New Homemade Enclosures!! **DUW**

[RichL]

So I've been working on this project for about 2 months now. It is taking a little longer than expected, but I also haven't had as much time lately to put into it because of overtime at work. Still, I managed to get all but one level completed so far. Once I get it done, I will have everyone out of tubs.

The tubs were great and served their purpose, but I enjoy just watching my animals when they are 'out and about' ( usually at night of course ). My previous problem with temps and humidity are 'mostly' gone. I still have a slight modification or two to do.

48" Wide 24" Deep
Top shelf has an inside height of 13". The other shelves have an inside height of 17.5" if my memory serves. Top two shelves are divided into 2 24x24 enclosures each. The bottom shelf will be like the second to bottom shelf (open).

Total this will house 6 BP's for me. I only have 7, and one of them is in a tank in another room.

From top to bottom, left to right.
'11 Normal Female 'Juliet' - '11 Normal Female 'Adelina'
'11 Pastel Male 'Kirk' - '11 Fire Female 'Iris'
~'09 Normal Female 'Octavia'

Juliet is hiding to the left ( cool side )


Adelina


Kirk is also Hiding to the left ( cool side )


Iris is trying to hide ( she is a little meany, but I still love her )


My sweetie Octavia <3 also hiding on the cool side


As a note on the temps displayed, the temps that are reading high are below the substrate right on top of the flexwatt. Octavia's readings are 'in' the substrate. Her ambient is a little low, but it comes up to normal when I haven't had the door open. Humidity is a bit high as well in the 'top' areas as it is new substrate. It should level out by tomorrow.

If you are curious, this was made using an industrial shelf from Home Depot, indoor/outdoor Styrofoam insulation wrapped in .7 mil black plastic sheeting to keep the moisture in. Staples were used on the outside to secure the plastic sheeting. No tape was used inside the enclosures. Using 11" Flexwatt across the back on the top two shelves and also using it on the left side of the bottom two (4ft total per shelf which covers almost half the enclosure in each instance). Currently using a Hydrofarm thermostat as my budget for this project was dwindling. I do plan to pick up a much better one later on in the year. This one should do fine till then.

The flexwatt and hookups were the single most expensive item in this entire build followed by the actual shelf system itself.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask ! Hope you enjoy the pictures =)

[The Serpent Merchant]

No part of the cage should ever be that hot, this is why I recommend a thin substrate layer and a substrate other than cypress mulch. What if one of your snakes digs down and touches the floor of the cage over the flexwatt?

Otherwise looks very good

[RichL]

Maybe I should have been more detailed in the original post as I was trying to remove these concerns before they popped up.

I was using the repti bark to start off, but it was easily moved around and didn't stay put. The repti bark was also having issues holding the humidity very well. I have always just had much better luck with cypress.

The substrate isn't very deep here, but I must reiterate that the probe is directly on the flexwatt just as the probe for the thermostat is. There is something in between the flexwatt and the substrate. It was usually a couple degrees cooler than the reading on the 'actual' bottom of the enclosure. Also the other Accurite probe was reading 2 degrees less than the one pictured. I used a temp gun to verify and everything is within safe levels.

I promise you that I have considered temps very carefully and tested before putting the animals in. Thank you for the concern though, it is much appreciated =)

[The Serpent Merchant]

That 2 degrees is in the error of the acurites. Why is the thermometer probe on the flexwatt, don't you want to know what the actual cage temp is?

[RichL]

I only used the probes because they were attached. I bought them before I had a temp gun and had no other way of telling my hot spot temp. Now I mainly use them for ambient temps and humidity even though it displays all three (probe temp, ambient temp, and humidity) on the front. I use the heat gun to get any other temps. So, I check the hot spots at least every other day with the gun to make sure everything is good.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Ok sounds good