FW's (mostly) DIY Snake Room. (Pic heavy)

[FWK]

As the title suggests this thread will be about my snake room, its inhabitants, and my many snake related DIY projects. I am very much about function over form so my projects are not pretty, there are no fancy trims or wood stains, but they are functional, durable and built to last a very long time. Feel free to steal any idea you see here, ask questions, or offer suggestions on how to improve any given project.

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I'll start here with the ultimate DIY herp project, making baby herps! My first Ball Python breeding project was nothing too fancy, a male Bumblebee and a normal female. I was shooting for a female Bumblebee to hold back. The first thing I needed were racks for the adults so off to the lumber yard I went. I built two racks, one a seven tub 28 quart rack and the other a seven tub 41 quart rack. Design for both was simple and straightforward, eight shelves, two sides and the back cut from 3/4 inch Birch plywood all sealed with water based Minwax polyurethane and held together with 1.5 inch #8 screws to make each seven slot rack. The 28 quart rack uses three wide inch heat tape and the 41 quart rack uses eleven inch wide heat tape. Both use one long piece of heat tape snaked from bottom to top along each self in a shallow channel cut with a router and tacked down with silicon so that at no point does a tub come into direct contact with the heat tape. Here the two racks are sitting next to a 28 quart Boaphile rack. I actually wound up using the Boaphile for the Pythons and the 28 quart plywood rack for colubrids, but nevermind that.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7837.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7837.jpg.html)

Here is the male. He does not approve of having his picture taken.

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And here is the female as I found her the morning of May 22nd. As of this post all of my BPs are Craigslist rescues (with the exception of the hatchlings, obviously). Most of them came to me with a history of eating and shedding problems. They all shed great now and with one exception they are great eaters. The one exception is an allegedly 100% het albino female who I was hoping to breed to an allegedly 100% het albino male this fall, but those plans are on hold until she decides to be a good eater. The male is a veritable garbage disposal, I wish she would learn from his example. I have a female Spider and a male Pinstripe that should be ready to go this fall so I may shoot for a Spinner in the meantime, or I may just skip this year. I have some time to make up my mind.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7595.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7595.jpg.html)

Here are the eggs in their custom made incubator. The incubator probably cost me less than $20, not including the thermostat. The cooler I had already (I'm really not sure how it wound up in my hands, odds are an old roommate left it behind years ago). I laid a few feet of eleven inch heat tape down one side, across the bottom and then up the other side. I cut the head off of a small extension cord, attached two heat tape connectors with a bit of solder, attached the connectors to the heat tape and sealed everything up with electrical tape. Some masking tape to hold the heat tape in place, a few bottles of water, and a 6 quart tub filled halfway with Perlite round out the materials list.

On the eggs themselves: She laid eight initially, seven good and one slug, and passed two more slugs a couple weeks later for a total of ten. The good eggs were not exactly beautiful, most had spots that were not fully calcified. If anyone has any insight on why she laid so many slugs and why the good eggs had non-calcified spots, and suggestions on how to improve the quality of clutches going forward I'm all ears (or eyes in this case, but you get my meaning). This was her first time if that could have anything to do with it. It was also my first time. In November I reduced the hot spot by five degrees at night in the breeder rack (it stays around 91-92 normally) and paired the male Bee and normal female once a week, just after dark. They locked within a couple hours almost every time and I'd remove the male the next morning if they were done, on the few occasions I didn't see a lock I'd remove the male on the third morning. I stopped dropping the temps at the first of March and stopped pairing them after the second week of March, she was huge by then. Her pre-lay shed was on April 21st. The evening of May 21st I peeked into her tub a couple hours after dark to see she was laying, I left her alone until the next morning to be sure she was done before removing the eggs. She weighed 2020 grams at the first of November and ate like a champ on medium rats every Sunday night until abruptly going off feed after a final rat the first day of March.

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Here is the little slot I cut in the cooler to run the wires.

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Now for the final piece of this breeding project, the nursery! Now I realize a 28 tub rack is a bit overkill for a single Ball Python clutch but I'm planning on using this thing for a very long time and for many different critters. This rack is obviously a bit more complex in design than the other racks. Getting all of 21 of the dividers exactly the same size was a major pain, complicated by the fact I cut them all almost an eighth of an inch too tall. I intended to cut them about one thirty-second too tall so I could sand out the little irregularities that invariably show up with a palm sander, but sanding almost an eighth of an inch of material off of essentially a 14 by 16 inch block of plywood with a little quarter sheet palm sander seemed to take an eternity. Not fun. But in the end the fit is perfect so all's well that ends well. Same as the other racks the whole thing is built with 3/4 inch Birch plywood, sealed with water based Minwax polyurethane and assembled with 1.5 inch #8 screws. It's heated with one long piece of three inch heat tape tacked down with silicon in a routered channel and uses 6 quart tubs.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7650.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7650.jpg.html)

Here you can see the heat tape that runs along the back of each shelf and up the sides.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7613.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7613.jpg.html)

The Taiwanese Beauty was very curious about all this picture taking, no doubt convinced all the movement outside his enclosure surely meant food was on the way. I told him to go back to sleep. He didn't listen.

[FWK]

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And finally, babies! The first brave little explorer took its first breaths the afternoon of Monday, July 20th. A Spider! The waiting game is over! Or so I thought. I checked on them every two or three hours but there was little change. The last time I peeked in Monday evening one more egg had a slit in it but that was it. Bah, I'll go to bed and check on them in the morning.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7825.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7825.jpg.html)

This was the scene Tuesday morning, looks like I got a Bumblebee! I was starting to worry about the two on the far right, they look a little odd. Hopefully I'll find out what's going on with them after work.

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Tuesday evening and still nothing from the two eggs on the right. But on the bright side I look to have two normals, two Spiders and a Bumblebee! Just wish they'd hurry up and get out of the eggs already, darn slow pokes...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7831.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7831.jpg.html)

HATCH ALREADY YOU LITTLE... Ahh, err, I mean, aren't they just the cutest little things? This is Wednesday morning. The little Spider that was the first to pip is almost ready to leave its egg, but the bigger news is that the top right egg is slit and the bottom right egg has movement just below the surface! I might get all seven after all! But good grief they are taking forever, guess I'll check in when I get home from work...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7839.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7839.jpg.html)

Getting home from work Wednesday evening I open the incubator to find this. The good news is the first four are finally out of the egg, but I do not like the way they are piled on that top right egg. I snap a shot and quickly remove the hatched critters. They were laying right on the slit that had been cut the night before. I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the egg to see what was going on and was saddened to see a little Spider motionless and unresponsive inside. I had my hopes high about what was in those last two eggs all day at work so to find a Spider presumably smothered by its siblings was depressing indeed. I don't know if it was already weak and they just finished it off or what exactly happened but I was kicking myself for not cutting the egg sooner, if that would have even made a difference. I had considered cutting the last two eggs the night before but decided against it. My heart heavy now I decided to cut the last egg and was relived to see that the little normal inside was still alive. I peeked in the incubator one more time before hitting the hay and the Bumblebee was out of the egg so I moved it in with the other hatchlings. They were temporally housed in a 16 quart tub on damp paper towels. As they shed I moved them into their private accommodations in the nursery rack.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7870.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7870.jpg.html)

Thursday morning the last little one is just about ready to leave the egg.

