they want my kidney to ship!

[Muddyredneck]

So I know this is a house question but its specificly for a large boid so not anyone can snwer it which is why I'm putting it here.. but anyways I was pricing aps for my retic because he's my fav and I was gonna spoil him... well they want 180 bucks to ship me A 400 dollar cage... lol so I'm building him a snake mansion instead.. its gonna be 72x30ishx20.. I'm gonna use finished cabinet grade oak plywood and I got a question about drylok.. iv never used it before and will it work with that smooth wood? I plan on drylokin the inside a green, having my little brother paint a forest scene in it (ima carpenter not an artist) and then putting an enamel over that and the outside then lining the bottem with actual tile to hold heat better and to really make this a real furniture quality peace I can keep in my living room.

If all goes well ill have a camera and can make this double as a build thread I'm hoping to start this asap but will probably have to wait till friday

[Dundee]

Make sure to not use any pine or cedar and use non toxic paints. I got a retic on the way and waiting on a 3 stack enclosure 8ft+ long before i get him. My male tic is gone be like the star of my collection. Id keep mine in my living room but saftey first with me hes getting his own room that way if he does get out he doesnt slither his way into my bedroom or on the couch. Id love to put him in my living room but dont have the room for a enclosure that big. Plus some people I know are terrifed of snakes. And with a big retic in the living room no one would want to come in the house lol. Bad enuff my living room gets called a snake den. Which there all fixing to get there own room. I be glad when i get all this done and over with its costin me out the wazoo to get this tic here.

[Muddyredneck]

Yeah I just can't bring myself to spend that kind of money and sacrafice on a few things I don't like about the ap when I can build exactly what I'm looking for and still have enough wood left over to build a whole other cage. The wood I'm useing is oak and man is it heavy! Haha gonna be on casters for sure due to weight and what not. I'm not sure baout the drylok tho, like can I put an enaqmel coat over that or do I just leave it like it is. Id think a coat of enamel would make it easier to clean

[kitedemon]

Muddyredneck,
I have never used that particular product it looks to be an styrene resin compound of some kind. I don't have any sort of complete information here but am going a touch by the seat of my pants styrene is a suspected carcinogen in humans although that is not full explored at this time in fact there is little hard eveidence of anything as it has not been explored at this time. So toxologically speaking it is an unknown.

This is designed for masonary right? And you plan on using it on wood right? Have you tested it to make sure it does what you want it to? I again have never used it at all. No judgement just questions and if you have the time I'd love to know how it works if you have tried it!

Personally I suggest another alternitive. Epoxy well cured (10-30 days at 20ºC) and wipped down well with full strengh vinager after then hot water chasing that (removes any animines on the surface)

A liner polyurethane paint (2 part paint) would also work well again a long dry time followed by a wash (paints in general need heat and air flow to fully cure once cured are a bonded plastic of sorts.) Hell regular high grade polyurethane will also work it is water resistant (I have used it in wooden sinks for years with no leaks but they don't hold pools of water for days just hours.

I understand the drive to use wood panels but did you give thought to plastic panels? Like PVCx expanded polyvinal sheet it is waht most commercial cages are made from it works like wood and takes mechanical fasting too I am sure you can use a wooden corner block as a connection system with some kind of a finish corner on the exterior. I also believe green is a colour option for the pvcx. Just a thought. it might be cheaper than you think. Oak corners with a matt green might look quite sharp too.

Don't worry about using pine or oak for that matter I'd likely avoid cedar but it is a poor cabnetry wood anyway. It will be sealed and the phenols would not be a problem in an encapsulated wood system like you have proposed.

[Denial]

ap are worth every penny to me.

[Muddyredneck]

yeah aps are nice, and when i need a stack of em or more ill get some but for one cage the shipping being a third of what the cage cost is just redonkulous

[mumps]

I'm only going to comment on one aspect of this thread - your "snake mansion" dimensions. Unless you are talking about a super dwarf retic, 6x30x2 is nowhere near mansion sizes for a retic. If you are planning another enclosure after it reaches 6 months of age, and will place another animal in your mansion, then alright. But those dimensions you mention are only adequate for a super dwarf, and I'd still make it taller...

Just my opinion, folks. These are big, active, intelligent snakes!

Chris

[Muddyredneck]

I'm only going to comment on one aspect of this thread - your "snake mansion" dimensions. Unless you are talking about a super dwarf retic, 6x30x2 is nowhere near mansion sizes for a retic. If you are planning another enclosure after it reaches 6 months of age, and will place another animal in your mansion, then alright. But those dimensions you mention are only adequate for a super dwarf, and I'd still make it taller...

Just my opinion, folks. These are big, active, intelligent snakes!

Chris

how big would u suggest? cause i cant fit a 20x7x10 in my room lol.. and to be completly honest id be shocked if my guy reaches 13 feet.. hes a runt i pump him full of food and still nothin hes "2 and a half" and just under 8 feet. so i doubt hed need that much snake and why taller may i ask? iv done taller my last was was thirty two inches tall with a huge pvc ladder that he didnt use, so im unsure why taller would be needed?

[mumps]

You've got a strange retic there. First, at 2 and a half he should be well over 13 feet. Second, Arboreal behaviour, when provided the opportunity, is very common with retics. I would say you had an inadequate temperature gradient in that enclosure that made him not wish to go up there, unless he did so at night when you weren't looking.

What is your definition of "pumping full of food"? Have you had hime since he was a hatchling? The first year and a half is very important for establishing a healthy growth rate and is overlooked by many for fear of being labelled a "power feeder".

Chris

[Muddyredneck]

You've got a strange retic there. First, at 2 and a half he should be well over 13 feet. Second, Arboreal behaviour, when provided the opportunity, is very common with retics. I would say you had an inadequate temperature gradient in that enclosure that made him not wish to go up there, unless he did so at night when you weren't looking.

What is your definition of "pumping full of food"? Have you had hime since he was a hatchling? The first year and a half is very important for establishing a healthy growth rate and is overlooked by many for fear of being labelled a "power feeder".

Chris

i think hes just a runt, and i dunno about gradient because i actually had a che at the top of the ladder to raise ambient temps to encourage climbing, he just wasnt intrested. hes not a swimmer tho either never has been

and no, he was sold to me at a 2 years old, but was probly 4 foot long and a decent thickness, i knew that was entirely to small for even a jamp so i estimated him at a year after taking in to account that the place more then likely maintence fed him to keep him smaller. iv had him for a year now tho which is why i figure hes two cause hes almost doubled in length in a year, and his food varies from large to 2xl if im going away which i have, but for the most part he gets a large or xl.. (which is the perceft size for him diameter) and he eats every 8-10 days. and is always super excited about it.

im not worried about being a powerfeeder because when i got him i was fully prepared for a 13-15 foot snake 80-100lb snake and kne hed grow quick but just never did. his temps are spot on and he has plenty of exerise space, i think hes just a lazy little runt of his clutch. which is fine with me because i know im feeding him properly and his temps are right.

disclaimer- hes not ready for rabbits as i cant find them small enough i know rabbits are better and he isnt to the point where hes eating jumbos or 2 large.. its one large or an xl every 7 to 10 days and when he grows alittle more i will be switching him to rabbits. iv tried and he isnt intrested so save the he should be on rabbits please, lol