# Converting an old Shed.



## Mighty_Moose (Apr 11, 2011)

Hey everyone (sorry if this is in the wrong section didn't know where else to put it)

I have an old shed that gets half sunlight and half in the shade, I'm in Sydney area so you know how quickly the weather changes reaches 35+ some days and gets down to 15 some days in the morning. This shed is made out of full metal but I'm planning on cutting half of it out keeping most of the frame and putting chicken wire or mesh over the the remaining sides if that works but if you have any other suggestions that would work I'd be happy to do so (But I still dunno). It is 1.85m W x 1.85m H x 1.15 T. Any suggestions that will aid in my build and suggestions regarding what species would be happy in that size. It is also raised about 10cm off the ground with a concrete base, with a slope next to it so the water will not pool around it.

The only species that has come into my backyard is blue tongues and garden skinks (sp. ?) But I have also seen Eastern Water Dragons around our gerenral vacinity. (haven't explored much so this is obviously just in my everyday walk abouts). P.s no snakes can be included in the list of possible species.

I was thinking of putting in Easter Water Dragons in it with a lot of branches, and a mulch bottom.

I have photos but they don't seem to be uploading properly so I will get them as soon as possible.

This is my first attempt at a DIY so any ideas on where to start. The shed has been pressure hosed and cleaned out so its a clean slate.


Zac.


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## KaotikJezta (Apr 11, 2011)

A water dragon would be good but you'll need a pond.


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 11, 2011)

I was going to include that in the form of a big pond (the black shell), so an above ground one with branches leading too and from it.


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## Grogshla (Apr 11, 2011)

I think it would be awesome dude! Jut provide lots of hides and a few big stones to soak up the heat for the lizards and you should be right!.


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## KaotikJezta (Apr 11, 2011)

Cool, sounds good, I will be moving my girl outside in spring with a boy if all goes well so I am interested in seeing how others set things up.


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 11, 2011)

I've always wanted to do this and have been planning for ages, so once I got the all clear from my dad (he liked to look of the Water Dragons at the expo) I've started my plan but don't expect it done any time soon (I would hope it would be sooner but we will see need a LOT of planning to do behind this.)


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## KaotikJezta (Apr 11, 2011)

Mighty_Moose said:


> I've always wanted to do this and have been planning for ages, so once I got the all clear from my dad (he liked to look of the Water Dragons at the expo) I've started my plan but don't expect it done any time soon (I would hope it would be sooner but we will see need a LOT of planning to do behind this.)


Well you need to keep them inside for the first couple of years anyway.


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## Snakeluvver2 (Apr 11, 2011)

If you can ventilate it properly, Boyd's would go great.
Same with Frill Necks.
show us a picture dude?


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 11, 2011)

Hmm, so that HAVE to be adults ? So you can't put yearlings out there?


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## KaotikJezta (Apr 11, 2011)

Mighty_Moose said:


> Hmm, so that HAVE to be adults ? So you can't put yearlings out there?


People do but I wouldn't, guess it depends how big they are.


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

Hmm, Well I'm still in the info gathering stage so. I will still need to check out temps in the converted aviary to see what it gets up to in hot zones etc, but I will be looking at adults perhaps.


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## Snakeluvver2 (Apr 12, 2011)

Well if it's too cold, it won't be hard to set up a warm spot. 
I'm sure Boyds would do fine seeing as they don't need to bask at all and keeping it cool would be your main concern which is piss easy. 
 
I think your doing this the wrong way round. 
Find the animal you want to keep the most. Then find what parameters you need to follow and what technology you can use to achieve them


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

Well, I have too many. I'd rather have an idea of WHAT I can keep and go from there. I have plenty of species i'd like to keep its just a matter of what I can and can't.


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## gex13 (Apr 12, 2011)

get a little ecosystem thing sorta like get a BIG pond mulch,dirt and plant some plants rocks branches rotten trees and then get a few species like the water dragon and water skinks and stuff like that.


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

Sounds like a good idea in theory. But how hard would this 'ecosystem' be to keep maintained? And wouldn't the Water Dragons attack/eat the smaller skinks ? especially as 1.85 by 1.15 isn't that much floor space to hide?

P.s will be getting the pics asap.


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## Grogshla (Apr 12, 2011)

for that floor space i would get a smaller species of reptile buddy. I would suggest a few blueys or a few boyds. The dragons will eat other smaller skinks so be careful.


