The Masterpiece

[Lasher]

Okay guys, here she is. 8' X 3' X 6.5'. 15 individual compartments. Sliding plexiglass doors. All for $400.00. I am very happy with it and would enjoy reading your thoughts!

[Lasher]

Here she is before the new substrate made it all humid. I will post more as the substrate dries out.

[retic]

wow thats a really nice unit, must be using a damp substrate to get humidity like that, is that pegboard you are using for ventalation and back board?

[sapphire_moon]

What kind of snakes are in there. I was thinking of doing something like that "One day" (lol). But with maybe a litter dam.
That cage(s) is nice

[Lrptls]

wow Lasher that is really nice, bet the snakes like it

[asphyxia]

It Looks Impressive, however I am concerned about the herps burning themselves on the open bulbs.

Another concern, is if the snakes go from the nearby water to the light and ZAP!

I am not sure if the pegboard will last with humid enclosures, and I would keep a real close eye on the lights that close to the pegboard especially if its the "cardboard type as it could burn.

Nice workmanship though, I really dont mean to be a bummer but meh... what can I say.

Brian

[TheRedDragon]

Really nice work! I'm with Brian there, I'd get those bulbs covered as soon as possible. Other than that, you did a fantastic job! :)

[beth wallbank]

wow. very nice.......but how are you going to get it outta that room when its time to refurbish or move?

[Lasher]

retic: That is peg board. 1/8" I do believe. It seems to work well.

Sapphire: The question is what kind do I not have in there. Boas, pythons, rat snakes, Geckos, you name it, I have it.

Asphyxia: Right about the bare bulbs. It will not be that humid when the substrate dries out some. So far, I have used pegboard on all my enclosures and it seems to hold up. My wife and I were up to midnight last night wiring the bulbs. The whole room is a herp room kept at 85 degrees and the bulbs are used for a hot spot. We will be installing covers next.

Beth: Good question. It fits through the door and is on wheels, 6 of them throughout the body of the enclosure. I suggest anyone put wheels on a large enclosure. It makes things a whole lot easier to move. Nice on the tile too (rather than carpet).

In the interest of full disclosure, I did not build this thing. If I built this, it would "leak" snakes. 8^) A member of this site named Leonard Warnack built it for me. I just wired it up. He did a great job

[retic]

in my expierence the peg board will rot and bubble within weeks between the holes cause they are not treated with melemine around the edges of the hole like the surface, but great unit, i use solid melemine sealed with silocone around the edges while been built then a bead along the inside edges, then i add vents and seal around them as well, you can also use the same wood as the unit as long as it is sealed. hope this helps you out for the future

[JeffT]

very nice, excellent way to make use of the area.

[latazyo]

how can a guard over the light stop a snake from touching it?

woudln't the only kind of guard to keep a snake away from a bulb be a glass globe....and wouldn't that get just as hot?

[Edwin]

latazyo, the guard will not be as hot as a naked bulb, and nowhere as fragile. A snake can severely hurt itself if it constricts or strikes at a bare bulb.

Light guards are mostly made from mesh, not glass:
http://www.reptilesdownunder.com/reptile/enclosure/lightguard.php

Hope this helps.

[Icefire]

Edwin, I have concern that hte lizard would jump and get a grip
on the mesh and burn imself under the light?
I'm gonna get Collared lizard and Breaded dragon and was thinking
of only use aluminium sheet around the light (3-4 time thicker than alu paper we use in food).

so the under the light would be wide open but they couldn't get
a grip on it.

any other way ?

[Lasher]

Icefire: Black screen works well in my experience. You can off-set it from the bulb as far as you choose to keep the lizard from getting too close.

One more thing on the enclosure. Each compartment is controlled by a dimmer so I can regulate the hot spot. For example, where I live, it does get up to 90 degrees during the day in the heat of summer. I can turn those puppies off and open the blinds to let in some natural sunlight and the snakes will be just fine!

[Linds]

That's an awesome enclosure! :D

[Invictus]

Great work! I may steal some ideas from this... :)

[latazyo]

very well Edwin, thanks

[daver676]

Seems like the thing to do would be to put the guards on the bulbs BEFORE you put the herps in...... :rolleyes: I also have the same concern about the pegboard, but if it DOES hold up, right on.

[sara]

Very nice! Have you considered using plastic pegboard? It's excellent for humid enclosures, and fairly inexpensive too.

[scalawag]

Great looking setup. How do you 'lock' the sliding plexi doors to keep the snakes from opening them??