Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I took my lessons here, Hope she's strong enough....

The sign metal is sign shop scrap..

The bottom is lined in Aluminum and the frame is treated lumber, 10 year old pressure treated lumber, so it's safe to use now.

Under the aluminum is heavy 3/4 inch sub flooring plywood.

Just the floor alone is heavy, it took 2 people to get it upstairs to the reptile room.

I sealed the wood with D.O.T. sign vinyl.

I have a ton, it's extremely durable, lasts forever, is moisture proof, and I don't have to wait for chemical sealers to dry. Sweet stuff, however very expensive, I got a huge pile in a trade once with a highway contractor.

Notice I used heavy carriage bolts, screws are only to hold it while I drilled for the bolts...

Once I got the ceiling installed, I sealed up the gaps.

Then I installed all the insulation except where I need to wire it for lights. (If the insulation looks familiar, it's been saved from rodent pro orders)

Then installed the hooks to support the lights

Drilled holes for the wires..

Next step, electrical wiring and framing in the front to accomidate the shower door, then fill up the bottom with dirt.

Continued, next post...

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Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
Thamnophis US
Thamnophis.co
Thamnophis dot net

too many darn snakes to list anymore...

Wiring is in, the roof is on, and one end is bolted down.

More scrap signs bolted in...

The inch thick presswood ends is intended for kitchen countertops.. And I sealed it with "Diamond Grade" D.O.T. heavy sign shop vinyl.

I installed an outlet, so if I ever need to hook up inside, I can... It's way up, too high for Chomper to ever get at it.

The center light is on a conduit, so it cannot "wind chime" into the outside lights and shatter...

Still a lot more dirt to go, but my inspector wanted to try it out...

He really seems to like the maple log.

A mother's love...

Whenever I open the front door, it reminds me of opening an oven.

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Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
Thamnophis US
Thamnophis.co
Thamnophis dot net

too many darn snakes to list anymore...

Harvested a pickup truck load of creek bank clay from my back lot, This stuff is incredible, mold well, holds humidity, is mostly straight up clay, but it came with hidden surprises..

I dumped in about six of those big orange buckets, only to find I had dormant bees in the dirt, the bees woke up when the dirt heated, so Now I have to sift all of it through a heavy screen to make sure the bees are removed prior to letting the dirt warm up.

Chasing angry white "digger bees" around my reptile room with a flyswatter is no fun.

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Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
Thamnophis US
Thamnophis.co
Thamnophis dot net

too many darn snakes to list anymore...

Installed support columns in the basement to keep my reptile room from caving in from the weight..

-----
Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
Thamnophis US
Thamnophis.co
Thamnophis dot net

too many darn snakes to list anymore...

Wow....
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Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
Thamnophis US
Thamnophis.co
Thamnophis dot net

too many darn snakes to list anymore...

Seeing more and more larger enclosures.Looks like you planned carefully,looks solid.No comments isn't always a bad thing. Moe

Love it. Looks like a really solid cage, man. I can't wait to see it finished.

yeah it's solid. Thanks.

Inulated the front..

Put on some of the finishing boards..

dumped in a whole boatload more dirt..(still a ton more to go)

Getting close to all finished, just need to cut a bunch of the finishing boards to cover the bottom ugly.

Since the question was asked on another forum.. looking out from inside...

as you can see the entire bottom is heavy treated 2x6 lumber like what would be used to build a lakefront dock.

I think I need to put some windshield wipers on the front window, it fogs up bad from the humidity for a few hours after I mist down the cage. (It's sealed really tight)

-----
Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
Thamnophis US
Thamnophis.co
Thamnophis dot net

too many darn snakes to list anymore...