View Full Version : enclosure questions
So I'll be building my ball python a new enclosure soon, I plan an making it 4.5 feet long, 3 feet deep, and 3 feet tall. I'm not sure what type of wood to use or how to seal it on the inside, so it won't warp or anything. Any types or suggestions would be great! Thanks
Coffee Black
05-09-11, 04:11 PM
Just posted this on Randy's thread ha.
Minwax makes a good water-based wood sealer that I used on the in-progress water dragon enclosure. 3-5 thin coats. Can be re-coated after about 2 hours, I wait at least 3 hours. Costs about $17 a quart here in albany, NY. We let it dry/cure two weeks then shoved bulbs in there and left em on for two weeks. Plan was to have it done by now but life gets in the way I'd definitely let it cure by itself for two weeks and then heat it up to your animal's specs for another two weeks.
dont wanna be rude but it would be much easier to build a 4x2x2
My snake is very active and climbs all over everything from 8pm to 6am everyday, so I want to give him lots of room.
Minwax makes a good water-based wood sealer...
Indeed, you want to look for a water-based product. I found a light sanding before the last coat really helped smooth the surface. Bigger is always nicer, though keep in mind the depth for cleaning - I find even reaching in 2 feet a little taxing. Also, when contemplating height, consider what accessories you can put in to use that height and which of those your snake will actually use. Here's a link (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-enclosure-discussion/84968-diy-wood-cage-build-guide.html) to an enclosure build I did last year. I added a ledge in the enclosure that my snakes use quite frequently, though I doubt they use the branches I have leaned against them.
Thanks! I want to get this started asap, but I want to make sure I'll build the best tank possible thatll last me a long time
fflamingmoe
05-11-11, 01:02 AM
You got mail.:crazy:
The Reptile Man
-Chris D
Millinex
05-11-11, 04:34 PM
I use simple latex based paints when I want to seal something.
-Mike
Aaron_S
05-11-11, 04:38 PM
Remember to measure how big your doors are for when moving this from room to room. 3 feet might be pushing the limit.
Millinex
05-11-11, 04:41 PM
Good point Aaron, I can't get my 7x4x4 out of my bedroom without completely tearing it apart.
-Mike
We are going to use the glass from his fish tank for the doors if possible. What kind of wood is the best? For durability, safety, etc
Alright, so now after looking at the costs of everything, I'm debating if I should pick up a big old dresser and turning that into my snake's enclosure. My question is: how do I make sure its made of a safe wood? There's some that are hazardous to snakes isn't there?
I plan on using the glass from my snake's current fish tank for the front if possible.
stephanbakir
05-26-11, 03:54 PM
Some woods are bad, some paints are bad, some paints give off crap when they heat up, same with some sealants. I'd be careful. Its not impossible though
Yeah I figured. And there's no way to really know what kind of wood it is... I just don't have the money to spend on building a new enclosure, but if I used a dresser it would be do-able.
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 08:13 PM
I used an old Oak bunk bed and Douglas Fur plywood, some Lexan from an old stock car I built and some PVC for climbing branch. I then put in a potted plant and some silk ferns and silk grass to replicate a savannah. I used a 28qt sterilite tub for water and slate rocks that are glued together to create a water feature with a waterfall kit. I can do a complete write up for you with cost if you'd like. It's 54"longx18"deepx36"tall
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/paulholcomb/Snake026.jpg
stephanbakir
05-27-11, 08:21 PM
Man that looks good!
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 08:23 PM
Man that looks good!
I've since added a shelf and painted the pvc today.....I'll post more pics later
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 08:36 PM
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/paulholcomb/Snake032.jpg
stephanbakir
05-27-11, 08:45 PM
All its missing are some lady friends for your BP
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 08:46 PM
she's inside the rock with him!!
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 08:51 PM
I got the female 3 weeks ago and then picked up her old tankmate, the male, last week......I rescued them from a local reptile rescue where the previous owner didn't know they needed humidity and hadn't fed the male in over a year. The female is between 2/3 years of age and 3 feet long......the male is almost 4 feet long but severely underweight, I don't know his age. The male has an almost reduced pattern lacking the dark spots within most of the brown/grey markings and little to no yellow.......the female has a lot of yellow but not showing the typical yellowbelly triangle markings and she doesn't have a clear belly. I don't know what they are so they're just "Normals" to me!
stephanbakir
05-27-11, 08:52 PM
No wai! NormalXNormal or? Either way when they pip its amazing, even more amazing when its thought to be NormalXNormal but they are both hets! Good luck!
stephanbakir
05-27-11, 08:53 PM
I got the female 3 weeks ago and then picked up her old tankmate, the male, last week......I rescued them from a local reptile rescue where the previous owner didn't know they needed humidity and hadn't fed the male in over a year. The female is between 2/3 years of age and 3 feet long......the male is almost 4 feet long but severely underweight, I don't know his age. The male has an almost reduced pattern lacking the dark spots within most of the brown/grey markings and little to no yellow.......the female has a lot of yellow but not showing the typical yellowbelly triangle markings and she doesn't have a clear belly. I don't know what they are so they're just "Normals" to me!
