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Post by majesticmayhem on Oct 17, 2012 11:57:13 GMT -8
I have built a new cage for my iguana that is 6' H x 6'L x 3'D. The cage is made of wood beams with plexiglas for the walls and door, for ventilation the cage has a wire mesh top and air holes in the plexi on the lower half. The very bottom of the cage holds water and has a filter system that pumps the water up the back of the cage and down the 3D background I built to give it a water fall effect and keep the humidity up (the water is also heated). Now that I have all this done I want to find things for Mayhem to climb. I would like it too look natural so preferably no plywood shelves or anything like that although there will be one for her basking spot if I can't find something with large enough limbs. If anyone has any ideas about what I could put in there, how to treat whatever I put in or where I can buy something I would really love the input! Mayhem is still young and small but I would rather not replace things as she grows. I would love to have live plants in there but I'm not sure how they would hold up to a ig climbing on them so if anyone has had success with live plants please let me know what plants worked for you.
Anyways thanks in advance for the ideas!
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Oct 18, 2012 12:01:54 GMT -8
Hello there  That sounds like a great set up for Mayhem! To keep it natural looking I would suggest tree limbs but the snag with that is that they require time and effort to clean thoroughly to be sure there are no bugs that make their way into the enclosure. There are some places that sell logs like this (so I hear) but I don't know what stores sell them. To treat the wood you can soak it completely in bleach water for at least 8 hours, rinse it very well, and then let it dry for at least 24 hours. Another way is to bake the wood (assuming it fits in your oven) for up to 3 hours at 200-259 degrees; Keep a close eye on it just in case it catches on fire! Iguanas are not the most graceful creatures so I would recommend having two (or even more) of the branches side by side so there will be less likely of a chance that Mayhem will fall. Full sized iguanas can be pretty clumsy and don't turn on a dime. Another thought is comfort: although natural logs would look cool they aren't very comfortable. My Gwendolyn has a towel over the ramp she chose as her basking spot and I have a covered pillow on the upper shelf where she sleeps. Often when she roams she finds the comfiest most plush spot to take a nap and sometimes buries herself in blankets or pillows. They be cold blooded but they like comfort  I'll come up with more ideas and maybe some pictures and links later - as for right now - I have a class to go to. I should also give you a heads up; sometimes small iguanas freak out when in large open spaces so have fake plants for him to hide in! I'll talk about real plants later. Here is a relating link: www.greenigsociety.org/habitat.htmIts a starting place  Have a Lovely day ;D -Jenna |
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Oct 21, 2012 21:40:55 GMT -8
So I'm back for another quick reply - I've been trying to wait for a time when I will have enough time to make a full reply to this but I just can't find the time so I figure giving a little as I go is better than nothing. Another idea is to have fake rocks as shelves or a combination of rocks and branches. I found some interesting iguana enclosure ideas online that kind of matched what I had in mind. Since I'm uploading them from my computer I have to post one at a time. This one is designed for a python but it would be great for an iguana also. The plants are fake and although there is water sitting at the bottom of this enclosure and it looks cool I wouldn't recommend it because iguanas tend to go to the bathroom in water (and they also might drink out of that same water they pooped in- don't put it past them  ). That would be hard to clean. Attachments:
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Oct 21, 2012 21:48:33 GMT -8
This enclosure is for a rhinoceros iguana and again I wouldn't recommend a lot of water at the bottom like that due to the cleaning issue when Mayhem poops in there. I'd also add some fake plants and have the rocks painted differently to match a green iguanas habitat. I think those branches are a bit thin for an iguana to walk on without sometimes falling off though. I've never tried something like that though so I'm not sure. Attachments:
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Oct 21, 2012 22:08:56 GMT -8
And my last post for the day. I spent more time on this than I anticipated. And speaking of iguanas being clumsy in my last post: Gwendolyn just fell off my dresser  smooth move. Well this is another picture I found. Again, the theme would have to change to match an iguana's habitat. I like the idea but without the sand/loose particles. Iguanas flick their tongues and inadvertently pick up things they don't mean to: long story short - bad idea  . Also, the plants in this enclosure look real and I don't recommend real plants because iguanas will eat them and dig in the dirt they are planted in and will overall very likely kill the plant  . Some nice looking plants are poisonous to iguanas but even if they are "iguana safe" an iguana would still dig in the dirt, trample the plant, and very likely end up killing it. That's all for tonight -Jenna Attachments:
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sasha2
Junior Member
Posts: 10
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Post by sasha2 on Nov 17, 2012 15:18:04 GMT -8
Ive used driftwood for snake cages and it works great, I love building stuff..First disinfect the wood.I just spray bleach solution on huge pieces and let it sit in the sun after its rinsed..Then I sand it down and stain the wood, pull out any wood that is loose or soft..If you dont stain it before you coat it with urathane it will turn out grey and ugly..I always use a dark wood stain(waterbased). I then use a non toxic water based polyurathane, lots of thin coats, letting it dry thoroughly between coats..If you can afford the Marine polyurthane thats even better and will last much, much longer.It takes several weeks to do with curing but well worth it.Ive done some beautiful pieces..I imagine with an iguana they wont last as long with those sharp nails clawing them. But the branches wipe clean pretty easy too.
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Post by afghanvet on Dec 24, 2012 18:00:34 GMT -8
My iguanas have always prefered natural climbing branches instead of manmade. I got elaborate on the last build and covered 2x4, 2x6 and 2x10's with indoor, outdoor carpet. They prefer the dried cedar logs and driftwood.
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That sounds like a great set up for Mayhem! To keep it natural looking I would suggest tree limbs but the snag with that is that they require time and effort to clean thoroughly to be sure there are no bugs that make their way into the enclosure. There are some places that sell logs like this (so I hear) but I don't know what stores sell them. To treat the wood you can soak it completely in bleach water for at least 8 hours, rinse it very well, and then let it dry for at least 24 hours. Another way is to bake the wood (assuming it fits in your oven) for up to 3 hours at 200-259 degrees; Keep a close eye on it just in case it catches on fire! 
I'll come up with more ideas and maybe some pictures and links later - as for right now - I have a class to go to.
). That would be hard to clean.
smooth move.
. Also, the plants in this enclosure look real and I don't recommend real plants because iguanas will eat them and dig in the dirt they are planted in and will overall very likely kill the plant 
. Some nice looking plants are poisonous to iguanas but even if they are "iguana safe" an iguana would still dig in the dirt, trample the plant, and very likely end up killing it.
