My First Custom Cage

So today I was bored and didn't want to do my homework, so I decided to build a snake enclosure.

It's primarily built out of 3/4" plywood and is designed to have the enclosure on top and then a storage draw beneath it.

3 Vents were made using pegboard and then trimmed out with pine and then bead board. I know pine isn't good for snakes, but both the inside and outside of the tank will be painted/stained and then sealed with multiple coats of a clear water based sealer.

The floor of the enclosure is going to be tile glued into place, with one left lose and the UTH will be underneath that tile. On top of the tile will be 2-3" of aspen bedding.

The front of the enclosure will have two separate doors made of wood and 3/8" perspex so that they open outwards like a set of double doors.

I intend to test this enclosure for a couple weeks before I move our snake into it to make sure that humidity and temperatures are all correct. I also intend to give it 2, maybe even 3 weeks to allow all the paint to properly dry and air out before I test it.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4250076.jpg
The basic structure. Overall the snake will have 28"x15" of floor space and another 15" of upward space. This will obviously be reduced once all the "furniture" has been added. The draw space beneath has been designed so that a bag of aspen shavings will fit with ample room.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4250074.jpg
This is the back panel for the cage. It is made from 5/16" Bead Board with a 20" x 6.5" piece of peg board added for ventilation. The seams were then trimmed out.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4250078.jpg
Yours truly taking a jigsaw to the side panel to create another ventilation hole.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4250080.jpg
One of the side ventilation holes completed. Again, the edges were trimmed out to cover the seams.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4250083.jpg
Those unsightly staple heads filled over, once painted they will be invisible.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4250082.jpg
The entirety of today's work. I have filled any gaps (nail holes, wood seams etc) with wood filler.

Does anyone think I should make alterations to add lighting to the enclosure? It seems a little dark, but I know BP's like that so I'm not too sure, especially because this tank may also eventually house a kingsnake.

You won't totally know if you will need a light to keep your ambient air temperatures up until it is up and running, some people need them, others don't. If you just want to add a red light for viewing purposes, that is perfectly fine because red lights don't bother them.

Nice job by the way!

Thanks. I figure if any extra heat is needed, I'll still have the heat lamp from the current tank that I can set up to send heat through one of the side ventilation holes.

That would be an option, just make sure it doesn't get too close to set fire.

Very cool :D Can't wait to see it complete.

Thanks. It'll be a whiles till completetion -_-
Today I started the laborius job of filling every tiny little crack and crevice. Darn the perfectionist within me.

Good job, It looks great, Looks like it will hold good temps, great idea:)

Only two pictures for today :( My arm feels like its about to drop off.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4260084.jpg
Top of the cage. I've filled and sanded this surface about 7 times today, but I am finally satisfied.

I thinned out my filler with water and then applied it like a skin coat, using a brush to get into all the little gaps.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...e/P4260086.jpg
The result of today. Top and one outside finished, inside base and insides filled ready to be sanded tomorrow.

Yes I do have an electric sander, and I had intended to use it. For some reason, it feels like I've accomplished a lot more with sanding by hand lol

Very nice! Will the doors have plexi?

Yep, I was thinkin 3/8s but I might go to thinner stuff because Im doing two doors that'll need considerably less plexi than the one I had originally planned