Custom Enclosures

Due to the amount of the recent price increase by Fedex we have been forced to explore other shipping options. Starting 1/1/2020 we have made the decision to start shipping our enclosures by UPS to reduce the shipping cost to all of our customers. I am sure they will provide the same quality service as we have received from Fedex in the past. If you received a shipping quote in 2019 please email us for a new quote as all of the shipping companies have increased their rates and the quote is no longer accurate. Thanks, Joe

Bearded Dragon Enclosures

The 36" enclosures have the same amount of floor space as a 90 gallon aquarium and 33% (1/3) more than a 40 gallon breeder tank. The 48" enclosures have 1 square foot less floorspace than a 150 gallon aquarium.

It usually takes about 2-3 weeks to build an enclosure from start to finish so I have time to let everything dry between the steps.

Our enclosures are built for bearded dragons so they have everything you would need except the bulbs (18" or 24" fluorescent UVB bulb & 50W basking bulb) and the enclosure furniture/decorations. The standard bearded dragon enclosure measures 36” wide X 24” deep X 18” tall (base price $275.00) to provide optimal floor space and to simplify heating & lighting solutions. We also Make a 48" wide X 24” deep X 18” tall (base price $350.00) enclosure for extra floor space and larger dragons. However these enclosures are suitable for many other types of reptiles and other size enclosures are available upon request. All of our cages are constructed out of 1/2" MDF covered on both sides with melamine, and two 1/4" thick acrylic doors with Virides Acrylic finger grips. All enclosures are equipped with high impact polystyrene sliding door tracks.
The basic enclosure is all white and comes with three louvered and screened 16" X 8" vents located on the outside of the enclosure with one on the back and one on each side.

The standard 48” enclosure is $350.00 and the standard 36” enclosure is $275.00. Each one comes with 1 ceramic basking fixture and 1 fluorescent UVB fixture. The 36” enclosure has an 18” UVB fixture and the 48” enclosure has a 24” fixture. The enclosures are designed to stack and plug into each other. These enclosures are big enough for an adult bearded dragon and many other reptiles so you would never need to buy another enclosure. I know some people recommend smaller enclosures for younger dragons to reduce stress, but I am not one of them. In the wild bearded dragons are born with the outside as their enclosure and they do just fine. The only reason I can think of to sell a small enclosure for a small dragon is to sell the extra enclosure. All of my babies are kept in 36”x24”x18” enclosures and they do very well. They also grow faster and larger than the dragons that are kept in bins or with other dragons in an enclosure. Aquariums and glass bearded dragon enclosures are some of the worse enclosures for bearded dragons. It is very difficult to get the heat & light correct and provide a proper temperature gradient. The smaller the aquarium, the harder it is to provide a proper gradient because they are poorly ventilated and retain heat. To see how to set up a glass aquarium or a pet store "bearded dragon enclosure"so it is appropriate for a bearded dragon check out the "Aquarium & glass Enclosure Setup" page. The other problem is that when you get a larger aquarium most people typically keep moving and storing the old ones until they break.

Custom sizes as well as and many commonly requested options are also available upon request. For a free quote please contact joe@southtexasdragons.com or call me at (210) 884-7788. Please include your contact information, enclosure size, and any options or special requests that you would like. The type of animal the enclosure is intended for is also helpful. Also if you are not located in the San Antonio, TX area remember to include your zip code so we can get a shipping quote.

Due to the large size of the enclosures we are charged a "dimensional weight" shipping charge and not for the actual weight of the enclosure. The shipping & handling cost for a 36" enclosure is usually reasonable but we are no longer able to ship any enclosures larger than 36x24x18 because they exceed the 150 lbs. of dimensional weight maximum. Anything larger than 36x24x18 is now too big to ship by Fedex, USPS, or UPS and has to ship freight. You can go someplace like “freightquoteonline” and just type in the dimensions and zip codes and it will give you a shipping quote. That won’t include any of the packaging, or the exact size of the packaged enclosure, but it will give you an idea of how expensive it can be.

These are some of the most common options we currently offer, but If you have any special requirements please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Additional 600 watt porcelain incandescent lamp fixture for night heat. ($20.00)

Steerable heat light/CHE Fixture (replaces ceramic fixture) with power cord & 2 cord power receptacle on back of enclosure ($15.00)

Additional Steerable heat light/CHE Fixture for night heat, with power cord & 2 cord power receptacle on back of enclosure, wired separately ($35.00)

Side viewing Window 1 side. 1/4" Acrylic. (Acrylic only if shipping is required) ($40.00)

Side viewing Windows both sides. 1/4" Acrylic. (Acrylic only if shipping is required) ($80.00)

Plate Glass Doors to replace Acrylic Doors ($10.00)
Plate Glass Windows to replace Acrylic Windows ($10.00)

Specialty Wood Trim on front of enclosure (contact us for a quote so we can price the type of wood)

Stain Finish on wood facing ($20.00)

Keyed lock for sliding doors ($12.00)

For any questions or for a quote please email joe@southtexasdragons.com. Please also include your address and zip code if you would like a shipping quote

Unfortunately all of the shipping companies have changed the formulas they use to calculate the dimensional weight so I am no longer able to ship assembled 48” enclosures because they exceed the 150 lbs. of dimensional weight maximum. I am currently exploring other shipping options However at this time we are no longer able to ship any enclosures larger than 36x24x18 All enclosures larger than 150 lbs. dimensional weight must ship LTL (less than full load) freight and is very expensive.

