OK here we go......long new enclosure post

[Elfmaze]

time to start the planning phase for my new ball paradise. i have decided to go with two side by side 18T x 36L x 24D with a top utility space simmilar to one row of Cages by Design's 2-2-1 system

http://www.cagesbydesign.com/cages/specials_display.asp

as for material i'm hearing that melmine is a good start, i want to have a large front window and a front door that opens all the way from top to bottom like an oven.

Heating will be acomplished by a set of trex heaters i picked up at the daytona reptile expo. i know they heat the entire enclosure but i spent a bundle of money on em so there gettign used for now. :) but i will plan to put the heat lamps as close to the side as possible probably on the inside-side of the enclosure (shining in from up in the utility area)

http://www.t-rexproducts.com/Dynamic/product_detail.asp?item=82022&series=1

I have a big apple herps - herp power proportional thermostat that i will hook up in one of the tanks under the heat lamp and the other tank will use the same feed off the herp power but will have a el chepo on off reptile thermostat to shut off the power if for some reason it gets too hot.

Since my room gets pitch black at times from sleep drapes i have to have a suplemental lighting system(plus i like black light (cheap incandescent) so i can watch the snakes go about there buisness at night. for this job i am using a hood system from a fish tank that has both white and black light fixtures in a hood with individual switches for each light. I'm planning on putting the fixture right in between the two cages(again in the utility area) so the light can be seen in both cages. these lights will be turned off and on by a day/night timer that also controls the night drop feature. i want the heat lamps to be close to the light source just incase the light bulb makes enough heat on its own the heaters can shut off.

Humidity seems to be a problem since i'm not too much a fan of misting i like an automatic system. the ambient humidity in my appartment is around 20%. so i plan to make a pop bottle air exchanger system like this one to keep that humidity in healthy range.

http://www.reptilerooms.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-101-page-1.html

i will post more in a bit but have classes right now, also i din't have time to proofread this yet so bear with me. Any suggestion please let me know.

thanks
Dan Fostel

[Elfmaze]

this is the proposed mock up without the top facade. you can see the rectangle cut for the day/night light. and the two round cuts for the heat fixtures there will be a 1 inch lip at the bottom for substraight retention and the door will hinge from there. the window will be made of plexi, and there will be open and closable vent holes drilled along the back at the top

[Elfmaze]

And with the top facade would be soething like this

[iLLwiLL]

not bad . . . where the hell do you plan to put that thing in your appartment, on the pattio?? heh, j/k. i like that design, you could stack them once you start getting some real snakes. i'll be building a bunch of cages at my shop in a few weeks after i get my albino paid off, if your looking for place to build yours, give me a call.

~Will.

[Elfmaze]

Ok 78 people read it and noone has any thoughts or suggestions except will? thats pretty sad

[TheLionsShare]

Maybe the other 77 people just don't care??LOL.. Your plans sound fine to be, only part I personally don't like is that you're going to use melamine.. I think it's garbage, but that's my opinion, there are people that will swear by it.. I prefer using plywood and epoxy paint. This will last, and you'll have people telling you that melamine is the way to go because it's cheapest, an 8X4 sheet is like $22 here, and an 8X4 sheet of plywood (3/4" stuff) is like $26 (the thicker the more expensive) so big deal, $4 less... Plywood is also lighter. Now, the epoxy can be pretty expensive, I'm paying $50 a can.. It's a lot at first but well worth it, and it will last you for several cages. Good luck.

[Elfmaze]

what about mdf? i've worked with it before for cabenents and i built a bar out of it. how about snake enclosures? what do you do to seal it with the epoxy? just go over everything inside?

[iLLwiLL]

you gotta use this super expensive sealer called "safecoat polyureseal" it has virtually 0 offgassing (opposed to any other sealer) and leaves a nice water tight seal. its around $35 a quart shipped, but i bet you could find it locally in daytona. also, i wouldnt be using mdf. its way more suseptable to moisture damage and rot than plywood.

the comment by thelionsshare is the first bad thing i've heard about melamine. if cost is an issue i would give it a whirl. even if it turns out to be something you dont like you could always sell it to a pet shop.

~Will.

[geckoguy157]

i prefer melimine over plywood and the last issue is not a big deal at all ive had a couple melimine cages for about 10 years now and there is no obvious wear on the wood at all as long as you silicone the edges like you would with an aqaurium you shouldnt have any problems. i find melimne is a nicer look also and by the sounds of it you want a very visualy pleasing tank.