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Watching them experience the world for the first time was very rewarding, and popping this little Bumblebee as female was the icing on the cake! My first Ball Python clutch produced a two gene female! I could have bought a female Bumblebee for a fraction of the money I put into this project but the experience was very much worth the cost, the work, and the wait. It was all a bit addicting really. I think I just might go for that Spinner this coming season, but seeing those eggs hatch is a whole year away :bouncy:

[trailblazer295]

Not to derail the thread but do you have a pic of the beauty snakes enclosure? Good looking snake.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7973.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7973.jpg.html)

Not to derail the thread but do you have a pic of the beauty snakes enclosure? Good looking snake.

This is how it sits as of now. He's not being friendly today because he's in shed. I'll put together a post about this enclosure and the others I've built one of these days. This one is three foot wide, two foot deep and 1.5 foot high. It is heated with eleven inch wide heat tape under the floor on the right side and lit with a small fluorescent light. It is built with 3/4 inch Birch plywood sealed with Minwax polyurethane, same as the racks. Don't mind the small collection of sheds on top lol.

[trailblazer295]

Nice looking cage. If you don't mind my asking. What's the approximate cost of building a cage like that? Curious how it compares to pre-made PVC cages for future reference. One day I might add a Boa to my collection and I'm fairly handy with my hands and tools but not really the best carpenter to be honest.

[FWK]

Nice looking cage. If you don't mind my asking. What's the approximate cost of building a cage like that? Curious how it compares to pre-made PVC cages for future reference. One day I might add a Boa to my collection and I'm fairly handy with my hands and tools but not really the best carpenter to be honest.

It is hard to say exactly because some of the materials were bought in bulk and I built three enclosures at once, but here is a rough breakdown of some of the major costs:

$47 - 4' X 8' sheet of Birch plywood*
$20 - one quart Minwax polycrylic
$10 - fluorescent light
$10 - two panes of 1/4 inch glass from local glass shop
$8 - two feet of eleven inch heat tape
$6 - sliding glass track
$5 - two two-inch drains (used for ventilation)
$5 - box of 1.5 inch #8 wood screws
$3 - extension cord (cut the head off and use to power the heat tape)
$2 - two heat tape connectors

Other materials that were bought in bulk and harder to estimate include linoleum flooring, hardware cloth (to cover the vents), glue for the glass track and linoleum flooring (I used Liquid Nails), and silicon to seal all the seams. I figure I have roughly $130 or so in the enclosure, give or take a few bucks. Plug the heat tape into a thermostat and the light into a timer and go. I based the built on this thread (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-enclosure-discussion/84968-diy-wood-cage-build-guide.html) and modified it to fit my needs. That thread has a good step by step with pictures. I will say that the sliding glass doors are not the strongest option, a strong animal that likes to push (a large Boa or Python for example) could possibly break the glass. Buying tempered glass would probably eliminate this issue but I have not looked into the cost or logistics of acquiring tempered glass. But for young animals or most Colubrids plain old sheet glass works great.

*I'm not sure this enclosure could be cut from a single sheet, I haven't tried to draw that out. I built three enclosures (one 3x2x1.5 and two 3x2x1) from roughly 2.5 sheets, planning the cuts across all three sheets as efficiently as possible. Buying and building in bulk really helps keep costs down. I'm just using one sheet as an example here because that's the minimum you'll have to buy.

[trailblazer295]

That's some good points, thanks for breaking it down. It doesn't have to be to the penny was just curious on the rough ball park figure. I'm sure materials would cost more here anyway. The doors are the biggest hang up I have as I'd be looking at a small locality BCI but they can posses some power when they chose to exert themselves. Not sure how the fit and security goes in terms of preventing escapes would go. At least with PVC cages keyed locks are locks and they can't be opened. And a full grown boa would actually be a threat to my cat.

Nice looking babies, keep us posted on the progress.

[FWK]

That's some good points, thanks for breaking it down. It doesn't have to be to the penny was just curious on the rough ball park figure. I'm sure materials would cost more here anyway. The doors are the biggest hang up I have as I'd be looking at a small locality BCI but they can posses some power when they chose to exert themselves. Not sure how the fit and security goes in terms of preventing escapes would go. At least with PVC cages keyed locks are locks and they can't be opened. And a full grown boa would actually be a threat to my cat.

Nice looking babies, keep us posted on the progress.

The sliding glass doors are very secure, the gap between the glass doors where they overlap is less than a quarter inch. Anything that could fit through that gap probably shouldn't be kept in an enclosure that size anyway. I don't expect there is much chance of an animal actually sliding the doors open but any concern could be eliminated with a sliding glass window lock. The only real problem is that a strong snake could actually break the glass, and in that event severe injury to the snake is probably going to be a bigger issue than escape. I have a young Dumeril's Boa that will need a bigger enclosure in a year or so, so I'll be looking into different door options for larger enclosures pretty soon myself.

[trailblazer295]

I wouldn't think a snake could open a sliding door, even a shim like patio doors would keep them from sliding it open. It's hard to picture a snake busting through a glass door but I'm sure it's possible if they were that inclined. I don't know if plastic is stronger then glass in this application. I guess glass would be more prone to shatter while plastic might just crack. Tempered glass probably wouldn't be cheap for large pieces but if it's the final enclosure for the snake then it might be worth it in the long run. Glass is easier to clean.

[FWK]

Glass is easier to clean! I like that point lol, anything that keeps maintenance down is good in my book. The other thing I've been considering to how I would use plastic doors. I like the pvc enclosures that have doors that hinge at the bottom and swing down. The doors fit flush with the front of the enclosure by sitting on a little lip. I don't know if it would be easier to create this little lip in a wood enclosure by building up the front of the enclosure with layers of thin plywood, or by just routering the lip into 3/4 inch plywood. Then there is the question of acrylic vs polycarbonate.

[pinefamily]

Thanks for sharing your project. And don't ever apologize for the aesthetics. What you have done is perfectly fine, and looks great. I tend to agree with you, function is more important than form.

[guyabano]

Thanks for sharing. I love posts like these. There is beauty in simplicity my friend. Great setup. Congrats on the clutch and getting your bumblebee female!

[FWK]

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Skewers make great juvie hooks! This four pack at Walmart is $2.44. Just reshape the loop at the end to your specifications, bevel the tip, and add a handle. I used sticks that came from Crape Myrtle trees in my backyard. I found a limb about the right size, put it in the oven at 225 degrees until completely dry, then cut it down to five inch sections. After stripping the bark, shaping the ends and sanding them down I drilled a 1/8 inch hole about two inches deep to insert the skewer. A bit of glue to secure the skewer and a few coats of polyurethane to seal the wood (optional) and you're done.

