My Custom Enclosures.

[punkinhead]

Always have wanted to do the right thing by my best mates, and after studying the suggested tank sizes and regs when my guys were little i slowly up graded their enclosures.
Thought i'd show them off and maybe give people some ideas.

The small tank is a 1200 x 600 x 600 fish tank that was a gift from someone who didn't want it.
I had my mate build a custom base for it, fit a shelf to give extra free space and design a lid for it.
Lighting is done with downlights in boxes he made for me. No heat from the leds, just light so i can see them. My little JP basks under the light because he likes attention, not because it's warm there.









Heating is done via the large electric rock on the top shelf and a heat mat down the bottom corner under the rock he used to use when he was smaller.
He is always on the log up top during the day, settles on the heat rock at night, but will move onto the log as soon as i turn his lights on at 4am.

He only goes down the bottom to **** in the back corner. He's too small to get out onto the grass for toilet as there are resident kookaburras that even go after the larger snakes.

My Bredli's are larger and i designed a tank and had my same mate build it. We couldn't figure out how to do it right until i said "think of a shower cubicle and build me one'.

Came in at around $1000 before i wired it, 8mm toughened glass is overkill, but my mate's a boilermaker

It has a compressed concrete floor tile cut to 1000mm x 600mm and stands 2m tall. There is a removable glass shelf at 1m dividing it in half.
The top is aluminum mesh and i have put downlights in there so i can see the guys from my desk, lounge chair and my bed. The electrical is powerboard's siliconed to the top of the tanks on the inside and cables are routed through removable conduit.

I use marine carpet in all my enclosures.











I have conduit here to finish off the back of the tank and hide the lead, but haven't got around to installing it yet (i know, i'm a bloke).


Currently have my mate building an outdoor carport area for me so i can protect my guys from birds when they are outside. It will be RHS steel and have a floor area of 10m x 4.5m
I have a commercial prawn net to use for the roof to stop swooping birds, but still let the sun and rain in on them. They love the rain.
Planning astroturf for the flooring.

It will cover my van and reach up almost to the green car.

 

[Auguriim]

Aren’t hot rocks dangerous though. They’re prone to creating hot spots because of the irregular shape that the thermostat can’t detect.

 

[punkinhead]

They measure the same temp (within 3C) all over the rock. 34-37C. They don't run on thermostats, they are just on or off.

They tend to lie on the edge of the rocks or next to them in any case.

 

[Mack86]

The snake on the light
How hot does that get?

 

[dragonlover1]

They measure the same temp (within 3C) all over the rock. 34-37C. They don't run on thermostats, they are just on or off.

They tend to lie on the edge of the rocks or next to them in any case.

the problem with hot rocks is they are not reliable, there have been many instances of owners finding the hot rocks have over heated and burnt their dragons because they don't realize they are over heating. It's like the frog in a warming pot, it doesn't realize it's hot

 

[Sdaji]

the problem with hot rocks is they are not reliable, there have been many instances of owners finding the hot rocks have over heated and burnt their dragons because they don't realize they are over heating. It's like the frog in a warming pot, it doesn't realize it's hot

Sometimes the problem with hot rocks is that they have very localised hot spots and the snake needs to trying to squash their body against them to try to keep warm.

Imagine being very cold and trying to warm your whole body with a small fire. You could literally put your hands in the fire and burn them off but still freeze to death (and when people are only able to build a small fire in harsh cold environments in survival situations, they often do severely burn their hands in desperation, even though they know exactly what they're doing - snakes aren't that aware so will do it in less extreme situations).
There are plenty of reasons experienced herpers dislike and recommend against using hot rocks.

 

[punkinhead]

Mack you could lick that light fitting, it's led globes. The lights are in the enclosures for my benefit, not for the snakes.

To others, yes i'm sure there are instances of dodgy hot rocks. These ones i use i measure and as i have repeatably said, they are 34-38C at any point on the whole large rock. The snakes all fit on them just fine. I am not concerned about burns and have certainly heard and read (here as well as other places) of light fittings causing burns and damage to snakes.

