DIY PVC Jungle Gym help!

[xcjumper]

Hi all!
I am getting a larger cage for my coastal. She has totally out grown her current set up . I couldn't afford her permanent home (AP) at the moment so I'm going with an in between home. So she's getting an exo-terra 36x18x24. I want to figure out how to make a pvc gym for this as she likes to climb A LOT! Right now she's about 600g and loooong

I need help! I see all of your setups and know you can help me I'm not very crafty. What size diameter do I get and how to I cut that stuff? Any help would be much appreciated by Michonne and myself! Step by step would be even better, lol!

Thank you, thank you!

[Coluber42]

One place to start is here: www.formufit.com
They sell PVC in a variety of colors with a nice finish and no printing on it like the stuff in the plumbing section at the hardware store, with a variety of fittings. They also have some tutorials, examples of finished items, etc. It's mostly geared toward making things like lawn furniture, but you'll get the idea.

You can cut it with a hacksaw or any other hand saw really, but if you have a chop saw that's easier. Most of your structure should probably be cemented together. You can order PVC cement when you order the parts, or you can buy it at the hardware store. There are a variety of types, but basically what it does is dissolves the plastic on both sides so that it sticks together. You don't get much working time with it, so it's a good idea to assemble everything dry first to make sure it's how you want it, then start cementing it together. But basically, it's kinda a lot like playing with tinker toys or something.
One more thing about PVC cement is that it is *nasty* stuff until it's completely cured. Read the instructions on the can, and work outside or somewhere with very good ventilation, and give it plenty of time to cure and for any residual smell to go away before you put it in with your snake.

The nominal diameters of the pipe refer to the *inside* diameter, not the outside; so 1/2" PVC pipe is actually almost an inch in diameter on the outside. Depending on what kind of structure you want to build, that might be thick enough, but more likely for a carpet python you would want to go a bit bigger than that so it's a little less flexy.

You can do cool stuff and it's fun to buy extra pipe and fittings so you can experiment, but you'll notice that the price does add up so planning out what you really want to do before you buy is a good idea. If you leave open fitting ends or open pipe ends, it will be easy to add onto your structure later when you get a bigger cage to put it in.

This is what I built recently for my BP. It's not necessarily the same as what you might make for a carpet, but it gives him good stuff to climb on (he can easily fit around all sides of the whole thing) and also supports a couple of upper platforms at different heights and it also holds the RHP. Down the road I'll probably also try hanging other things from it like vines and plants. I used 1/2" PVC. It's mounted in slots on the walls, although you could also mount it through holes or give it feet, etc.

[xcjumper]

Wow! Thanks for all the info, Colluder! I will check out the site..

[Sauzo]

I made pvc gyms from just plain pvc you buy at Home Depot or Lowes. It comes in 8' tubes or whatever and whatever thickness you want. I use 1" thick stuff for my Allison my jungle carpet. My advice is buy the cutting tool too. It will make life easier as it doesn't leave the little burrs like a hacksaw will.

Anyways plan out what you want on paper, then cut it to the sizes you need, buy the fittings you need and stuff. I then roughed it up with some fine grit sandpaper. I didn't glue mine together as I want to be able to take it apart give it good cleanings when needed. You can also scorch the pvc with a propane torch outside so you don't breath the fumes and give the pvc a wood texture and coloring. Check out You tube or also check out the GTP sites. A lot of the guys there use them and make some pretty fancy looking stuff out of it.

[Prognathodon]

We've got PVC jungle gyms in four of our enclosures (Bredli, JCP, and VBB). We went to Menard's and bought a big pile of fittings, pipe, and a new can of solvent/cement. We've got some 3/4" for the VBB, the carpets have mostly 1".

My husband did most of the work. Cut with a pipe cutter or hacksaw, and then largely eyeballed it - this looks like a good length, now stick one of these in, etc. IIRC most of the joints are cemented, some are jam-fit only. The structures are also strung with poly rope, and have had artificial vines added.

The VBB uses his the most, with the JCP a close second. The Bredli not as much (she's more sedentary in general).

Jungle gym #4 is in the JCP's baby cage, now happily in use by my Spotted Python.









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[xcjumper]

Thanks Prog for the pics! That's what I really needed some visual ideas!

[Coluber42]

Prog, that is way cool, I love it! Makes me want a more arboreal snake to build something like that for!

[Prognathodon]

Thanks!

One thing to add: we capped all ends, to prevent any worries about snakes managing to get themselves stuck.


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