Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A few questions for anyone FR you too please...

I'm going to build a room/building devoted to kingsnakes, let's say for example thayeri.

First, I want a better way to offer a true gradient. Horizontal heat tape applications do not offer gradients, rather they mainly offer a choice of warmer or cooler. I could build simple Retes stacks on a vertical grade, but what would be nice is to have something a little more aesthetically pleasing for the keeper (me). I do not need 1000 cages in 100 sq ft, that's too much.

While I'm at it, I'm really interested in any green technologies that exist and the best way to utilize them in a snake room in an effort maximize efficiency.

Along those same lines, I believe that the climate at your geographic location will have a large influence on the technologies utilized and their efficiency. A 4000' high desert would probably be a better place to build an "efficient" snake room than 700' elevation on the gulf coast of Texas, so that will be the location. Warm days, cool nights, wind and sun will offer access to geothermal energies. Solar panels, battery banks, solar water heaters, Sun lights, and fans on thermostats could carry the entire energy load.

If you have thought about any of this, throw some ideas out there. What would you do if you had an opportunity to build from scratch?
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

I don't know if you remember or heard of Bill Pickett. An old timer. Well two years ago I built him a semi green snake building.

He already had a slab, so I had to start there. I built a poured concrete building, with wingwalls, and we backfilled up over half way. Six inch shed roof, fully insulated. The door was on one short end, the wing walls were to keep this area accessiable.
This building is 12 by 24, or there abouts. Its not heated and is only cooled using ONE 1/30 hp, exhaust fan. (ask more about this if you wish)Hmmmmmmmmm pretty green if you ask me and its free standing, in our Hot desert.

Also the cost was much less then a standard stick built building. Go figure that.

If I had my way(a better choice) I would have put the building two down and six up, then backfilled. Oh I forgot, the backfilled areas are a cactus garden. The cactus hide the building, and the watering cools the soil and helps not only keep the cactus strong and beautiful but keeps the cooling cost down. Cheers

perfect Frank. I'll be e-mailing within a few weeks re: this subject.

Cacti Gardens are in order as well as a pond. It's a good location to bring in all kinds of wildlife
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

When this gets done, I'd love to see it!

Actually, I'd love a month-long road trip to visit such colorful characters like you and FR. Sounds like we'd have much in common.

Yes, oh yes. The pond along with the cacti garden. Hey, I can always dream...

Ameron, 48
Network Support Technician
Vancouver, WA

Now (:

1.0 Nigrita
1.0 Conjuncta

Then ):

1.0 Californiae Desert phase (stolen)
1.0 Nitida (lost)

>>Actually, I'd love a month-long road trip to visit such colorful characters like you and FR. Sounds like we'd have much in common.

Ameron,
I hope you get to do this before gasoline hits $7/gallon, or we maybe we find another way to get around from coast to coast.

Forks
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

Hi Joe, I hear its a big mess in West Texas this year. With the laws and all.

I wonder, when gas gets real high, we could road hunt from mountain bikes, that would be cool and would that be illegal?

I found a couple of construction pics of that snake building I did. Cheers

>>Hi Joe, I hear its a big mess in West Texas this year. With the laws and all.
>>

Frank,
Mess is an understatement.

>> I wonder, when gas gets real high, we could road hunt from mountain bikes, that would be cool and would that be illegal?

I found quite a few alterna on mountain bike, but now the issue is where and not how.

>> I found a couple of construction pics of that snake building I did. Cheers

Sweet! You were supposed to look for others that either you need to get scanned, or send to me to scan for you. (kingsnakes)

Forky
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

A few thoughts, when starting from scratch. Merely thoughts. Take them how you want.

Using stone/rock/cement as a building tool in your structure will naturally retain and radiate the suns heat during the night. Use it on the floor or the walls or both or neither, depending on the cost factor involved.

For a good true gradient, bigger cages would be necessary I'd think. Hard to create a gradient in a small shoebox or whatever. As I'm typing this Chris Jones is telling me about a post by Frank I hadnt read yet, but it seems he brought up this point too.

If accessable, skylights in the ceiling, makes for cheap daytime lighting and faithfully reproduces the seasonal photoperiod. No lights, no timers. Can potentially counteract the temperature control issue though.

As for other stuff like battery or photocell storage, I know squat about those so I'll stop here.

I'd be REALLY curious to see a good write up with what you do and progress photos. Sounds like a herp owners dream come true!
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Tom

"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

>>I'd be REALLY curious to see a good write up with what you do and progress photos. Sounds like a herp owners dream come true!

Thanks Tom,
Hopefully I can do just that. This project will take a little time though.

Best
Joe
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

Be careful about the skylights.
I had to have mine in my kitchen removed because in the summer it would literally cook the kitchen and make it unbearable to be in.

Not all skylights will do that - so pick carefully.
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I decided my old sig was too big.

Joe I really like overhead radient heat as it can provide both vertical and horizontal gradients. I posted this earlier somewhere else but I used to place something with some thermal mass directly below the heat source. During the day it would absord heat and fro a time it would radiate it back into the cage when the sourse was turned off. The idea was to buffer the shock of sudden temp changes as the lamp or panel cycled off and on. Don't really know if it did any good or not but didn't hurt anything.

As for the green thing, I've been looking into "passive solor" for my next house. There is lots of info on the net particularly for summer cooling which I imagin would be the greatest issue in your area.

>>As for the green thing, I've been looking into "passive solor" for my next house. There is lots of info on the net particularly for summer cooling which I imagin would be the greatest issue in your area.

Thanks for the considerations Tony,
Summer cooling is a major problem here in San Antonio (read lots of $$), but not as big a deal as where I'm planning putting this building.

Best
Joe
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

Well, I know a source for free labor!
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Todd Hughes

>>Well, I know a source for free labor!
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>>Todd Hughes

You call that free??? hahahahaha You haven't been out there once yet this year boy. You better warm up that gas card! hahaha
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

I think Todd meant that the labor was free to him...
When he doesn't head out there, it costs him absolutely nothing LOL

He worked his butt off out there one weekend helping me put in cabinets. I was supposed to spring for dinner at the Gage, but they were taking way too long and I got torqued off and left. I bought him a Honey Bun and a few snacks at Ernesto's instead. He hasn't been back since! hahahaha
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

I will fix that this time, even though Ernesto's honey buns are to die for, if it's all the same I will bring the "snacks" you just get ready for the snakes, lol! We are gonna put an end to your dry spell this year, lol! Hey doesn't sub flooring count!!???

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Todd Hughes

If you're not careful I'll post a photo of you pulling weeds hahaha

What's with the photo you sent to my phone the other day? You trying to lose another digit?
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

Que? Not me, no photo sent. But gardening IS my second favorite hobby next to field herping...NOT!
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Todd Hughes

Oh, it's warm enough, get on your boogie shoes!
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Todd Hughes