How to make your own vivarium, with removable floor for easy cleaning

[mecoat]

I've made a few changes to the layout inside since the viv has been made, and it's been suggested that I update this thread, so I'm doing that now.

Since Daff enjoyed his time under the viv so much (he'll still try to get under there if he can). I've created a raised platform. I bought a glass chopping board (if it's food safe, it's Daff safe), and an extra heat mat, and thermostat. I adapted an idea posted by Hilde for using a heat mat inside a wooden viv.

I taped the heat mat to the bottom of the glass and placed the glass initially on 5 chutney pots, putting extra hides onto the top of the glass. This worked great - Daff loved the new hide, but I was concerned that the height was such that he was walking sort of stooped while in there. I was looking for another easily cleaned (or cheaply replaceable) set of items to raise the height of the glass.

I found a set of egg cups in my local 99p shop - higher and easily cleaned. I bought some and have since replaced the chutney pots with the egg cups.

Daff still loves under the glass, but I also see him climbing up onto the top and lying in or around the hides on the top too - so he's more active.

As I raised the floor under the CHE, I was concerned he would be able to reach so I bought a cage for the glass (like here : ProRep Heater Guard Rectangular (Online Only) | Pets At Home ). The light bulb doesn't get warm enough for Daff to get anything other than warm, so I've not caged that. He can reach the cage, as he climbed it for a few days falling off when he reached to top before deciding that was a silly game and stopping, so I'm glad I caged the CHE.



Describing what you can see:
On the left : a cool hide, cardboard tube (hide/plaything), waterbowl, mealworm pot (the green thing is a plastic cutting board)
On the right : Thermostat controlled heatmat at the front half, warm dry hide at the front, glass chopping board on egg cups with thermostat controlled heat mat stuck to the bottom
On top of the glass : Warm moist hide (red) and warm dry hide
From the roof at the right still is : 25W CHE, thermostat probe for CHE, and an 8W light bulb (giving extra light in daytime)

Both CHE and light bulb are on timers, allowing the temperature to drop at night.

Daff was on the glass when I took the pics, so I've included a gratuitous pic of him too.

Hope I've explained well, but if not, please feel free to ask questions.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hey mecoat ~

:banana: for your thorough update complete with pictures!!!

How about sharing the inside dimensions: length x width x heighth? Cms just fine.

 

[mecoat]

Approx : 45cm deep, 89cm long, 35cm high

 

[mecoat]

OK, so I've made some more changes, and said I'd update this with new pics, so I'm finally doing it.

Substrate is currently a mix of corn cob and coconut. The green panel visible in some pics is a plastic chopping board.
[MENTION=3989]Elizabeth Freer[/MENTION] hopefully this tags you for your info


These show the general layout - cold side to the left, warm to the right.


This is the left (cold) side closer. A hide and water bowl, you should recognise At the front is a tube (like kitchen roll, but larger diameter), Daff used to like going through and in the tube when it was a kitchen roll tube, but hasn't really used the tube since I put in a bigger one. I'm going to switch back to a kitchen roll tube next clean, but I think Daff might be too big now. At the back is mealworms, oats and a piece of veg in the lerger section, and calcium and ground up egg shells in the smaller section (a very small amount, and I rarely see Daff in there (only if the mealworms have got into it and are self dusting!)). The silver and green thing at the back is a tin of mushy peas, wrapped in foil and some green "scourer" for Daff to rub on for shedding if he wants, I think he uses it (although not when I'm looking).


These show the right (warm) side. The "rubbing post" is the same from earlier. The blue and red hides are children's lunchboxes with a hole cut in the end (blue is humid, and has damp kitchen roll in the bottom). Brown hide should be familiar. The glass is a glass chopping board (cutting surface up as that's got texture for grip). I've 2 heat mats one on the floor at the front, and one on the underside of the glass.

The light is a very low wattage bulb, and that's as strong as it gets. The CHE in the cage is a 25W on a thermostat (you can probably see the probe dangling), it's in the cage as it does get hot enough to burn and with the addition of the glass and hides Daff could - potentially - just about touch it. Daff did briefly climb the cage for a couple of days before he realised there was nothing of interest up there, so he stopped that.


The thermostat attached to the probe in the front (red) hide and the heat mat on the floor at the front. Set to approx. 90F/32C.


The thermostat attached to the probe on the glass, and the heat mat under the glass. Set to approx. 31C.


The thermostat attached to the dangling probe and the CHE. Set to approx. 84F/29C. Sorry for the poor quality it's at the back, and this is the best of 4 pics I took.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks for everything, mecoat!!!

I can't update post #60 for about a week. I've overnight company coming tonight.

 

[mecoat]

How the glass is held up - 5 metal chutney pots (one on each corner and another along the left side) and some acrylic discs. The pots on their own weren't quite high enough, and although Daff loved it under there he was walking hunched over all the time, and I was concerned he was going to get damage (and he was finding it difficult to hunt under there), so I added the discs which give him the extra height to walk under but he can still climb on top easily from the ground.


The heat mat on the bottom of the glass (so you can see the size), both heat mats are the same size.


A couple of gratuitous pics of Daff taken while I was taking these pics earlier, as like all mothers, I think my baby is the prettiest, cutest baby of all, and that everyone should get a chance to Ooh and Aah over him at every opportunity. ;-)

 

[warhawk]

Looks very nice.

Question about your substrate what is the name brand? I like the look and corn cob should be safe for geckos.

 

[mecoat]

Looks very nice.

Question about your substrate what is the name brand? I like the look and corn cob should be safe for geckos.

It's Pro Rep Corn Cob Granules. Just so you know a lot of people here on GU don't like the use of loose substrate, as they say it increases the risk of impaction. My personal experience is that on the odd occasions Daff misses the food and picks up the corn cob (or picks up both), he spits out the corn cob (and usually keeps hold of dinner while he's at it). He's not daft, he knows what's edible.

 

[warhawk]

Thanks for that info. Looks like it's mainly in the UK I will have to keep looking for a USA dealer.

I know a lot of people worry about impaction and while I can't say I agree with all the fears I do understand the risk and take steps to limit it.

 

[mecoat]

Some pet shops here sell it loose (like in pick and mix) out of a big packet/bin, so you may be able to source it that way. I don't always use pro rep, just that's what I've got at the moment.

Like I said, Daff's fine on it, they're not stupid and the corn cob is large enough for them to spit out if they do get some in their mouth (having said that, I wouldn't put babies on it).

 

[CWilson13]

Thank you for all the info and pictures to illustrate the great new (not really new as of this post) setup. I was going to ask about the corn cob bedding but that was before I got to the end of the thread. So, thanks for the tips on that too! Also, Daff looks like a great Gecko and very well taken care of!

 

[mecoat]

Thank you for all the info and pictures to illustrate the great new (not really new as of this post) setup. I was going to ask about the corn cob bedding but that was before I got to the end of the thread. So, thanks for the tips on that too! Also, Daff looks like a great Gecko and very well taken care of!

I'm glad I've been helpful. Glad you think Daff looks good. He's my baby boy and I love him to bits. He's clearly the cutest leo out there (although I am a bit biased).

 

[CWilson13]

While he is definitely adorable, I am pretty partial to my little buddy Apollo :razz: I do love the picture of Daff where he is giving us the raised "eyebrow" look.
I am definitely going to be looking for a corn cob bedding to see if it would be a suitable substrate for Apollo. I really don't care for the repti-carpet I have now. Thanks again for all the information!!