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Building my own...

Nanyque

Nanyque

New member
I ran into an older thread about building your own vivs. I was wondering if anyone had any pics of viv's they've built. Idealy I could stack them (with my heat lamps and all...) just looking for ideas.
 
I built my own enclosure. It's not fancy, just a big sweaterbox (rubbermaid) with lots of air holes drilled all around. I like the lid b/c it literally locks itself in place. the lid also has holes drilled in it. the only part that doesn't have holes is the bottom. I have a piece of cardboard for a hide, a tupperware water dish, and a wide toothed comb for Czar (my hatchling cornsnake) to climb on.
He loves that comb! he climbs all over it, every time i see him he's zooming around that comb. Good thing it's plastic... oh, and i have a thermometer on the bottom laying flat. Don't worry, it's waterproof (and washable).
 
Nice site. I love how they sell all those great pieces for DIY... I'm looking for something kind of aesthetic (don't ask my why... cause I don't know. lol) so, thanks for the idea, but that won't work for me.
 
Kilala said:
I built my own enclosure. It's not fancy, just a big sweaterbox (rubbermaid) with lots of air holes drilled all around. I like the lid b/c it literally locks itself in place. the lid also has holes drilled in it. the only part that doesn't have holes is the bottom. I have a piece of cardboard for a hide, a tupperware water dish, and a wide toothed comb for Czar (my hatchling cornsnake) to climb on.
He loves that comb! he climbs all over it, every time i see him he's zooming around that comb. Good thing it's plastic... oh, and i have a thermometer on the bottom laying flat. Don't worry, it's waterproof (and washable).
Click to expand...
Me too accept for bp's and it consists of a hid and water dish with paper towels. However if you do use this method (tubs) i suggest using a sodering iron to make holes rather than a drill if you can. It's much cleaner and doesnt risk cracking the plastic, but make sure you do this somewhere ventallated or outside as it will smell like burnt plastic. I do it in my bathroom with a fan on.
 
ahh, blueapple, your thread is what made me post this. I'm looking for some pics of other peoples, the problem is, I need to be able to have the heating.... lots of it. Wisconsin = COLD for 75% of year....
 
Nanyque said:
ahh, blueapple, your thread is what made me post this. I'm looking for some pics of other peoples, the problem is, I need to be able to have the heating.... lots of it. Wisconsin = COLD for 75% of year....
Click to expand...

Mine are heated! :)

I have a piece of 11" flexwatt on the bottom each cage . I insulated the connections with silicone to prevent electric shock if water was spilled. I also tacked them down with silicone so the snake wouldn't burrow under it.

Hook it up to a thermostat and you're all set.

(I'm thinking I should have put this in the write up. :headbang: I should think of doing a revision or addition to that write up)

I think it's the easiest way to go for heating vivs.
 
Okay, so I guess the problem I'm having is that due to the cold weather and the cost of heating vs. the cost of electricity, I have to use a UTH and a lamp, plus I like to use a UV bulb for extra lighting. This site ( http://www.showcasecages.com/index.htm ) is the only one I've found that actually allows for the usage of overhead lighting/heating and is stackable. However, they are crazy expensive.

I'm just afraid of not being able to provide adequate temps with only a UTH, or having to turn the UTH up so high that the snake is burnt crawling over that area (obviously the heater isn't IN the tank, but... you get what I mean).
 
I'm in the middle of constructing an 8 bin rack right now.
I got the design from http://www.exoticsbynature.com/boarack.html
This will serve as a rack for 6 corns and 2 Brazilian rainbow boas.
It's cost me just over $250 for all the materials for it: Wood, screws, staples, flex watt heater and clips, cord, dimmer switches and thermometers. metal screen and rubber bins.
This is in Canada though, things can cost a bit more up here.
 
These bin racks are quite popular aren't they? Oh well, I'm really looking for something a bit more for display.
 
Nanyque said:
These bin racks are quite popular aren't they? Oh well, I'm really looking for something a bit more for display.
Click to expand...
I built one for corn snakes out of an unfinished pine 4 shelf book shelf that was 4 foot long, unfortunately I dont have it anymore and no pics either. :shrugs: Sorry. Jimi
 
Here is the one I built for my BP. It is built with cherry and a malamine base. I routed a spot in the bottom for a UTH. My only problem is that I did not make it stackable. I am thinking of changing it by putting lights inside with a divider of sorts so I can stack it.
IMG_0026.jpg
 
Me too accept for bp's and it consists of a hid and water dish with paper towels. However if you do use this method (tubs) i suggest using a sodering iron to make holes rather than a drill if you can. It's much cleaner and doesnt risk cracking the plastic, but make sure you do this somewhere ventallated or outside as it will smell like burnt plastic. I do it in my bathroom with a fan on.
Click to expand...

Oh, I only used the drill to start the holes. I made them bigger w/ an awl that i heated on the stove. I spent about an hour making them smooth and clean.
 
Nanyque said:
Cool... And that will be enough to keep it up to temp then? what about lighting?
Click to expand...

It should keep the temp just fine. Unless you have your corns in a basement or garage where it gets ultra cold; well, if that's the case there are bigger things to worry about then.

As for lighting, mine are in a room that gets a lot of natural light that works just fine for me; I think that others have used fluorescent bulbs that don't give off much heat for lighting. But I'm no expert on the lighting area so you'd have to ask around s ome more.
 
blueapplepaste said:
Mine are heated! :)

I have a piece of 11" flexwatt on the bottom each cage . I insulated the connections with silicone to prevent electric shock if water was spilled. I also tacked them down with silicone so the snake wouldn't burrow under it.

Hook it up to a thermostat and you're all set.

(I'm thinking I should have put this in the write up. :headbang: I should think of doing a revision or addition to that write up)

I think it's the easiest way to go for heating vivs.
Click to expand...

Is it possible to put the flexwatt or other heating element underneath the floor rather than on top of it inside the cage? I'm looking to build one in the coming months as well and I'm a bit leery of putting the heating element inside the cage. I understand that using silicone would solve the problem, but for some reason I just feel a bit hinky about having it inside the cage, lol.

-Janel
 
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