Bed/Lizard Cage?

[Amaroq]

Hey everyone, I'm planning building my little girl Alice a permanent home over the summer, It's going be a 8'x4'x4' but i may change height later on we'll see.

I plan on building it the same as RehabRalphy did in his tutorial (See link below) but I'm not sure if it will be able to hold me, another cage, and if my girlfriend comes over for us to lay on the bed together to watch TV so i want a cage that will be able to hold at least 400lbs on top of it without any bowing or even worse breaking. What could i do to make sure the cage is strong enough to hold the weight? Do you think it can hold it fine already?

Should i just add a few more supports? Also i don't plan on using the caster wheeling.

Also heres a link for the tutorial - http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=102

Thanks,
Spencer

 

[basslover34]

Am I missing something here, That is for a straight forward Box Cage... where are you getting the bed portion?

 

[Amaroq]

Sorry probably should have mentioned that The mattress will lay on top of the cage and i don't think i would need a box spring seeing as the cage itself will do the same thing right?

Spencer

 

[basslover34]

Sorry probably should have mentioned that The mattress will lay on top of the cage and i don't think i would need a box spring seeing as the cage itself will do the same thing right?

Spencer

ok, well... to each their own I guess... you'll have to beef up the framing, and if you plan to ever "get busy" on this bed with your "girlfriend" (God only knows what woman will want to do that on top of a lizard cage but again... to each their own!) you will need to really beef it up... like 4X4's and remove the "wheels" from the design for obvious reasons of not wanting to shoot across the room with the ummm... "beat"

Also after peeking at that design again... some serious Lateral bracing is needed as well

 

[Amaroq]

LOL Thank you! She's actually very supportive of my hobby and Alice the Tegu(The lizard who gets this big cage!) is actually her favorite of all my 4 reptiles. Now for the 4x4's would i use them for my four corners or the whole frame 4x4's ? I assumed I'd need to make more supports just didn't know how many or how much...sorry for the stupid question but by lateral bracing you mean putting "X" 's in between the roofing supports? What about the side walls? Also for the walls what thickness of should i use? 1/4?

Thanks,
Spencer

 

[Amaroq]

Would it just be easier for me to expand a 55 gallon stand plan into the size i need and then just put plywood around it?

Spencer

 

[basslover34]

Well Personally if I were to being building something to which I would have to sleep on, and errrr... family website... pro-create on...

I would build it tough as a Mac Truck... so would most likly build with a 4x4 every 2ft

I still can't really see how this would be a good option though... I mean it's like sleeping on a bunk bed with a heater under it! nice in the winter... Not to comfortable in the summer though ... not to mention the smell that most Reptiles have... Sorry, nope ... not in my bed room I prefer my bedmates to have a nice smell with soft skin

 

[Amaroq]

I'm not worried about it being warm at all because the whole front door (96"x24" lxh) is going to be mesh and i will only need 2 bulbs in there. The light bulbs will be inside the cage and i can't see me feeling it through a 7" mattress and however thick of wood i decide to use.

I'm also not to worried about pro-creating being a big problem seeing as I'm only 15 and girlfriend isn't ready yet. (No offense was taken at all in case you may think of it after reading this post ) Also seeing as I'm supping the frame so much should i worry about how thick the wood is and just use 1/4 plywood?

I've never noticed a "lizardy/snakey" smell and all my reptiles are in my room, other then right after they go to the washroom but that quickly disappears after being cleaned up.

Spencer

 

[AttackFish]

I wouldnt do it.
You'll stress the crap out of the tegu when laying on the bed.

 

[Amaroq]

Tegu are actually one of the few reptile who actually enjoy human contact and are very species social, what i mean is they rarely fight with each other (Breeding season and egg guarding can't be included because all animals can become mean during this time) If you still don't believe me check out this video on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nz5mvOpCnvI

I'm about to post a picture of my base and roof plan for the cage.

Spencer