Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was thinking about using pine to make cages for my kingsnakes. I've read numerous times that pine & aspen shavings are toxic to reptiles, and I'm wondering if the same applies to pine boards?

I don't like melamine, MDM, etc. If there are other solid wood alternatives, please let me know. Once I determine which wood, I'll post the plans for some feedback.

thanks
jeff

Jeff,

Pine boards are fine. Shavings can be bad because so much surface area is exposed to the air. Not true with boards. Besides, you'll need to seal the pine with something anyways and pine resin is not known for being able to migrate through most finishes (unlike cedar).

Really, most solid wood could be used for snake cages. I would avoid redwood and cedar, or any board material that is can be used on outdoor furniture or decks without protective treatment.

Pine is pretty cheap and hard to beat.

Also consider those edge-glued pine panels. I have two scrap pieces that have been outside for over a year now. The boards have checked and warped badly from the 120* temperature difference they've seen in the last year but none of the edges have shown any sign of coming apart. In a reptile cage that is a more stable environment you should not have any problem. Do let the material acclimate to your indoor conditions before making the cages, however.

And really seal the heck out of it.
-----
Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

Thank you Chris!

I plan on using the basic sliding door cage design with twist. I am going to route a slot across the top of the floor panel that can accommodate a 3" strip of heat tape and deep enough for it to breath. On the top of the wood floor I am going to attach my plastic so when it is finished, the floor will be plastic and there will be a slot on the side for me to slip the heat tape through the bottom of the cage. This might have been done before, but I have never seen it.

thanks
jeff

Chris is absolutely correct about using edge-glued pine panels and letting them sit in your house for awhile before using them to build a cage.

One thing to add, based on experience with pine panels: If you are going to have a plastic floor over the wood, cut out a rectangular access area just larger than the heat pad on the cage floor before you lay down the plastic. Then you use pieces of foam insulation to prop up the heat pad to about 1/4" under the plastic floor.

This way you are not laying the heat pad on the pine. Heat pads can warp pine terribly if allowed to sit directly on the boards.

-----
Mark G

Whitewater rosies, normals and albinos
A few milks, kings and pituophis

When using pine keep the heat away from it. Cut a rectangle out of the bottom that is at least 2" wider and longer than the piece of heat tape you'll need. Don't cut this rectangle too close to the edge.

Then cover the entire floor with Sintra. Tape or shim up the heater from underneath.
-----
Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)