Question about building custom cage for Boa.

[sassamagoo]

My boa is around 1 1/2 years old now and about 4 feet long and as thick as my wrist. He's doing really well, but close to needing a new viv. Both my BF and I are not great "building" types, but can't afford over a grand for the fancy viv's on the web.

Here's the question:
We have seen some high quality rabbit hutches that we think we could make over to a snake viv really easily. We are trying to find out more info about the exact model we are looking at (to make sure its not made of cedar or anything).

Here's a link to a pic of it. CritterWare Outdoor Hutch Catalog (http://www.waremfginc.com/CritterHutchCatalog.aspx)
We would put in a plexiglas front obviously and seal it up, but we want to know if this idea would work. Is there any major reason we are unaware of as to why we couldn't adapt this cage for our growing snake?

[Freebody]

just build one yourself and copy the design, BUT you will need to insolate it to keep it warm in the winter, i am thinking of getting a sav monitor this year and building an out door insolated cage for it, best way to go about this is use ply wood seal it with non toxic varnish of course lots of coats, each wall has to be double sided stuffed with insolation. what i will do is make it so every wall is a square frame made with 2x4" wood and screw the 2 boards on the outside and take regular home insolated which is used with 2x4 and place it in the frame and put the other board on the other outside. so after i do that 6 time with the roof and floor being the same shape and size, ill make the front and the back walls both the same size and shape to sit ontop of the bottom and inbetween the 2 side walls which are also equal size. just attach the roof to the back wall with hinges so the top opens and closes and bobs our uncle easy to build fully insolated outdoor cage make sure to seal the seams with calking as well. you can build a fancy graded roof which is what i will probably, so the water runs off easy but both will work out fine. ill probly just build the roof ontop of said structure, the shape will be a simple rectangle mine will be 4'x4'x8 feet long :) hope that helps and makes as much sence to you as it does pictured in my head lol

[sassamagoo]

We are intending to use this vivarium indoors, sorry for any confusion. We know this is an outdoor cage for rabbits, but it is attractive and well built so we'd just like to know if we can change out the wire for plexiglass and add heat cable/tape and be pretty good to go, other than possibly sealing it better, with a non toxic varnish.

Just want to make sure there isn't some reason why we couldn't do that. We don't have the time, energy or tools to build from scratch easily, so we are looking at this as an alternative.

[Freebody]

i have read that with the use of a good non toxic varnish and use lots and lots of coats to make sure its realy good and sealed you can use any wood you want, if im wrong im sure ill be corrected shortly :P in warmer weather i would not see why you couldnt to be honest as long as like you said you regulate the temp on the inside.

[sassamagoo]

Hey Freebody,

I hope what you said is correct, because it would really simplify my life to be able to just buy that cage and varnish it up good and add plexiglass and heat tape! If no one else chimes in here soon, I'm gonna assume thats ok. I've been trying to search around on the web and I've not seen anything else saying I can't do this. Heck, I've seen pics of people turning coffee tables and gun cases into vivariums, so why not this? Thanks for your response!

[shaunyboy]

We are intending to use this vivarium indoors, sorry for any confusion. We know this is an outdoor cage for rabbits, but it is attractive and well built so we'd just like to know if we can change out the wire for plexiglass and add heat cable/tape and be pretty good to go, other than possibly sealing it better, with a non toxic varnish.

Just want to make sure there isn't some reason why we couldn't do that. We don't have the time, energy or tools to build from scratch easily, so we are looking at this as an alternative.


the only down side i can think of is if its made of pine its bad for most snakes.

its the pine oils and resin that you have to worry about.

do you know what type of wood the hutches are made from

cheers shaun

[Freebody]

ya some woods are bad if they are untreded as far as i know,but i was reading somewhere that the varnish seals the wood right up so technically its nt going to be a problem, this is a question i would like to know more on as well. as far as it goes if i was to build a cage i would use a safe wood to start and seal it up as well. like plywood or malemine has toxic glue used with it which is why you make sure to have all seams syliconed sealed to and the plywood itself sealed not just to protect the wood but to protect your snake from the wood as well. i hope we get some more coments on this so we have a better discusion on the matter. like a canoo is made of wood but with all the lacker on it never sees water ever so its the same princible,the snake will never see that wood. i think theirs another thread on this forum that talked a great deal about wood used to build cages.

[sassamagoo]

Well, I called the company that manufactures the cage and since they are aware that cedar is bad for many types of animals, they told me the wood they use is fir. So no pine or cedar, and as was mentioned, we are planning to use a non toxic finish on it anyways to seal it up tighter to hold its humidity better, so..... should be okay I'm thinking. Sure hope so anyways, cuz my BF went and bought it while I was out of town working this weekend! LOL.

[kenchenzo]

i am currently building a new viv for my boa.
i went to cheap furniture shop & found a used school cuboard which is 5' high 4' wide &
2 1/2' deep. it's made of veneered ply so very strong & i am just converting it it is also the right colour same as normal vivs.

[percey39]

That cage will be fine to convert, but remember most snake cages are just very basic and whats inside them can make them stand out. Im am building a nice big display cage for my scrub at the moment, and the cage itself cost me stuff all compared to if i was to buy one 2m wide x 2m high x 1.4m deep from a shop. The thing thats getting expensive is trying to deck the cage right out, it will cost me around $1200 australian for the ideas i have for the inside. High humidity is easy to do if you use good quality undercoat paint ie water proof will make all the difference for keeping your tank from rotting. Also i have just started painting tanks black instead of your everyday white and it really makes your snakes colours pop even more.

[derekcm87]

How to build 4x2 enclosure for $100 - Redtailboa.net (http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/how-tos-tutorials/28742-how-build-4x2-enclosure-100-a.html)