Large enclosure build.

[Skyrivers]

Still working on it. Not the look I want yet. Suggestions?



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[Skyrivers]

Lots more painting and shaping up to do yet on the top level. Working on building a custom LED light panel from some LED light strips I have laying around. Time to shop for heat panels. The photos above is her cave hide that I am sure she will spend lots of time in. The photos don't show how huge this cage is. The cave is large enough that a full grown mainland would fit with room to spare. The CHE is coming out. Don't like the look and want to use heat panels. Have room to put a heat panel in there up top inside the shelf. It will also warm the shelf. This will be her hot spot on the top. Getting excited the more I work on it. Is hard to show restraint with my budget. Tapped out till pay day. Will order a heat panel on the 1st to try out and see if I like it enough to order more.

[Tessellate]

I found this vid of someone making foam rocks for a backdrop, maybe it'll help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpko5rxM9pI

Also, the color right now for the rocks is very bright brown and shiny, which makes it seem unnatural. I'm sure scoring/sanding the foam will help with the shininess, and maybe a more grey-toned paint could help. In the video they mentioned using a sand-mixture to give a more matte and textured surface. You could do that and still have a sealant layer on top. This is such a cool build and I feel you on wanting to blow all your cash on treating your snakes lol. Texturing and shaping the foam can help pass the time until payday.

[Skyrivers]

I found this vid of someone making foam rocks for a backdrop, maybe it'll help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpko5rxM9pI

Also, the color right now for the rocks is very bright brown and shiny, which makes it seem unnatural. I'm sure scoring/sanding the foam will help with the shininess, and maybe a more grey-toned paint could help. In the video they mentioned using a sand-mixture to give a more matte and textured surface. You could do that and still have a sealant layer on top. This is such a cool build and I feel you on wanting to blow all your cash on treating your snakes lol. Texturing and shaping the foam can help pass the time until payday.

Yep. want to go more grey with the rocks as a whole. Waiting on payday to buy more paint and sealant. This has been a learning experience for sure. Right now looks like a big pile of poop exploded everywhere. Thanks for the video. Will be progressing more tonight. Any suggestions on heat panels?

[Dianne]

Yep. want to go more grey with the rocks as a whole. Waiting on payday to buy more paint and sealant. This has been a learning experience for sure. Right now looks like a big pile of poop exploded everywhere. Thanks for the video. Will be progressing more tonight. Any suggestions on heat panels?

I’m partial to http://pro-products.com/ - these are currently what I have in all my existing cages. They were easy to install and even when on don’t get too hot to touch...though noticeably warm to a human. A big thing with any of these is to measure clearance to the substrate/shelf, and to include the height of your curled up snake. If I remember correctly, you need no less than 7” clearance between the panel and any stationary object, at least for the panels I purchased.

[Ax01]

I started with an enclosure that someone had built already and put on Craigslist for 100. 8ft 3ft 4ft. Going to change the CHE out for heat panels. Going to use 3 of them placed in different zones. 1 hot 1 cooler on top and one hot and 1 aquatic side to the bottom. A ramp will be connecting them to help her climb up and down. I know the aquatic part is not necessary but Rainbow loves water. Will update photos as progress is made. Looking for suggestions on temp control in the 3 zones.

i would get a Herpstat 4 or a combination of Herpstats like a 2 to control the top and a 1 for the bottom. or if u don't want all the bells and whistles, get the EZ2 and EZ1.

Edit:

Yep. want to go more grey with the rocks as a whole. Waiting on payday to buy more paint and sealant. This has been a learning experience for sure. Right now looks like a big pile of poop exploded everywhere. Thanks for the video. Will be progressing more tonight. Any suggestions on heat panels?

i agree that it looks like poop Lol. u should have added bark, cork or rocks, etc. to the foam when it was still still soft and wet for texture etc. i also would have went in w/ a knife, scraper and sander to shape and mold the hardened foam before sealant and paint. right now there are just too many nooks and crannies to make it too hard to clean for my liking.

[C.Marie]

Still working on it. Not the look I want yet. Suggestions?



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I first thought when I saw this wow Rainbow really mucked up her new home fast but read and realized it wasn't that but decor I am not very artisticly inclined either but I am sure you will have this sorted out in no time looking forward to the end results..

[Skyrivers]

I first thought when I saw this wow Rainbow really mucked up her new home fast but read and realized it wasn't that but decor I am not very artisticly inclined either but I am sure you will have this sorted out in no time looking forward to the end results..

This whole thing is a giant experiment that I hope turns out great for her. Some learning involved as I go for sure.

[C.Marie]

This whole thing is a giant experiment that I hope turns out great for her. Some learning involved as I go for sure.

Artificial plants will also help a lot to make the not so perfect look much better do they make artificial moss that splashed here and there after you paint to what you like also be awesome in hiding imperfections, I think Rainbow is going to love her new home best wishes always..

[Skyrivers]

i would get a Herpstat 4 or a combination of Herpstats like a 2 to control the top and a 1 for the bottom. or if u don't want all the bells and whistles, get the EZ2 and EZ1.

Edit:

i agree that it looks like poop Lol. u should have added bark, cork or rocks, etc. to the foam when it was still still soft and wet for texture etc. i also would have went in w/ a knife, scraper and sander to shape and mold the hardened foam before sealant and paint. right now there are just too many nooks and crannies to make it too hard to clean for my liking.

I think after tonight it will look dramatically different. I have more time to work on it again. I thought about putting bark and wood chips in it but did not want to have anything poky fixed so she could scrape herself on it. she will get heavier as she ages and some small wood chips might stick into her and cause issues. I do plan on having loose wood chips in the enclosure but I am a long way from doing that yet. I even thought about sand being a part of the texture of the rocks but decided not to. Crawling across sandpaper would not be comfy either. Going to try to shape the rocks up some and make it easier to clean a little but also look a little better. Also changing paint scheme. Going with more greys and light browns. I will get it right. Just takes some learning on my part.