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Quick and dirty juvie hook. Just straighten out the hanger and run it back through the cardboard tube. Cut a bit off of the tube so that the wires make it all the way through and bend the wire ends back over the tube. Quick, easy, and plenty sturdy, though it is a bit short.

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This $2.88 campfire fork from Walmart makes a great mid-sized hook. I made the bends with the fork still attached, the extra leverage made the job very easy. Used the edge of a table to make the initial bends, then the leg of a kitchen chair to shape the hook. A cut-off wheel on a Dremel to remove the fork and a stone to clean up the edges and ta-da! A mid-sized hook, handle and all for less than three bucks and ten minutes worth of work. Cheap enough to have extras laying around anywhere you may need one.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1377.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1377.jpg.html)

And of course, the paint roller golf club hooks. Requires more materials and labor than the campfire fork hook above, but definitely the way to go if you need a bigger hook. These are two very old clubs I got from a friend. The black handle is my field hook, it was an iron. I found a paint roller made of heavy gauge wire for it, it has proven to be very durable. The red handle hook was a wood, I used a lighter gauge paint roller for it. Many great write-ups on making paint roller golf club hooks out there. Here (http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?215036-how-to-make-your-own-snake-hook-(very-easy!)) is the one I used, complete with step by step pictures.

[FWK]

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A few weeks ago I walked into my kitchen and saw a shoelace stretched out along the baseboard, a hatchling Western Rat Snake! Now I find many hatchlings crawling about the brickwork on the side of my house every year, but this is the first snake I've found inside the house in the eight or so years I've lived here. I picked it up and found myself faced with a dilemma. I already have a Western Rat Snake but omg so cute! I tried to work around it with reason. It is very thin I thought, it looks dehydrated. It has probably been stuck in the house for some time, if I release it will be too weak to fend for itself. Ridiculous, it is a snake, it will be fine. But it would be a good story, like the dog I had as a kid who dug into the backyard and we found hanging out with our other dogs (We named her Bunny, because she dug under the fence into our backyard on Easter. We put up fliers and what have you but nobody claimed her so she stayed with us). In the end its personality swayed my decision, it seems to be much less defensive than my other Western Rat. I'd like to be able to demonstrate just how different the individual personalities of snakes can be, even within the same species. And it has a story. That's it then, it is a keeper.

This evening, while performing some routine maintenance in the snake room, it stuck me just how big my yearling Western Rat was relative to the newcomer. The yearling weighed in at 349 grams, the hatchling tips the scales at just 12 grams. That's almost 30 times bigger. The yearling has also colored up nicely, lots of yellow and orange. I stuck them both in my makeshift lightbox for a quick shot. What a difference a year makes.

[Minkness]

Awww!!! That's awesome! And woooow!

[pet_snake_78]

Nice cages! I will still be using glass on all my cages but I am going to bump up the thickness on mine which means no more big box store glass (they only carry thin stuff), I did get a slight crack from pulling on it while it was still latched like an idiot.. mine are swing out.

The racks look nice, too.

[Albert Clark]

Wow, I don't know where to start to say thanks and kudos. Amazing craftsmanship on the racks both adult and the hatchling rack! The incubator looks great and obviously works appropriately. The snake hooks (makeshift) surely was something I never thought of. Congrats on the clutch as well. Thank you for all the insight and exposure to DIY.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1953.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1953.jpg.html)

So if you take an old wooden pallet...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1946.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1946.jpg.html)

And beat the snot out of it with an old hammer...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1960.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1960.jpg.html)

You get a pile of boards!

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1947.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1947.jpg.html)

If you take the pile of boards and chop it to bits with a saw...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1961.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1961.jpg.html)

You get a pile of smaller boards! And some sawdust.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1944.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1944.jpg.html)

If you then take that pile of small boards, sand them down, and slap them together with some wood glue...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1955.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1955.jpg.html)

And splash them with your sealer of choice...

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1986.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1986.jpg.html)

You get custom snake hides! Any size and shape you want.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1993.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1993.jpg.html)

You can attach a water bowl...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1996.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1996.jpg.html)

Or a couple hides with a water bowl...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2008.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2008.jpg.html)

Or maybe even a second level! The back of the top hide is held on with a couple wood screws for easy access. I designed this with a lip around the top of each hide after noticing some snakes seem to spend more time on top of their hides than in them.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_6302.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_6302.jpg.html)

The Dumeril's Boa relaxes in his hide. These wood hides have a bit of weight to them, they are not so easy for even a heavy bodied Boa to move around. Lightweight plastic hides are nothing to this guy, he'd toss them all about the enclosure in his daily quest to drive me nuts.

[Minkness]

Oh man...total....want....

Will deff be doing this for my guys at some point...especially that diuble decker!!! And I could also paint on them! SO EXCITED!

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2021.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2021.jpg.html)

My Ball Python crew is no longer just a motley collection of rescues! I ordered a female Yellowbelly (top left, she is in deep shed), a male Mystic (top right), and a female Mojave (front and center) over the weekend and they came in today. A female Mojave has been at the top of my Ball Python wish list for a while now, very happy to finally have this little one. The Yellowbelly is a 2014, the Mojave and Mystic are hatchlings. So excited to have these genes to work with, opens up so many new possibilities! Hopefully just a few years away from taking a shot at some very cool combos like a Jigsaw, Mystic Potion, Pastel Yellowbelly, or, if I can get ahold of a male Spark, a Puma! We shall see. In other Ball Python news, my female Spider did not make weight this year so she has to wait another year. But I do have a female Normal ready to go so I'm pairing her with my Pinstripe, hoping for a female Pin to hold back. In a very happy turn of events my typically picky het Albino female has been absolutely hammering everything I put in front of her for a couple months now, if she keeps it up she will definitely be ready to go next fall. So in theory I could have the Spider, the het Albino, and my other Normal female all available next fall. Some decisions to be made. A good problem to have, I think.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2028.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2028.jpg.html)

My project over the holidays this year was to build a new 15 quart tub rack. My hatchling Ball Pythons are quickly outgrowing their 6 quart tubs, and my 15 quart rack is currently occupied by colubrids. Time to expand! The 15 quart rack I have now is an eight slot Boaphile, it was the first rack I ordered a few years ago. It is a great rack, came in fully assembled with tubs and all ready to plug and play, but it sells for almost four hundred dollars and I figure to build one for about $150. The new rack will sit right where the Boaphile currently sits, tucked in the comer next to the three enclosures there. The Boaphile will stack on top on the new rack.

