# DIY Vivarium



## Backer (Sep 18, 2010)

Hey Guys, It's been quite a while. I was on here a while ago asking if anyone had schematics on how to build a vivarium from scratch. Well I finally built mine, and thought I show you/tell you about it! :-D

Supply List:
1/2 plywood ~2sheets
custom cut glass and mounting hardware
heat lamp
sand
lights
stand
screws
corner braces
drill
paint (high heat paint)
table saw-or get your wood cut at the store
chicken wire
screw hooks
electric timer

Aproximate total cost ~350ish
heat lamp~25
lights (both)~50
paint~20
wood~40
glass and mounting hardware~125
Ikea shelf~80
plus or minus screws and tools if you need them **and sand/substrate

Price of tank and stand this size (roughly 5 feet by 2feet deep) -MUCH MORE lol


OK so in short form, i'll tell you what I did/how I did it, if anyone wants more info, let me know and I'll add it in.

1. decide on ALL of the measurements for your wood pieces of the tank, right them down and QUADRUPLE check them.

2. go buy some 1/2 inch plywood (i got the store to cut it for me for like 5 bucks, they did all my cuts)

3. buy your screws and some high heat paint and whatever colour of paint you want for the outside.

4. paint all of your wood, front and back BEFORE you assemble the tank.

5. assemble you tank, using screws, and I personally used a bunch of small 1inch metal corner braces all along the bottom of the tank for extra support. 

6. mount all your lights/ heat/ electrical inside and hang them/ run your wiring out of your tank.

7 measure the holes for your glass AGAIN. take EXACT measurements and leave SOME play in them, if you are TOO perfect your glass will likely be too tight. You will also need to account for the hardware, i would SUGGEST leaving 1/4" vertically on each pane and leaving and the same horizontally on each pane, that will give you a 1/4 play horizontally (total length) and a 1/8" vertically on each side.

8. mount your glass (with a partner I chipped mine on my own) I also used 5mm, instead of 6mm (not as heavy)

9. fill with substrate and decor, wait to heat up and VOILA!!! A DIY vivarium.

10. Place your beastie in it's new home!!

Here are pictures of it in progress and a Video link of the finished product: 






**p.s. This project was a lot of fun, the most tedious part was figuring out the measurements.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Great job Backer :thumbsup:

What kind of beastie will be living in it? Sorry if you mentioned it in the video - I had the souond on mute because it's 05:30 a.m.


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## Backer (Sep 18, 2010)

A Uromastyx Geyri named Apollo 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

Neat, not much of a cold blood hobbyist here but I like it.


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## Backer (Sep 18, 2010)

*Video of the newest member of the Backer Farm*






Here he is, unfortunately during the move Apollo escaped and we couldn't find him until it was too late... RIP Apollo. So this is the new inhabitant of the vivarium: A Uromastyx Dispar, or Sudanese Uromastyx. He has yet to be named, I'm gonna take some pictures of him and make a post asking for help with names later


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## BarbH (May 23, 2011)

Sorry about Apollo :-( Congrats on your new guy though.


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## teddyzaper (Aug 30, 2009)

just realized u joined this forum on my b-day


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## Backer (Sep 18, 2010)

Sweet  lol happy REALLY belated b-day lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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