A Couple Favorites

I took a few cleaning day shots yesterday and thought I would share a couple of my favorite BPs. Nothing spectacular, just some snakes in hand.

Piebald Male
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps5d19ea24.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...psc6f6db58.jpg

Black Eyed Leucistic (Super Fire) Female
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...psb69e6d3d.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps90f9ee56.jpg

Note: The 4' long stacks in the background are for Boa Constrictors and not the Ball Pythons. The BPs live in Rubbermaids for juveniles and Freedom Breeder racks for adults.

And this little guy shed since last night, so I took a couple pictures. Male Firing Pin, a.k.a. Fire Pinstripe (coolest name ever for a morph!).

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...psf724a5f2.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps208dda3b.jpg

Beauutiful BP's, Phil! Loove that pied and the lucy! :) Looks like you have a nice set-up going on, the boa enclosures look really nice

I'd love a "how you made it" on the enclosures...love them


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Originally Posted by MizTwisted

Beauutiful BP's, Phil! Loove that pied and the lucy! :) Looks like you have a nice set-up going on, the boa enclosures look really nice

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Thank you. The boa enclosures are the 4' Pro-Stacks from Constrictors Northwest. Ed has been doing them a while and while they do require assembly, I have had no issues with them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by calmolly1

I'd love a "how you made it" on the enclosures...love them

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Thanks for that. In hindsight, I should have taken pictures every step of the way, but didn't think of it at the time. It is a very simple process though. To do an easy juvenile BP (and baby boa) rack, go to your local Lowes/Home Depot and get some melamine board in the lumber section. I made these 4 years ago before I had a table saw and had them cut the melamine to the correct dimensions...more or less. If I made another one, I would definitely just get it cut down enough to fit in my vehicle and then do more precise cutting when I got them home. Anyway, the two side panels are 5' tall by 19.5" wide. The horizontal (shelf) boards are 29.5" wide and 19.5" deep. Take the side panels and, with someone helping to keep them upright on a level surface, hold them vertical and put a board cut to shelf size between them flat on the floor. Drill 5-6 pilot holes on each side to keep the screws straight and then screw the shelf onto the side panels. I used 1 5/8" exterior screws for this. You may also want to protect your work area and put a bead of wood glue along the edge before screwing the horizontal shelf to the uprights to hold the shelves more firm on the completed project. This first horizontal board will be the top of the finished project. I used Rubbermaid 41 qt latching "sweater box" type storage containers shown here :http://www.walmart.com/ip/21803655?w...037631&veh=sem. Place a sweater box on the shelf along with a piece of medium to thin cardboard, or something of similar thickness for spacing. Place the next horizontal board on this between the uprights, drill small pilot holes and then screw it to the uprights. Once a few levels are completed in this manner, the uprights will be sturdy enough to stay put on their own. I chose to use 8 horizontal shelves (including the top) for my this. Once you have completed the last shelf, I made a back on the bottom at floor level. This gives it a little storage area without the back wall being exposed in case a snake ends up on the floor and decides to dart under the shelf. My last piece was approximately 9.75" x 29.5" and was placed vertically flush with the above shelf and uprights. It was then screwed onto the uprights on both sides. Then, tip the whole unit up so it looks something like this, the finished product:

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...d/IMG_0325.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/u...d/IMG_0637.jpg

Now, as you can see, I do not know the proper name for them, but I then took strips of metal shown in the bottom picture (found in the same section of a home improvement store as angle iron and rebar) and cut them to length using a dremel. Two were attached up the back using #8 3/4" lath screws, I simply screwed them vertically to the horizontal shelves to give the shelf a back without restricting air flow. I then took large Zoo Med heat pads (but wide heat tape would work fine) and taped them to one side of the shelves using foil tape. Then, using foil tape, attach the thermostat probe to a level, or levels, of your choice along the back inch or so of the heat pad or tape. Once the tubs are prepared and the thermostat set, it is ready for use!

Very pretty! I love the Pied and super fire!

Thank you thank you thank you!!


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by calmolly1

Thank you thank you thank you!!

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Oh, I forgot to mention that I keep the tops ON the tubs and latched when they are in this shelving unit. That way they may be able to push on the tops with their nose, but it hits the top shelf and there is no gap for them to slip through. Just drill or solder small holes in the sides of the tub in the top half.