New vivaria.

[Sid]

Really like the new vivs James.

Sid

[Cazador]

Hi James,

First, really nice work! The 4' width is going to give multiple garters plenty of freedom in each section.

I recently made a new enclosure, pictures below, and have some ideas that you (and others) might be able to modify to suit your needs. First, I should probably say that it's not finished in order to disguise my poor carpentry skills and make people think that great and wonderful things are soon to come.

I have an 8" x 17" (21 x 43cm) heat pad underneath the 3/4" (1.9cm) floor and outside of the enclosure. It's along part of the right wall (under the silver thermometer and in front of the round log with the round hole). All walls are 3/4" (1.9cm) thick, and the heat pad makes the hot spot a little warmer than I'd like. The astroturf helps to diffuse a bit of the heat and lowers the temp by almost 1C, which currently keeps the hot spot between 88 and 90F (31-32C). I still need to get a dimmer for it because I'd like to have the hotspot around 85 (29.5) or so. The cool end stays at about 21C.
The wires to my full spectrum lighting run from the ceiling, down behind the vertical 1" x 3" (2.5 x 7.5cm) malmite strip in the front. I cut a 2.5cm disc out of the floor and ran the wires out through the hole. Then I re-inserted the wooden disk, so it fits snugly against the wires. Then I put some tape above and below this disk to make sure that it doesn't get pushed through the floor somehow. It's actually very snug, though.

My plexiglass doors in the front have handles on each side, and both slide sideways to open. They can be completely removed. I've considered cutting a hole in the top of the enclosure and using a router to recess another plexiglass window/door from above. This would give even better access, but it might also let more heat out. I haven't decided whether to do that or not. Anyway, the fluorescent light fixture is just far enough from the front so that the plexiglass can slide (with a bit of resistance), but not far enough away that a snake could get between it and the glass. The same small space exists behind that vertical 2.5 x 7.5cm malmite strip in the front. On the far right and left sides (next to the handles), the plexiglass extends about 2" (5cm) behind the vertical trim.

There's also a small, white shelf in the back corner, but the snakes haven't used it much yet... just to occasionally investigate the ceiling. I think I might attach some old shed snake skins to hide the unfinished edge on that back shelf, or I might put a piece of horizontal trim and fill it with wood chips. That would be more difficult to clean, though.

Also remember that your snakes will be spending a lot of time wherever your heat source is, so put the heat source where you would like to see the snakes. Finally, there is an electric power strip that you can see near the front. The wires come out of the enclosure and plug right into the power strip, which has a timer regulating the lights and heat.

The perimeter is roughly 36" x 36" x 22" x 35", and it is 12" tall (.91m x .91m x .56m x .89m by .3m tall). The longest internal dimesion is 50" (1.25 m) from right to left. It's not square, so that it doesn't stick out too far into the room.






Hope this helps to make yours even better.

Rick

[Gijs & Sabine]

Well done, James ! It looks really nice

I also like your new enclosure, Rick. I've never seen anything like this before.

[adamanteus]

Nice viv Rick,

I've done a drawing (again!! ) to illustrate my description of what I plan to do....a picture paints a thousand words!

I always use two heaters, independent of each other, one main one to provide the ambient warmth and a hot spot, and then a smaller one under the water bowl with which I can control humidity quite precisely. I've always (well, for years anyway) followed this method, as it makes the vivarium very versatile. It can be used for anything from tropical rain forest environment, through temperate to arid desert, with just the twist of a couple of thermostats. I've drawn heat mats but I actually use cable for the main heat source, you can "snake" it around anywhere you want it then.

My doors are always paired glass sliding ones, to save space and make fitting a lock easier. I use ground-in finger grips, rather the handles so the doors can cross over each other. They could be made to be removable, but I generally like to make mine a closer fit, so once they're in, they're in!

For substrate I use large pieces of slate, as in roofing slate. These are cemented into place and neatly pointed-in, trapping the heaters below. This is (I think) very attractive, dead easy to clean...just wipe clean, and won't harbour parasites or other nasties. Water spills etc. quickly evaporate off the surface, so humidity stays in my control. It also stops the animals gaining direct access to the heat source and cooking themselves! If for whatever reason a different substrate is required, this can simply be spread over the slate.

My water bowls are large ceramic ones, also cemented in as an integral part of the floor. This necessitates bailing-out and cleaning in situ, but it's not really a problem, being ceramic they easily wipe clean.

Lighting is broad-spectrum (daylight) strips, on a timer of course.

The finished vivaria are decorated with hides, climbing branches, cork bark, rocks etc. as dictated by the needs of the species to be housed.

The general design is very basic and simple, but looks great once it's decorated, and as I said it's versatile....this week tree frogs, next week Uromastyx!

[Thamnophis]

Very nice terrarium, Rick.

[boeh]

Well done James. That looks very good.

Cyrill

[Stefan-A]

Very nice one, Rick. What shape is it actually, since it's not square?

[adamanteus]

Another stage of my new vivs is done.....The electrics are in and I've fitted the air vents in the rear walls. Just got the floors and doors to do, then I'm in business. Can anybody spare a snake!

I haven't bothered taking pictures, because with all the wiring (pre-floor fitting) it looks like a mess of spaghetti!

Rick, speaking of photos, I accidentally erased my previous pics from this thread (idiot)! Are you able to put them back in the right place for me? (they're in my gallery) Or do I have to re-post them?

[Cazador]

Got 'em .

Rick

[adamanteus]

Merci bien, mon ami. Tu es tres gentile!