New Enclosure Setup

When you receive your enclosure wipe it down with a damp cloth or mild reptile safe cleaning solution to remove any dust that is on it. These are constructed in my garage and it is difficult to keep them clean and dust free. If the enclosure had a fluorescent bulb in it when you received it you need to change it out for a UVB bulb. The bulb is just a regular fluorescent bulb that I test them with. Insert a 50W basking bulb. I use plastic shelf liner for the bottom. It does not fray so they can’t ingest it and it does not absorb moisture so you won’t be breeding bacteria. It is also inexpensive, easy to clean, and comes in many colors & patterns. The cave should be on the cool side. If you put it under the basking light it becomes an oven, and the ceramic retains heat so the dragon can burn themselves if it gets hot. The second thing you need is a the basking limb. It should wood like driftwood or sandblasted grapevine. It should be positioned with teh low end under the basking light about 6"-8" from the bulb because wood doee not retain heat. It should be long enough and angled up toward the UVB bulb so they can get close to the UVB. You could also use a second branch, hammock, cave, or other type of decoration so they can get close to the UVB, Fluorescent bulbs produce very little heat. This setup will allow your dragon to regulate their temperature & UVB exposure as they see fit.

Snake & Small Animal Enclosures

Our standard small animal enclosures are suitable for animals like small snakes, geckos, and other lizards that do not require UVB. They measure approximately 24” wide X 14” deep X 12” tall and have a 3 1/2" dam to keep your substrate inside the enclosure. They also have a 9"x 11" piece of 1/4" thick polycarbonate recessed in the bottom of the enclosure to simplify your heating requirements. The polycarbonate is large enough to attach up to a standard 10-20 gallon under tank heater or heat tape to the bottom of the enclosure avoiding the need to protect the wires inside the enclosure. They also come equipped with an electric LED so you never have to replace any bulbs or batteries. These enclosures are also suitable for many other non-reptile animals. Larger enclosures and larger polycarbonate or plate glass sizes are available upon request. All of our cages are constructed out of 1/2" MDF covered on both sides with melamine, and two 1/4" thick acrylic doors with handles. The Virides snake or lizard finger grips ($15.00) can also be installed. The basic enclosure comes with three perforated 12" X 2" vents located on the outside of the enclosure with one on the back and one on each side. These can be reduced or eliminated depending on the humidity requirements of your animal. The front is constructed of pine or white wood and is painted white. Stained wood facing and/or specialty wood facing is available upon request but you would need to contact us for a quote. The pricing starts at $190.00 (24” wide X 14” deep X 12” tall) & $350.00 (36” wide X 24” deep X 18” tall) and up depending on the size and options you would like.

Multi-use Enclosures

These enclosures are built for flexibility so they have everything you would need except the bulbs (18" or 24" fluorescent UVB bulb & 50W basking bulb) and the enclosure furniture/decorations. They also have 1/4" polycarbonate recessed in the bottom on both sides and a second ceramic fixture. They also come with a removable divider so the enclosures can be divided and used for small lizards or snakes that require under tank heating. This allows you to adapt the enclosures for multiple types of animals by adding or removing the divider and changing the heat source. The standard multi-use enclosure measures 36” wide X 24” deep X 18” tall to provide optimal floor space and to simplify heating & lighting solutions. We also Make a 48" wide X 24” deep X 18” tall enclosure for extra floor space and larger lizards. However these enclosures are suitable for many other types of reptiles and other size enclosures are available upon request. All of our enclosures are constructed out of 1/2" MDF covered on both sides with melamine, and two 1/4" thick acrylic doors with Virides handles, and a porcelain basking fixture. The 36" enclosure includes an 18" fluorescent fixture and the 48" enclosure comes with a 24" T8 fluorescent fixture, all enclosures are equipped with high impact polystyrene sliding door tracks. The standard enclosure is all white and comes with three louvered and screened 16" X 8" vents located on the outside of the enclosure with one on the back and one on each side. The pricing depends on the size and options that are requested.

36” wide X 24” deep X 18” tall enclosure with removable divider, 18” fluorescent fixture, and (2) 600 watt porcelain incandescent lamp fixtures, and ¼”or polycarbonate recessed on both sides. ($425.00)

48" wide X 24” deep X 18” tall enclosure with removable divider, 24” fluorescent fixture, and (2) 600 watt porcelain incandescent lamp fixtures, and ¼”polycarbonate recessed on both sides. ($500.00)

Sliding glass & Acrylic door pulls

The Virides Bearded Dragon finger grips are made in Australia and can be used for sliding glass or acrylic enclosure doors. The laser cut Bearded Dragon & Snake designs will add flair to your enclosure when viewed up close, and the crystal clear acrylic will allow it to “disappear” when viewed from farther away so it doesn’t distract from your display.
The finger pulls are backed with high-bonding adhesive to ensure a firm grip and are shipped as a mirrored pair with a left and a right handle. The sleek contour allows your fingers to grip the handle comfortably which will reduce finger prints and smudges on the glass.
Installation instructions are included.They can be added to any of the above enclosures or added to your existing enclosure if it has glass or acrylic sliding doors.

Download virides finger grip Instalation instructions

Bearded Dragon Door Pulls

Snake Door Pulls

Virides Lizard & Snake Door Pulls

Ordering an enclosure

To order an enclosure, for any questions about our enclosures, or for a quote please email joe@southtexasdragons.com. Please also include your zip code if you would like a shipping quote if you are not close enough to pick it up .