Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted a few mesages a few weeks ago about the large cage I am building for a large boa I rescued. Well it's about done and we moved her in. I let it sit for 3 weeks to let the spar urethane dry. There was absolutely no smell when we moved her in. Now with 90 degrees of heat I am smelling some urethane when I open the cage. Should I take her out and let it sit with heat on for a while longer?
I am putting her back in her temp container until I get some advise.
I will post pics once the lower storage door is on.
Thanks
Travis

Should I take her out and let it sit with heat on for a while longer?

Yes, absolutely.

Was the spar water or oil-based? What product did you use specifically?

Without going into too much detail, spar urethanes have semi-flexible solids that help deal with the extreme temperature changes and ultraviolet light experienced in outdoor conditions.

Unfortunately these solids by design can cause spar to offgass for months, especially if any single layer was applied to thick.

But since you're a cabinet maker (I believe that was you, at least) I assume you thinned at least the first coat and took care to apply subsequent coats fairly thin. You should be fine - you just are going to have to wait.

If you just slapped on two or three coats you may have to wait a long time.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

Yes that is me the cabinet maker. The exact product is helmsman spar urathane made by minwax. It is oil based. I have a spray booth in my shop so I sprayed the finish. I thined it down quite a bit so that it can be used in my gun. Each coat was very thin. Two coats waited several days, sanded, two more coats, then waited 3 weeks until no smell. I assume the heat strip and heat lamps reactivated it.
Thanks Chris,
Travis

From what I can tell there is no offgassing at all in the lower part of the cage. I am assuming that is because A - the gasses move up and 2 - because most of the urethane exposed to the heat is all at the top. The heat strip is in a recess in the floor covered by glass so it is not really heating the urethane. Fortunately for my girl sh stayed down in the lower cool hide all night and hopefull did not take in many fumes. Right now I cannot smell anything. It must be a slight accumulation over 12 hours.
Rest assured I am not taking any chances. She is in her plastic container until I can leave the cage over night with all the heat up and have no smell in the morning.
Travis

I have a spray booth in my shop so I sprayed the finish. I thined it down quite a bit so that it can be used in my gun. Each coat was very thin.

LOL, you'll be fine. You took way more care than most of us weekend warriors who slop on three coats in a weekend and wonder why it's still soft two months later.

Couple of questions/commments?

1) Why spar? You don't need the flexibility or the UV absorbers in a snake cage. In fact you actually lose some moisture resistance compared to regular oil-based Minwax which dries to a harder finish.

Unless you built the cage from thin luan? I could see needing the flexibility then. In that case I'd probably compromise and use floor finish which falls between spar and standard poly in terms of moisture resistance.

2) Take a glass (made from actual glass, not plastic) and turn it upside down on one of the coated surfaces. Every few days grab the glass and see if you can detect any fumes. I have found this is the most effective way to test for undeteced odors that would otherwise drift away. I have been able to detect odor for weeks long after the odor had gone away from inside of the cage.

For my application then offgassing was a huge concern. You may not want to be that picky for your Boa.

3) Take a clean coffee can or anything and place some crickets in it. Then wrap the top with screen or poke some holes in the lid. Make sure to include food and water for the crickets.

Turn this upside onto one of the sealed surfaces and see if the crickets survive. Maybe not the most scientific test but it does provide some peace of mind.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)