# Enclosure for my spotted python



## BigFryMan (Mar 4, 2013)

Hey guys, just about finished building an enclosure to put my spotted python in when he is bigger. Just need to stain/varnish/protect the timber. Any ideas on the safest thing to put on the timber or is it not a big deal? 
Pretty happy with how it came up.


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## Gruni (Mar 4, 2013)

A waterproof esterpol finish...


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## treeofgreen (Mar 4, 2013)

Looking good mate! Love proper timber enclosures so much more than melamine

Thats going to come up a treat once stained etc


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## BigFryMan (Mar 4, 2013)

Thanks man, appreciate it  

Yea I'd much rather have a nice piece of furniture for the house than a cheap cage.

Planning to put some decorative trim around the bottom edge of the enclosure as well, maybe small architrave looking stuff.

Do people usually put heatmats underneath the enclosure or directly underneath the substrate? I'm thinking underneath the enclosure would mean less risk of burning the snake.




treeofgreen said:


> Looking good mate! Love proper timber enclosures so much more than melamine
> 
> Thats going to come up a treat once stained etc


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## Gruni (Mar 4, 2013)

Under the enclosure won't work with a timber base. If you haven't bought one yet have a look in my build at how to make a heat tile using heat chord.


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## Skippii (Mar 4, 2013)

Ahh I love this! As tree said, proper timber enclosures are great, I definitely prefer them over melamine. Love seeing people put these together from scratch. I've taken some shortcuts by getting my hands on some old tv cabinets haha.

Also, as far as your heat pad question, I agree with Gruni here. I'd go with a heat cord between tiles.

Keep us updated!

x


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## J-A-X (Mar 4, 2013)

Here's one I use


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## Skitzmixer (Mar 5, 2013)

is that stuff easy to apply? I've tried to stain some timber before (think it was pine) but it come up horrible. I applied the stain & varnish and then wiped it off a few minutes after, light sand and did it again.. just looked dull and boring.. more practice i think.


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## Gruni (Mar 5, 2013)

Never mind... thought this was where I posted about the Japanese black stain. Still half asleep and battling a headache.


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## J-A-X (Mar 5, 2013)

? My picture is not a stain, it's just a clear varnish. Unless you get an all in one stain and varnish you will need to do a final coat of varnish if you want a shine (even a mat finish looks better than unvarnished)


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## Gruni (Mar 5, 2013)

Speaking of Cabot's stuff Jax, have you ever used their 'Gel Coat'? It's not water based so it is a bit of a pita to clean the brushes properly but I used it on some didjeridoo's I made and the finish is really nice and it's nice to work with as far as applying it.


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## J-A-X (Mar 5, 2013)

No I haven't heard of that, but happy to look for it and give it a go


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## Skitzmixer (Mar 5, 2013)

JaxRtfm said:


> ? My picture is not a stain, it's just a clear varnish. Unless you get an all in one stain and varnish you will need to do a final coat of varnish if you want a shine (even a mat finish looks better than unvarnished)



Wasnt really referring to just your post but other ones where they've suggested to stain it.. either way the enclosure will come up pretty good.. just as long as i dont do it


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## BigFryMan (Mar 5, 2013)

Gruni said:


> Under the enclosure won't work with a timber base. If you haven't bought one yet have a look in my build at how to make a heat tile using heat chord.



Thanks for the tip Gruni! I took a look at your build, absolutely EPIC. Love it. You've now inspired my to build a fake rock wall for the back of my enclosure. I'm looking forward to getting into it now! The basking perch looks great too and is good incentive for my snake to chill out in the open instead of a hide


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## Gruni (Mar 5, 2013)

My girl loves her new enclosure now that she has had a coulple of weeks to settle in. She climbs the rockwal all the time, spending a lot of time on the ledge which has a cooler end and a warmer one, she also loves the log and often basks on it. They really do like climbing more than a lot of people seem to think. 

I'm glad you liked the build too. As yours grows you will need to think about an enclosure roughly 90x400x400 mine is a bit bigger than that.


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## BigFryMan (Mar 5, 2013)

*Enclosure size*



Gruni said:


> My girl loves her new enclosure now that she has had a coulple of weeks to settle in. She climbs the rockwal all the time, spending a lot of time on the ledge which has a cooler end and a warmer one, she also loves the log and often basks on it. They really do like climbing more than a lot of people seem to think.
> 
> I'm glad you liked the build too. As yours grows you will need to think about an enclosure roughly 90x400x400 mine is a bit bigger than that.



Great to hear that she's settling in well!

The enclosure that I've just built is around 940 x 450 x 450 so hopefully that'll keep him happy. Once he has settled in properly in his click-clack, I might put the click clack inside the big enclosure, get him used to it.


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## Gruni (Mar 5, 2013)

Sorry, I've been following so many DIY threads lately I thought yours was one of the 2ft builds...:facepalm: 

If he is a hatchy that enclosure will be so big you'll lose him in there and he'll need heaps of stuff to hide in and around.


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## BigFryMan (Mar 5, 2013)

Gruni said:


> Sorry, I've been following so many DIY threads lately I thought yours was one of the 2ft builds...:facepalm:
> 
> If he is a hatchy that enclosure will be so big you'll lose him in there and he'll need heaps of stuff to hide in and around.



Yeah, he's only 7 weeks old, so he won't be in there for maybe a year. Gives me heaps of time to design interior


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## BigFryMan (Mar 22, 2013)

*Rock wall progress*



Getting the basic shape together for the rock wall. Just have to carve it up now.

Hoping to get some decent hollows and shelves for him to chill out on/crawl around.


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## Snowballlz (Mar 22, 2013)

I did my first build for my blue tongue and I used Cabot's cedar stain and varnish all in one I did two coats and then two clear coats, no rubbing back needed, it came up a treat.


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## dr_juggalo (Mar 22, 2013)

From previous experience the stain is best applied with one of those cheap looking foam rollers, it gets in all the timber, usually I stain around an inch or 2, where the enclosure will be hard to get to but it is not a must. just have to bruch in the corners.
But your set up is coming along really well.


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## BigFryMan (Apr 3, 2013)

*Making progress!*

Finally had some time over easter to do a little more on the little guy's future enclosure!

Final carve of the polystyrene:



First coat:



Texture after the 2nd:



My girlfriend wearing a spotted bracelet:




I put the first coat on reasonably thin, just trying to cover absolutely everything. The next coat was super thick and I put it down a nice and heavy. I can’t believe how strong it is now! I might do a thinner 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] coat and try to smooth it off a little, the surface is very coarse now. Will help the little guy shed I hope  Really happy with how it's come up so far. Will give the ol' warhammer paint job a crack too, see how realistic I can get it.


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## Dutchy88 (Apr 3, 2013)

Lookin good mate background is realistic


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## BigFryMan (Apr 17, 2013)

Once I figure out how to get these pictures up properly, I'll post some progress. This forum seems very fussy about how you upload pics!


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## BigFryMan (Apr 17, 2013)

View attachment 288588
View attachment 288589
View attachment 288590


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## BigFryMan (Apr 17, 2013)




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## BigFryMan (Nov 20, 2013)

*It's been too long, here's a finished pic*



And this is how it came up! LED lighting above the window (that I need to dim, it's a bit bright) and Mr Fluffy exploring the cave. He just shed today too! I have a funny feeling Mr Fluffy is actually Mrs Fluffy, but that's another story. Starting to get big now, time to up the feed size.


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