A little bit about what else is going on in the snake room: The 6 quart hatchling rack is on the far left, the aquarium on top of the rack houses a friends Corn Snake. He is currently living in an apartment that doesn't allow snakes (sure he can have a dog or cat, with all the hair, dandruff, noise, smell, and potential property damage that comes along with such pets, but not a silent, odorless, hypoallergenic Corn Snake. Makes a lot of sense eh) so I've been babysitting for better than a year now. I really hate the enclosure, but it is his animal and set up so what are you gunna do. The aquarium next to the hatchling rack is a Walstad style ten gallon that has been running for some five years with no input from me other than to feed the fish and occasionally remove overgrown plants. It is stagnant, lit with a small florescent light, and stocked with small, self-regulating breeding colonies of Mosquito Fish, Ghost Shrimp, three species of aquatic Snails, and countless microfauna. It is stuffed with Anubias, Crypts, Java Ferns, Java Moss, Four Leaf Clover (Marsilea hirsuta), and Dwarf Water Lettuce. I used to have a high light, Co2 injected 50 gallon, but holy cow was that thing a lot of work to maintain. As pretty as it was to look at I was relieved to shut it down. I recently acquired a 40 gallon breeder, hopefully I'll have time this spring to build a stand for it and get it running. It will be a Walstad style much like the ten gallon, only larger and with much more biodiversity. Once the 40 gallon is set up, it will be in the living room, I'll transfer everything in the 10 gallon to the 40 gallon and rearrange the snake room, as everything is currently placed around the tank. Next to the fish tank are three enclosures I built last year, a fourth is in the works. Then the 15 quart Boaphile that will sit on top of the new rack. On the right wall is a 28 quart Boaphile rack, a 28 quart plywood rack, and a 41 quart plywood rack. Near future projects include another 41 quart plywood rack and some electrical work to bring in more power to the snake room, which means I get to spend time crawling around in my cramped little attic. Because that is just so much fun. I re-insulated my attic years ago, I really do not want to spend any more time up there. But the additional power will be needed for what I have planned over the next few years. Side note, the Sullen poster was left there by a former roommate many years ago. I'd like to have some herp related posters and what have you to decorate the walls, but it seems silly to spend money on pictures that could be spent on snakes and equipment. Maybe one of these days.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/15%20qt%20rack%20drawn%20labled.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/15%20qt%20rack%20drawn%20labled.jpg.html)

The whole rack can be cut from a single 4x8 foot sheet of plywood! How convenient. Make sure to account for the width of the saw blade when drawing out your cuts or things can get wacky. I forgot to keep this in mind when I built my first individual enclosures, but I was able to make adjustments during assembly to accommodate the poorly cut pieces. Racks would not be so forgiving, what with the tight clearances necessary to fit the tubs properly. The lines are drawn 1/16" thick to accommodate the hollow ground, 7 1/4" x 140 tooth plywood blade on my circular saw. The first couple of cuts here are a bit tricky because you need to get the dividers out of the way, but everything after that is just straight through cuts. After the third cut start splitting the individual parts and trimming them as necessary. Measurements are in inches. The dividers are a bit tall so they can be sanded down to a perfect fit. If you have a nice table saw, or more skill with a circular saw than I do, you may be able to get away with cutting them closer. Just remember you can always remove more material later, but you can't add any back. The final gap for the tubs needs to be around 5 5/16".

Materials list:

One 4x8 foot, 3/4 inch thick sheet of plywood. I use Birch, you can use Maple or Oak if you'd like to get a bit fancier.
One quart Minwax water based polyurethane. You can get really fancy with stains and what have you if you'd like, but I keep it simple.
One 75 count box of 1.5 inch #8 wood screws
Eight 15 quart Rubbermaid sweater boxes
10.5 feet of three inch heat tape
Two heat tape connectors
One small extension cord
Silicon to tack the heat tape down
Electrical tape
And, of course, you'll need a thermostat to regulate the heat tape

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2091_1.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2091_1.jpg.html)

Some of the pieces laid out on my little old pool table to dry after a coat of polyurethane. Two coats, a light sanding, and one final coat does the trick. You can see the shallow channels cut with a router to lay the heat tape in. The channel starts about three inches from the back of the shelves (3 3/4" from the back of the base) and is about three and a half inches wide. The base (closest to the camera) is routered to about 3/4 of an inch on each side, the sides (the two pieces in the middle) are routered all the way from the bottom to about one inch from the top, and the three shelves (one shelf is at the far end of the table) are routered all the way across.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2094.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2094.jpg.html)

Construction in progress! I first attached the dividers to the base and three shelves using three screws each (use a 1/8" bit to drill pilot holes for all screws). Then attached the sides to the base, again using three screws each, and began stacking the shelves in place one by one, carefully test fitting tubs and making adjustments as necessary. Three screws through both sides into each shelf and the top, and the primary assembly is complete.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2095.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2095.jpg.html)

Once all the shelves are in place it is time to install the heat tape. Lots of guides are available online on working with heat tape so I wont go into too much detail. Basically I cut the head off of a small extension cord, attached a heat tape connector to each lead with a bit of solder, attached the connectors to the heat tape (I don't have the fancy specialty heat tape connector crimping pliers, so I just crimp them with regular pliers then place them on a hard surface and tap them with a hammer until I'm satisfied they're well set), then seal everything up with electrical tape. For this application I cut the leads to different lengths so it is easy to run the wire out the back of the rack. Here the heat tape is in place and weighed down as the silicon sets.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2100.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2100.jpg.html)

Detail of the heat tape wire installation, you can see how the different length leads allow the wire to be easily run through the back of the rack. The wire is held in place with silicon, I use masking tape to hold the wire in place while the silicon sets.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2104_1.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2104_1.jpg.html)

The last piece of this puzzle is the back. I wait until the heat tape is installed to cut the slot for the wire, gives me maximum flexibility while installing the heat tape. You also need to drill a hole just big enough for the thermostats probe to slip through. A 1/4 inch bit does the trick in this case. A couple quick coats of polyurethane to seal the freshly exposed wood and you're ready to install the back and fire up the heat tape.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2106.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2106.jpg.html)

The new rack tucked away in its place. Once the temperatures stabilized the critters were moved in. On to the next project!

[dannybgoode]

Just catching up on this thread. Lovely set up your built there. I think I may try my hand at building a viv when my BCI requires a slightly bigger home.

Also I really like you pallet hides. I've done some truck driving recently and pallets have been the bane of my life but I can see me wanting a couple to have a play with.

[Princess-dad]

I did the same thing with a bbq fork except I left it full length the other hook is from Bean Farm
Amazon.com: 24 Inch Small Snake Hook: Patio, Lawn & Garden . Handling Equipment - The Bean Farm <--- bought it here Im gonna try the golf club paint roller hook great idea

[FWK]

@dannybgoode, excess pallets are a problem where I work too. One of my coworkers also uses them for his own projects, so he and I are always competing for the nicest pallets.

