Is this enclosure to small? - Page 2

Terranaut · 02-12-14, 06:57 AM

Us "assholes" seem to care more about your snake than you. What does a long drive have to do with improper care? Is that box pine? Did you look into the needs of a burm before buying one? Are you measuring any temps or humidity? We have seen to many people start like this and then ask " help bad shed" , " help my snake has bubbles in his mouth" ect. So seriously now.....who is the real "*******" ?
Snakes are alive and have needs, not possessions. They get sick and die when people are not willing to learn before they get them. Your big box there is not what your snake needs. Fixable but currently not good at all. You chose to put the cart before the horse so accepting a call out on it would have been the thing to do. Not getting pissy when you have failed to provide proper husbandry. Not us

katera94 · 02-12-14, 07:22 AM

A post like yours exactly what I was talking about. you seem to know how to make my tank better, but yet for some reason you didn't mention one way to do so. and you also completely skipped over another partof my story. I never once said it was a good idea to start out like I did. but currently the snake is in a much better state Than when I got it. when I got her she was extremely cold and stuffed in a box that was literally about 4 inches bigger than she was and As dirty as can be. SOOOOO, in conclusion I realize as I had stated many times already that this is not the best way to go about doing it, but it seems like you're more concerned with proving somebody wrong then helping me fix it. your entire post was almost completely unhelpful the only thing I got out of it as I need to look up about having a burm in Pine. and I again never mentioned anything about a long drive being good for the snake. but you somehow seemed to find a way to tell me I was wrong about that.

Terranaut · 02-12-14, 08:41 AM

Actually you missed the point. The point is to find out what you need before bringing the snake home. Pine and cedar are toxic to reptiles. This is basic herp knowledge. You took on this animal without any idea what or how to take care of it. Want help? Read this....
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/giant...ere-first.html

Want help with the enclosure?
Add a window, thermostat, heat source, light, a water bowl and yeah, build it out of something else or seal it with a marine varnish. You speak as if you rescued this snake but is it better off?
I get mad when I read about people who can't even take the time to google about snakes before getting one. Do you even know how big and powerful that snake might become? That species demands respect and proper care or it may become a nightmare. Had you have asked for more info or even read the link above before getting you may have reconsidered a burm. I assume from your enclosure build and initial question you have not kept snakes before. Keeping a giant as a fist snake is like letting a first time driver hop into a formula one car. An accident waiting to happen. Be careful , the previous owner may have cooled the snake so it seemed docile while you were there but when warm it may be a handful. I hope it isn't. That snake in a bad mood can kill a person. Be aware.

Mikoh4792 · 02-12-14, 08:47 AM

It wasn't about being mean katera, we just see things like this happen so often that it becomes redundant to just focus on the care of the animal. Sometimes the owner needs to be told off as well. I know you admitted to being irresponsible but still... lol

I recommend getting a T stat, radiant heat panel/heat mat depending on the ambient temps of your home, a big water bowl and some hides.... even a branch/log to climb on if possible.

Some people have recommended sealing the enclosure but I don't know how long it would last with that kind of material. I'd either start building a sturdier one or buy a large plastic enclosure.

Terranaut · 02-12-14, 08:59 AM

Not to mention all of the information the search button provides.
Lets try this...
Do you know what/how to feed it?
Do you know the sex? (Females get considerably larger than males)
Do you know what the environment should be for that species?
Is it legal where you live?
Do you know how to handle a 100lb snake?
These questions should have been looked into before buying.
Also that snake is strong enough to break apart a flimsy enclosure so be sure it's built strong enough you couldn't break it from the inside.

Pirarucu · 02-12-14, 09:33 AM

Guys, give the guy a break. He took the snake from a terrible environment and is clearly committed to giving it a better one. Instead of insulting his intelligence, why not offer some advice?
My advice is as follows: Buy an enclosure or make one, but some modifications to the one you have will make it workable as a temporary enclosure. First, cut a hole in the top on one side and cover it in mesh. Use a bank of heat lights (low watt outdoor flood bulbs) to provide a basking area. This is a lot quicker and cheaper than setting up a thermostat and a heat panel/heat tape, and will work just as well. The only downside is that you will be losing some humidity with the screen, so I would advise switching to soil or cypress mulch as a substrate to help keep humidity up.
Then you also of course need the water bowl, logs, etc.

katera94 · 02-12-14, 10:09 AM

a lot of the stuff you mentioned I was already planning on I put it in my other thread that I started last night. Thanks for the link terranaut, I did not see that before doing any of my posting. I know it needs a water source heat source substrate hiding area and gauges. I'm working on that today I just finished the enclosure last night about midnight. that's when I took the pictures I did just enough to get it in the box to get out of that tiny tote that it's been living in. she's been plenty warm since I've had her and I've given her a bath every night, she seems to be extremely well tempered.

Terranaut · 02-12-14, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Guys, give the guy a break. He took the snake from a terrible environment and is clearly committed to giving it a better one. Instead of insulting his intelligence, why not offer some advice?
My advice is as follows: Buy an enclosure or make one, but some modifications to the one you have will make it workable as a temporary enclosure. First, cut a hole in the top on one side and cover it in mesh. Use a bank of heat lights (low watt outdoor flood bulbs) to provide a basking area. This is a lot quicker and cheaper than setting up a thermostat and a heat panel/heat tape, and will work just as well. The only downside is that you will be losing some humidity with the screen, so I would advise switching to soil or cypress mulch as a substrate to help keep humidity up.
Then you also of course need the water bowl, logs, etc.

