Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi everyone, i'm having a little trouble with a retained eye cap. the rest of him shed fine but he missed his right eye and a little on his head, he's only a baby and hates being soaked or having his head rubbed which is what ive done in the past with my others and have tried on him but it seems stuck fast. anyone have other sugggestions that might be a little less stressful?

secondly, i just built a 3 high viv stack out of MDF which looks great but did'nt think much about protecting the wood. I was going to use non toxic paint but do i need to varnish it as well or use some other protection?

Kenny.

Check this site out for eyecap-
http://www.joecompelreptiles.com/ball_bits/retained_cap/index.asp
Good luck!
BRGDS,
AVD
-----
"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"
COLD BLOOD.........WARM HEART

hi, thanks for the link i've used that technique before and it worked fine - though i was told it wasn't very safe but it looks ok on joes site so if a little more bathing doesn't help ill give it a go!

Kenny,

You might read my post "long reply" over on the Ball Python Housing & Enclosures Forum.

Much of the post is not relavent to your current needs, but you'll find some information that may be of help.

I'd also encourage you to consider laminating vinyl film onto the interior of the cages. To better understand what I mean, please read this page on Contact Paper over at FineGTPs.com.

The only difference is that contact paper available today is of much lower quality than when that web page was written. The vinyl film used in the sign industry is much, much better. I can give you more advice on the vinyl film if that appeals to you.

Hi Chris, thanks for the response. If i'm understanding this correctlly does this mean that i can paint the exterior of the cabinets and use contact paper/vinyl film to the interior? or are these just better for GTP rather than BP?

my wood working skills are not to bad, but i'm not to hot on the different resins/epoxies or their application.

many thanks,

Kenny.

>>If i'm understanding this correctlly does this mean that i can paint the exterior of the cabinets and use contact paper/vinyl film to the interior?

You could paint the interior as well. In fact, that might be good enough for a BP, depending on the type of paint used. But if the thought of having to repaint every few years bothers you then use something else.

The vinyl film is still completely okay for a BP cage and will likely hold up better than any paint, short of an epoxy paint.

The vinyl film I used is FDC 4200 and I bought it from here:

http://www.beacongraphics.com/calendered-vinyl.php

You don't need to buy a vinyl film that is more expensive than any basic calendered 4 to 6 year rated product. They are not any more durable against the conditions seen in a snake cage.

Buying it in small quantity is not easy. I purchased a huge roll thinking I'd use it eventually. You might check local sign or graphics shops and see if they will sell a small quantity.

Contact paper is available in small quantity but is no longer durable enough for use in a snake cage, which is a shame. I no longer recommend it.

Hi Chris, Sorry I forgot to ask if you could give my more infomation about the vinyl film as well.

Many thanks,

kenny.

Hi Chris, I have another question for you relating to viv coatings and was hoping you could help. before we discussed different types of paints but i was wondering if spray paint was acceptable as it will give the colour and finish i'm after rather than normal paint - but is there any side effects to spray paints if not which is the best type?

many thanks Kenny.

I am unsure of the protective qualities of commercial cannister spray paints. But I'm sure you could spray or brush/wipe some polyurethane over the top without affecting the final appearance.