Enclosure Hints and Tips

[wombat100]

Hi Hugsta, sorry to confuse you but i was quoting Fozzard when I said (Is there like a complete guide anywhere on the net like on how to build my enclosure from beginning and the stuff i would need)
I have the enclosure building from Mark Chapple, they did cost $30 but I consider them to be very good value for money.

 

[KathandStu]

Or, keep your hatchies in a click clack till there big enough to go into an enclosure with glass sliding doors on the front.

I knew I missed one solution! I definatly agree with that one. Click-Clacks are teh bomb! (& so easy to keep clean!).

I just couldn't believe it when my ADULT childreni got his fat noggin through the glass doors! They are master escapists!

 

[yommy]

A warning regarding sliding glass doors on the front of enclosures....snakes (even ones you might think are too big to fit through) can squeeze themselves through the tiniest gap!

I found you get a better reaction approaching the snake from front on or from the side, then above it that's why all my cages have sliders. The way to avoid smaller species getting through the 2-3ml gap until they have some size it to get a length of thick clear plastic tubing, cut it to size from top to bottom of glass. Then cut it down one side. Place the tubing on the back piece of glass with the cut end alway from the end of glass and that seals off any gaps as well it can be removed without effecting the glass once the said animal is bigger. it's neater then running a bead of silicone down the back piece of glass, though both methods work fine.

 

[davidfbarnes]

Mark Chapple

I have the enclosure building from Mark Chapple, they did cost $30 but I consider them to be very good value for money.

I also bought these plans..... for the money you pay you get a lot of extras..... even I who had never built anything in my life was able to build something half decent. Oh a bit of a tip if you do want the plans..... email him and tell him you are Aussie!

The plans were excellent and I would recommend them to anyone. He also put me onto someone that had built a similar enclosure to mine, which was very helpful.

Check it out.... www.reptile-cage-plans.com

 

[herptrader]

Fozzard...try this one : http://www.leopardgecko.co.uk/documents/diy/project1.htm Its for geckos, but is a basic plan to work from.

And I found a forum that helps with enclosures- do a search for herp habitat forum and I'm sure you'll find it.

I cannot believe that the Poms still use imperial measurements for their building materials. They started going metric when I was at school there nearly 30 years ago.

Here is the gecko enclosure I built for Australian climbing species - Cilaris;

http://www.herpshop.com.au/CareSheets/GeckoEnclosure/

 

[herptrader]

Is there like a complete guide anywhere on the net like on how to build my enclosure from beginning and the stuff i would need

A complete guide would be a bit of a challenge. Most people can only talk with confidence about the materials and techniques they are familiar with.

I put this page together showing how I build an enclosure with built in heating etc.

http://www.herpshop.com.au/CareSheets/TiledEnclosure/

Hey thanx man really helpfull i would like to use that design could you send me the cuts list at
[email protected]
thanx

I should be able to upload an excel spread sheet.

Note this cut list is for 3 enclosures so divide the quatity column by 3 if you only want 1, etc.

 

[AntaresiaLady]

Daavid,

Thats a great looking enclosure! Would the lights you have for the geckos in that enclosure be fine in a tank 123cm long, 35cm wide, 45 cm high?

 

[herptrader]

Daavid,

Thats a great looking enclosure! Would the lights you have for the geckos in that enclosure be fine in a tank 123cm long, 35cm wide, 45 cm high?

I would expect so. I would probably double up on the flouro batton and change the 20Watt down light to a 50Watt because your dimensions are more than twice mine.

I am very happy with the design of the gecko enclosure but I have added rubber seals to the door and run a bead of clear silicone around the fly screen to make it escape proof for Speckled Feeder Roaches. Builting them again I would avoid natural timbers because they move too much with the heat. I suspect I would probably use melamine. That said I have been filling all the cracks due to shrinkage with wood filler and applying extra layers of marine grade varnish. About 8 months down the track everything now seems stable and the end result is great. Just to give you an idea of how much the "tassie oak" moved one line of filler is now 5mm wide.

 

[AntaresiaLady]

Wow...5mm is a big gap!

I'm getting a nice big fat bunnings voucher for easter, so I'm going to have a go at making some enclosures, so all help is appreciated. (Then I'll just have to fill them LOL!)

Would 5 Ciliaris have enough room in my tank? Or do I need to get another tank do you think?

I'm gonna go have a look for some stuff this weekend - like lighting etc. I want to get it set up as soon as I can!

 

[scotchbo]

im buying a snake box of xtreme aquariums its 4ftx2ftx2ft made out of malimite with glass sliding doors for only $199 what a bargain there is a thread in the for sale section all about them and contact details

 

[AntaresiaLady]

Good for you Scotch! Bargain!

 

[yommy]

For plastic cages and air holes, don't use a drill, takes heaps of time and usual end up cracking it.
Use a really hot soldering iron works a treat, heaps easier, quicker and gives better holes.

 

[hugsta]

What yommy said, but do it in a ventilated area as it the odour from melting plastic is not pleasant.

 

[NSavage]

This may have been covered elsewhere but is it safe to use timber putty in snake cages? Obviously i would be looking at sealing the whole thing with 2 or 3 coats of paint. would the timber putty be safe or would i be better off just using silicon as i would be using that to seal the corners etc.?

 

[bikiescum2003]

can use putty if you are going to paint it but i would not recomend it at timber moves alot with the heat and the putty would come loose very quickly
stick to silicon

 

[hugsta]

Also depends on what you are painting it in, if you are painting it a colour than you can use no more gaps before you prime and seal the timber.

 

[Hally]

i converted an old chest of draws i found in a clean up cleaned it and converted it into an enclouse 50 for glass and all other materials....easy to do took 20 min to put togeter

 

[NSavage]

silicon it is then thanks...

 

[bikiescum2003]

ive found bathroom grade is best for smell.. it takes forever to get the smell out of your enclosure with the standard stuff

 

[southy]

im not sure if its been said already but if you want to keep the crap from falling in your glass tracks, add a bit of wood on the bottom of your enclosure and put your glass tracks on that making it higher off the ground to keep poo and anything else out of the tracks.