Did you honestly just tell this guy to
a) keep it in pine for now
b) spend money on heat lamps
c) cut a screen mesh area and create a convection dehydrator
OMG!!!! You call that advice?
Dear god don't do any of this. Horrible advice.
I am working but do a search on screen tops and convection. Lights are not a good choice for heat.
Here is a question....what is your budget for an enclosure that you can spend this week? Post that and better than the above suggestions will follow.

Pirarucu · 02-12-14, 11:05 AM

Where did I say keep it in pine?
Please elaborate on why heat lamps are terrible by dint of being lamps? Radiant heat is certainly a much more accurate simulation of nature.
I do not at all mean to cut a large screen area on the top of the cage. I am saying large enough to fit the lamps and no bigger. I also gave a recommendation to counter the loss of humidity. I am fully aware of what happens with screen tops and heat lamps, but that does not mean they are 100% terrible all the time. It is fully possible to use heat lamps and still achieve a suitable humidity level.

Edit: You seem to be assuming that its current cage is pine. It is OSB, so it may or may not be made of pine. The thing is, that doesn't matter at this point. The Phenols contained in pine are no longer dangerous, as the wood has been kiln dried before being used to make OSB.

Sublimeballs · 02-12-14, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katera94

a lot of the stuff you mentioned I was already planning on I put it in my other thread that I started last night. Thanks for the link terranaut, I did not see that before doing any of my posting. I know it needs a water source heat source substrate hiding area and gauges. I'm working on that today I just finished the enclosure last night about midnight. that's when I took the pictures I did just enough to get it in the box to get out of that tiny tote that it's been living in. she's been plenty warm since I've had her and I've given her a bath every night, she seems to be extremely well tempered.

What have you been using to keep her(assuming female) warm with? You don't need to give her baths, you're just causing unneeded stress.

Terranaut · 02-12-14, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Where did I say keep it in pine?
Please elaborate on why heat lamps are terrible by dint of being lamps? Radiant heat is certainly a much more accurate simulation of nature.
I do not at all mean to cut a large screen area on the top of the cage. I am saying large enough to fit the lamps and no bigger. I also gave a recommendation to counter the loss of humidity. I am fully aware of what happens with screen tops and heat lamps, but that does not mean they are 100% terrible all the time. It is fully possible to use heat lamps and still achieve a suitable humidity level.

Edit: You seem to be assuming that its current cage is pine. It is OSB, so it may or may not be made of pine. The thing is, that doesn't matter at this point. The Phenols contained in pine are no longer dangerous, as the wood has been kiln dried before being used to make OSB.

Seriously? You said to keep it in the current enclosure. Osb is kiln dried after it is put together and not all of the phenols are gone. Thats why most osb has a slight to moderate pine scent. They also use zinc borate in most osb to control boring insects.
Radiant heat is not an issue but bulky heat lamps and the holes needed to install them cause huge losses in humidity. As the heat source in right in the center of the convection currents.

Back to my question. How much can the OP spend right now to resolve these issues?

LiL Zap · 02-12-14, 01:12 PM

You will learn quick that people on this forum will bash and insult you before giving out advice. Good luck with your burm. I'm sure you'll give him a great home. I would give out advice but I have not owned a giant before.

**Aaron_S** · 02-12-14, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiL Zap

You will learn quick that people on this forum will bash and insult you before giving out advice. Good luck with your burm. I'm sure you'll give him a great home. I would give out advice but I have not owned a giant before.

If you want to use the forum I suggest you not slam all it's members because you have a disagreement with one or some of them.

It's an open forum for discussion and sometimes that includes differing opinions and thoughts.

Donnie · 02-12-14, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiL Zap

You will learn quick that people on this forum will bash and insult you before giving out advice. Good luck with your burm. I'm sure you'll give him a great home. I would give out advice but I have not owned a giant before.

It's not just this forum it happens everywhere, welcome to the internet

A lot of the advice may not be sugar coated on here but most of the time it will be sound advice and if it is not then somebody (quite rightly) will pull them on it to stop others reading it and thinking it is correct. An animals well being is always put first on here, some people have different ways of getting it across and it is always difficult to interpret the way things are written so sometimes it is mistakenly taken the wrong way and sometimes it needs to be harsh to drive the severity of the issue home.

Pirarucu · 02-12-14, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terranaut

Seriously? You said to keep it in the current enclosure. Osb is kiln dried after it is put together and not all of the phenols are gone. Thats why most osb has a slight to moderate pine scent. They also use zinc borate in most osb to control boring insects.
Radiant heat is not an issue but bulky heat lamps and the holes needed to install them cause huge losses in humidity. As the heat source in right in the center of the convection currents.

Back to my question. How much can the OP spend right now to resolve these issues?

It is kiln dried before and after it is put together, if I remember right. Zinc borate is in OSB, but is only irritating when the dust is inhaled in large doses. Not something that is going to happen with a cage of OSB. How bulky are you imagining heat lamps to be? You could use a 6" diameter hole if you don't put a massive dome on the bulb, so at most you would have an 18x6" hole on top of an 8 by 4 foot cage. That is a bit over 2% of the surface area on top of that cage. Having cypress or soil substrate will easily replenish humidity as it is lost, the only difference is that the substrate would have to be sprayed slightly more often. Do that, and you will achieve the same humidity.
I am in no way saying that such a solution is a good long term fix. I am saying it is workable until a suitable cage can be finished. Nor am I advising using OSB for the next cage. I am however not advising to build another temporary cage because the one he has could potentially be harmful in the long run, and to instead spend his time and money on the final cage. I would rather see the OP focus more on getting the final cage finished and moving the burm in than see him waste time and money on a temporary enclosure to prevent it from losing humidity a little bit faster than it would otherwise.

In other words, OP, please spend the bulk of your time and money finishing a cage that will be suitable rather than trying to fine tune or even replace this temporary cage. Especially if money is tight.