They could be visible hets, Pics please?
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 09:04 PM
give me a few minutes and I'll take some
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 09:20 PM
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/paulholcomb/Snake029.jpg
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/paulholcomb/Snake033.jpg
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/paulholcomb/Snake034.jpg
Wow that is a nice enclosure!! I want to build something like that, I just gotta find an old dresser made out of wood that's safe... But how the heck do I know what kind of wood its made of!
Very nice pair you got there, sir
stephanbakir
05-27-11, 09:35 PM
The big one in blue looks almost like a spider,but my understanding is that spider is a dominant geen and you cannot get hets so I'll leave that to one of our BP gods that lurk the forums. second one looks like a pretty normal.
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 09:42 PM
the big one, my male, just shed 2 weeks ago.......the little female shed last week
Dehlida
05-27-11, 09:56 PM
Hey Paul,
Both are normal however the male I'm starting to think more and more was an import that is sold and looks pretty normal- however may carry some sort of reduced pattern gene, it's unsure and would take a lot of breeding. Female never really looked yellow-belly to us, and she doesn't have the green eyes of a pastel. We think she's also just a very pretty normal who could end up throwing some nice babies later down the line- but her genetics are up in the air as well.
A lot of normals carry all sorts of genes in them somewhere- breed enough "normals" to eachother and who knows what can pop out- as shown with these guys.
-Glad to see that male is eating well, how many rats is that 4 now? LOL nice job!
stephanbakir
05-27-11, 09:56 PM
Is he due for another shed or is it just lighting? he looks like hes in blue.
Dehlida
05-27-11, 09:59 PM
Is he due for another shed or is it just lighting? he looks like hes in blue.
The color is actually normal looking in person as the photo is. He shed a couple weeks ago while in my care before I Paul got him.
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 10:05 PM
Is he due for another shed or is it just lighting? he looks like hes in blue.
this is his normal coloring.....which to me is really cool:)
stephanbakir
05-27-11, 10:27 PM
It is cool!
paulholcomb
05-27-11, 10:52 PM
Wow that is a nice enclosure!! I want to build something like that, I just gotta find an old dresser made out of wood that's safe... But how the heck do I know what kind of wood its made of!
Oak furniture is perfect. It's usually really heavy though......it has less eyes/swirls and is usually darker in color.
It's pine that is bad for our snakes, but only the fresh cut chips/bark that is covered in the natural oils found in pine. Pine furniture has usually been kiln dried before it's made and the oils have long since dried and don't pose the threat like pine mulch does.
How do I know if its oak??
Ooook, hmmm I hope I can find a nice solid oak dresser that is big enough for my crazy-active, branch conquoring royal!!
paulholcomb
05-28-11, 09:49 AM
Oak is a much heavier and a stronger wood. If you find a piece you're interested in, look underneath it and see if you can easily scratch the wood or make a dimple into it. Pine will easily make a dent with a key or coin as it's much softer! Also look for the knots/eyes in the wood.......if it has a lot throughout the board it's a sign that it could be pine. Pine is not usually used in fine furniture because it is not as pretty so your chances of finding something heavy that looks good and smooth is probably oak over pine. Check the top surface as well because pine will be scratched more often than Oak will be!
paulholcomb
05-28-11, 09:52 AM
if you look at the top board on the outside of my enclosure, that is pine..........it's very scratched up, has some big knots that aren't smooth, and is a very light board. It was used in the bunkbed as an extra side board for the top bed. I used it on the top of my enclosure so that my snakes wouldn't have direct exposture to it.
citysnakes
05-28-11, 10:13 AM
I got the female 3 weeks ago and then picked up her old tankmate, the male, last week......I rescued them from a local reptile rescue where the previous owner didn't know they needed humidity and hadn't fed the male in over a year.
now that you have rescued these animals you need to house them properly. the enclosure they are in now has a decent floor area for a single adult ball python. the height really doesnt matter much and only makes heating and humidity more complicated. if you can get it to work out thats cool but the enclosure is only good for one animal.
ball pythons are solitary animals and the male most likely hasnt eaten due to inappropriate social housing and other mentioned and non-mentioned husbandry errors on the previous owners part.
correct the husbandry issues and these animals will do great in your care.
good luck.
paulholcomb
05-28-11, 11:46 AM
now that you have rescued these animals you need to house them properly. the enclosure they are in now has a decent floor area for a single adult ball python. the height really doesnt matter much and only makes heating and humidity more complicated. if you can get it to work out thats cool but the enclosure is only good for one animal.
ball pythons are solitary animals and the male most likely hasnt eaten due to inappropriate social housing and other mentioned and non-mentioned husbandry errors on the previous owners part.
correct the husbandry issues and these animals will do great in your care.
good luck.
