# TV Cabinet - another DIY conversion.



## gemgem (Mar 2, 2013)

hey guys i just got my hands on a nice solid timber corner tv cabinet that i am going to convert into an enclosure (well 2 in 1) for my port macquarie carpet and my spotted.

how i got it.










after i pulled the 2 unwanted shelves out and doors off.





my carpet will be up the top and my spotted down the bottom, i will be putting sliding glass in the front and making my own fake rock backgrounds with basking shelf etc.
thinking of going for abit of a rainforest them for my carpet up the top and maybe a desert theme down the bottom for my spotted or maybe just both a rainforest theme so both the themes dont clash with each other as it will be on display. what is everyones suggestions?
Tim


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## intoxicated88 (Mar 2, 2013)

ill be working on the same sort of cabinet soon too mate looks nice


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## Skippii (Mar 3, 2013)

Lovely cabinet!

I was actually going to do something similar at one point (Split a tv cabinet into 2 enclosures). The resounding response I got was "MAKE IT FOR ONE!", haha so that's what I've ended up aiming for instead of the 2 in 1 like I'd originally planned. I'd make sure the space you're giving each snake will suit their adult requirements, unless you plan to upgrade them to new homes once they reach their adult size.

What are the dimensions of the cabinet/enclosures?

Now that that's out the way.. I love the rainforest theme! It's always so natural and fresh looking, I never get bored of it. I plan to make a rainforest theme for my water python's adult enclosure when I get to that cabinet conversion (For now I'm working on one for a carpet python). The desert theme is also great, and it'd be interesting to see them side by side.

Personally, after the advice I got when proposing my conversion ideas, I'd stick to 1 tv cabinet per python. Ultimately the choice is up to you, and I'm sure you'll sort out what works best for you and your critters. Keep us updated on your progress, we love updates (especially ones containing pics!)

x


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## bohdi13 (Mar 4, 2013)

any updates on this conversion, looks like an awesome cabinet.


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## gemgem (Mar 4, 2013)

thanks for the kind words guys i will get some dimensions tomorrow for you skippii. i think it is a good size space for both of them. it might get a little small for the carpet when she starts getting really big but it will be fine for a few years. i have spent about 4 hours sanding all the varnish off and prepping it for paint. its going black but i cant decide if i should go flat black or gloss???
will throw some pics up tomorrow


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## Gruni (Mar 4, 2013)

Strip it right back and go Japanese Black.


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## juzo92 (Mar 4, 2013)

Hi Tim looks like you got some good opportunity with that one.

Really keen to have a go at a fake rock wall also.
Me personally I wouldnt paint i tent to like the look of pine or what ever timber it could be. expescially if ur doing a forest theam.
just me tho  
my darwin is in a coner pine display cabinet = total hight 1880mm, depth 620mm and a face of 880mm.
of wicth the enclosure is only 1280mm hight, underneath I run all my electric behind closed doors away from little fingers.

anyways best of luck


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## HarleyD (Mar 5, 2013)

Love this!..i build alot of custom tanks and cabs..I'm hoping to do something like this next. keep us updated!

Harley


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## gemgem (Mar 6, 2013)

ok so after about 5 hours of sanding this is where im at




ive decided to stain and varnish it japanese gloss black. thanks for the idea gruni. i should be getting stuck into that tomorrow.
the measurements for the top section is
1150 Wide
850 high
650 deep
and the bottom is the same but 570 high
this is obviously at the widest points as its a corner cabinet.
what is everyones thoughts on size for my snakes. i think it will be fine for my spotted down the bottom and should be fine up the top for my carpet for a couple years atleast


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## Skippii (Mar 6, 2013)

Nice, can't wait to see it stained and varnished!

Could definitely use it for your carpet for a little while. And who knows, maybe once you move the carpet into a larger enclosure, you could cut a hole out of that dividing section and let your spotted have the whole thing. In any case  thanks for sharing. Keep the pics coming!

x


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## gemgem (Mar 6, 2013)

thanks for the kind words skippii. which also gives me some motivation! i am still possibly thinking about making it into 1 enclosure but i think it would weaken the cabinet alot


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## Gruni (Mar 6, 2013)

The top/bottom setup sounds good. If you made it into one enclosure and still want the stength just cut a 20cm hole as an access between levels.


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## Skippii (Mar 6, 2013)

Gruni said:


> The top/bottom setup sounds good. If you made it into one enclosure and still want the stength just cut a 20cm hole as an access between levels.



Nail on the head, Gruni, as always! 

No worries gemgem, I think it's a great thing you're doing here  making a home for your critters yourself.
Personally I wouldn't remove the entire shelf, I'd leave the enclosure in 2 sections with just a hole cut into the shelf for access between the two. Just like we have several rooms in a house, your snake would have several "rooms" to move between and explore.

x


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## gemgem (Mar 8, 2013)

so i havnt done anything for a couple of days because ive had really bad hay fever and the last thing i wanna do is sand.
i still cant decide if i want to make it into 1 enclosure or 2. could someone please give me some advice from previous experiences. i really just cant make up my mind!


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## montysrainbow (Mar 8, 2013)

I have a friend who did similar and they cut a hole out of the centre section to make it a split level enclosure for one snake


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## Baturb (Mar 8, 2013)

heres the one I made for our Jungle, as you can see I cut a hole on the centre shelf, placed the tree/ branch through and he explores all over,
I have since changed the substrate for critters crumble and replaced the red heat lamp with a ceramic heat emitter, 
the divider helps keep the hot section confined to the one area, I have temps of 30-31c in the hot section and ambient down the bottom


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## pythonmum (Mar 8, 2013)

I had a similar, but larger one. I left in the DVD/VCR shelf and drilled a doorknob hole so that my carpet could access that as a basking shelf. A homemade heat panel (Dickyknee's heat cord design) underneath the shelf has made it my most energy efficient enclosure. The upper level houses a woma. I used aquarium backdrops rather than textured fake rock for ease of cleaning. Here's how it went:

Start of the heat panel





Me in the enclosure for size 





With homemade doors on:





Closeup of lower enclosure when decorated and occupied:





Woma enclosure on top:





I hope that provides some good ideas! I left it the original pine colour, but sealed everything with a clear spray-on product (SO much easier than brushing on) and did gap filler/sealer in the corners just to be sure. It was very fun.


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## Gruni (Mar 9, 2013)

Does the Darwin try to grab hold of the heat cord or is it covered somehow?


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## pythonmum (Mar 9, 2013)

Gruni said:


> Does the Darwin try to grab hold of the heat cord or is it covered somehow?



There is a frame over the heat cord with wire mesh - he can't get to it at all. The initial photo just shows how I wrapped it around the cup hooks. You can see the pencil lines where the frame will go. Here is the frame in place over the cord.


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## gemgem (Mar 9, 2013)

thanks for the pics pythonmum!


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## gemgem (Mar 9, 2013)

so i did a quick first coat of varnish. have to do 3 coats and wait 12 hours between coats with a light sand.









the inside will be painted in a sealing primer and than painted a similar colour to the rock background when i make it


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## gemgem (Mar 9, 2013)

have also decided to go for a single enclosure! seeing as my spotted is only 2 months old it will be ages before i can even use it and once its bigger i might just make something else for her


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