OK, I see Dominick brought me into this so here I am, anyway it is one of my favorite subjects. Heads up here I go...

First off, my opinion on cages for igs. There is no single cage design that will work well both outside and inside. I have built cages for each but not both. When outside I like to allow for open air flow and unfiltered sun. When inside you want the cage to be pretty well sealed from drafts and to do this want a solid wall material. Remember iguanas want higher humidity and warm temps no house has these conditions all year.

For a permanent outdoor cage you want steel mesh on five sides and solid ground for the sixth if you are going to be doing other things than staying near the cage and paying some attention to the ig. Over this summer I built a pen for my ig which had a 3' tall wall around his area, while it worked well a raptor can still pick off the ig and under perfect conditions he learned how to climb out of it. An outdoor cage should also be much larger than the indoor because you want to offer a large area in the shade and a large area in direct sun at all times. I also don't like the idea of leaving the ig outside over night but I grew up in an area where frost in August is not unheard of.

Reptariums are not good for iguanas either inside or outside. Outside they drastically attenuate the UV and a large ig can rip a hole rather quickly. Inside they offer no insulation and all the energy you put into heat and humidity goes right out the top. Furthermore there is no good way to accommodate climbing of anything but the smallest of iguanas.

Iguanariums, huh first time I have seen these. This is a fancy word for bird cage but would be great if you can get one roughly 4' x 12' x 6'.

The classic idea for a cheap cage is build a frame and cover it with mesh. While this works well outside I find it unsightly for use inside and inadequate for climate reasons inside if you need to heat or cool the house at all. A common way to alter this for use during times where heat is needed is to retrofit a cowl over the mesh using anything from shower curtains to bedsheets. While it kinda works is that a piece of furniture you want in your living room?

Ok, Dominick mentioned my cage design. I have a soft-side cage system over a PVC frame which all zips together, collapses into a duffel bag and can be set up in about 30 minutes once you know the system. Ha, there, one run on sentence can describe the whole thing. I use a heavy canvas for the walls which stands up to an adult ig very well. I have now kept my 10 year old ig in this design for 4 years. I use a system of canvas and burlap hammocks which attach to the walls and hang from the frame. All together a 6x3x6 cage weights only 45 pounds without the lizard.

The thing is they don't go outside well as the walls filter out the UV. I could easily alter the design to use a wide mesh top but have had trouble finding a reliable supplier for good nylon mesh. Furthermore the cage is so light weight it would have to be secured to the likes of the deck, staked like a tent if you will, to keep the wind from blowing it off with the igs inside it. As I mentioned above I have made an open top pen for my iguana. This pen had a 6'x9' footprint encircled by a 3' wall and nothing to climb on other than a few pillows. I only used this pen in sheltered areas, my back yard, where I was close at hand – ok so I was sitting on the patio with a drink in hand after work.

I have an idea on how I could make a cage such that it would have a wide mesh top and upper section but still have a solid wall for use inside. For anyone who has been in a modern backpacking tent you will understand what I am trying to say. The upper section of this could be made of wide heavy nylon mesh for use outside then when brought inside to be used in the climate controlled dry environment a canvas flap covers the mesh area. The flap would be of the same material as the solid walls and be integral to the wall system, when closed it would look like nothing more than a horizontal double sewn seam around the cage. This is much the same idea as a section of zip out nylon covering the noseeum mesh of a three season backpacking tent. Wow, I have never thought of this, a moment of ig-cage-design genius. This could be the first cage to be used both inside and outside where I would not feel it to be inadequate for use in one of the other.

I have more information on my cages in a web page I just wrote: this is the grand public unveiling too – please feel free to PM or email me with any comments you have on it (especially with the name).

Collapsible Cages

__________________
~ Mark

OK, sorry, so I got a little long winded.

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~ Mark

Shelli,
Space is an issue at our house also. I was thinking and the light bulb went on. How old are your children? Have you ever thought about making their beds into lofts? The space under the loft could be used for Iggy cages. Sean has a twin bed that is about 4' off the floor. He currently has a rabbit, guinea pig and who know what else under this bed ('m afraid to check). He some time puts shelving under the bed and puts cages on the shelves so he can stack them. We had thought at one time of turning the under side of the bed (loft) into an Iggy cage. Our iggy is 4'7" at last measurement and that would give him plenty of room. Decided against this, as my oldest son was the one who brought home the iggy. I figured it was fair for him to be inconvinanced by having a big cage in his room.

Oh, I forgot about this option Colleen. Did I mention this is one of my favorite subjects? If you only knew how fast I am typing right now.

Last year I was in a 800 square foot apartment with three other humans and my ig and so I did almost this same thing. I had my bed under a 3' deck -- it is a cave but hey you, pretty much, just sleep down there. Above this I had 6' (9' ceilings are great) where I put my ig cage. 4'x8'x6' that I shared with the ig as I needed a space to sit and do homework.

