Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok the other thread was too lengthy in my questions so i'll make this one short(er). I saw TTreptile's cage, and that's just about exactly what I want to make mine to look like, with the simple exceptions that 1) i want locking doors, 2) i'm going to make the sides out of 1/4" acrylic (low traffic area), 3) 1/4" acrylic plastic divider, and 4) interior will be lined with FRP.

I am using FRP on the interior so the outside can be smooth, and the interior will be water proof. My questions are

1) will a 1/2" OSB be sturdy enough?
2) where do I get the parts for the sliding doors, and can I make them out of 1/4" acrylic?
3) I have 2 black rat snakes (a male and a female). Do I really need to keep them seperated? If so how long will they be happy in a 3x2x2 enclosure? right now they are a little over 1 yr old, ~20"
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -Unknown

::1) will a 1/2" OSB be sturdy enough?

I'm not a big fan of OSB. The chemicals used to make it useful in exterior applications gives me a headache. I assume that stuff will all offgas, but it's still not an easy material to work with. Edge joining 1/2" OSB will not be easy.

I really think it's worth upgrading to 1/2" AC or BC plywood similar to TT's.

::2) where do I get the parts for the sliding doors, and can I make them out of 1/4" acrylic?

I order my glass track from Rockler.com. I don't even try to find it anywhere else.

1/4" acrylic *might* work but it's not necessarily the best choice. For a sliding door you'll want to use a high quality acrylic which will be much more expensive than glass. Even then it can warp when exposed to thermal gradiants and won't make for the most secure double-sliding door.

I much prefer glass for double sliders.

::3) I have 2 black rat snakes (a male and a female). Do I really need to keep them seperated? If so how long will they be happy in a 3x2x2 enclosure? right now they are a little over 1 yr old, ~20"

Black ratsnakes will happily spend their lives in a 3x2x2 enclosure. Keep in mind they are bred in large numbers in rubbermaids with floor areas of 20"x14" and a height of 5". Not that success makes it right necessarily, but a 3x2x2 side of your cage is much more space than most keepers provide.

But with that said, I have no issues with ratsnakes being kept together. I understand the theoretical arguments against it but the fact remains that many people keep them together with no apparent ill effects. Again, this does not necessarily make it right.