# new live enclosure for jungle python. Build Log and photos



## Insane (May 1, 2011)

Gday all,

so I acquired a 4ft aquarium from a friend who was thinking of throwing it out. (still waterproof) so I decided it was time to upgrade my girls enclosure.

heres a finished shot:



_MG_3084 by insane phototography, on Flickr

The idea behind the live enclosure is that you create a sort of ecosystem, where plants live, you have a watercycle (and table), your soil is alive on a microscopic level and your snake is the main inhabitant.

Basically it's almost 0 maintenance, and she has been living in a live enclosure her whole life. http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-reptile-discussion-42/write-live-jungle-enclosure-133168/

I love the concept and the ease and have found that it works perfectly as designed.




Untitled by insane phototography, on Flickr

basically its a 4' aquarium, and I decided that though that was a good start, it just didn't have enough height for my jungle that loves to climb and sit up high. I looked at the possibilities, and what I could and couldn't do, and came up with the idea to add another box on top, made out of whatever I could get my hands on. That turned out to be aluminium from bunnings, and aluminium fly screen.




IMG_0234 by insane phototography, on Flickr

So I planned it all out in my head, and then started creating. I soon ran into roadblocks and issues, getting stuff from my head down onto actual construction, but I got around most issues and continued.

so the bottom of the enclosure is basically false, with an open pool of water underneath. This is the false bottom. It's made out of "eggcrate" basically the stuff that you put underneath fluoro lights to direct the light straight down.




IMG_0251 by insane phototography, on Flickr

I cut it out to create the shapes I wanted, and used more of the plastic material to make weight supports.

Once the base was in, I covered it in shadecloth and paperbark pot liner from bunnings ( I spent a lot there)

once this is in, I used silicon to glue the aluminium frame onto the top of the aquarium.

After this I used expanding foam to create the background in layers.



IMG_0259 by insane phototography, on Flickr

You can see the waterfall that I created also. basically I just bought an Eheim high reliability pump, and created a spot for it to sit on the bottom of the tank, and then ran a plastic tube up to the top of the enclosure, and surrounded it with expanding foam.

I didn't take any pics of the next process, as I didn't have a free hand at all 

I painted the expanding foam black all over (in case I missed anything with the next process)

then I used black silicon, and my hands to silicon the entire background, bits at a time.

Using a mix of coconut fibre, peat moss, sphagnum moss and paperbark, I pressed the mix into the silicon. this created sort of a living "dirt" wall.

for the waterfall, I then used paperbark to line the channel I wanted water to fall down.

The next step in the process was to add the "dirt" and the plants, and pretty everything up.

the soil is a mix of shredded coconut fibre, sphagnum moss, peat moss, shredded paperbark, sand, and some small rocks. This mix is ideal for plants, and is the same mix I used on my old enclosure that worked for the last year.

I then planted the enclosure, using a mixture of plants from bunnings. Indoor, outdoor and water plants, chosen for their ability to suit the climate (warm, damp soil, lots of light) and their looks, as well as how well they would interact with my snake.

I planted 2 water plants in the water holes, 1 at the front of the tank and 1 underneath the waterfall. I used hanging basket plants on the middle shelf, also tall climbing plants and ferns /moss on the wet side.

This habitat I have created for my snake allows her to pick and choose her own environment, depending on her needs at the time. She can have warm or cold, dry or wet, high or low.

At the moment the lid is held on by clamps, but this is only until I receive my package of rare earth magnets from dealextreme, which I will use to secure the door closed.




_MG_3084 by insane phototography, on Flickr

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Cheers,

Dan


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## Specks (May 1, 2011)

very very nice
good work


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## Tassie97 (May 1, 2011)

WOW *jaw drops*


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## Pinoy (May 1, 2011)

Very nice indeed. So creative.

I like how you've used the middle support strap too.

Great work!


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## Grogshla (May 1, 2011)

that is so hot


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## python_boy (May 1, 2011)

so arr.......how much did you want for it?


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## The_Dreaded_Pets (May 1, 2011)

very well done


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## Insane (May 1, 2011)

thanks guys.

Here's a pic of my snake in her favourite (at the moment) spot.




_MG_3086 by insane phototography, on Flickr


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## chrisso81 (May 1, 2011)

I followed your last thread with great interest, good on you for giving it a crack despite the common mentality that no snake could survive outside the confines of a newspaper lined Melamine box. One suggestion though: more branches, preferably one running from BRH corner up to the TLH corner. Please.


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## kawasakirider (May 1, 2011)

This is awesome mate. I saw your old thread and have been waiting for a glass enclosure from you.


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## Insane (May 1, 2011)

kawasakirider said:


> This is awesome mate. I saw your old thread and have been waiting for a glass enclosure from you.


 
It took enough time haha.

Took me about a month to build, cos I'd run into a roadblock and take a few days to think of a solution, or i'd run out of something and have to go back to bunnings haha.

If I had all the right materials etc and a firmer idea of how I was going to go about it I could probably build another one in about 4 days full time I reckon, although you'd be better to do it over 2 weekends cos the foam, paint, silicon needs to dry and cure.

Glad you all like it, I'll endeavour to get a few better pics tomorrow.

re: chrisso81, Don't know if that's possible lol, it's about 6 feet of branch i'd need. I'm thinking of another branch from bottom centre to the top left hand corner, but not sure. She has no issues getting up there at the moment, she can just climb straight up the back wall onto her ledge.