Here are two of the better photos I have of it because I could not get far enough away to photograph it.





I was experimenting with so many ideas in this cage that it has to be the flatout ugliest cage ever. But it worked very well and acted as a spring board for a much better evolution.

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~ Mark

Dump the romaine lettuce. Give Turnip GREENS, and make the spinach and kale once a week at most. High in Oxallates.

And Mar, one of these days when my ig outgrows its current cage I am gonna get one of those cloth thingys from you!

Without a heavily insulated solid built cage with a major heater making that space like your house, no. 45 F is about 30 degrees too cold for an iguana to get. You don't want to expose an iguana to anything much below 70 F for more than a few minutes -- such as in a carrier for the walk from your door to the car for vet trips.

__________________
~ Mark

Hi Ya'll,
Great news!! Thank you so much.
Colleen, what a great idea!! My oldest daughter is moving out soon so I could use the bunk bed for some sort of habitat. Hmmm, I'll have to ponder on that one.
Mark.....I love, love, love your designs!!!!!! I want to go shop for materials tomorrow!! I think I will use the space in front of my sliding glass area-I will have to make a type of "duplex" so each ig has their own side. As far as the outside.....I like your simple idea. Frame and mesh. Easy enough.

RL-Thank you for the info......can you tell me what a typical meal that you would make consists of? How many times a day are you feeding your ig? Any supplements or vitamins and how many times a week? Believe me, I've read everything I can find, however, as you probably already know, there is so much conflicting info out there!!

Ok...here's another question .....seeing that my igs are so small, when I take them out I am just holding them or placing them in the tub. What else can I do? They still want to run off......what are my options?

Thanks again....tata for now. Gotta sleep
shelli

Hi sheshi16

Its great to see another California reptile lover here!1 There is only a few of us. Where about in Southern CA. do you live? I live over on the Central
Coast , in Los Osos. Most people have never even heard of it but its about 30 miles from Paso Robles, 4 miles from Morro Bay, and 20 from Pismo Beach! You had mentioned keeping your Ig's outside, for myself I wouldnt suggest it unless you would be outside with them as well. To many things can go wrong when were not around. But as I mentioned thats just me. I have a very small room for my Iggie and I and that my correction, HER room
She used to be in a smaller wood & screen cage when she was little then I had to build a new one but I had re-used some of my wood from some various projects I wasnt using so it had only cost me about $100. Im not sure if I still have those photos on photobucket, if not I will re-post them so you might be able to get some ideas to add to the ones you have come up with so far.

Now Iggie is a free roamer actually she has been for most the time except at night that was the basic time she used her cage, so since my room is sooo little I tore down the cage and put up some new corner shelves etc. for her.

I didnt catch what size cage you were looking for but I had made an outdoor pvc knockdown cage and never even used it but maybe once for 10 minutes! the stinker didnt want to be in it so I just sit in our own personal yard with her and shes usually content with that for a while. If you want to p.m or email me feel free to do so. I would consider selling my outdoor cage for a very smallllll price if you interested. I could send you some photos and more info if you want.

Sorry this is so long, and hope it makes sense,
I only slept for 1 hr last nite and am really starting to feel it.

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Natalie & Iggie LaLa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
0.1.0 Green Iguana ~ Iggie
0.1.0 Chow Dog ~ Kieko
1.0.0 Chow/Malamute Dog ~ Chubbers
0.1.0 Six toed Cat ~ Barbie,(decendent of Ernest Hemmingways cat)

Pic's of Iggie

Hi Natalie,

Thanks for the info. Your pics are great!! I love your artwork! I live in Laguna Beach- in between LA and San Diego. I wonder how we are from each other...an idea?
I would be very interested in your cage. If you send me pics, dimensions and what you want for it, that would be great!!
ttyl
shelli

I'm a little late joining in here but about your initial post. Neither the iguanariums nor the reptariums are available in anything near the size needed for an adult iguana.
With regard to keeping them under control while handling, try the hip leash that many of us use. Directions for making one are found here http://www.herpcenter.com/showthread...ighlight=leash
Your outside temperatures at night are far too cold for an iguana short of building a cage that is basically insulated like a refridgerator! 70 degrees is about as low as you can safely allow.
For what you would pay for a good sized commercial cage you could most likely get a much better, more functional and more attractive, customized enclosure built for you by the local cabinet maker or high school votech woodworking class.
The diet also needs some work. Check out http://www.herpcenter.com/showthread.php?t=6822
Something else you willl need to consider about an outside iguana enclosure. Your dogs may not see the iguana as something that belongs there and attack it. Make sure any enclosure for outside is strong enough to stand up to an attack.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!