Building another 1, thought I would share

[Gungirl]

So I know a few people have asked me how My hubby and I build our vivs. I forgot to take pictures while starting this one but I think you will be able to figure it out.

We build all of ours out of a high quality ply wood. I use a 2 part epoxy coat on the floor of the viv and seal the rest with 3 coats of a Whey based sealant.

I have flexwatt on the hot side on top of the epoxy but under a sheet of plexi to keep the water or fecal matter off of it. I use a Radiant heat panel in the center of the viv to keep the temps right on in the cold winter months.

Hope you enjoy the pictures... The viv in progress is going to be for my corn snake Ivan and the finished one is My BP spots home.
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0147.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0145.jpg

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0148-1.jpg

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0149-1.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0150.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0152.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0155.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0157.jpg

[DeesBalls]

Very Nice!!! I am going to be building 3 cages soon and i need to know what im doing, your enclosure looks great!!

does your front go all the way down?

i was thinking of doing my front like that, but not sure what im doing.... I.e folding down, slidding open, opening 2 doors... lol

very nice

[blindfireak40]

i was thinking of doing my front like that, but not sure what im doing.... I.e folding down, slidding open, opening 2 doors... lol

very nice


Just remember, if you do sliding, there's always the chance that a gap will exist between the two panes, which could allow escape. If I were in your shoes, I'd go with the top-latching, 1-piece door at the front. K.I.S.S. principle and all that :)


And Kat, AMAZING work!! I wanna build vivs just like that when I grow up hahaha :)...mind giving us an approximate price for materials?

[Gungirl]

My door folds open leaving about 1.5" of wood in place to hold in the aspen/cypress bedding. I just used a piano hing and a wood frame with plexi glass and 2 locks at the top. My hubby had to place a piece of wood on the top inside of the door hooked to the frame to keep the door from folding in though. We might also place a piece on both sides of the door to make sure the snakes can not push it out at all.
As far as price goes we bought all the wood for about $100 2 pieces of plexi was $30ish We got the thicker stuff for the door. The plexi on top of the flex watt is the thin stuff that was $20. The hinge and locks where $30 and the epoxy was $50. This will make the 2 vivs plus a base cabinet of equal size to the vivs. So if I can add right we are right about $230 give or take a few dollars.

[youngster]

Yeah, for my build I was going to do 2 doors that open but I think now I want to do 1 latched door.

[Gungirl]

Kat, AMAZING work!! I wanna build vivs just like that when I grow up hahaha :)


Thanks for the kind words!! :D

Youngster I did one solid door for 3 reasons: first off It gives you a clear unobstructed view of your snakes, It is easier to make and I feel that its easier to make more secure. Good luck on your build!

[lady_bug87]

awesome looking viv

I think when we buy a house I am going to build vivs like that for the snakes and use the glass vivs for lizards the only one I may keep in the all glass viv is the GTP

but awesome!!

[Gungirl]

Thanks Lady bug

As soon as we are done with the one for Ivan we are building one for my GTP. It will be 24"deep x 36" wide and 36" tall. Instead of putting whey sealant on the inside I will 2 part epoxy 3 sides and seal the wood on the door with it also. I will post pics of that in this thread as soon as we get building it.

Oh and the size of the vivs we built above are 4'L x 18"d x 2'w

[marvelfreak]

Very nice job.

[ladyjustice33]

Kat....those are gorgeous!!! You should be building those and selling them! I would buy it for sure!!!

[Gungirl]

Kat....those are gorgeous!!! You should be building those and selling them! I would buy it for sure!!!

Wow thanks a lot!! If you where closer I would have hubby help me build you one! :yes:

[millertime89]

Those look great, gives me a lot of ideas. I notice you have vents in the back, what do you do about the scent? I have friends comment about it sometimes when they come over.

[shaunyboy]

very proffesional finish to your tanks,i wish i had a talent like that

it would save me a lot of money,if i could build that good

great work you did there

cheers shaun

[millertime89]

what kind of plywood did you use? like what species tree did it come from?

[Gungirl]

Those look great, gives me a lot of ideas. I notice you have vents in the back, what do you do about the scent? I have friends comment about it sometimes when they come over.

I don't think I know what you mean... My snakes viv's don't smell at all. The vents are there so that my snakes get fresh air.

As far as the wood its Oak and I seal it 110% with a cheese whey based Poly

[millertime89]

my friends comment on a "smell" that reminds them of going to the zoo. I tell them its just the humidity. I can't smell it so I just go off of what they say.

[Lankyrob]

Humid snake cages do have a "smell" to them - my parents notice it when they visit but i dont unless i stick my whole head into a viv for some reason.

