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Built it with a nice 1/4" thick 6' long 2' high sheet of plexiglass to viewing the RETICS. Sealing it now with a Stain wood finish that has a wood sealer (like polyurthane or some sort of laquor). Does anyone see any issues with toxicity? How about using the COCO bedding stuff (make from the coconut fiber) that will be moist? Not to worried about it once it dries and seals the wood but wanted some opionions.

Thanks

Mike
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"New strategy R-2, Let the Wookie Win!!!"

Sealing it now with a Stain wood finish that has a wood sealer (like polyurthane or some sort of laquor). Does anyone see any issues with toxicity?

If it's the Minwax product that combines stain and polyurethane you won't have any toxicity concerns one it fully offgasses. Unfortunately that could take a very long time.

If you have not yet put on the first coat then make sure it is very thin. Read the label to see if the product can be thinned. If so, I recommend that. If not, just don't brush it on thick, even though the splotchiness of the first coat will make you think you should.

If you have put on a first coat I recommend giving it longer than normal to dry before applying additional coats. And make sure those coats are also not applied too thick.

With oil-based poly it's important to apply several thin coats vs. a few thicker coats. With these types of hybrid products the tendency is to put the first coat on too thick to make the color even. Big mistake.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.5 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

Can you define a way to "offgas"? What kind of time frame am I looking at? Is there a specific "offgas" method?

Thanks

Mike
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"New strategy R-2, Let the Wookie Win!!!"

Mike,

With oil-based polyurethane you have durable solids (the stuff that is left behind leaving the protective finish) that are dissolved in solvents. This is what allows it to be in a liquid state. While these solvents are fairly volatile, they can take a long time to evaporate, also known as "offgassing".

There is nothing you need to do to "offgass". You can put the cage in a warm, ventilated room, but it's a natural process that you have to let happen.

Assume the cage is done offgassing when it no longer smells.

Regarding time frame, anywhere from a week to a few months. I'm not kidding about that. Polyurethane is a bit fussy and even experience woodworkers often don't take enough care to apply each coat thin enough. This can cause a finish that never hardens or that takes a very long time to do so.

It is especially problematic with these stain/poly hybrids. The first time I used the Minwax product on a cheap desk I applied the first coat way too thick because it was the only way to make the color look even. I could smell the poly months later. I have since learned that this is a common problem with these products.

The good news is that it's a durable finish. That desk held up for years and it was not until a basement flood that I had to throw it away. The exposed wood was trashed but the poly was still in great shape.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.5 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

This really isn't too much about the cage design, but 24" wide seems a bit narrow for an adult reticulated python, unless you're speaking of the dwarfed specimen.
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Joe Lydon
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