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Exo Terra Vivarium Modifications

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diamondwolf130

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Image


(Sorry for the bad designing. First time using the software. I'll make a much more accurate and measured design soon.)

I've got a 60x45x60 exo terra and have been comtemplating what arboreal lizard to get.
After much thought I had the idea to add floors to the vivarium if I decided to get ground dwelling lizards such as leopard geckos. I really want to make the most of the height of the vivarium.

Leopard geckos obviously do well in a long vivarium or aquarium but I was wondering how they would like a multi floor vivarium. So not as much length, but the floor space of each storie combined would be a lot greater than a typical leopard gecko enclosure.

What I was proposing was two wooden table like structures stacked ontop of eachother, relatively tight against the sides of the vivarium. Small ridges around each table will hold the substrate.
Rectangles cut out of the tables to hook slopes onto as a means of getting to each floor.

I know many of you have built multifloor vivariums so it would be great to hear from you guys.

And it would be great to hear what this kind of setup would be suitable for.

If I do build this. I may even end up buying some hamsters or gerbils as I know it would be the perfect tank for them! :p

Thanks guys.
 
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
Whosthedaddy said:
I downloaded that software too but I think I need to read the instructions, that looks cool!
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm gonna watch the tutorial videos when I can get round to it but I'm happy with this. It shows what I'm planning on doing.

What reptiles do you think it would be suitable for?
Leo's?
 
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#4 ·
Im not sure on the leo front, because if it was my leo, what ever level you put him in at, he would probaly just stay there to be honest. but i would have said this could work with more "adventrous & Out going" lizard species. i could imagine my red headed agama in that sort of tank, because he loves running every where :D also a spotted python / childrens python i think would enjoy that sort of set-up. because they enjoy moving around :)

just my opinion and also gerbils would be great in there :)
 
#5 ·
Floorspace would be 24x18 times 3?
 
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Discussion starter · #6 ·
kieran101 said:
Im not sure on the leo front, because if it was my leo, what ever level you put him in at, he would probaly just stay there to be honest. but i would have said this could work with more "adventrous & Out going" lizard species. i could imagine my red headed agama in that sort of tank, because he loves running every where :D also a spotted python / childrens python i think would enjoy that sort of set-up. because they enjoy moving around :)

just my opinion and also gerbils would be great in there :)
Click to expand...
Great advice thanks =D I shall be researching other ground dwelling lizards :)

I knew it would be good for gerbils :p Might be nice to add some furries to my collection. hehe.
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
angelgirls29 said:
Floorspace would be 24x18 times 3?
Click to expand...
That is correct :p
I though by adding floors to a taller tank it would keep small lizards/mammals from becoming bored and lazy. Main reason though, being that I already had this tank spare and though I may as well do something interesting with it. Rather than buying a longer tank or aquarium.

What do you think?
 
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#9 ·
One problem every floor would need uv and getting temps right for.basking would be a mare
 
#10 ·
I made a double secker RUB, water in the bottom and 'land' in the top for my Anaconda.

Image


Its working great so am tempted to get a large terrarium and add some different levels more with cork bark than a proper floor and fill with water.

I agree, why go longer of the height can be utilised better?
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
SteveCourty said:
One problem every floor would need uv and getting temps right for.basking would be a mare
Click to expand...
True. Not all reptiles require UV though. So would probably be better for those who don't. Could be UV access on the top floor though but there's no way of controlling how often they went there =/

A heat mat could be mounted up one side of the viv creating a hot end and a cooler end on each level.

But this all depends on what reptile I am considering... which I don't know yet :p
 
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#12 ·
SteveCourty said:
One problem every floor would need uv and getting temps right for.basking would be a mare
Click to expand...
Not really, a UV could be placed vertically across all levels as could a heat mat to raise ambients and then a heat source from above. Having differing levels and a single heat source allows for much better thermoregulation and temp gradients?
 
#13 ·
Whosthedaddy said:
Not really, a UV could be placed vertically across all levels as could a heat mat to raise ambients and then a heat source from above. Having differing levels and a single heat source allows for much better thermoregulation and temp gradients?
Click to expand...
I think it would allow for a pretty vast temperature gradient...I'd like to see you develop that image a bit more;)
 
#15 ·
Whosthedaddy said:
Hows it any different from having hides, these are often much cooler.

Having a large floor space and a temp gradient to match the rep would have its own choice of what it wanted rather than on this side or that side.
Click to expand...
Sorry:( what's the question? I just meant if you had a basking area at the top then this would allow for the inhabitant to stay cool in the summer if it stayed on the lower levels as there would be no direct heat source and heat rises...?
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
Thanks for all the help guys :) I think I'm going to develop this design further and once built I will decide what critter I house in it.

Whosthedaddy said:
Not really, a UV could be placed vertically across all levels as could a heat mat to raise ambients and then a heat source from above. Having differing levels and a single heat source allows for much better thermoregulation and temp gradients?
Click to expand...
Good Idea with the UV. I could mount a strip light and heat mat to the side and depending on wether a basking animal will inhabit the tank I can stick a heat bulb in my exo terra canopy ;D
 
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#19 ·
Tbh it sounds like a lot of messing about for not a lot of gain....
If you want more floor space in a short height for say leos, then I would go with wooden viv stacks at 12 inch high each. Glass exos aren't really too clever for leos really.
If you want to do it for the fun of it, the world is your oyster really but no idea what you could house in it, reckon cleaning etc would be a mare too!
 
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Discussion starter · #20 ·
Big Red One said:
Tbh it sounds like a lot of messing about for not a lot of gain....
If you want more floor space in a short height for say leos, then I would go with wooden viv stacks at 12 inch high each. Glass exos aren't really too clever for leos really.
If you want to do it for the fun of it, the world is your oyster really but no idea what you could house in it, reckon cleaning etc would be a mare too!
Click to expand...
I get where your coming from. It would just be an interesting project for me though. And I had thought about cleaning. Essentially they are just two tables stacked on top of eachother. You could easily lift them out to clean and opening the front glass doors lets you access each floor to spot clean anyway :)
 
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diamondwolf130
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