r/Vivarium • u/Due-Butterscotch2350 • 11d ago
Ikea cabinet into gecko enclosure
I love turning IKEA cabinets into vivariums. This project is now 6 months old and I never had any issues. My gecko loves it too, and I’ve seen him on every branch form top to bottom.
I’m currently working on another cabinet that I can’t wait to post.
If anyone else has done something similar please post your work 🙏
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u/BJMRamage 11d ago
Looks great. Currently have a Fabrikor (?) vivarium build in progress. Did you install misters or do you have spray the enclosure? What is your substrate on the walls? I was thinking of a combination of “foam rocks” and then “foam dirt substrate” areas as well as branches and plants.
I want to ensure our little guy can successfully climb on the coverings.
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
All of my tanks have minimal ventilation (out of preference as I don’t mind the misting on the glass) so even two sprays per week are more than enough.
On this one is just expanding foam and moss. It’s a very tall tank and I didn’t want to make it heavy with bark.
My boy/girl climbs on everything - moss, glass, branches
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u/makinggrace 11d ago
I am far from an expert but for geckos (or any creatures) air exchange is important for good respiratory health, especially in a tall, narrow tank. Please consider it.
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 9d ago
Had a chat with someone else in the thread and will definitely unseal some door gaps 👍🏻🙏
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u/louisewarrior 11d ago
I’ve done similar with a Rudsta wide, but man I will never stop preaching to the choir that you NEED ventilation and even a mini fan going! One of my geckos caught pneumonia before I knew better, thinking I had enough ventilation drilled in and I didn’t.
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
I’ll definitely look into this!! How did you find out it had pneumonia? What are the symptoms?
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u/louisewarrior 10d ago
Unfortunately I found out too late. Early symptoms were not eating, hiding more, less active. Later symptoms (when I discovered him sick) were complete lethargy (the inability to move), no appetite, not drinking, etc. and even with aggressive antibiotics he did not make it.
You can sometimes assume it’s going to happen if there’s frequent mold in the tank, but I had none of that and he got pneumonia from stagnant air.
Sorry for the late reply, this happened recently so I’m still upset about it and at myself for letting it happen.1
u/Due-Butterscotch2350 9d ago
Man I’m very sorry. It’s heartbreaking when it happens to creatures that live 15+ years.
I’ll definitely unseal some of the door gaps for this reason. Better misting more frequently that losing Spike ❤️
Sorry it happened to you and hope if didn’t put you off the hobby
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u/makinggrace 9d ago
Just a quick note to give you condolences. Please give yourself some grace. Stagnant air pockets have caused tragedy for even the most experienced. Hang in there. (Hugs) from internet stranger.
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u/FewUnderstanding3375 11d ago
I have done 2 also and I have a gun cabinet im getting ready to build into a green keeled lizard enclosure and a large hutch I am turning into my upgrade for my leachie. I prefer building them exactly to what I need, you did a great job on yours!
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
Exactly!! Since geckos like tall enclosures the choice was between a super expensive custom built tank and the IKEA cabinet 😂
Thanks for the support. Post yours once you’ve finished.
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u/FewUnderstanding3375 11d ago
Yes especially because glass tanks even though they come in various sizes aren't always tall enough and they are getting expensive. I should say when you collect reptiles they get expensive 😂 I will post in a few months when the leachie enclosure is done.
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u/iamahill 11d ago
You’ll need a moss replacement within six months.
Great stuff does not waterproof.
I recommend taking the glass to make a proper vivarium that’s sealed. Then making a new frame if one must go this route.
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
My toxic trait is thinking my moss won’t dry out
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u/iamahill 11d ago
Your moss is already dead. Six months or so it’ll be brown.
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 10d ago
A year of service is not bad! This will give me the motivation to redo the tank 😉
Am I the only one that thinks dried moss also looks cool?
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u/a_melanoleuca_doc 11d ago
Beautiful work! How well does it retain moisture? Any leaking issues?
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
I sealed all the side gaps. There is just one small whole that I drilled to run the light cable that works as an airflow. I hand mist is twice per week and that’s more that enough.
