Toxic woods/paints??

[Rebecca]

I can't seem to find a list or anything that lists the toxic woods and paints. I am going to build a cham cage, just not sure what paints and woods to use. If I cover the wood with that stuff they put on tables (can't remember the name mel something) would it matter at all what kind of wood I use?? Also what's the best type of screen?? Like there's normal screen the there's metel and covered metel.

[V.hb]

Although people will disagree due to durability issues, I still recommend melemime.. What I always do with melemime is silicon ALL edges so the particle board never comes into contact with moisture. For the bottom of the enclosure where your substrate, water bowl etc will be line it with a tarp to proof it even more. And walla, you have a durable long lasting enclosure that did not take much time or hassle to put up.

[Rebecca]

Sounds like a good idea. Thanks.

[Collide]

for a cham cage its best to use all screan depending on your needs im not sure what is best. but for my cages i use pine (untreated) it is cheaper then hardwoods or i would have used hard wood. I use aluminum coted screed and hardwere cloth. I have planted enclosures but i also have some that just have potted plants its up to u hope that helps here is a pic
http://www.elev8r.com/chams/enclosure5.jpg

[Rebecca]

Nice cages!! What do you mean by hardware cloth??

[Syst3m]

hardware cloth is the wire screen on front of the cages you see.

I personally do not recommend melamine, unless you like tanks that weigh a TON, and its not water/humidity proof, just resistant. The best thing in my opinion is a hard wood, since conifers are poisonous to snakes (cedar/pine) Use Glass where ever possible to reduce the weight, and a good polyeurethane coating for safety. Must be cured in heat to make it safe in my opinion. If you can smell it then don't use it.
that is my general rule.

[Rebecca]

If I sealed and painted the wood why would it matter what kind I used?? Also what paints and sealants are safe to use?? Collide what did you use on your cages??

[eyespy]

If you use either a low-VOC epoxy or polyurethane sealant it doesn't matter what kind of wood you use.

[Collide]

I have not sealed the cages as yet i am planning too i just have not found or been 100% on a sealent was safe or not. some of my cages i have had for years now and have never had any dammage via water ect... but i would still recomed sealing even though i havent yet. in the planted areas its lined with plastic drop sheats and filled with pebbles on the base and soil for the plants and even with the constant watering i never have a issue with overwatering the plants (think thats because of the scale). generally ik use mesh on the front and top and hardware cloth on the sides so they can climb if they want helps with foot dammage. IF you go with this method they are heavy and i would sugest getting casters for the bottom so you can wheel the cage around if nessary. Oh the hardware cloth is the black mesh on the sides on the sides of the cage below

:)

here is another cage i just finnished bad photo ad to do some lining up lol but its 4' x 6' x 2' I still have to put hardwere cloth on the back just put some boards for a temp fix and the middle can come out so its one huge cage.

http://www.elev8r.com/chams/cage.jpg

[Rebecca]

I can't see the pic??

[Collide]

here try this
http://www.elev8r.com/chams/cage.jpg

[Kyle Barker]

Plastic Laminate, aka Arborite. Non-toxic, water PROOF, unlimited designs. Unfortunatly expensive. You can knife the stuff and it wont leak, i love it!

[Collide]

My domain name expited I forgot about it lol oh well i have fixed all my pics ect.

[Rebecca]

I thought pine was toxic to reptiles??

[Collide]

Can anyone give me a link to somewhere that says that pine is toxic because if it is Im gonna need to make some changes. I was under the impression if was ok.

[Rebecca]

I heard/read that it gives off toxic fumes. But if you've had your cages for as long as you have and not had a problem I guess I wouldn't worry about it.

[eyespy]

Here ya go, Collide:

http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/anphys/1999/Cook/Cook.htm

[Collide]

Humm reading that it seems as though they are refering to bedding wood shavings, im using it for structure of my cages, I am planning to seal all my cages soon.im sure that it could produce the same effect in large peices but not as sevear. I have a cage free at the moment so i will start to seal that one and then rotate cages for upgrades lol.

thanks for that link

oh sealent

ill check to see if there are any old threds on sealent

[eyespy]

Doesn't matter whether shavings or the solid wood itself, there are the same biochemicals involved. Shavings sometimes have less because of water and heat exposure during processing.

[Rebecca]

Eyespy what is low-VOC epoxy or polyurethane sealant?? I was told by someone that epoxy is a plastic??

[eyespy]

Epoxy can be either plastic or a resin made from organic materials, and the organic stuff can outgas toxins. If it's low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) it's the plastic kind and safe to use. It's usually very prominently displayed on the front label when an epoxy has low volatile organic compound emission.

Polyurethane sealant is just that, polyurethane, a type of plastic and should have no other ingredients.

[Invictus]

Some of the big breeders in the states use Pine shavings fr their snakes without a problem. I've read their testimonials in Reptiles magazine all the time. We use it at the store with no ill effects at all. The thing about Pine is, if it has a very sweet, wood smell, it is very high in Phenol resins, which are toxic. If the pine has almost no smell at all (as with the stuff we use as well as many breeders), or if it has almost a dusty smell to it, it's safe.

ASPEN IS STILL BETTER THOUGH! lol :)

[eyespy]

Invictus, many necropsied reptiles show lung and liver abnormalities after being on pine. Toxicity doesn't always show external symptoms, especially when snakes don't have a diaphragm and so can't have the sort of dry cough that mammals get with irritated lung tissue.