Hey everyone,



I'm designing and building my first cage/stand for my corn snake to grow into. (Image is attached) I want it to look fairly nice (ie, stain, finishing, etc, it will be made of wood, I just don't know what kind yet) as it will be kind of for display (it's not going to be down in a basement where no one but me will see it, that is). It will be built as part of a stand with a few shelves for storage. The bottom section will be holding my other 5 gal aquarium with actual fish in it, but eventually it will either hold another corn or possibly mice. How does the basic design look so far?



As it is, the cage's dimensions are 24"Lx14"Hx12"D; is this going to be large enough for an adult corn snake? Right now mine is only 16" long, but I want him to be able to grow into it.



I would like the front and sides to be clear, so Plexiglass or regular glass... what are your suggestions? I was thinking Plexiglass because it will be lighter (and cheaper? I don't know) but I've had issues with plexiglass clouding up from evaporated water deposits -- would this be a problem with a snake cage?



I was also thinking about painting the back panel with artist's acrylic paints mural-like (I'm an art student)-- Would these be toxic, even if I sealed it? What sort of sealant would I need to use?



Is it feasible to grow plants in a cage this size, and what sorts of plants? Which are not toxic, etc.



Which do you reccomend for cleaning/access purposes; a top-opening cage or a front-opening cage?



How would I heat a cage like this? On the 5 gal my snake is in right now, I have a mini Cobra Heat Mat underneath and a Zoo Med 75 W basking bulb on top that keep the temp at 85* on the warm side and high 70s* on the cooler side. Obviously I would need a bigger heat mat for this size cage, but would it be feasible, or should I just stick to a basking bulb (possible larger...?)?



Questions not directly related to the cage, but heating/lighting in general:

Since corn snakes are nocturnal, should I be providing a "moon" lamp like I have seen in some other nocturnal herp set-ups? Or possibly just a ceramic heat emitter to keep it warm? Or am doing fine by my snake right now, by only leaving on the Cobra mat at night?



Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure my corn is happy. =)



Thanks!

Redkite

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