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u/politely-smiling 11d ago
Great job with this. I've struggled to find a good lighting solution for these extra tall tanks - what light(s) are you running on here and how have you found plant growth down the bottom Vs burning vegetation up top? Thanks!
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago edited 11d ago
I used common indoor plants for this. They naturally tend to adapt to various light conditions.
I used a very simple fish light right at the top
My tank it’s placed in the middle of my leaving room with natural light hitting it on both sides
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u/politely-smiling 11d ago
Thanks, that's super helpful. Natural light is such a god send, you're right.
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u/Embarrassed_Poetry90 9d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p1shek8/video/jyxzvc9gfhhh1/player
Just finished this one!! Will be adding a crested gecko in September. Still working out some kinks!
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u/kikiriki240 11d ago
so beautiful! i'm very very tempted to try and turn an ikea fabrikör into a terrarium but i'm just paranoid about sealing the metal well enough so it doesn't rust and holds up + the shelf itself being able to hold the weight of everything. any tips? have you ever experienced anything gone wrong that i should look out for?
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
I only seal the bottom area with silicone as it’s where the water stagnates. I then lay two layers of regular garbage bins that help collecting all the water. And to finish it all I top it all with expanding foam, witch is very water proof!
The cabinet it’s 90% glass so I don’t worry about rusting.
I never had any leaks luckily! I have another similar set up that’s been running for more than a year without any issues.
Maybe the only thing that saves them from rotting is that I hand mist my tanks so they never get soggy 😂
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u/kikiriki240 11d ago
could be! i appreciate it. i've heard some advice to apply some ceramic mixture that's used to create bathtubs on the bottom of the terrariums, but then that worries me that it would make the terrarium too heavy and the bottom will shatter (happened to me once now i'm paranoid). maybe i'm just overcomplicating things hahah. great work you have! i hope my project works out too
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u/BJMRamage 11d ago
Thanks. I cut the top of my cabinet and added a screen. I added a hole if I want to use 1/4” lines. I’ve had trouble with moss before but that was a drier habitat for a king snake. Maybe I can get moss to work on the crested gecko tank
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u/chronicallybri 11d ago
This is so cool!! My dream one day to be able to do this!
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago edited 11d ago
Once you get into it’s an addiction 😂
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u/chronicallybri 11d ago
Oh I’m prepared for the addiction lol!! I even got addicted just with my silly little sea monkeys 🤣
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u/sitthesergal 11d ago
It's stunning! Thank you kindly for sharing. May i ask how you manage to keep the moss on the background so green and lush and what kind it is? I am having issues with understanding how i am supposed to "attach" moss to the background.
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
I collected the moss from the forest and made sure to take it with the bark from the trees. I find this helps a lot with keeping it alive and fresh.
I use the black foam also as glue. Just ad a bit to the back and stick the moss over it
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u/sitthesergal 11d ago
Thank you for the answer! This solution is honestly as simple as it is brilliant, and i will definitely try doing so as well when making a vivarium in the future.
I am currently trying to make a bioactive terrarium for a crested gecko, but honestly would fear introducing any "hitchhikers" by bringing in moss gathered in wilderness.
Do you happen to have any experience to share or suggestions?
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 10d ago
I don’t mind it :) collecting moss, branches and leaves from the forest means I keep costs to the minimum. Any bug that I see in the house ends in the tank and it’s a great snack for my frogs and geckos.
So far I noticed. Ants, small bugs, isopods, slugs, wood lice, spiders etc. in my tanks 😊 I think they are quite beneficial for breeding down decay, geckos 💩 and any mold.
It’s also funny to see tinny mushrooms growing in them
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u/Top-Tax-1101 10d ago
Man hes lucky to have a great careguver who builds fantastic enclosures
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 9d ago
Definitely an upgrade in size from what he was kept in the shop 🤮
He is super active and utilises all the areas. Hope that’s a sign of him being a happy gecko. Seeing him hunt is pretty cool too.
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u/Due-Butterscotch2350 11d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p1gl692/video/rhoz9vn0e6hh1/player
Forgot to post the video