Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've posted a pic of my new conda cage but i am not quit finished. I need to install a heat source and a light source to the enclosure. It's 6x2x2'.I am currently heating the room but sleeping is getting uncomfortabl here in texas. Any ideas?
I know lighting isn't necessary for condas but i wish to view her better. Also I dont wnt to cut a hole in the top because it has become quite handy for putting other things i.e. 10 gallon tanks, etc. I thought about moving the cage to the other side of the room to let the sunlight from a window light it better. Currently the back is to the window so light is only reflected into the cage. Heat for JUST the enclosure is still needed though.

dont put it near the window because the sun will overheat the cage. For heating i would have a CHE that gets a temp gradient of 80-70 then put in a halogen lamp that brings the temps up 5-10 degrees.
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 normal ball python (felix)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

-funny typos-
"There are six genes which determine the amount of melanism present in a person's skink"-about human skin color

please give me more typos

` Lighting is necessary. A stabile photoperiod is quite necessary to their health.

` Also, what kind of wood is that cage made of?? I almost hate to see the answer.
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The wood is 100% pine.

` Pine, especially when warm, is toxic to Boids. It contains volatiles, which can irritate them, make them sick, and over the long run, kill them.
` Occasional contact may not be harmful, but living inside a cage made of pine may have long term health consequences.
` This goes for fir too, and most other softwoods. Many hardwoods are bad, also. Redwood, and Cedar are just plain poison. Oak is safe, except tan oak, but the foliage and acorns are not.

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I've never heard of pine being toxic to reptiles. Anyway the cage has 4 coats of polyurethane enamel on it so I doubt that any oils in the wood could seep out.

Light is a must. a simple under the counter light will work great. Heat I'd use heating pads, one for your water and one for her to lay on. Do your snake a favor coat the entire inside of that cage with a good epoxy resin, remove the pine bedding (add newspaper) and get that bacteria soaked sinder brick out of there. Go get your self another one of those water dishes and cut a hole in it (burn off the sharp edges) and use it as a hide box. Other than that it looks like a nice cage. If I'd ever get off my lazy butt and finish mine I'd post some pictures of it. ---Eric---

I have coated the cage with 4 coats of polyurethane enamel. The cinder block was just put in because the snake is about to shed. I thoroughly cleaned it with boiling water/bleach solution then rinsed thoroughly. I'll take it out after shedding. Going by the NERD caresheet "supplemental lighting is not necessary with this species..." What brand of heat pads are good? I've looked at Kane but wondered if there were others. No one around here sells Kane that I know of and I hate mail order.

Arik

I use zoo med or simular heat pads. I do have thermostats on them to be on the safe side. I put the probe directly on the pad. The light issue is always debated, I dont see why not to spend $10 on a under cabnit light and put it on a timer $3. thats only 13 bucks and it makes my cages brighter. My cages are kept in a well lit room and I still run little strip lights on them @ 15w each it dont cost nothin to run them.---Eric---

Zoo med? I haven't seen to many large heating pads offered by them. Most I see in stores are for 10 to 20 gallon aquariums. I guess I'll have to check their web site. There are no holes cut into the enclosure as of yet so I want to think out the routing of the wires and everything before cutting holes. I'll presumably need a wire for a light and 1 or 2 wires for heating pads and their thermocouples. I would like to have just one hole for all but that will entail alot of wires running inside the cage to that one hole. Then where do I placve the hole? Side, middle, bottom? Any ideas?
I plan on getting rid of the aspen shavings. They were just buying me time to decide on a more permanent substrate. I'm leaning towards 3 or 4 pieces of astro turf. When ones dirty pull it out and slide in a new one. Newspapers are good and cheap (I keep my burmese on them), but I want this snake to be a showcase in the living room and think astro turf would be more appropriate. Any ideas or concerns with that plan?