@Princess-dad, I have that same hook from The Bean Farm! It was basically an impulse buy a while back, I was poking around the site before finalizing an order of heat tape and other supplies. When it came in I looked it over and figured it wasn't bad for ten bucks, but I could probably repurpose something for less. Was doing a little hunting one day while picking up some groceries when I came across the campfire hook. As for the Bean Farm hook, I wound up removing the wire they had wrapped around the handle (how am I supposed to clean that?) and sealing the wood with a few coats of polyurethane. Now it can be washed with soap and water or even dipped in bleach, should it need sterilizing.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2227.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2227.jpg.html)

Everybody knows about the paper towel roll hides. I usually flatten them a bit, crimp the ends, and stuff bits of crumpled up newspaper in them for extra security.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2241.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2241.jpg.html)

Old, unused dishes? Snakes can make use of them. These plates were a bit tricky to break. The plate on the right was carefully chipped away bit by bit, the plate on the left broke away clean just the way it is with the first tap of the hammer. I ruined a few of them when they split cleanly in two, or shattered into many small pieces. But when they break right they make great warm hides.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2248.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2248.jpg.html)

The lids of plastic containers make great hides. Some snakes prefer to get down into a hide with a hole drilled through the top, some prefer the hides with the side cut out. Some don't want an entrance at all, just set the lid down upside-down and the snake will coil up in it. My Rat Snakes in particular seem to favor the upside-down lid. Especially with a bit of cover overhead, such as artificial plants.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2287.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2287.jpg.html)

Sections of old PVC pipe make for great hides as well. Again, stuffing them with bits of crumpled up newspaper can make them more appealing to some snakes.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2260.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2260.jpg.html)

You can split the PVC pipe down the middle for hides that wont roll around.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2273.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2273.jpg.html)

Or even cut them at 45 degree angles and glue them back together to make corner hides.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2295.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2295.jpg.html)

If you want to get a bit more creative you can start combining parts. These slightly elevated hides have proven to be very popular with my juvenile Water Snakes and Rat Snakes. The one on the right was designed specifically to take up a lot of space in a 28 quart tub, while creating usable vertical space and multiple zones within the relatively small tub. An added benefit to building these types of hides is the additional weight and stability. The simple plastic lid hides are great, but very easy for snakes to move. With features like these you are much more likely to find things more or less the way you left them.

[mysticmoon]

Wow! I love this thread, and your idea of making hides from wood palettes and pvc is awesome!! If I may ask, where do you buy all of your tubs/how many different sizes do you have?

[FWK]

If I may ask, where do you buy all of your tubs/how many different sizes do you have?

I have racks for 6, 15, 28, and 41 quart tubs. I bought all the tubs from Target or Walmart. The 15 quart Rubbermaid tubs I used in the 15 quart tub rack build I couldn't find in any store near me, so I ordered them from Walmart's web site.

[mysticmoon]

Good to know, thank you.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2642.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2642.jpg.html)

A friend of mine is headed out of town for the weekend and asked me to watch his Bearded Dragon for him. So I get to observe this little critter for a few days. Watching it murder Superworms is pretty cool, makes me miss the Green Anoles I kept as a kid.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2560.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2560.jpg.html)

The Taiwanese Beauty keeps a watchful eye on the goings on.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2571.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2571.jpg.html)

I moved a bit closer to take his mug shot and he attempted to become one with the branch, pressing his head into the branch so hard he was squishing his face. Not the friendliest critter.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2625.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2625.jpg.html)

The Speckled King out for routine tub maintenance, she is much friendlier than the Taiwanese Beauty. Here she is hanging out in a holding tub and showing off her purple tongue.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2187.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2187.jpg.html)

The Dumeril's Boa waits while his enclosure is cleaned. The rusty red markings on his head are really nice, and you can see some of the beautiful iridescence on his flanks.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2815.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2815.jpg.html)

The Western Hognose does this just about every time I open her tub, even if there is no food present (unless she happens to be in one of her moods, then she just hisses and headbutts random objects in her tub). If a mouse magically appears in front of her nose she swings at it, wild and awkward. Clearly not an arboreal critter, no matter how hard she tries. If no mouse appears after a few minutes she will slowly retreat back into her tub, you'd swear she was legitimately disgusted with the situation.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2525_1.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2525_1.jpg.html)

A pickup from a recent show, an Eastern Copperhead, hangs onto a DIY juvie snake hook.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2472.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2472.jpg.html)

Glamour shot.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2760.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2760.jpg.html)

Another recent pick up, a Gray Banded Kingsnake, poses for a quick shot before being introduced to his new tub. Really happy to have this little guy, beautiful animal.

[ngav3]

Awesome collection and thread!

[dannybgoode]

Trouble is people like you make diy look so easy. I try and make some stuff but if never turns out quite right!

Maybe need to have another go but I don't have your vision for using old bits and bobs to make useful stuff.

Some great ideas here and I love you Dumerils - saw an adult at a zoo and a juvenile at my local store and both were absolutely stunning snakes.

[macandchz]

dear fwk, you have a wonderful snake room and collection. that little bumblebee is adorable and i hope she has the disposition to match. i can't believe how neat and clean everything is!

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_3636.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_3636.jpg.html)

I have a number of picky juvenile colubrids at the moment, so I decided to start a feeder mouse colony to produce a steady supply of fresh pinks and fuzzys. Hopefully the fresh rodents will help get the young snakes on rodents/eating on their own. Once they're started it shouldn't be too difficult to get them on F/T so I can shut the colony down, as it is not cost effective to raise mice vs ordering them F/T in bulk. Not to mention all the extra work maintaining the colony. After some research into husbandry I decided a tub is the way to go. So much easier to clean than an relatively heavy and unwieldy aquarium. And if you slip and drop an aquarium, even just a short distance, it's time for a new aquarium. I compared several brands and sizes before settling on this 60 quart Ziplock tub. It was a few more dollars than comparatively sized Rubbermaid or Sterilite tubs, but it is relatively square, which maximizes floor space, rugged in construction, and, most importantly, has a well reinforced, securely latching lid. Wont take much to modify it for housing mice. The only issue with tubs is the risk of the mice chewing their way out, but many people (including mass producers) use tubs with no issues so I'll see what happens. I am sorry the pictures came out a little dark, I did this quickly and didn't notice.