My guys are more likely to be injured through falls than heaters. They wake me banging into rocks all the time or knocking the furniture over.

 

[Mack86]

Yeah I could tell it wasn't for the snakes I just wasn't sure whether the lights got hot but good to know they don't?? I thought all lights produced some amount of heat but clearly I know not alot about lights

 

[Bluetongue1]

Currently have my mate building an outdoor carport area for me so i can protect my guys from birds when they are outside. It will be RHS steel and have a floor area of 10m x 4.5m
I have a commercial prawn net to use for the roof to stop swooping birds, but still let the sun and rain in on them. They love the rain.
Planning astroturf for the flooring.

I was given a few off-cuts of artificial turf to use as door mats. One of them cops full sun in summer and it gets really hot. Cannot walk on the thing in bare feet. It’s worse than the sand at the beach in the middle of a hot summer’s day. I also recall they used to wet down the artificial turf before using the local hockey grounds near where I used to live. I don’t know if this characteristic varies with different brands, but thought it appropriate to at least mention it.

The snake on the light
How hot does that get?

@Mack86, you said you were interested in information, so I’ll provide a comprehensive explanation. If it’s NOT the type of information you are interest in then please let me know. You are quite correct in stating that all lights give off heat. This is because they are governed by the Laws of Thermodynamics. The second law states that in any energy transformation (or transfer), in this case electrical energy into light energy, there is always a certain amount of energy given off (lost) as heat (= increase in entropy).

What varies between different types of light bulbs is the percentage of the electrical energy they can convert into light vs heat. In the old-style household globes (incandescent bulbs) only about 5% of the electrical energy supplied is converted into light. The other 95% is given off as heat. As a consequence, these light bulbs get noticeably hot. LED lights are much more efficient, averaging around 30%, depending on the type of LED chip used. They therefore only require 1/6th as much electrical energy to produce the same amount of light. At the same time, they will only produce 1/10th of the amount of heat .

In almost all light bulbs, light is emitted in all directions. Even with a reflector hood, half the light given off doesn’t make it out of the globe and shine in the desired direction. LED’s on the other hand are directional. So in a down light you only need half as many, or less. Which means they will produce 1/20th or less of the heat of an equivalent brightness incandescent bulb. That’s why it won’t burn your tongue.

 

[dragonlover1]

So in a down light you only need half as many, or less. Which means they will produce 1/20th or less of the heat of an equivalent brightness incandescent bulb. That’s why it won’t burn your tongue.

So you are saying my 50W downlight produces less heat than my 40W spotlight ? Why do they burn my hand when close ?

 

[punkinhead]

So you are saying my 50W downlight produces less heat than my 40W spotlight ? Why do they burn my hand when close ?

LED downlights are not 50watt, they are either GU5 or GU10, so 5watt or 10 watt. Not sure what light you are using that's 50 watt, but it ain't an led downligght.



What i would like to do to stop the rudeness and aggression from people here that is causing the moderators to delete my replies, is to offer an inspection by a respected member here to ascertain that my animals (my best mates) are being cared for properly.
There is a respected member here from Bellingen, that is less than an hoyur from my place, who i'm sure travels to Coffs Harbour for various reasons.
My place is 15min drive from Coffs, i'm available by appointment in the mornings and i would be happy to offer refreshments and a hearty welcome to anyone who wanted to actually know how a beautiful tank can be a happy home for a couple of snakes.

Treated with respect, and i would be if someone was standing in front of me, i am just fine. Poke me or treat me like a child and my response is instant.

To the moderators;
As someone who mods on a few different forums, can i say it only takes a minute to write a message to someone explaining why you are deleting their posts.
No one is going to learn by guessing what they did wrong.

 

[Mack86]

I think it's good you offering for someone to come and have a look.

As for feeling attacked and copping rudeness as you say, easiest way to stop it, is just stop replying or arguing the point.

