How to Build Lizard Tanks

Building your own lizard tank is a great project for someone who is not at all happy with the offerings of the local pet store. Most pet store cages come in a very dependable standard set of sizes and shapes. By building your own cage, you are limited only by your imagination.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic Sheeting (Such as Acrylic or Plexiglas)
  • Square
  • Painter's Tape
  • Table Saw or Band Saw
  • Sandpaper or Electric Sander
  • Acrylic Cement
  • Map Gas Torch (Optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Decide on a size for your tank. For simplicity purposes, this article will describe how to make a box-shaped tank, but you can make yours in any shape and size you can imagine. You might, however, wish to use some scraps of acrylic to make a small box first, so you can learn the techniques before moving on to a more complicated project.

    • 2

      Measure and cut with the saw, five equal squares of acrylic sheeting using the square to ensure squareness.

    • 3

      Sand the edges of your cut pieces perfectly flat and smooth. Be sure not to round off any edges because this will interfere with proper adhesion during the gluing process.

    • 4

      Assemble the five pieces from Step 2 into a box shape with an open top. Use two pieces of tape per side to hold the pieces in place.

    • 5

      Use the acrylic cement to attach each piece to the others. Acrylic cement typically is a self-wicking liquid that runs under the seam as you apply it along the edges. Run a bead along each seam.

    • 6

      Let the acrylic cement cure for at least 24 hours.

    • 7

      Smooth the edges into a glass-like finish by running a map gas torch along any rough edges, if desired.