Materials list:


60 quart Ziplock tub
Aluminum window screen
Gorilla Glue
Rodent water bottle

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_3637.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_3637.jpg.html)

I first removed the raised sections of the lid with a Dremel and a cut-off wheel, careful to leave the reinforcements in place. Cleaned it up a little with a Dremel sanding bit, then trimmed the remaining excess with a razor blade to leave a flat surface on which to glue the screen.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_3638.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_3638.jpg.html)

Cut out a section of the aluminum screen to fit the lid (very easy to cut with scissors), apply glue to the lid all the way around and across each support, and install the screen. You'll need to weigh down the screen while the glue sets, I used iron plates and dowel rods made of skewers (leftover from my DIY juvenile snake hooks) and sections of a hanger. Make sure you remove whatever you use to weigh the screen down before the glue is completely set, or it may become a permanent part of the lid. About an hour should do. Another couple hours for the Gorilla Glue to set (it will foam up a bit and surround the screen), and you've got plenty of ventilation without sacrificing the structural integrity of the lid.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_3644.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_3644.jpg.html)

My local pet store has these handy water bottles that come with a holder that can be affixed to the side of a cage with a bolt and plastic nut, perfect for a tub. Simply drill a hole through the side of the tub just big enough for the bolt to pass through, run the bolt through and thread on the plastic nut. There you have it, a DIY tub for a colony of mice that is very easy to move and clean. As of this posting my colony (four females and one male) has been running for a few weeks. The first litter dropped a few days ago and the rest of the females look like they're well on their way to producing their first litters. Fingers crossed.

[FWK]

My little Natricinae collection, some south Texas flavor. All pictures taken in my makeshift lightbox while I had the animals out for routine enclosure maintenance.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_3469.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_3469.jpg.html)

Plainbelly Water Snake.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2989.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2989.jpg.html)

Broadbanded Water Snake.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2959.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2959.jpg.html)

Diamondback Water Snake.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_3537.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_3537.jpg.html)

Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_3602.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_3602.jpg.html)

Checkered Garter Snake.

[mysticmoon]

Wow, the broadband water snake is gorgeous.

[macandchz]

those were great hatching pictures. really great to see the whole process. i'm sure some grade-school class somewhere would like to see them-what a neat show-and tell project!

[macandchz]

love that double hide you made. also that one with the water bowl.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_5467%20ap22.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_5467%20ap22.jpg.html)

I finally have my Cottonmouth! The past two years a major goal of mine has been to collect a neonate Cottonmouth in the field, as they are very hard to come by captive bred. To that end I spent hundreds of hours in the field at a number of Cottonmouth "hotspots" in search of my quarry. I found adults by the dozen, but failed to turn up a single neonate. Frustrating, to say the least. Going into this year I decided to widen my search criteria a bit, and it quickly paid off with a lucky find. I'll have the whole story, along with many more pictures, in the fall 2016 report in my herping thread. In the meantime I present "Joe," the newest member of my little collection. I don't name my snakes, but a friend insisted calling this one Joe, after the song "Cotton-Eyed Joe."

[SWDK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_5467%20ap22.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_5467%20ap22.jpg.html)

I finally have my Cottonmouth! The past two years a major goal of mine has been to collect a neonate Cottonmouth in the field, as they are very hard to come by captive bred. To that end I spent hundreds of hours in the field at a number of Cottonmouth "hotspots" in search of my quarry. I found adults by the dozen, but failed to turn up a single neonate. Frustrating, to say the least. Going into this year I decided to widen my search criteria a bit, and it quickly paid off with a lucky find. I'll have the whole story, along with many more pictures, in the fall 2016 report in my herping thread. In the meantime I present "Joe," the newest member of my little collection. I don't name my snakes, but a friend insisted calling this one Joe, after the song "Cotton-Eyed Joe."

Great find and addition to your collection. We share the same goal in collecting a neonate, although you've succeeded and I'm still on my quest. Congrats!!!

[slithytoves]

this is a beautiful, functional setup that i aspire to in my herp-infancy. Read through the thread and all responses; this info is super helpful! :D

[SnoopySnake]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_5467%20ap22.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_5467%20ap22.jpg.html)

I finally have my Cottonmouth! The past two years a major goal of mine has been to collect a neonate Cottonmouth in the field, as they are very hard to come by captive bred. To that end I spent hundreds of hours in the field at a number of Cottonmouth "hotspots" in search of my quarry. I found adults by the dozen, but failed to turn up a single neonate. Frustrating, to say the least. Going into this year I decided to widen my search criteria a bit, and it quickly paid off with a lucky find. I'll have the whole story, along with many more pictures, in the fall 2016 report in my herping thread. In the meantime I present "Joe," the newest member of my little collection. I don't name my snakes, but a friend insisted calling this one Joe, after the song "Cotton-Eyed Joe."

Cool!! Love that pic! And the name :D

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_6873.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_6873.jpg.html)

Took a trip to the reptile expo in Garden Ridge today with a list of Texas native in mind. The main targets were venomous, as anything else I can have shipped. I hardly made it through the door before I saw most of my list on the first few tables. I wandered around a while and talked prices with the vendors before settling on a few critters. The Garden Ridge venue isn't very large, but the selection is great. Hopefully I'll get a chance to run out that way again next year, there's still a couple species I want to round out my little Texas native collection.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_6890.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_6890.jpg.html)

The lone nonvenomous I took home, a hatchling Eastern Coachwhip. Don't see these captive hatched very often, I couldn't pass it up.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_6920.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_6920.jpg.html)

Prairie Rattlesnake. This was my second biggest goal for this trip, the first being a Western Massasauga. There was one table with Western Massasaugas, four neonates. I asked the guy how much they were, he said they were 100% het albino so he wanted $2000 each. I said thank you and moved on lol.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_6943.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_6943.jpg.html)

Banded Rock Rattlesnake.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_6926.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_6926.jpg.html)

Northern Blacktail Rattlesnake.

[SWDK]

Nice additions to your hot collection. That CB coach whip is pretty cool as well.

[eminart]

Good stuff, man. Love the cottonmouth photo. And keep us updated on the coachwhip. It has recently crossed my to try to collect a couple of neonate racers and see if I can acclimate them to captivity. You just don't see cbb racers.

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_6449.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_6449.jpg.html)

Good stuff, man. Love the cottonmouth photo. And keep us updated on the coachwhip. It has recently crossed my to try to collect a couple of neonate racers and see if I can acclimate them to captivity. You just don't see cbb racers.

Indeed not, Coluber are unfortunately unpopular in the trade. That's why I jumped on the Eastern Coachwhip. They have reputations for being extremely flighty, bitey, and hard to get feeding. All of these issues are much easier to deal with when you start with a hatchling, and would probably become much less pronounced after a few generations in a captive breeding program. People who do keep them say they are relatively intelligent, very alert and active, and very food oriented once established. The picture above is a yearling Eastern Yellowbelly Racer I collected as a hatchling last year. The first thing I noticed was that it was not very "stretchy," that is to say that it had trouble getting even the tiniest of newborn pink mice down. This is no Rat Snake or Python. And if it had any trouble it was very quick to spit it out. So I started feeding it the thighs of adult mice, that worked much better. The first few weeks it took to assist feeding pretty well, as long as I held the snake in my hand until it got the mouse leg down, and as long as I didn't move a muscle. Some days it extremely nervous and spit the food item out repeatedly until I gave up and force fed it, some days it gobbled it down with such tenacity you'd think it was angry with the mouse leg. Before long it took to tease feeding, as long as I held it in hand so it couldn't run. As it grew I would tease feed it the first mouse leg, then follow it with additional legs as it ate so it ate them in one long piece, as if it were eating a snake. Currently it takes rat legs or small fuzzy mice off the tongs in its tub. Sometimes it does still take a bit of teasing, but once it grabs the food item you're not getting it back lol. I keep it in a larger tub than I would a Kingsnake or other colubrid, but otherwise care is very similar and very easy. I definitely wouldn't recommend one to a newbie, but with a little patience and know-how I think these guys will make great captives. I'm excited to how they behave as adults, they should be great display animals as active as the are.

