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  1. #1
    Registered User Rose1's Avatar
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    Corner TV Stand Conversion Questions

    I have an older wooden corner TV stand that I initially purchased to convert to a rabbit hutch. I found something better for the rabbits, but still have this and am thinking of converting it into a reptile enclosure. It looks similar to this:
    https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pd...?piid=31582094

    I already moved the shelf the tv sits on the the middle of the opening creating 2 levels, which I need as I have 2 snakes (female albino house, and male charcoal corn)

    The front edge where the doors would be is 46". The sides are each 34", and it's 26" deep. Will these dimensions be big enough for my two snakes?

    Second, how would you recommend heating this? I currently use glass tanks with uth, but I have no idea how to do this with wooden shelves. I'd like to not burn my house down...

    Third, how would you seal the shelves to make them waterproof?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Sounds plenty big enough to me, for housing (separately) a corn & a house snake. Keep in mind that corns appreciate height, with branches to climb in.

    Wood cabinets are tricky to convert to safe snake housing, since most furniture finishes are toxic, & obviously you know that moisture is an issue too, so you need to
    seal all the wood with a "no-voc" waterproofing ("voc" - volatile organic compounds...in other words, once dry, it must be aired out completely & not continue to off-
    gas "organic compounds" (which are not healthy for us OR pets to breathe). Exact product names escape me for the moment, I haven't converted any furniture for
    many years now, but others here have (so either search some DIY threads or wait for others to chime in, or ask around, & google search).

    Wood is a great insulator, and both the snakes you mention don't need such high heat as boas & BPs do, but you still need to make safe choices. I do NOT suggest
    using UTH, since the heat has trouble penetrating the wood "floor" and is more likely to over-heat the UTH by trying to. I also think that RHP's would be over-kill, &
    while some ppl install heat lights (for the warmth) or CHEs (that's like a light for warmth only it's heat only, no light) in wood enclosures, you'd then need welded wire
    "cages" around them (so the snakes cannot contact them) & they still aren't the safest option (because sometimes snakes splash water, or climb & the wire is abrasive.

    What I'd personally do is use either a small flat ceramic "uth" (if you can find one? I have some stored from years ago, but I'm not sure anyone sells them now?) that
    is controlled by thermostat, OR buy a short heat cable (they are used outside to prevent pipes from freezing, so they aren't sold for pets, only in home improvement-
    hardware stores) & do the same thing - regulate it w/ thermostat. Either of the last 2 suggestions have a normal power cord: I'd drill a small hole in the wood back,
    just big enough for the cord itself to pass thru. I'd snip off the plug (you don't want to make a hole that big, you'll only have to seal it up), & replace the plug once I
    installed it. They sell easy-to-install replacement plugs in hardware stores too.

    A heat cable can be wound around a branch, or installed along the bottom side of an enclosure...use your imagination. The important thing is to properly regulate it
    with a thermostat. Heat cables & ceramic UTH are both designed to be used outdoors (the ceramic UTH I have were designed to be used in zoos, under the dirt floor
    of animal exhibits). This is UNLIKE the typical heat tape aka "UTH" (of any brand, Flexwatt "style"- like that sold by Reptile Basics & others), as those are NOT safe
    to put inside enclosures, they're designed only for underneath glass etc. where no moisture can contact them.

    I agree, it's extremely bad form to burn your house down, & your pets would greatly prefer you don't do that also... Safety first!
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  3. #3
    Registered User Rose1's Avatar
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    Thanks Bogertophis. I'll research some sealers.

    I should have clarified a little. Yes, the snakes will be separate. There are actually 3 different levels, so it'll look like 3 stacked enclosures. Moving the shelf up makes the bottom 2 levels each 23" tall, and the top one, which was storage is 19" tall.

    This might be super dumb, but what if I just lined the compartments with PVC or thin Melamine. The sides are completely open, so I have to cover them with something anyway. If I just use melamine and silicone the seams would that work?

    I did find these animal heating pads today.

    https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-product...EaAhEHEALw_wcB

    They are designed for chickens and to be in contact with the animal. I am wondering if I put them inside the enclosure, but under the substrate, and on a thermostat, would they work? As you said, they need some heat, but I don't need anything crazy.

  4. #4
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Re: Corner TV Stand Conversion Questions

    You could line the compartments, sure. Melamine is very hard to cut accurately- I tried, lol; have it cut by a pro. Aquarium silicone seal is good too. The open sides- if you want air-flow (& I would), you could get some perforated metal from home improvement store...sold by sheets (36" x 36" I think?), it's easy to cut & fit with metal shears, & you can nail it to the wood easily. Be sure you have the smooth side INSIDE & the slightly abrasive side out, since most snakes will be sniffing the outside air thru the holes & you don't want them to scrape their nose raw. Perf. metal is sold for screen door replacements etc.- I used it & liked it a lot on my cabinet conversion to snake home, & in the winter, I reduced air-flow by putting thin wood panels over the outside...easy!

    That heat pad looks like it will work just fine, though they don't tell you what temp. it reaches? Ask! & you still need to control it by thermostat, but you know that. I think it's fun to re-purpose cabinets for snakes, sounds like you've given it some good thoughts already, & there's more than one way to do things.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 01-11-2020 at 11:29 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
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  5. #5
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Did you read the product questions below the heat pad on Chewy? (excerpt below) They also recommend not using with any combustible materials like paper or wood shavings... Seems to have very good reviews below also, good job finding that.

    Lectro Kennel makes heated pads for dogs etc (whelping quarters etc) & they're grounded & safe too, but mostly they're bigger, also pricey. And there's "Pig blankets" too for farm use, but again, they're very large (like for when you get an anaconda, lol).

    "What is the maximum temperature for this heating pad"

    "This heating pad features a preset temperature of 102 degrees.
    By on Dec 13, 2019 Report "



    Last edited by Bogertophis; 01-11-2020 at 11:43 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  6. #6
    Registered User Rose1's Avatar
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    I saw the thing about not putting shavings on top of it, which I found interesting as they also say you can directly screw it to a wooden chicken coop, and they make a microfiber cover you can put it in.

    I figure with it being on the thermostat and set at 85ish, it likely would be fine, but maybe not?

  7. #7
    BPnet Senior Member jmcrook's Avatar
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    Re: Corner TV Stand Conversion Questions

    Those heat pads are more for birds to huddle around, not sit/lay directly on top of. Look at the other pictures in the link you posted


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Re: Corner TV Stand Conversion Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Rose1 View Post
    I saw the thing about not putting shavings on top of it, which I found interesting as they also say you can directly screw it to a wooden chicken coop, and they make a microfiber cover you can put it in.

    I figure with it being on the thermostat and set at 85ish, it likely would be fine, but maybe not?
    I think it's fine, especially with thermostat. Keep in mind that shavings are WAY more flammable than solid wood*. Another thing you can do is to put a thin ceramic tile
    underneath it, between the wood & the heat pad...that will make it even safer, & it's what I do under my tanks that sit on wood furniture- I use ceramic tiles as "heat sinks" between the UTH & wood furniture, to help keep the wood from drying out over long-term use. (*think about how you start a campfire or fireplace...you need 'kindling' &/or paper to get a fire going; wood shavings make perfect kindling, whereas solid wood takes real effort to get started.)

    I'm glad you found this heat pad, btw...it appears to be exactly the right thing, similar to what I was suggesting.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 01-12-2020 at 02:07 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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