Paint Smell...

[sSNAKESs.com]

Okay i have painted these cages well over 2 weeks ago and i cant smell anything, yet when the cage is closed and the heat lamp is on, when i open the doors, i can smell the paint pretty good... not over welming but still, the smell is there... anyone have any advice for me as to when the smell goes away or when it is safe to put a snake in there????? Thanks

[marisa]

When I painted my iguanas cage I could smell paint for weeks! The heat lamp did the same for me, so I just put a fan in there, waited another two weeks...then washed down the cage, dryed again and then I couldn't smell it.

marisa

[Jeff_Favelle]

Leave them for at least a month man (depending on paint)!!! My new ball cages are not going anywhere near my collection for at least 2 more months! Paint may appear dry, but depending on the # of coats, it may still be drying. I always wait 2 months, minimum. Others only wait a week though. Hmm....

[Quervo]

My first question would be what did you paint them with.

Definately wait until the smell goes away! That lovely new paint smell is the paint offgassing VOC's (volatile organic chemicals) that are used to help the paint dry nicely.

[Quervo]

I would leave the heat lamp on to "cook" things faster. Normal paint that you do your kitchen walls with will offgas for up to 5 YEARS!!!!

Doesn't that give you a warm fuzzy feeling.

[sSNAKESs.com]

lol, i used varathane colors in plastic to paint it with... hrm.. this really sucks!! waiting is the worst thing in the world!