[eminart]

Thanks for the feeding info, FWK. That may come in handy if I ever do try a racer. I agree with you that the racers and coachwhips should make interesting captives due to their diurnal habits and high activity. That's the main reason I've been thinking about this. I think they're very underrated, probably because most people want something to cuddle with, and due to how common they are in the wild (racers, at least).

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7614.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7614.jpg.html)

A small, but important, update; I have power! My dad helped me with this job. He's a former general contractor, he helped me remodel the house when I moved in some eight years ago. Rather than crawl about in the attic to bring additional power to the interior walls, we just drilled through the exterior wall, through the mortar between bricks, to bring power in directly from the main breaker box that is mounted to the wall to the left of the window there. It was quick and easy, he has a massive concrete hammer drill that blasts through mortar like it's nothing. I still need to do a bit of touch-up painting to cover the spackling patching the holes where we initially drilled through, though it is hardly noticeable in person. Now I just have to build some new enclosures to take advantage of the extra power! I have a few projects lined up, including adult sized enclosures for the Taiwanese Beauty and Dumeril's Boa that will fit neatly in the closet (the door frame you can just see to the left there). I've already got materials stacking up, just waiting for cooler weather, and the end of the herping season, to get to work in earnest.

[toddnbecka]

When we moved into this house I had multiple new outlets installed in the basement for my aquariums, with a GFCI incorprated into each of the 3 new lines (6 duplex on each) wired into the breaker box. Works out better now that I've mainly switched over to snakes, since each enclosure doesn't require separate filters and lighting along with the heat source, and each herpstat 4 or Helix regulates multiple heaters.
Never thought of keeping enclosures in the closet, I just line a couple the basement walls with them.

[JellyBean]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing pics of your awesome collection, and the great hide ideas. The pallet hides, the water bowls (could be a swimming pool for bean!), the PVC pipe... Great stuff.

Congrats on the power!

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_2299.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_2299.jpg.html)

My buddy, the one whose Corn Snake I've been babysitting, finally got a new place and picked up his Corn. I enjoyed looking after the snake, but I'm very happy to see that enclosure go away. Time to build something much more efficient to take its place! After much brainstorming and some doodling I came up with a design I liked, a Triplex! Three enclosures stacked in a single unit. A total height of 27 inches, width of 33 inches, and depth of 14 inches gives each enclosure dimensions similar to a 41 quart tub, just a bit taller. They will have sliding glass doors, be lit with LED strips, and heated with 11 inch flex watt heat tape under the floor on the right side. I'll have the lights on a timer, and each enclosure can be independently thermostat controlled, or wired together on a single thermostat .

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7631.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7631.jpg.html)

The final design concept for this build, as laid out in my notebook filled with many such plans.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7629%20-%20Copy%202.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7629%20-%20Copy%202.jpg.html)

The cuts drawn out on a 4x8 sheet of Birch plywood. Always awesome when a whole project can be cut from a single sheet of plywood. There are a lot of ways to draw this one up really. I drew this with the very small trim pieces in mind, small pieces can be really tough to cut with a circular saw. Remember to account for the width of your saw blade when drawing your cuts. The lines here are drawn 1/16" thick to accommodate the hollow ground, 7-1/4" x 140 tooth plywood blade on my circular saw. The first cut is a full length rip along the largest pieces, then on through the sheet (the dotted line). After the first cut start cutting the smallest trim pieces off first, it is much easier to cut small pieces off of a large piece than try to split a small piece into even smaller pieces (unless you have a nice table saw, which I do not. Yet. This project convinced me it's about time to invest in a table saw). Once all the pieces are separated, trim off the excess and you're ready to start sanding.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7630.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7630.jpg.html)

A pile of parts and materials. This oughta be fun. Just about everything is needed is here, save electrical tape (because I forgot) and the glass for the sliding doors. I didn't get the glass cut until the enclosure was built, just in case I needed to make adjustments along the way.

Materials list:

One 4x8 sheet of 3/4 inch Birch plywood
1-1/2 inch #8 wood screws
Minwax water based Polyurethane
Linoleum flooring
Three feet of 11 inch heat tape
Six heat tape connectors
Electrical tape
Extension cords (to wire the heat tape)
LED light strips
Six 2 inch drains (for ventilation)
Hardware cloth (to cover the vents)
1/2 inch #6 wood screws (to install the vents)
Silicon to install the lights, tack down the heat tape and Linoleum flooring, and seal all interior seams
Six 6 x 16 inch panes of 1/4 inch glass
Glass track
Glue for the glass track (I use Liquid Nails)
Thermostat(s) for the heat tape

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7738.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7738.jpg.html)

After cutting the pieces, sanding them down, and painting them with polyurethane, I attached the sides to the base with three screws each (use a 1/8 drill inch bit to drill pilot holes for all screws), then attached the top and installed the two shelves, being careful to keep everything square. Here I test fit the front trim and back on the main assembly, and check to see how the LED lights look. Turns out the lights are more directional than I expected, I'm going to need to make a mount to angle them towards the center of the enclosure floor.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7743.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7743.jpg.html)

There are many ways to go about providing ventilation. I like these two inch plastic drains. A two inch hole saw cuts the initial hole, which then needs to be widened a bit with a Dremel to perfectly fit the slightly tapered drain. After test fitting the drains to ensure a perfect fit, apply a couple coats of polyurethane to seal the freshly exposed wood. The drains sit one inch deep, so they need to be trimmed to sit flush with the 3/4 inch plywood. Once the drains are trimmed and the holes cut, I cover the drains with two layers of hardware cloth and hammer them into place. At this point they are pretty secure, but we are talking about the master escape artists known as snakes, so to be absolutely sure they cannot be pushed out I fix them in place with a couple half inch #6 wood screws. Drill a couple 7/64 inch pilot holes right at the edge of the drains flange to install the screws. Be careful not to drill the pilot holes too deep here, a bit of masking tape wrapped around the drill bit helps gauge a proper depth.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7746.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7746.jpg.html)