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## gex13 (Apr 12, 2011)

the water skinks breed crazy and just put lots of hides it would take a little bit to make it right. and maybe when youve set it up chuck a few woodies so they might breed in there??


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

Thats what I was thinking mate. Blue tongues are high on my list as they come into my backyard so I know that they can tolerate the fluctuation that occurs. I was thinking boyds, They are on class 2 so it will give me a long time to get the aviary done and temps tested before I'm 18 so thats on the positive side.


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## gex13 (Apr 12, 2011)

angle heads are the same as boyds but not as colourful and cheaper them then and are class 1


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## Grogshla (Apr 12, 2011)

boyds like to climb so you will need branches and more heights. Apart from this they are amazing looking critters.


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## sarah_m (Apr 12, 2011)

My cousin has done something similar, though I think hers is bigger than that. She has a pond in her's which is home to a turtle and some frogs and water dragons. She has bromeliads, ferns and orchids growing throughout as well as logs and branches etc.
While I am not sure I would be putting frogs in with a water dragon, so far she hasn't had a problem, possibly because there are so many hides and so much space.

What about water dragons with eastern blue tongues and turtles? (assuming that you put them together as full grown adults?)


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

My way of thinking at the moment is, With an outdoor enclosure this size I don't want to risk putting multiple species in it. I don't think the pond in it would be big enough to happily house a turtle and leave enough floor space for a bluey and Dragon (although they do climb). This being said i'm sure that it has been achieved but I don't want to risk a multiple species enclosure especially with the variables at hand.

I was thinking of an arboreal species as nearly 2 m of height I would hope that would be enough (as I have seen them inside in smaller).

p.s here are the pictures, I apologise for the bad pics as it is off a webcam and for the dirty roof, its just some really stuck on lichen that doesn't want to come off so I'm soaking it for awhile then trying it again. (my normal camera has been taken on holidays which had the original pics). This shows that inside there is a concrete floor, raised up off the ground by concrete and its already getting about 1/5 of the roof of sunlight (gets more as the day progresses but also keeps about 1/3 -1/2 shaded) 

Zac.


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## Snakeluvver2 (Apr 12, 2011)

Cut out large holes in the two sides for ventilation and the roof should just be mesh.
Hit that lichen with bleach.


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

Haha, cheers mate. The roof has some wear and tear so it was going to go anyway. The frame work is still good! The next problem is sourcing some doors and some chicken wire/mesh.


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## redlittlejim (Apr 12, 2011)

just did one myself. got a bunch of boyds in it and it covered in heaps of branches etc. sometime i freak that they escaped somehow there so good at hiding in it. If you have climbing lizards in it i found that using this green mesh stuff... (cant remember name right now) is really good. especially to cover the tin on the inside as they can scratch there nails off trying to climb it. Good luck bud


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

I like the idea of Boyds, but reading the care sheets I don't think my area would be anywhere near ideal so no go Jannico (haha what a poet). I think it would fluctuate too much.

Thanks Red, I am really excited about this. This will be my first attempt at a DIY project outside of a little click clack.


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## redlittlejim (Apr 12, 2011)

Just a quick snap of mine being done up! Finished thing is better


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 12, 2011)

Looks good mate! I hope to achieve something similar (cutting out some portions of the metal and putting mesh/wire on it). I'll take what I've seen and try to implement it somehow ! anyone else got some suggestions as to how and what species I should keep ? and what to do for them ?


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## melluvssnakes (Apr 15, 2011)

Try Beardies. They climb, so the height will be good


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## -Peter (Apr 15, 2011)

Forget tropical lizards if you live in Sydney. Great for indoors but not outside. Use species endemic to the region, various bluetongues, cunninghams, water skinks, water dragons, eastern beardies.


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## Mighty_Moose (Apr 16, 2011)

Thanks for that Peter and mel! I do like the look of Boyds and will keep them eventually but not in an outdoor enclosure because the temps are not in my favour, I like the idea of cunninghams (didn't even think of as I've never seen them around my area), water dragons and blue tongues i've seen in my area so I would be able to keep them (I would assume). I found a cheap source of chicken wire but not mesh,yet , so my project will start soon hopefully. 

Zac.


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## MathewB (Apr 16, 2011)

Cunninghams are pretty awesome!


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