Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm getting ready to build a really nice display for a carpet python, and I would like it to match my furniture. Would it be safe to build it out of cherry? It will be sealed of course (suggestions on what to use to seal it are welcome as well) but I have no idea if cherry would be toxic to a snake.

Thanks for the input,
Shelly

Cherry is a hard wood much like Maple and Mahogony, it is safe for herps. I would be more worried about what you are going to protect the wood from the enviroment, and its effect on the snake.

Not to mention Cost!

Good Luck
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Sunglow "Khal" RTB **Coming Soon**
0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB **Coming Soon**
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.0.14 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

Thanks for the help. I'm not too worried about the cost of cherry...I bought a bunch for another project and then decided not to use it. Now I'm tired of storing it, lol. This way at least it will get used for something.

What do you suggest putting on the inside of the cage to protect the wood?

Thanks again,
Shelly

I suppose it depends on the look your going for if you want the cherry on the inside to stand out defenetly a stain polyurathene combo, or epoxy. Chris Harper is a good one to contact on that regard.

However, if your like me and the inside of the cage is the the inside of the cage and not designed to look like furinature, than I would suggest a laminate of some kind. Perhaps vinyl film for the back sides and ceiling and something more durable like formica or vinyl floor for the floor.

Depends on the look your going for. My new cages will be furnitaure quality maple on the outside but laminate on the inside. Designed to let the animal stand out. While the maple will make the room.

Best of Luck
-----
Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Sunglow "Khal" RTB **Coming Soon**
0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB **Coming Soon**
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.0.14 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

Or is some of it cherry-veneered plywood? If it's all solid cherry you'll want a finish that is flexible enough to handle the natural expansion and contraction that a cage for a Carpet Python will undergo.

Another big issue is finding a finish that is safe and that will "pop" the grain. Most finishes that look good on cherry are oil-based which give a nice warmth to cherry. But they also tend to be toxic and offgass for extended periods.

I would probably do a coat of pure tung oil or boiled linseed oil followed by a few coats of dewaxed shellac, preferably a darker shellac like garnet. Then you could put on a few coats of waterborne polyurethane and it would look okay and be relatively safe. Absolutely make sure the shellac is dewaxed or waterborne polyurethane won't stick to it, IIRC.

The floor will need something more durable, however.

Or you could use something like a Waterlox product and just make sure to apply several VERY THIN coats, allowing each coat to cure completely before applying the next coat. Nice appearance and protection without all of the other finishing steps. Personally I would not use this on the inside of a snake cage but I do believe that if care is taken it could be done safely.

I'm heading out of town and should be able to help more next week.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Malaysian locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

I'm planning on doing it in solid cherry, but could I get away with using something else (like plywood) on the floor since no one will see it? The good thing is I have lots of time to get this built and finished. I haven't even bought the snake yet, and I'm buying a baby, so I won't be able to put it in the big display until it gets older. I want to make this cage something like 4'x2'x2', so it's going to be way too big for a baby carpet.

Thanks for the help,
Shelly

Personally I'd only use the solid cherry for the face frame and maybe raised or flat panels for the sides. I don't like using large glue-ups for snake cages, especially ones where there will be a sizeable humidity and temperature differential between the inside and outside. But it sounds like you know what you are doing and maybe have a plan.

If you really want cherry on the inside, and I think that would look great, I'd buy some premium cherry plywood and use that for the carcass. Or find someone with a vaccum press who can veneer for you. I would also finish it a couple of shades darker or ligher than the outside, depending on what you want to do for lights.

Since you have so much time I would tend to recommend a finish like Waterlox. You'll have plenty of time to apply thin coats with plenty of offgass time inbetween (DO NOT follow the instructions on the can for a snake cage). Waterlox is a gorgeous finish on cherry and offers a nice amount of protection. Even though it is used on food prep counters I would not consider it safe for a snake cage unless applied in a very particular manner.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Malaysian locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

Thanks for the advice. I'll check into they plywood and see what I can come up with. I hadn't really thought about the temp. difference...I've built other stuff, but never a snake cage. I'll pick up some Waterlox, too. I'll let you guys know how it goes (although I'm sure it's going to take me awhile to get this done, lol)!

Thanks,
Shelly

>>Personally I'd only use the solid cherry for the face frame and maybe raised or flat panels for the sides. I don't like using large glue-ups for snake cages, especially ones where there will be a sizeable humidity and temperature differential between the inside and outside. But it sounds like you know what you are doing and maybe have a plan.
>>
>>If you really want cherry on the inside, and I think that would look great, I'd buy some premium cherry plywood and use that for the carcass. Or find someone with a vaccum press who can veneer for you. I would also finish it a couple of shades darker or ligher than the outside, depending on what you want to do for lights.
>>
>>Since you have so much time I would tend to recommend a finish like Waterlox. You'll have plenty of time to apply thin coats with plenty of offgass time inbetween (DO NOT follow the instructions on the can for a snake cage). Waterlox is a gorgeous finish on cherry and offers a nice amount of protection. Even though it is used on food prep counters I would not consider it safe for a snake cage unless applied in a very particular manner.
>>-----
>>Current snakes:
>>
>>0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)
>>
>>0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Malaysian locale (green)
>>
>>1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java local (green)
>>
>>2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)
>>
>>1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)