Indoor enclosure out of a display case - Ideas

[muffinjenn]

So I bought this display case on craig's list for $65 and want to turn it into a new larger indoor enclosure for my redfoot Koopa. My husband and I have lots of Ideas for the base but I'm still unsure what to do with the glass top. Should I keep it and some how mount a CHE inside or take it off and make a new top. It is already wired and has two florescent fixtures inside. Any Ideas of transforming this into her new indoor palace would be greatly appreciated! Some of you may have some cool ideas I had not thought of!

New display case

Her old table, It was fun to build but hard to keep humid and she needs more room now

 

[muffinjenn]

anyone at all?

 

[Watsonpartyof4]

That would be one awesome enclosure for sure!

Hopefully some of the craftier people will chime in soon!

 

[lynnedit]

What kind of fluorescent fixtures does it have? will they accommodate tube fixtures like the Reptisun 5.0?

Is there a way to secure the CHE w/o removing the glass?

The glass will certainly keep the humidity up, but does it look like there would be some ventilation?

Maybe a closer pic of the lid, since that is what you are wondering about modifying?

 

[ascott]

Is that a side sliding glass door? I would offer a suggestion to line the inside of that area with a piece of wood that would allow opening and closing without losing the substrate...(I am sure you have already thought of this but that is all that I could come up with )

I would imagine that top is solid and not a area that opens and closes, right?

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[muffinjenn]

Yes, the top is solid glass and with all the taping and foiling I see on peoples enclosures to keep in humidity I think I'm better off leaving the top enclosed as it is. Just brainstorming to come up with ideas of making a frame of some sort inside to mount a CHE (or two?) inside for warmth.
As far as the doors, those are sliding doors but my husband is dead set that he wants to make two hinged drop down doors instead of the sliding ones. I also was wondering about air flow/ventilation and was wondering if the front doors should be screen or at least partially screened into aid in that? He wants to frame all the aluminum edging with corner molding because he does not like the look of the silver and would have a higher frame around the bottom so that Koopa feels like she has a little more privacy (although she's quite social and doesn't seem to care one way or another). I'm also a fan of the planted vivs so I want her to have a little jungle anyway. There will be a lip made at the front so as to not have substrate falling out when the doors are opened. We also will be tiling and sealing the inside with the same type laminate tile we used in her old enclosure ( you can see it along the sides in the post at the top).
In regards to the florescent fixtures that came inside it, I am hoping they will work for uvb tubes, but if not we will change them out. They have reflective back already so hoping they work.

Here is a closer shot of the fixtures that came inside

and a close up of one side

Thank you ahead of time for any advise ~Jenn

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

As for the top and a che, regardless how you mount it, you need to insulate the glass from the rising heat that could cause the glass to fail/ break. You could probably use a chunk of that rigid, foil backed foam stuff.
I would think daily opening of the enclosure to feed and change water could give you the air exchange you are after. Looks like a fun project and a great addition to your home decor.

 

[dannel]

I would scrap the glass and use a clear Lexan. It can be drilled easily and wont fail under heat. It looks the same as glass and just as clear but way stronger. Only downside is it filters UV so you cant place a UV bulb on top, it'd have to be mounted inside as well.

 

[muffinjenn]

Thank you for the advise about heat possibly causing the top glass to "fail" That would not be fun at all and I had not even thought of that as a possibility hmmm

 

[dannel]

Have you thought about a clear lexan top?

 

[muffinjenn]

I had never heard of lexan but will check into it! Gotta figure out how to remove the glass from the top now too... it's sealed on there

 

[bholmes88]

Good lexan is actually clearer than glass. It is like acrylic, really easy to work with. See if any work shops in your area will order some for you, it is much cheaper that way than buying from home depot or Lowes.