$400 enclosure.

[RandyRhoads]

A local reptile shop has built some good stackable cages, and he's agreed to build me one to house my burm for $400.I'd enjoy building it myself for cheaper but i'm in an apartment, don't own the right tools, and couldn't build it here even if I did, so the price sounds pretty decent to me. I'll probablly buy 3 more after the first when I have more room. I really want neat orderly tanks not mismatched sizes. They are 8' X 2.5'x 18", made of heavy duty furniture wood. My question is after I get it do I need to put some sort of sealer on it, to make it water resistant? If so what should I use?

[Lankyrob]

My vivs came readybuilt and ready sealed, i think they use aquarium silicon based sealant.

[stephanbakir]

Not sure if burms require smaller enclosures then retics, but 8 foot is the minimum enclosure length for a retic, 10 foot by 4 foot is assumed to be appropriate for all but the largest.

That being said 400$ isn't a bad price for the enclosure in question but I would make sure that it has adequate ventilation, proper heating for large snakes (they prefer belly heat over ambient) and if he has an aggressive feeding response, sliding doors so you can sneak the food item in without getting your arm ripped off.

[Coffee Black]

Do you mean sealing the seams or the actual surfaces? Both should be done. 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 :D 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.

[RandyRhoads]

Not sure if burms require smaller enclosures then retics, but 8 foot is the minimum enclosure length for a retic, 10 foot by 4 foot is assumed to be appropriate for all but the largest.

That being said 400$ isn't a bad price for the enclosure in question but I would make sure that it has adequate ventilation, proper heating for large snakes (they prefer belly heat over ambient) and if he has an aggressive feeding response, sliding doors so you can sneak the food item in without getting your arm ripped off.


My burm is just coming up on 8' so I think she'll be fine for a good while. He builds them with good ventilation holes in the back, with a place for a heat lamp. But if they prefer surface temps over ambient i'll just put a heat pad or some flexwat tape in. Feeding response isn't an issue I take out and feed elsewhere anyway. The doors are hinged and open upwards with locks.

As far as sealant I believe it's just raw wood when I get it so whatever needs to be sealed beyond nothing (lol) Tips please, as far as brand names and exactly what I am sealing. (Floor,sides, whole thing?)

[Lankyrob]

Mine are melamine so just the joints are sealed as moisture cant get through the melamine anyways.

[RandyRhoads]

Isn't melamine a type of tile? Would it be more benificial to just put that down on the wood?

I can do that type of work here and trick it out to perfection, and i'd like to. Just needed someone to build the main portion. I'd like to know what the best ways are, specifically for a Burm if possible. Lay melamine and flexwatt, perhaps?

[TeaNinja]

im not sure what melamine actually is, i think its plastic.

[stephanbakir]

My burm is just coming up on 8' so I think she'll be fine for a good while. He builds them with good ventilation holes in the back, with a place for a heat lamp. But if they prefer surface temps over ambient i'll just put a heat pad or some flexwat tape in. Feeding response isn't an issue I take out and feed elsewhere anyway. The doors are hinged and open upwards with locks.

As far as sealant I believe it's just raw wood when I get it so whatever needs to be sealed beyond nothing (lol) Tips please, as far as brand names and exactly what I am sealing. (Floor,sides, whole thing?)

You will find that lamps also tend to bring down humidity and this might seasonally become an issue.

[Lankyrob]

Melamine is compressed would chip with a faux wood/plastic coating on the facings, the edges are still open to the elements so need the sealant to ensure moisture doesnt seep into the compressed chips and force them apart.

[RandyRhoads]

OK. So can anyone give me some direction as weather to put melamine and flexwatt down, and seal, or just seal the wood and use a heat pad?

[stephanbakir]

We used flexwat for pretty much all of our herps.

[RandyRhoads]

Can it attach to the outside of the wood or do I NEED to put it on melamine?

[stephanbakir]

I couldn't answer that and be 100% sure i wouldn't be guiding you towards a fire hazard, ill let someone else get that one.

[Marica]

I have Flexwatt installed in both my melamine and wood enclosures. Not sure how well it would heat the enclosure from the outside.

[RandyRhoads]

I have Flexwatt installed in both my melamine and wood enclosures. Not sure how well it would heat the enclosure from the outside.


Ahh. So it goes inside on the wood then covered by substrate/ melamine?


Edit: read a few care sheets that said 8'X4'x4' Can I use this tank even as an adult if I take her out to get excercise regularly?

[Marica]

The Flexwatt in my enclosures are covered with linoleum glued down around the heat tape and the edges sealed with silicone. Though you could also lay down a sheet of plexi, ceramic tile, etc. on top as I don't think it's recommended to allow your reptile direct access to heat tape, nor do you want it come into contact with water.

[RandyRhoads]

So far it sounds like flexwatt on the inside of the wood covered with melamine or ceramic tile, then sealing with a water based sealant. Tanks ready in 2 weeks guess I should start ordering flexwatt on ebay. What size/length do you think is sufficient for an 8'X2'x12" viv? I assume i'll need a rheostat as well? Any specific trusted brand?