After installing the vents is was time to sort out the wiring for the lights and heat tape. I lined up the back and drew out the slot for the heat tape wires, the holes for the thermostat probes, and the the holes for the lights wires. The heating elements I assembled the same as always, cut the head off of a small extension cord, attach heat tape connectors to the cord with a bit of solder, connect the connectors to the heat tape, and seal it up with electrical tape. The heat tape has to go in as the back is installed, here it is temporarily held in place with masking tape. It will be thoroughly tacked down with silicon when I install the linoleum floor. Note that the wire leads are different lengths to allow the wire to be run out near the corner, to keep the slot for the wire as small as possible. Once the back was installed I installed the front trim, being careful to maintain a 6-1/2 inch gap for the glass doors all the way across all three enclosures.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7752.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7752.jpg.html)

With the unit assembled, the next step was to install the linoleum floor. First I tack down the heat tape with silicon, making sure to apply plenty of silicon around the wiring for the tape. Then I tack the linoleum to the heat tape and floor with silicon, and weigh it all down until the silicon sets. Keeping the connectors and wire leads for the heat tape inside the enclosure, under the linoleum floor, does mean there are bumps under the floor in the back right corner. I did consider routing slots for the connectors and wire leads so the linoleum floor would sit perfectly flat, but decided not to bother with it.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7769.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7769.jpg.html)

Once the silicon holding the floor cured, I set about the somewhat tedious process of sealing all the interior seams with silicon, installing the lights at the same time. You can see the mount I made for the light from a bit of scrap plywood, it angles the light towards the center of the enclosure floor. I ran a bead of silicon along the front top edge of the enclosure and pressed the mount into it, then ran another bead of silicon over the mount and pressed the light into it. I then ran a bead of silicon from the light, around the corner, and all the way to the hole for the lights wire, and pressed the wire into the silicon. I filled in the hole for the lights wire the rest of the way, and continued the bead of silicon along every interior seam, smoothing it out with my fingertip as I went along. The final order of business was to install the glass track. A fairly straightforward job, just cut the track to size, roughen the mating surfaces up a bit with sandpaper, apply a bead of Liquid Nails glue, and clamp the track in place until the glue is set.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7826.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7826.jpg.html)

The completed enclosure in its place. Looks pretty nice really, though you can definitely see some sloppy cuts on the front trim. I think I'll get myself that table saw for Christmas, lol. I'm waiting, impatiently, for a week or so to be sure the silicon and glue is completely cured before moving animals in. Thanks for looking!

[Tsubaki]

looks great :D nice project

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_8488.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_8488.jpg.html)

Happy new year y'all. Here's a little Diamondback Water Snake celebrating only its second new year. Its new years resolution is to eat lots of rats and poop in its water bowl at least a couple times a week, just so I have to clean it up.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_8560.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_8560.jpg.html)

Joe the Cottonmouth is enjoying its first new year, to celebrate it will be getting a tasty fuzzy mouse later today.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_8525.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_8525.jpg.html)

Desert Kingsnake

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_7636.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_7636.jpg.html)

Emory's Rat Snake

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_6282.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_6282.jpg.html)

Dusky Pygmy Rattlsnake

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_8599.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_8599.jpg.html)

Currently in progress, a new enclosure for the Dumeril's Boa. Dimensions are 56 inches wide, 30 inches deep, and 13.5 inches tall. Designed to fit perfectly in the closet in the snake room, it should be plenty large enough for the rest of the Boas life. I'm just test fitting it here before starting to paint it with polyurethane. Once it's done I'll be building another that will be two feet tall, it will house the Taiwanese Beauty. I did buy myself that table saw for Christmas, it made cutting out this enclosure a breeze compared to using the circular saw. Definitely should have bought a table saw a long time ago, ha.

[trailblazer295]

Nice builds for sure, I'm most likely going to attempt to build my own cage in the spring so I'll be checking this thread out and might have a few questions for tips.

[Bluck]

Great thread thanks for sharing

[FWK]

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_9341.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_9341.jpg.html)

The hatchling Eastern Coachwhip is coming along beautifully, though it really doesn't appreciate having its picture taken.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_9515.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_9515.jpg.html)

The juvenile Western Rat Snake is developing some beautiful, though subtle, coloring. I suspect it is going to darken considerably with age. Only time will tell.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_9393.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_9393.jpg.html)

Eastern Copperhead glares at the camera.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_9490.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_9490.jpg.html)

Red Bull Snake looking very red.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_9442.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_9442.jpg.html)

Western Hognose portrait.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/Fwkiller/IMG_9285.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Fwkiller/media/IMG_9285.jpg.html)

The Gray Banded Kingsnake is growing like a weed.

[Grizla]

really enjoyed this thread! what a beautiful collection (i've been spending too much time on facebook, i kept wanting to hit the like button) great builds!

[Skipper7]

Interesting read, thanks. How strong are the golf club hooks? Will they work for turning over some rocks and branches? I'm planning on doing some helping in phoenix... I don't want to use my hands too much asI'm not 100% familiar with all species there.

[FWK]

Interesting read, thanks. How strong are the golf club hooks? Will they work for turning over some rocks and branches? I'm planning on doing some helping in phoenix... I don't want to use my hands too much asI'm not 100% familiar with all species there.

It really depends on the club. They are designed to flex and rebound a certain amount during the swing and contact with the ball, not to be leveraged under a rock. The are useful for flipping relatively light cover, such as tin or small rocks, but they definitely have a limit. My field hook is made from a very old iron. It tends to bend a bit if I push it too far, but bends right back no problem. Metal fatigue will probably cause it to fail eventually, but hopefully only after many more years of service. Lots of buzztails in the Phoenix area, great place to go herping. Definitely don't want to go sticking your fingers up under rocks though, lol.

[Skipper7]

Thanks!! I've got an old solid metal shaft I can use. I'm planning on Welding the paint roller on. I'll let you know how it works!

[FWK]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4193/34355561762_6fea44617d_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UkTezL)

Speckled Kingsnake portrait.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4159/34475065286_57eb456543_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UwrHPm)

Close up of the dorsal scales of the Speckled Kingsnake, note the apical pits.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4162/33674342644_aee0bd7401_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TiFNSy)

Broadbanded Water Snake.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4163/34475323106_2b429a5763_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Uwt3sw)

Overhead shot of the Broadbanded Water Snake.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4169/34355860512_9fcc3332de_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UkULoC)

Subadult Eastern Yellowbelly Racer refusing to pose for a nice close up.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4189/34131028870_40b6bd9a43_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U13rM1)

Overhead of the Eastern Yellowbelly Racer.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4180/33674315514_f223eb331b_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TiFENN)

Checkered Garter Snake.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4174/33674353884_e8226015db_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TiFSdm)

Banded Rock Rattlesnake not digging having its picture taken.

I have switched from Photobucket (which has become a big steaming pile of... well) to Flickr. So far I'm impressed with Flickr. I'm worried about what may become of the links from Photobucket though. I'll be keeping an eye on it.

[FWK]

My switch to Flickr came far to late to save this thread. I'm really bummed Photobucket has decided to hold my work here and elsewhere hostage. I'll start a new thread soon, maybe repost some of the projects when I have time.

[Scubadiver59]

Great pictures! Thanks! :)