Hi all,
I wanted to share some photos of one of the projects I've been working on this summer. The kids needed some home upgrades and I'm a big fan of naturalistic displays when possible. I decided to invest in some quality caging and products for some 'permanent' homes that would be both ideal for the snakes and aesthetically pleasing for me....It isn't as easy to achieve naturalistic vivaria with large snakes (vs. frogs) because they trample things so easily, but I gave it a try! No live plants, sadly.
I'll go into some detail on the builds for those interested. I always welcome feedback: if you have any suggestions please let me know!
These are 4' x 2' Constrictors Northwest Pro-Line cages, the top is 24" tall for Orion, bottom two are 14" tall. The backgrounds are usable and have perches/shelves crafted into them. I picked up some 4'x2' sections of Egg Crate, cut them to the size of the background and cut space for the vents, applied a generous layer of Great Stuff foam to the crate, then used the Titebond III + Coir slurry method to create the natural look. You basically just mix the titebond with a little water, a few drops of non-toxic brown paint, and mix coconut fiber/coir, peat moss, or similar substrata into the mixture to create a slurry. This slurry is then pressed onto the background and allowed to cure for a week. I find this method superior to the Silicone + Coir method... the end product cures rock hard, the process is less time consuming, and its marginally less expensive. I have photos of both the background and cage making process if anyone is interested.
The substrate in the enclosures is cypress mulch, heating is achieved with PH-3 Pro Heat Radiant Panels on Herpstat II thermostats. All cages have a 24" fluorescent light and Orion has an additional 18" ReptiSun 10.0 for UVB on a timer during peak hours of the day.
These are not quite 100% complete... There are some cosmetic and wiring things I still need to clean up and I may have to alter the cage decor depending on maintenance needs and whether or not things are actually being used or trampled. Some areas of the backgrounds could perhaps use a smidge more foliage and I'd also like to get a stand for the stack to sit on so that it's off the floor... I'm thinking I'll be replacing the stock flourescent bulbs that came with the fixtures because they're a little on the warm side color wise (yellowish). This has been a long anticipated project and I'm happy to finally have everyone moved in. It wasn't cheap and it took some time, but I think it was worth it!
The Stack
Orion's Enclosure (82% Diamond Python)
Luna's (BEL)
Enjoying the new perch and heat source! Really liking these radiant panels myself.
Rambo's new digs (T+ Lyly blood)
Rambo, deep in shed. I'll get some updated photos of him soon once this shed is off.
I'm thinking I'll have to remove a piece of wood or two from his viv. It's a little cluttered for his bulk to move freely, but he's found a couple of nice spots to bunker down and feel secure.
Thanks for looking! I've got these right next to my desk so I can stare at them whenever I need a break from work lol
Big shout out to my buddy Bill (deranged chipmunk) for advice on the background construction! My cages aren't nearly as nice as his, but I try!
Last edited by JeffreH; August 21st, 2015 at 08:30 PM.
-Jeff Howell
ReptileBoards ( Branched from The Reptile Rooms )
"If you give, you begin to live." -DMB
Very nice setups... your going to have happy snakes for many years
Sent from my A521L using Tapatalk
I keep mine in a live viv. Your setups are awsome man. Lemme tell ya, real plants help with humidity, but its a royal pain in the ol **** to keep them alive. 2x daily maintenance...
Any plans for a fogger? Far better to diy one than waste money on an overpriced exo terra piece o poodoo
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