New Carpet Cross Enclosure

TexasAggie04 · 08-24-04, 02:36 PM

I built this enclosure in a hurry over a few days during finals, so it could have been better. I had to get it done because he was coming in the mail, and the polyurethane had to have enough time to dry and air out so I wouldn’t gas my new snake. I also had to study a LOT, but it came out alright for my first effort.

This is for my new Jungle x Coastal Carpet Python. He is about 5.5' long, eating a large F/T rat every other week. The enclosure itself is 4x2x3'.

The sides and top are plywood, the front is 1x6 around plexiglass. The top has holes cut for a wire mesh (about 1/2 gap mesh). Interior has poly, but no stain, and silicon caulk for the edges. Exterior has two coats each of stain and poly.

I have a large Ceramic Heat Emitter on top, and this runs 24 hours a day. Temps are about 85-90 on the hot side during the day, and in the 70s on the cool side. This goes down during the night because of ambient temp in the room.

He has a choice of 3 hides. The plywood boxes I built stack on each other, so I can take them off and get him if I need to. This also allows a temperature gradient in the hides, so he can bask on top, or choose between temps in the two boxes. The cool side has a plastic plant pot base with a hole cut in it. I have seen him use all 3.

The rods across are normal closet clothes hanging rods. I put these in because carpet pythons sometimes like to climb, and he has used them (more at night). He also soaks a lot in the little tub.

I opted for live plants because they are prettier and help control humidity. I still mist the enclosure once or twice a day, but the plants will help. Substrate is Repti-Bark.

Any informed recommendations would be appreciated.

Front View

Left and right side closeups

Inside from top, lid open (he is soaking in tub)

Quick pic of the new resident (from breeder when purchasing)

joe55 · 08-26-04, 10:28 PM

nice pictures !

Slipknot · 08-26-04, 11:59 PM

What are you using for substrate?

Nice viv man!

hooter · 08-27-04, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slipknot
What are you using for substrate?

Looks like cypress to me?

TexasAggie04 · 08-27-04, 08:15 AM

It is Repti-bark, comes in sealed bags from the petstore. More expensive than newspaper or some other things, but I like the way it looks, it is pretty easy to clean (scoop out what is soiled, replace), and it is pretty good for controlling humidity.

hooter · 08-27-04, 02:49 PM

I like the way Repti-bark looks but I dont like the little red bugs that comes with most if not all bags. I think its stupid to pay so much money for it when you can get a 50lb bag of Cypress for $3 that looks just as good and is more mold resistant then Repti-bark

TexasAggie04 · 08-27-04, 04:25 PM

Maybe I have just been lucky with my suppliers, but I have not had any sort of problems with the red bugs. I have purchased bags from two separate pet stores in town, insect free. Maybe I just have had good luck.

Slipknot · 08-27-04, 09:46 PM

Well, it looks nice! I am planning on using Aspen, ever tried it?

hooter · 08-27-04, 10:00 PM

Asped is great. I used to use it as well. Many people prefer aspen for colubrids because its soft and helps keep out the musky smell that colubrids tend to give off.

I use newspaper for my colubrids and cypress for my pythons. If you have alot of snakes then newspaper is the best options because its cheap but when you only have one or two tanks setup then something a little more expensive is always fine

TexasAggie04 · 09-01-04, 09:14 PM

I might want to get some aspen for my corns then, I was wondering why their enclosure always smelled a bit odd compared to my others. Thanks for the compliments, btw.

TerrorFox · 09-19-04, 12:18 AM

Awesome Enclosure dude!

Bartman · 09-19-04, 01:22 AM

Thats awesome.

Just a question. What wood did you use and are those white plastic things to hold the bars across something you could find at like a Home Depot?

Thanks..Nice enclosure!

Invictus · 09-19-04, 02:12 AM

Bartman - those plastic things are called open flanges.. and ANY hardware store would have them in the cabinetry section.

Nice work on the terrarium, Aggie.

TexasAggie04 · 09-19-04, 12:31 PM

The wood is just plywood and 1x6 from Home Depot. I used plenty of polyurethane (three coats interior, two coats exterior) to help protect from moisture. Silicon seals up the joints. Temps/humidity can be tricky because of the height of it, but the environment is perfect now. He climbs a lot more now, I think he is getting more and more comfortable in his new home. Invictus is right about the plastic things, the dowels and holders are typical for a closet clothes hanging rod.