How to Build an Iguana Cage From PVC
Iguanas can make exciting and engaging pets, especially for those with a little taste for the exotic. Unfortunately, many new reptile owners wind up purchasing a cute, palm-sized baby lizard without any conception of how they will house this creature once it is a fully grown, 5-foot monster. Luckily, you can make your own spacious iguana habitat right at home with a few simple tools and some PVC pipe. The customization options are limitless, and your pet iguana will soon be living the life of luxury in his new space.
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Things You'll Need
- 12 5-foot lengths of PVC
- 8 3-foot lengths of PVC
- 24 90-degree PVC corner joints
- Plastic hardware mesh
- Zip ties
- Bungee cord or wire
Instructions
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1
Calculate the dimensions for your iguana cage. This example is for a cage approximately 5 feet tall, 5 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. As long as you continue with the basic rectangular construction methods, you will only need to alter the pipe lengths (and not the joint configuration) to achieve the dimensions you prefer.
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2
Connect four 5-foot lengths of PVC pipe together with 90-degree corner joints to create a square. This will become the face of your cage.
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3
Repeat the previous step to form the backside of the cage. Set both squares aside while you work on the cage sides.
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4
Connect two additional 5-foot PVC pieces with two of the 3-foot segments using more corner joints. This will give you a rectangle 5 feet long and 3 feet wide.
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5
Repeat the previous step three more times to form the second side, as well as the top and bottom of the cage.
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6
Unroll and cut the plastic hardware net to fit each cage segment individually. If the netting is less than 5 feet and does not cover the entire front or back of the cage in one piece, overlap the segments by about 3 inches and join using plastic zip ties every foot across.
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Attach the hardware net to each cage segment one at a time using plastic zip ties. Attach the ties every 8 to 12 inches, pulling the net taut as you go.
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8
Assemble the cage by first connecting a completed front panel to a side panel using zip ties, making sure the union is as snug as you can make it. Attach the top and bottom next, and then the back panel of the cage, reserving a side panel for last. For sturdier construction, it can help to loosely join each segment together until the cage is able to freely stand, and then go back and tighten down all of the ties.
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9
Attach the last panel, which will also work as your door, along one vertical side only using zip ties. This will allow the door to open freely to grant access to the cage. Wire, nylon, or bungee cords all work well as door ties along the open edge.
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Tips & Warnings
Hardware mesh is commonly available at landscaping supply and home improvement stores, but can also be purchased from numerous sources online, often in a wider variety of colors and widths. When selecting a hardware mesh, choose a size that your iguana cannot get a head or arm stuck in, but wide enough to allow toes to grasp freely.
