Just finished 1st enclosure

[WaspGirl]

I have just finished my first enclosure. Progress photos.
I brought a $10 glass cabinet from Vinnies, complete with sliding glass doors (sliding glass doors were a bonus, as I didn’t have to pay anyone to get glass doors made).
I striped out the shelves, cut the holes for vents & electrics (once I had done much reading on here about heating & airflow….& drawn a few maps/plans of my enclosure).
Next stage was making the rock wall. I chose to us cans of form of fill. Sprayed on to the areas that I wanted it on. Let it go half off, before squashing it down to the desired effect and pattern that I wanted.
I then painted the inside with water based sand paints (I used dark & light greys), then sealed it all.
After the sealer was dry, I then fixed the air vents, heat lamp, thermostat & plug holes & siliconed some artificial leafs to the back & side walls.
I also a fixed an aluminium “L” shaped track to the inside front of the enclosure to keep the substrate from falling in the door tracks (no sharp edges, as I filed them & then siliconed them also).
Painted the outside with oil based paint.
So yesterday I plugged everything in….all working good. Thermostat turns on & off when it reaches temp etc. I still have to get a thermometer, just cause I don’t trust the temp gauge on the thermostat 100%. I also went with a heat matt, so have cut a tile to fit over the top of it.

I will put the substrate in the floor on the day I pick up Fluffy.
Is there anything I have forgotten to add or do to this enclosure?
I think its turned out good, considering its my first attempt. I am looking forward to tackling a bigger enclosure later on.

 

[Hazordous-Herps]

Looks great and sounds like you got everything covered. What's going in there?

 

[WaspGirl]

My albino darwin.....for a little while, until he out grows it

 

[jjaayyddeenn]

Dude looks pretty rad.

 

[treeofgreen]

Very cool! You gotta be happy with that!

 

[WomaBoy]

Just a thought, because you said a thermometer, i find it easier to use two, one for each side instead of a dual probe one, instead of having to flick it over, you can just look over and see what each one reads

WomaBoy

 

[WaspGirl]

very good idea WomaBoy, Thank you....I think thats what I will do

 

[WomaBoy]

No worries at all

WomaBoy

 

[Skitzmixer]

looks fantastic!! Just a quick question though, where'd you get the vine from? Did you make that yourself? Looks really cool. Also the plants, where'd you get them from?

 

[WaspGirl]

The vine i got at a pet shop in Melton. Plants from Reject shop & those $2 type shops. much much cheaper than in the pet shops. The vine i have attached with cable ties....the other plants attached with silicon I am looking forward to doing a much bigger project when my python grows

 

[Twitch_80]

Nice work..

 

[SarahJane]

I'm concerned that the python might be able to get through the holes you've drilled for the electronics, from the photos it looks as though you've got those plastic plugs that are seen sometimes on computer desks? If they give even a little, considering the snake may be interested in where fresh air come from, it may push at this point to try and get through. Maybe reinforce these if that is the case. and I think the cage looks great.

 

[thomasssss]

Just a thought, because you said a thermometer, i find it easier to use two, one for each side instead of a dual probe one, instead of having to flick it over, you can just look over and see what each one reads

WomaBoy

you can also get urs dual probe thermometers with 2 digital screens so there is no flicking it over , unless you want to check the min/max temp function, but for quick reference of the current temp there is no flicking it over to the other probe as there both displayed separately

(i should learn to read your post in full as it would had answered the part about the tile for me looks like you've got it covered )

to the op , nice enclosure , only thing though and hate to nit pick but it is for the safety of you and your animal , the heat matt , it isnt meant to be used in a wooden enclosure , those are for UNDER a GLASS tank ONLY , i would look into another form of heating or at least look into making it a little safer i think you can use the tile method with those matts but im not sure so i would talk to someone who has used them with tiles inside a wooden enclosure before doing so

 

[Variety]

Looks great mate
Massive advantage scoring a cabinet that already had sliding doors

 

[cathy1986]

what did you use again for the back wall

 

[Skitzmixer]

The vine i got at a pet shop in Melton. Plants from Reject shop & those $2 type shops. much much cheaper than in the pet shops. The vine i have attached with cable ties....the other plants attached with silicon I am looking forward to doing a much bigger project when my python grows

Well, im going to start my hunt for $2 shops . Thanks for the reply, really great job i quite like it.

 

[WomaBoy]

you can also get urs dual probe thermometers with 2 digital screens so there is no flicking it over , unless you want to check the min/max temp function, but for quick reference of the current temp there is no flicking it over to the other probe as there both displayed separately

Yes that is true, but IMO i find it easier to deal with the cords having one at each end

WomaBoy

 

[Lucas89]

Looks great very well done! So what was your build worth in total? Some one raised a question about the heat mat. I was interested to hear more about this as I was looking at moving to a wooden enclosure. every thing I have heard about heat mats and tiles was good. As for the plastic fittings for the cables you can add a small dowel into it that stops any interested snakes. Or just a generous amount of silicone, if that's OK to go around electrics ( I am not sure on that one)

All in all I would say you have done an amazing job

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[thomasssss]

Yes that is true, but IMO i find it easier to deal with the cords having one at each end

WomaBoy

oh do you have them inside the enclosure ? i just have 2 small holes either end that the probes can just get through , then run the cords around the back of the enclosure out of sight and have the screen sitting on top or on the front of the enclosure , this also removes the bulk of the cord from the inside of the enclosure

 

[WaspGirl]

I'll try and answer some of the items mentioned on here...sorry dont know how to do the "quotes" yet.
SahraJane's comment.... "I'm concerned that the python might be able to get through the holes you've drilled for the electronics, from the photos it looks as though you've got those plastic plugs that are seen sometimes on computer desks?"

yes you are right, it is those computer plugs, i have double backed (one on front, one on back) them with the disk/center peices (2, instead of one). i have also cut a small hunk out of the disks for the cable, so the disks clip in (no sliding around) with no movement. these two disks are siliconed in place as a second security measure, plus i have fine steel mesh fitted on the back of the enclosure.

Thomasssss comment..."only thing though and hate to nit pick but it is for the safety of you and your animal , the heat matt , it isnt meant to be used in a wooden enclosure , those are for UNDER a GLASS tank ONLY , i would look into another form of heating or at least look into making it a little safer i think you can use the tile method with those matts but im not sure so i would talk to someone who has used them with tiles inside a wooden enclosure before doing so"

ok, i have looked & looked into this...dont want to get into any debates here...But, yes its a mat that normally goes under a glass tank & people normally use a wooden base to put their said glass tank onto. Here's what i have done, 1, placed one tile on the bottom of enclosure, then made 2mm spacers for a little airflow, but small enough for my snake not to get under it, fixed to the bottom tile, then matt, then 2nd tile.

cathy1986...I used cans of expanding foam, which can be hard to control at times. i apply it & waited until it was semi hard & then pushed it into my desired wall pattern. when it is cured, you can sand it if needed. I painted it with non toxic, waterbased sand paint & the used a waterbased sealer.....next time I make one I will cover it with fibreglass/resin, as this will allow me to me more creative with the colours & enbeds i want to use (similar process to construction of surfboards)

BTW I got my python yesterday & he is loving climbing all over the wall. Sorry bout the photos being i little shiney, as i had to use the flash & the camera on my phone. He is also liking the "round" vent i put in the cooler end...I chose the round vent, as it has a nice lip on it, that he can use as a shelf...BTW the vent has steel mesh & plastic venting (siliconed & screwed in place).