How to build my own Enclosure???

[seksyjinke]

i dont think i will breed them... :S one is already a handful... but i wouldnt mind 2...

do snake mind if the same sex is in the same cage? or dont like being dykes/homo and try to eat each other :S a bit off topic.. but yeah

 

[Jdsixtyone]

I would just put male and female together or just one seperatly if it is a female +female or a male+male.

 

[seksyjinke]

This morning i went to bunnings today with a little peice of paper with my dimension and etc..

a 80 by 45 by 45 cm box....

i spoke to a gentleman who hated snakes and would kill on sight.... he told me to never get bitten by one because they have very harmful bacterias that breaks down their food etc etc.....none the less though... he was very helpful.

he suggested that melmine is near impossible to paint on thus if you dont like the white, it would be better to go for a PDM??? << woops its MDF lol

he measued it up and it will need 2 boads, 1 which is 2400 by 600, which can be cut into three 80 by 45 peieces (1 for top, back and bottom)

and the other board also to be cut into two 45 by 45 (1 for each side)

He suggested that his type of material is easy to PAINT ON (not stain) just put an acrylic coat first, then the color of your choice...

he also suggested that you will need liquid nails and a drill and some screws...he made it sound so easy ... i wish i was good at wood work.

best part is, you dont need any tools, except a drill which i dont have



What do everyone think of this material? its not expensive.. its acutally cheaper than malimine..

 

[rubysnake]

thanks ruby... pet shop is fail here.. ive been to 5.. only 1 sold digital thermomiters... fail fail fail

ohh thats sucks.. stupid petshops!.. i just read you've got 5 months so at least you've got plenty of time to do it the way you want it. good luck

btw i painted my melamine enclosure on the outside, (even though i was pretty sure it wouldnt work but i had nothing better to do that day hehe) and yeah it scratches off very easily so not my smartest move

 

[seksyjinke]

yeah.. the bunning guy said painting the malemine would flake/chipp off easy

 

[Nash1990]

I built an enclosure for my HSC last year, and am making another now. If you don't mind my asking, where are you? Someone here might be able to help you out making it, or at least lend you a drill lol

 

[Sturdy]

I've built all my enclosures, "bar" the project enclosure i brought which needed finishing and the URS glass tanks, everything else ive built my self,

its hard work but its a good achievement when done,

 

[seksyjinke]

I've built all my enclosures, "bar" the project enclosure i brought which needed finishing and the URS glass tanks, everything else ive built my self,

its hard work but its a good achievement when done,

nod nod

 

[seksyjinke]

oh i just realized sturdy... u live very near simon....

which is over the bridge from me approx 20min drive..

 

[Reptile_Boy]

easy tiger!!:lol:

just trying to help out :lol:

 

[diprotodon]

just trying to help out :lol:

only having a go mate no offence
mdf is very absorbent not very water resistant you can get coloured melamine i would go to a cabinet maker and get the boards pre cut to the sizes you need seriously you ask at bunnings and they say every thing is easy at least a good cabinet maker will make sure the boards are the same size so all you would have too do is screw and then fit the glass ,electrics and so forth its the edging thats also difficult so ask the cabby to edge the sides that will be seen .Going to a cabinet maker will certainly cost more than buying a piece of mdf from bunnings but remember you can delete the painting, laquering time and expense straight away in my oppinion standard mdf would be the worst board you could use unless you have access to a spray gun and coated it a heap of times and did a real good job of sealing the internal corners .

 

[ShepQLD]

can I suggest something, probably to late lol judging by your enthusiasm youve probably all ready built it now! lol however... mdf is not water proof at all so be careful there, everything your snake 'expels' will soak right into it and never come out. it wont be long lasting at all. If you do want to use melamine there is a undercoat you can get from bunnings that goes over laminate (which is what melamine is covered in) it gives the paint something to cling to and reduces scratching. I havent personally used it but i have had alot of customers tell me they have used it to paint over slatwall which is pretty much the same as melamine. Otherwise even perhaps a light sanding before you paint it will help the paint stick. when you start talking about coloured melamine the price jumps considerably.

 

[Lssah]

Have a look at the albums in my profile...there is an enclosure I built and "instructions" on how to do it.
It may give you a few ideas. It depends how elaborate you want to get.

good luck

 

[winfieldblue]

here's step by step instructions with pictures on how to build your own reptile enclosure
Crossfire Enclosure | Nice Bearded Dragon Enclosure it lists all the materials you need and how to set up the sliding door tracks etc.. good luck