[Gungirl]

Hrmm.. no one has ever mentioned it to me. I use the vents in the back for the fresh air flow. I wouldn't want to give them any less airflow no matter the smell though. Might be worth a shot putting a non scented odor absorbing container near the viv's that have a higher moisture content. I use those in my basement laundry room that can smell musty sometimes. I think other wise I would tell my friends to deal with it seeing as the snakes live here and they dont..lol

[millertime89]

that's usually what I tell them.

[Lankyrob]

Me too! :):):)

[ZARADOZIA]

my friends comment on a "smell" that reminds them of going to the zoo...


I placed two large porthos in Sasha's cage and it got rid of the smell. Maybe try that if you can. The air exchange is great and it helps keep the humidity levels just right.

[millertime89]

what are porthos?

[Gungirl]

Isn't Portho a character in the The Three Musketeers? lol

[ZARADOZIA]

Isn't Portho a character in the The Three Musketeers? lol
lol


what are porthos?
Spelling error, Pothos. It's a house plant. And it can get HUGE.


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Fi_1cit-Q50/SffxtJx8drI/AAAAAAAAATI/nO2rMSFQmw0/s1600/pothos2.jpg

http://www.guzmansgreenhouse.com/pothosplant.jpg

[Gungirl]

Ahh now that makes more sense. I could never have live plants in my snakes viv. I can NOT keep plants alive in a pot on the window sill, I know damn well I will kill it with the help of a snake very fast..lol

[millertime89]

gotcha, that's not a bad idea then.

[ZARADOZIA]

Ahh now that makes more sense. I could never have live plants in my snakes viv. I can NOT keep plants alive in a pot on the window sill, I know damn well I will kill it with the help of a snake very fast..lol

omg Don't I know it! I kill plants like it's going out of style. NO JOKE.

BUT one of the GREAT things about the pothos is that when the humidity levels get low, that's when I know I need to water it. I also have one ceramic bulb for heat and UV bulb to feed the pothos. Works like a charm! I have the pothos on the side with the UV bulb and keep it away from the ceramic. My viv is 3ft long, 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide.

I have to water it about once every week and a half to two weeks. That's how long it takes for the humidity levels to drop from 60% to 30%.

Trick with not killing a pothos, buy one that is already mature, costs bout 20.00. I bought 2 and it was a damn good investment. That way it is already strong enough to survive snake slithering and serves the purpose of fresh air and keeping humidity levels in check.

[Gungirl]

So the Pothos is completely safe for snakes? I might look into that..hell even if I kill it after a while its worth a shot. I would LOVE to have a real plant in my vivs....

[ZARADOZIA]

So the Pothos is completely safe for snakes? I might look into that..hell even if I kill it after a while its worth a shot. I would LOVE to have a real plant in my vivs....

Yes, it is completely safe as long as the snake doesn't eat it. That is the only way it can make your snake sick. Same for all household animals, it is safe as long as it is not ingested.

[dawnhorn]

I think pothos is the only houseplant I couldn't kill! I was always forgetting to water it and it would start looking sick and wilty! I'd water it and 2 days later it looked fabulous again!

[DeesBalls]

Gungirl... could you take more pics on how you got your front on? i want to have my front folding down(like yours) and was wondering how you went about doing it?

[Gungirl]

I will take pics as soon as I get home today.. Its really easy and a life saver when its time to clean the viv.

I used a piano hinge to hold the door on... it looks like this
1-1/2 x 48 in. Continuous Hinge Bright Brass Finish-15371 at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202034048/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)

[Gungirl]

Ok So here are some of the pics...
If you look at the bottom of the viv about 2" up you can see the back of the hinge
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0184.jpg
here is the inside of the door where the hinge attaches the 2 pieces
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0186.jpg
And here is another view..
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0187.jpg
To secure it at the top I have a lock on each side.. These will be upgraded soon. I feel as if they are to small for when Spot gets bigger..inbetween the 2 locks I have a piece of wood on the backside so that the door will shut flush but can not be pushed in to far..
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0188.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0189.jpg

I hope this helps!

[DeesBalls]

This did help alot, i will use what i did with my beardie for now, but for the snakes i will be using this... thank sooooo much!!!

where do you get that big piece of glass?

[Gungirl]

Your welcome Im glad I could help! :blink:

[millertime89]

what is Spot?
be careful of that water bowl, I had one and found the bottom likes to collapse on itself, and the replacement at the store did the same.

[Gungirl]

what is Spot?
be careful of that water bowl, I had one and found the bottom likes to collapse on itself, and the replacement at the store did the same.


