I'm not sure if I understand exactly what ventilation options you are considering, although I will say that I have always found it easier to cover excessive ventilation than it is to add ventilation once a cage is up and running. So don't worry about that too much, although I don't think a screen top is the right idea either.



I also don't like the idea of plexiglass or any acrylic to line the interior. As the material crazes from exposure to cleaning compounds and gets slightly scratched from any scrubbing and/or hard water you'll find it difficult to clean.



Also, I would not make the floor plate glass either. I know those heat pads are designed to be stuck on aquaria, but that does not mean that glass is a good conductor of heat.



What I recommend, assuming you can't afford a radiant heat panel, is to build the entire cage with the same thickness of wood, whichever you prefer. Then cut a hole out of the bottom of the floor that is 2" longer and wider than the size of heat pad you'd like to use. Keep this cutout near one end of the cage but not too close to the walls of the cage so the structural integrity of the floor remains intact.



Also route a shallow groove from the cutout to the back or near side of the cage.



Then cover the entire floor with 1/4" or 1/8" Sintra or other brand of expanded PVC sheet. Your heat pad will be attached directly to the underside of the Sintra with the appropriate aluminum tape and the cord will run out the back in the shallow groove. Expanded PVC is a good conductor of heat.



The sides of ceiling of the cage will not take as much abuse as the floor so you can cover them with just about anything, assuming you don't have a mist or rain system running in the cage. Formica, vinyl film, contact paper, or even a bathroom quality latex paint. I still would not recommend thin acrylic.



I know you had a lot more questions but your post was hard to read without spacing, at least while I'm waking up, LOL. If there's anything else you'd like answered, just ask away.
-----
Current snakes:



0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)



1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Jave local (green)



2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)



1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

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