Outdoor enclosure example (after many weeks)

[slim6y]

After many weeks of umming, and arring and deciding what and where and how to build an outdoor enclosure I then set to work to re-invent Magpie's outdoor enclosure design.

Using corflute (sp?), quebloc (from Ulrich), hardiflex covered with marine carpet, wire etc we have a 4 metre cubed enclosure!!!

It's 2 x 2 x 1m with plenty of climbing and hanging room

I'm going to get an on the ground hide as well - as soon as i find something suitable enough.

This also shows the example of a hanging basket hide which I've employed successfully with other pythons.

This is actually the first enclosure I've built from scratch and I'm ready now to build a much smaller version for a spotted python.

Eventually the original enclosure and this one will be joined by a PVC pipe so that mating can take place and the two snakes have very separate areas for feeding.

There is no heating in this enclosure, though I had built it into the other enclosure - Cairns temperatures are warm enough for these animals.

If you have something constructive to say do feel free to say so - otherwise that's it

As far as photos go - this is not the final spot for where the enclosure will be - it's actually just airing out - letting the wood settle in and any glues and silicon to dry off effectively before a snake goes in.

Also - I know, the photos aren't all arty - they're functional only

 

[noah07]

what snake r u putting in there??

 

[-Matt-]

What species are you putting in there? Looks good but the perches are very thin.

 

[slim6y]

Coastal carpet - perches are surprisingly fat - large enclosure makes them look thin - they're far from

 

[Kenshin]

thats interesting i want to do something identical for scrubs, two enclosures like that with the option for joining via pvc tubes, i would rather use natural branches though

 

[syeph8]

hahah i love the ladder. your coastal often have problems with climbing branches?

 

[dougie210]

Looks great!!Just a question about basking. How would they bask kinda thing? Would you need part of the roof to be wire as well, so they are able to bask?
Thanks,Chris

 

[mattyf]

looks great. i wanna do something like this also.

 

[slim6y]

hahah i love the ladder. your coastal often have problems with climbing branches?

Actually - the ladder was for a rat cage I never completed (termites got to the cage before I finished it). So I put it to good use I think It's a good Australian Oak ladder!

Looks great!!Just a question about basking. How would they bask kinda thing? Would you need part of the roof to be wire as well, so they are able to bask?
Thanks,Chris

Bask? I let them out, they stroll in the sunshine and they come home...

Is there an APS requirement for basking?

 

[user 23122]

ime with matt snake the perches look a little thin whats your door frame 70 or 90mm i think the cage would be too hot if placed in the sun all day in summer perfect for winter though mayb put it on wheels so you can wheel it under shade on those hot summer 35 degree days

 

[slim6y]

ime with matt snake the perches look a little thin whats your door frame 70 or 90mm i think the cage would be too hot if placed in the sun all day in summer perfect for winter though mayb put it on wheels so you can wheel it under shade on those hot summer 35 degree days

It's in shade - gets morning sun on the corflute but only for a short time.

90mm door frames.

As for the thin perches... hasn't bothered the other (much larger) coastal who has similar sized (broom handle) as a perch... Will upsize though if it looks like an issue

 

[user 23122]

morning sun all year round arvo shade absolutely perfect dont think the thin perches are an issue but a couple of thick gum tree branches would look pretty sweet especially with a large carpet curled up on them also like the hanging hide whats that on top hessian or some sort of mat

 

[cement]

Hey slim,
I don't run my wire all the way to the ground, reason they rub a lot at ground level if they can see out. put some corflute to a height of about 600mm.
Don't be afraid to throw some real branches in there around 100mm thick or so, even bushy branches with plenty of leaves, I tie them to the wire for some privacy. Hollow logs on the ground are good, and you may want to tie it down being in Cairns. Or it might end up over at your neighbours after a bit of wind

 

[Megzz]

Looks awesome, nice job!

 

[slim6y]

morning sun all year round arvo shade absolutely perfect dont think the thin perches are an issue but a couple of thick gum tree branches would look pretty sweet especially with a large carpet curled up on them also like the hanging hide whats that on top hessian or some sort of mat

It's marine carpet - you can get it at Bunnings - it's very very good to use and washes easily...

Hey slim,
I don't run my wire all the way to the ground, reason they rub a lot at ground level if they can see out. put some corflute to a height of about 600mm.
Don't be afraid to throw some real branches in there around 100mm thick or so, even bushy branches with plenty of leaves, I tie them to the wire for some privacy. Hollow logs on the ground are good, and you may want to tie it down being in Cairns. Or it might end up over at your neighbours after a bit of wind

You're absolutely right with the rubbing and duly noted too - my other coastal though (maybe he's unusual) shows no evidence of rubbing and his wire runs to the ground. I have saved some corflute for exactly that if I need it - I will see what happens though first. She's currently in a wired 'roof' cage - but I'm not sure how she'll cope with wire to the ground yet.

As for real gum - I'd love to... It's something I'll have a good look for in the next few - my other one has a beaut branch in there which he uses mostly at shedding time

Wind... I live in one of the least sheltered areas of Cairns - so wind is an issue - though the area the cage is placed is open to some of the southerly winds - but... that's the reason it's not on casters and just has tassie oak hard wood slats on the floor to hopefully tie it down a little. The overall mass of this thing isn't a lot (wire and corflute just don't have much weight) so this is a concern I'll have to pay special attention to in the coming wet season. The good news is though - if a cyclone were to hit Cairns - I park my car outside and the snakes inhabbit the garage

We built this enclosure in the garage so it can go back in there for cyclone time

 

[tooreye]

looks good, the grass looks nicely mowed to

 

[slim6y]

looks good, the grass looks nicely mowed to

Sorry, I don't know if that is a facetious comment or not - if it's not funny, thank you - I mowed it last week... If it is facetious then I'm kind of chuckling... Or... Are you talking about the marine carpet in the enclosure... I'm a bit confused!

But a funny story relating to the mowing... I mowed on last sunday and I must have required the shed for something - so the hed was open. Come about 5pm, time to clean up, I closed the shed and locked it as you do...

1 week later (actually, 6 days) I can hear a cat meowing but not a clue where from...

Finally I open the shed and there it was... the across the road's pure white cat!

It had been locked in the shed since sunday - looked rather happy to see sunlight again... How it survived in the cairns heat in a steel shed I don't know! But it did!

But back to the enclosure - the cat seems only interested in watching the snakes - never makes a move on them. He sat outside one enclosure for the entire night once just watching. So the enclosure is 'cat proof' too

 

[nico77]

looks good mate , but corflute is made for short term signs , so you should keep an eye on it for weak spots , I used to make signs and pull them down and the corflute breaks down after being exposed to long term sun . Maybe cover it with thin sheets of structual ply for peace of mind .

cheers nico

 

[slim6y]

looks good mate , but corflute is made for short term signs , so you should keep an eye on it for weak spots , I used to make signs and pull them down and the corflute breaks down after being exposed to long term sun . Maybe cover it with thin sheets of structual ply for peace of mind .

cheers nico

Thanks nico - I agree it is a bit 'short term' - but the reason I chose it wasn't just the price and the weight or ease of use... but... I already have an enclosure with three sides of corflute - I admit that now it's getting to the time where it looks like it needs replacing, but that's after a few years... So I will keep my eye on it. I might go for something more sturdy like ply for the future though - we'll see how this goes in the short term.