale the wall and make an escape.

    Caging is expensive and it takes up a lot of room. I think the cost of caging and food is what deters people from keeping large reptiles. When the time comes for building/buying the larger enclosure for snakes or lizards, it hurts the pocketbook! I know I have spent about $300+ each on enclosures for my biggest reptiles. You just can't really cut corners on it considering the animal is going to live in it for 15+ years. Sometimes I have bought used and found great deals though.

    ***Just as an aside...I'm pretty sure Thor is a Colombian tegu and not full grown yet. Cody's 5ft cage would be OK as a temp tank.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

  10. #10
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    If you look hard enough you'll find 1/2" vinyl coated hardware cloth (screen). http://www.louispage.com/welded-wire...l-coated---vc/ Call them to find someone in your area that might have some. I used that on the doors to the enclosures I built and it didn't get damaged and none of them had a problem with nose rubs. The only problem is it let all of the humidity out so I had to add Plexi-glass on the inside.
    1.1 Blue Tegus, 1.1 Cuban Rock Iguanas
    1.1 Bearded Dragons, 0.1 Veiled Chameleon
    0.1 Columbian Boa, 1.0 Ball Python, 0.0.1 Corn

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