Dan

oh, and heres a photo of my jungle 



Medusa... the star  by insane phototography, on Flickr


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## chrisso81 (May 1, 2011)

Insane said:


> oh, and heres a photo of my jungle



What jungle?


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## Trouble (May 1, 2011)

Great idea for an enclosure  It looks great, especially with everything living! Good work on getting it all set up. I bet your Jungle loves it 

nice patterning ... oh and on the snake too :lol:


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## Tassie97 (May 1, 2011)

haha thats a way to get alot more interest in your thread lol


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## sneakypete (May 4, 2011)

Hhmmm she's got a great body, and the snake ain't half bad too!


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## snakes123 (May 4, 2011)

That enclosure looks great, same as the other photo


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## reuel (May 7, 2011)

Looks good amigo.
Congrats on the build.


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## Insane (May 11, 2011)

Thanks a lot guys.

Dan


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## cagey (Jun 5, 2011)

Another month- how is the enclosure operating. Any hiccups or things you have had to mdoify. I love the concept by the way.


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## swan91 (Jun 5, 2011)

thats trippy.. only 1 hr ago i had a look through this thread.. as a guide for the one i plan on building.. and then cagey comments on it...lol


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Jun 5, 2011)

great work, been interested in its maintenance aspect as I believe it will work well as an ecosystem if it's setup correctly . Might be a bit of trial and error getting things balanced right but keep us updated to how it goes.


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## lizardloco (Jun 5, 2011)

Looks good, but are those fake plants?
I'm guessing you only need the substrate to be living?


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## swan91 (Jun 5, 2011)

no.. he said that the plants on the wall are alive.. and he just has to water them separately..he also said that it is almost zero maintenance and all he has to do is top up the water and turn the soil every now and then


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## lizardloco (Jun 5, 2011)

Oh thanks


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## s0041464 (Jan 15, 2012)

Great work, very inspiring! 

I was at bunnings today and umming/arring over some ferns for my b&w jungle terrarium. I went with the fake but now I know it's possible.

Isnt it funny how you go to all that effort and it's favorite spot is the top crevice?
snakes are strange sometimes! 

My jungle loves to sprawl out on her branch. Have you thought about a vine structure? 

P.s. that photo is hoooooot 

(whoops, bumped!)


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## cagey (Feb 27, 2012)

any update and pictures. I would love to hear how this is evolving


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## Jande (Feb 27, 2012)

Hadn't seen this thread until now. Looks fantastic. Interested to hear how it's going as well.


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## tyson001 (Mar 25, 2012)

hows it going.


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## HerperBaz (Apr 29, 2012)

Yeah, It would be good to see how it has held up over time. 
Great enclosure by the way. 

Also, how is she? ..the snake that is!


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## Origamislice (Apr 29, 2012)

that's... *:| ----> 8)* INSANE


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## boxhead1990 (Apr 29, 2012)

great enclosure!

and looks awfully alot like my jungle except alot bigger

il have to keep this in the bank for the future could come in handy


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## Insane (Apr 29, 2012)

G'day guys, sorry no response kind of forgot about this thread!

The cage is really good, I was doing some work on it today. I have actually moved up to the NT now, and drove the whole way with the tank taking up the back seat of my navara. Kept the snakes in there the whole trip, they coped ok, just hung out in their favorite corners. 
Unfortunately on the trip up most of the plants died  (the rhododendron was the only survivor)

I just planted a few new plants today in there and I'm sure they will be fine. I now have the enclosure outside on my balcony, no point air conditioning the snakes and then heating them. So no more light on top and no heat lamps any more. 

The whole ecosystem idea has worked really well, the snakes do their business in the tank, and I just turn the substrate over it. I have little Beatles living in the 'soil' and also tiny little something's eating away at any wood or leaf matter in the bottom. The snakes are both healthy, and it's amazing to see them actively engage their environment. When I put the new plants in they both spent the whole night and the morning cruising around playing in the new foliage etc. 

Im even experimenting and I've chucked a few snow pea seeds into the tank to see if they will grow 

If anyone has any more questions feel free to ask here or by pm. 

Cheers,
Dan

Also, my older girl is over the length of the tank now ( I don't feed them too much)
And the boy is about half her length (and age). 

Both shedding regularly, eating really well and i guess happy.


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## Marzzy (Apr 30, 2012)

Hey insane,
I can't click your photos and see the larger view ? It's on flicker I created an account and it says there private ? 



---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?0fzjz4


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## Insane (Apr 30, 2012)

Marzzy said:


> Hey insane,
> I can't click your photos and see the larger view ? It's on flicker I created an account and it says there private ?


yeah mate I just embedded the photo's full size. No larger view.

Dan


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## Marzzy (May 1, 2012)

Insane said:


> yeah mate I just embedded the photo's full size. No larger view.
> 
> Dan



Was Tapatalk making them thumbnails .... There big on the pc = D


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## cagey (Jan 18, 2013)

OK, So I ma bumping this back up in the hope of an update on how your enclosure and snake are going!


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## Xeaal (Jan 18, 2013)

Your creativity and thoughtfulness in this design is really inspiring. I would love to see you go into business, I reckon you'd make a real name for yourself. You haven't just given your snake an enclosure; you've given her a lifestyle.


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## sharky (Jan 18, 2013)

:shock: 
Can I have it?

That's awesome mate, wish I had the time and materials to do something like that! Awesome work


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