You've got some really good advice here and of course it's up to you as to whether you choose to take it or not. If you're happy and you're snakes are as happy as you say then there's no issue.

 

[punkinhead]

I think it's good you offering for someone to come and have a look.

As for feeling attacked and copping rudeness as you say, easiest way to stop it, is just stop replying or arguing the point.

You've got some really good advice here and of course it's up to you as to whether you choose to take it or not. If you're happy and you're snakes are as happy as you say then there's no issue.

Quite possible you missed this mornings latest ignorant attack.
Mate if i was going to stop responding to attacks i would have done it as a child. i will not be pushed around and have stood up for my self all my life.
Seems funny for you to give me that advice after reading some of your responses to the same treatment.

I haven't gotten much advice at all here mate. I have had people trot out generalizations that have been making the rounds here for many years.

Glass is no good

(except when they look at the actual glass i used it's fine)

Heat rocks are no good

(but they don't say the particular heat rocks i use are no good, because they have no idea of their properties. They just spout the same stuff over and over)

Listen to your betters

(even if what they say is just stuff they read someone else say with little thought put into it)

Astroturf is cruel and will burn the same snake that basks on a tarmac road.
Because they wet the turf to play hockey? really?
They do that so the ball runs quicker.

But as you say the open invitation is there, send a PM to visit, hell the Bello guy probably comes up here to Marks place to buy rats.

 

[Mack86]

Alrighty then I'm just going to show myself the door then
Just trying to help was all.

And also, I did read the messages this morning. One was from Snapped asking about ventilation and hides etc and then next was your response to him about people on here being so rude and how he had missed many things in your previous posts.

I would suggest the reason why your response was deleted was because you came off quite hostile but best to ask the moderators directly and I'm sure they can clarify for you.

 

[punkinhead]

Yes, my response was in the same vein as the attack and appropriate in my mind for the level of rudeness.

No need to leave, i quite like your responses.

Just snapped this pic of JP stretched out. I don't see him stretched often, he's taking up nearly the whole length of his 4' tank. Was smaller than a shoelace when he came to brighten my life up.

 

[Rob]

To the moderators;
As someone who mods on a few different forums, can i say it only takes a minute to write a message to someone explaining why you are deleting their posts.
No one is going to learn by guessing what they did wrong.

Numerous posts were deleted because this horse has been well and truly flogged. I have been more than lenient in allowing both sides to put forth their views but this constant arguing and general nastiness stops now. Going forward, if anyone has an issue with a particular post then use the Report function so it can be dealt with appropriately. Other than that posts can and will be deleted without warning.

 

[punkinhead]

Goodo, thanks for the explanation. Next time i'm lectured like a disobedient 4 year old i will use the report post.

The nastiness is not my intention, for sure.

A pm would have sufficed in the first place.

 

[dragonlover1]

LED downlights are not 50watt, they are either GU5 or GU10, so 5watt or 10 watt. Not sure what light you are using that's 50 watt, but it ain't an led downligght.

View attachment 334299

AAAAH you were talking about LED downlights, I didn't see that. Mine are halogen 50W

 

[Bluetongue1]

Pukinhead beat me to it. Here is what i was going to post anyway...

Yes. If your downlight is LED based and your spotlight is other than this, then yes. Most LED downlights for household use are 10W. Equivalent halogen downlights for the same purpose contain a 50W globe. This is what makes me think that you probably have a 50W halogen globe in your downlight.

Flush mounted and recessed downlights also usually have a metal casing around the base, designed to conduct the heat and help dissipate it into the surrounding air. This explains why ceiling insulation is required leave a certain clearance around the base. The metal casing makes the light feel hotter when its been on, similar to the way a metal spoon that has been in hot coffee feels hotter than a similar plastic spoon.

 

[punkinhead]

Just rechecked the lights, the outer edge of the metal case is 31C. The actual globe measures 38C, but not sure my temp gun measures well on that surface. in any case, i can easily rest my hand there as long as i want.