Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My son is finally coming around to 'maybe' building a custom tank for his Ball Python (once we find the darn thing that escaped a few days ago). Bought from PetSmart, it's currently in (or was in) a 10 gallon fishtank on his desk in his room. It's about 14" long and muscled the wire mesh top off the tank (search still in progress and my 3 cats and one dog have been no help whatsoever).

So we both did some basic dwgs, his is a combo of 2 10 gallon tanks (top & bottom) w/a tall tank on each side and their all connected together with the 'middle' area being open w/shelfs for storage. Basically a wall unit. I asked him where he'd put it of how to clean it or how to cut through the 10 gln tanks, etc. He's still thinking about it bless his little 18 y/o heart...;>

Mines the other one. Yes, I actually am thinking of a little built in waterfall thing for the mountain - of which I based on a toy military playset I had about 30 years ago called "The Guns of Navarone".

While there's no real detail in my dwg, I'm thinking about a front removable bottom tray for easy cleaning (heavily padlocked!) of the bedding. The 2 'rear walls' are wood (is plywood ok?) or depending on cost, plexi...
overall size is 2'x2' by 2-3 feet tall to give the Ball some room.
-Jim
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So we both did some basic dwgs, his is a combo of 2 10 gallon tanks (top & bottom) w/a tall tank on each side and their all connected together with the 'middle' area being open w/shelfs for storage. Basically a wall unit. I asked him where he'd put it of how to clean it or how to cut through the 10 gln tanks, etc. He's still thinking about it bless his little 18 y/o heart...;>

Not sure if I completely get your son's design, but certainly I would recommend a larger footprint than a ten gallon for an adult Ball Python, even if the snake has the choice of moving between two more more ten gallon's, I still think they need more room. A lot more room, actually.

I think that design would work well with sliding glass doors on the front.

Mines the other one. Yes, I actually am thinking of a little built in waterfall thing for the mountain - of which I based on a toy military playset I had about 30 years ago called "The Guns of Navarone".

While there's no real detail in my dwg, I'm thinking about a front removable bottom tray for easy cleaning (heavily padlocked!) of the bedding. The 2 'rear walls' are wood (is plywood ok?) or depending on cost, plexi...

Waterfalls in snake cages cause some problems, in particular dealing with the amount of deficate a ball python can produce. But more importantly it would increase humidity too much for a ball python. I would think about a faux rock background instead.

And I'll also discourage you from using acrylic (plexiglas) as it tends to warp when exposed to temperature and humidity differentials. I'd either use epoxy sealed wood or some plastic other than acrylic.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Good to know about the plexi, thanks.
The waterfall bit was an idea but your right about the humidity (as i learn as I go). It would now be a strickly hide/cave thing if there was a premade piece otherwise i wouldn;'t know what to build it from that wouldn't be toxic.