Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I just finished a cage for a crested gecko, 18x18x24, and i used plywood, and an oak frame. I sealed the entire cage with polyurothene, and its airing out for the rest of this week. I was wondering if i should seal it with something else, since cresteds require high humidity, i wouldn't want the wood distorting on me. I was told to use these materials by a reptile breeder, please tell me if anything sounds wrong with the materials, Thank you again.

I would be carefull with ply-wood if it is made out of pine wood. B/c i know pine bedding can cause upper respiratory infections in reptiles. I am not sure if the ply wood (if it was pine) would release as much oils as the bedding but i would be carefull. I dont know if there is a sealant you could use to cover the wood to prevent this or what. hope this helps -Ben

Its not pine, its a hardwood plywood.

Here is a picture of the finished product. Hardwood plywood (not pine) and sealed with poly.

oops.. here

The urothane will be a fine sealant. Marine varnish is another good chioce. I tend to use semi-gloss latex inside, it is washable, comes in nice colors and dries fast w/o the curing odors of the oil based materials. However it is not "water tight" like the urothane or varnish. You are really keeping bacteria, molds, mites, excrement, things like that from getting into the wood (and water of course) rather than something in the wood hurting the animal.

Pine ply is fine. The hardwood ply is a better quality material, but more $$$ and heavier. Pine is only a concern when talking tree branches you find outside, not a commercial building product. Never use the pressure treated outdoor Wolmanized stuff, but regulat ply is just ducky. The outdoor stuff has arsenic salts and lotz of nasties that are not good for people either.
-----
Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles http://home.netcom.com/~deadrats/h.htm