Recent Enclosure Build

[Bananapeel]

So dad and I have recently finished an enclosure for Malakai (my Murray darling).
Just thought I'd put up some pics.
Its pine however the base, (which isn't visible) is melamine.
Sealed using 2 coats of cabot's "cabothane clear". Left that to air out for about 2 weeks and then siliconed joints.

The enclosure itself cost roughly $200 (incl glass) as we already had some of the pine. The glass added a bit but then I didn't shop around much for a cheap price.
I was pretty shocked at prices of fake plants 'for reptiles' so went to a few reject shops and a random 'junk store' and picked up all those plants for a total of $13.50 lol. Not the prettiest but they do the job.
There is a water bowl and another hide but they aren't in the photo yet. Have to grab some proherp hides but might wait till he's bigger.
Substrate is just over half a block of coir peat "brunnings - no fertilisers." (one dollar something at bunnings - cheapskate I am )

Heating at the moment is a heat cord which mum stitched a thingamajig for (so it stays in a kind of S shape) It's pretty much 2 pieces of fabric with a line of stitching every 1 - 2 cm away and the cord threaded through the gaps lol. Motherstyle DIY sandwiched between 4 tiles and on a thermostat. Keeps a steady 32-33 degree spot and retains heat well so it's not on for long periods.
Anyway enough of the boring talk!



There are vents btw.
Oh and measurements of the actual space available for the snake are: 1100x500x900 (LxWxH)

Would this do for its life? on the whole its bigger than the usual 4x2x2 so I'm hoping it'll do. Otherwise i'll make another lol.

Any other recommendations are welcome!

Edit: Should add that we are yet to install some halogens above the shelf which will provide another basking spot. And we need a branch leading to the shelf too.

 

[Damiieen]

Looks incredible, well done Sharky!
I'm sure your MD will love it!

 

[Tobe404]

Looks awesome. Very good job. Puts mine to shame that's for sure.

 

[Barrett]

Great job! that will be one happy snakey

 

[saintanger]

very nice, great job. your MD looks happy with it.

 

[Bananapeel]

Looks incredible, well done Sharky!
I'm sure your MD will love it!

Sharky? Lol.

Cheers mate. Hope he does!

 

[Bananapeel]

Thanks guys. I'm hoping he does. Haha tone. Bet it doesn't!

 

[Lord-Doom]

Nice enclosure, good work! You really should probably get some more more heat in that enclosure ASAP. A heat cord/DIY heat rock will heat the animal but not the ambient (enclosure) air, and cold air can lead to respiratory infections. Like you, I'm in Melbourne and it's currently (5am) 8.6 degrees outside, and it's only early April.

Ambient temps obviously depend on room temps, so if your snakey is in a sufficiently heated room it won't be an issue, but most people turn off house heating at night, just be sure to monitor your temps....and I'd go with a ceramic heat emitter rather than halogens, so ideally get separate fluro lighting (either tube or globe) and CEM for heat. Lighting should be separate to your heating so you can switch them on/off independently.

I read recently that someone thought it a good idea to have a thermo gun because it would save the need for having individual thermometers in every enclosure, I may be wrong but I think may have been you. Every enclosure should have 2 thermometers, one at hot end and one at cool end. It's good practice to monitor temps every time you look in the enclosure rather than the hassle of opening glass and pointing the gun (they don't work through glass...well, I mean they work but will only take the actual glass temp). Anyway, you can pick them up for about $2 each on ebay and see with a 2 second glance what your temps are doing at any given time.

But your enclosure's nice, will look even better with your future branches!

 

[joelysmoley]

Great Work Bananapeel wish i could do that good of a job.

 

[Bananapeel]

Nice enclosure, good work! You really should probably get some more more heat in that enclosure ASAP. A heat cord/DIY heat rock will heat the animal but not the ambient (enclosure) air, and cold air can lead to respiratory infections. Like you, I'm in Melbourne and it's currently (5am) 8.6 degrees outside, and it's only early April.

Ambient temps obviously depend on room temps, so if your snakey is in a sufficiently heated room it won't be an issue, but most people turn off house heating at night, just be sure to monitor your temps....and I'd go with a ceramic heat emitter rather than halogens, so ideally get separate fluro lighting (either tube or globe) and CEM for heat. Lighting should be separate to your heating so you can switch them on/off independently.

I read recently that someone thought it a good idea to have a thermo gun because it would save the need for having individual thermometers in every enclosure, I may be wrong but I think may have been you. Every enclosure should have 2 thermometers, one at hot end and one at cool end. It's good practice to monitor temps every time you look in the enclosure rather than the hassle of opening glass and pointing the gun (they don't work through glass...well, I mean they work but will only take the actual glass temp). Anyway, you can pick them up for about $2 each on ebay and see with a 2 second glance what your temps are doing at any given time.

But your enclosure's nice, will look even better with your future branches!

Yeah lights are going in today which should boost the ambient temps. The room itself is heated and sits around the 22 degree mark. Still fairly cold but the enclosure has maintained heat fairly well and the cool end has never been below 23. (Ambient temp) More heating is definitely on the way.
Thanks for the tip in thermometers. I will pick some cheap ones up soon.

He seems fairly happy at the moment and is eating fine then sleeping on the tiles. Still exploring but seems to like it.

Thanks Joel! I'm sure you could. Make a decent plan and it's quite easy after that!