Thank you for the advice even though I didn't ask for it. My humidity level is a constant 60% and my temps are 76 on the cool end and 85 on the warm end with a basking spot of 88! Thanks for questioning my husbandry and trying to tell me that I'm doing something wrong. However, I know that I need to house my snakes separately and am currently working on building another enclosure. Thanks again for your concerns...but I think we're doing just fine!
paulholcomb
05-28-11, 12:11 PM
I may not have all the answers about BPs but I have done some extensive research as of late about them and I have read numerous times that wild specimens have been found with numerous snakes in the same burrows. I reallize that they are solitary animals for the most part but they do house together in nature!
I am a new person in this forum and I accept that I will be treated as a new person for some time.......please be careful that you aren't too quick to judge new people as they aren't always ignorant to what they're doing.
I wish to extend my apologies to the original poster in this thread for being caught up in jacking this thread and that it's gotten off topic about me. I'm sorry.....
citysnakes
05-28-11, 01:16 PM
I may not have all the answers about BPs but I have done some extensive research as of late about them and I have read numerous times that wild specimens have been found with numerous snakes in the same burrows. I reallize that they are solitary animals for the most part but they do house together in nature!
the wild is one thing, captivity is another. when wild, solitary animals are found together they are more likely competing than searching for companionship. in the wild they can fight or flee, in captivity inappropriate social housing elicits a constant stress response that cannot be escaped from and over time will negatively affect one or both animals.
captive animals are limited to the environment that is provided to them so you may have text book temps and humidity but there is more to consider than just that. a suppressed immune system caused by the constant stress of inappropriate social housing is just as bad as improper temperatures for example, so its definitely something to consider.
by the way, i know you didnt ask but 76F cool end is to cool of an end...
that being said, i never judged you as i never judge anyone. you dont know me, yet i was judged as a judger by you... i simply offered advice to a person who, as was stated by yourself, is a noob.
glad youre doing your research.
keep it up. ;)
Ok thanks, now I have a good idea of what to look for :D
mrherpdotca
05-29-11, 06:04 PM
There is a product that the box stores sell called FRP panels. (Fiberglass reinforced plastic) They are used all the time in commercial washrooms and kitchens. They are non porous and very hygenic/east to clean.
I used that product to line the inside of my cages. I used cheap plywood (exterior grade fir) to build the box then lined the inside with FRP.
Ask the lumber guys at home depot and you will see what I mean.
cheers,
Chris
"I may not have all the answers about BPs but I have done some extensive research as of late about them and I have read numerous times that wild specimens have been found with numerous snakes in the same burrows. I reallize that they are solitary animals for the most part but they do house together in nature!
I am a new person in this forum and I accept that I will be treated as a new person for some time.......please be careful that you aren't too quick to judge new people as they aren't always ignorant to what they're doing.
I wish to extend my apologies to the original poster in this thread for being caught up in jacking this thread and that it's gotten off topic about me. I'm sorry..... "
"Extensive research" That makes me laugh out loud.
If you are keeping more than one ball python in an enclosure without the intent to breed them, then you Sir, have a LOT to learn.
As long as your husbandry is sub-par (like yours glaringly is) members here will continue to offer you advice, even though "you didn't ask for it". (what an arrogant comment by the way)...
I personally don't care for your feelings much, I'm far more concerned about you having "rescued" (this term is being used VERY loosely at this point) and providing husbandry that may be worse than where they came from prior.
I understand you read a lot ("extensively" to quote you), but I'll touch on some of your husbandry issues that I can see right off the bat:
1. 76 cool end is too cold.
2. 85 warm end is too cold.
3. Don't house multiple ball pythons together.
4. Your temperature/hygrometer guage is not only cheap and useless, but it's location in your (too large) enclosure is incorrect.
5. As Julian already pointed out, the height of your enclosure will make it very difficult to maintain proper temps (as is already obvious).
6. The grating you attached to the air vents will injure your animals.
7. Most saddening though is that your attitude when hearing constructive criticism SUCKS it hardcore. Only your snakes will suffer with such a snot-rag attitude.
Let's be clear, when someone like Julian offers you advice, you LISTEN. Julian has probably forgotten more about ball pythons in the last week than you know from all your "extensive research" so shut your mouth, open your ears and when people are trying to help you you nod and say thank you.
paulholcomb
06-02-11, 12:21 PM
:yes:Thank You!
I built a custom enclosure, there so much fun. :) wish i could make it a living.
only thing id suggest is seriously rethinking about the size.
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/9932/sam0394.jpg
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/2522/sam0393a.jpg
I just got this tank, going to build a lid and stand and mountains.
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/8634/sam0389g.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/enclosure-reptile-room-showcase/86010-new-member-ball-python-enclosure-photos.html
stephanbakir
06-02-11, 01:47 PM
Nice, sounds like a fun project
Wow, that's incredible! I want!! I hope my boyfriend and I can build something decent, Sneezy is in my living room, so it would be awesome to have something so nice to look at like that! I'd buy one from you!
where are you located, i might sell that one i have now in a couple of weeks once i get the other one up and running.
I live near winkler, manitoba.
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