Spot is my ball python.

I saw your thread about the bowls a while back and checked mine. The bottom of the water bowl is about 3/4" thick and solid. Thanks for the heads up though.

[millertime89]

good deal, I was quite disappointed, I liked that bowl.

[mattchibi]

Hey Kat,
Im just in the process of mounting/setting up my pvc enclosure. I have the pro-products RHP attached to the top, but after the whole installation process, I am skeptical at how I will be doing my full cleanings, every two months.

Is the RHP water proof? If I install those white rubber stoppers (where the screws go in to fasten the RHP), then it would mean the RHP is staying there permanently. Do you use a spray bottle with a cleaning solution and just spray all the parts of the tank that need cleaning then rub it down? How would you rinse it out without touching the RHP with water? Thanks :) I'll post some pics up soon

[Gungirl]

I do a complete wipe out every 6 months. I just take some bleach and water on a rag and lightly wipe out the entire viv. I make sure all heat sources are off and cool before I start. After I am done I wipe it all out with just water on a cloth. I then let it air dry for a few hours and turn back on all heat. Then allow another few hours and check to see if I can smell any bleach. If I can I wipe it all out again. Other wise It is done and my snake goes back home once it reaches perfect temps.

[Gungirl]

So Me and the hubby have been slacking off on getting the second viv finished. We are trying to sell our house and Travis is working over time right now. We( well he ) did get some more done. We changed this one a little from the other one. We opted to do no flexwatt and go just with the RHP and also did a double door instead of a single. We also added in some rope lights just cause.
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0310.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0311.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0312.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0313.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0314.jpg

[millertime89]

I really love the way your vivs look, I'm debating if I want to do PVC plastic or wood when I start building them.

[Gungirl]

Ok so in a few I will be putting up some more pics.. Our 3rd viv is getting started. We are doing this one for our GTP it's his larger permanent home. I am getting him out of quarantine right before x-mas so I started bugging the hubby for a new viv. We don't have much spare time to work on it at all but I am hopeful that next weekend we can have it finished. It is 3ft tall x 3ft wide x 2ft deep. It is going to have 2 doors on the front one door will be the top 2/3 of the enclosure the other will be a smaller door just at the bottom 1/3, so that for water changes and basic spot cleaning I won't have to bother Blitz ( he is cranky as all hell...lol) Cant wait for it to be done then we only have 1 more to build!

[Gungirl]

Ok so this is just the basic box.. Boring pics.. lol more to come later on..
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0362.jpg
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0361-1.jpg

[shaunyboy]

quite the production line you got going on there mate :bouncy:

all looking good

cheers shaun

[Gungirl]

Ok so now that it is nice out we finally have been able to get more work done on the viv for my GTP. I sanded and stained it today along with put the epoxy coating on the floor of it. I am hopeful to poly it all tomorrow and then in 2 weeks I will be able to put Blitz in it! Here are a few pics my hubby took with his phone.

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/photo1.jpg

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/photo2.jpg

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/photo.jpg

[Gungirl]

Finished putting stain on the door frames today. As well as put a coat of poly all over the inside and outside of it. I want to put 2 more coats of poly on the inside and 1 more on the outside. After that I am going to let it air out for 2 weeks then I will have it up and running. I can not wait to see it all done up with vines and stuff.

I think I am going to love having the split door. I figured I could do water changes and clean out the base with out messing with Blitz that he would be happier. Then the upper door for feeding and changing stuff around as needed.

[Swany]

Can't wait to see it when it's done ;-)

[jarich]

The craftsmanship looks really amazing, cant wait to see the finished enclosure!

[Swany]

Craftwomanship ;-)

[Gungirl]

The craftsmanship looks really amazing, cant wait to see the finished enclosure!

Thanks Jarich!


Craftwomanship ;-)

Haha yeah.. :p

[Cam]

Is it just me or have all the photos been removed from photobucket? I don't see any of them.

[Gungirl]

Ugh My photo bucket got shifted around. I didn't do it and I don't know who did. I can fix all my pics if Wayne can help me. I still have them all just in different places now.. grrrr!!!!

Sorry I didn't know about it until now!

[Cam]

Son of a!!

It's okay, I just wanted to see what all the drooly fuss was about! :)

[Gungirl]

Here is the link to my photobucket account.. All the pics can be seen there. Vivs pictures by KAMacie - Photobucket (http://s1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/Vivs/)

[Cam]

Thanks for re-posting. They are very nice! Gives me ideas :)

[Gungirl]

Glad I could help.. feel free to ask me any questions you have.