Bredli enclosure DIY, Heating, Vents, few questions

[Snifter]

View attachment 315626

Hey everyone. So as the title says I'm building an enclosure for an adult Bredli.

I would like to know what the best set up would be for the unit displayed above.
1st topic Hides
The lower left corner I have scribbled a face of a drawer that I want to have there and the same location on the opposite side, I want these draws to be hides, 1 warm the other cool. The entrance to the hide will be at the roof of the hides. On the warm end I was thinking of using a heat cord and tiles...any ideas? Also due to where the hides will be located where should I have the vents on on each end? Would above the hide do on the warm end and at the top of the cool end? Would any ventilation need to be in the hide? what size vents would you recommend for the units dimensions?

2nd Topic lights
The shelf in the center above where the TV sits I am planning to remove, I want to know what the best location for lights or ceramic heaters would be for this set up? I am happy to have the tail end of the lights patrude through the top of the cabinet.
I am also interested in knowing what wattage, style, brand name and how many I should use and what's a good combination for lighting and heating, Ceramic + fluro, or halogen for day and an infrared/blue/etc halogen for night?
I currently have a habistat digital dimming thermostat, should I buy more seeing as the temperature in the hide, basking area and the warm side in general would have different temperatures?

3rd Topic Plexiglass thickness
The left and right side I am going to make a single door that extends from the top of the 'to be' hide drawers to the top of the cabinet.
The large section in the middle I was planning to have 2 doors that swing open. .. I would be making an aluminium frame for those 2 doors not only for support but also for attaching locks.
So what thickness would be recommended for me to go ahead with that?

Last question I have is after I sand the enclosure what is the best stuff to coat it with? As I read that pine is toxic for snakes.

As for budget I am happy to spend around the $1500... more if needed. (Comfort of my Snake is more important than a budget)

Sorry for the way this post is layed out and all the questions, I'm not the best with wording things.

Any suggestions anyone has to offer would be a tremendous help and very much appreciated.

Regards Jason.

 

[HiramAbiff]

I'd use the money and buy a professionally built enclosure.
I don't understand the logic in converting an old tv cabinet when you're willing to spend $1500

 

[Snifter]

I have searched for enclosures and found that anything of a similar size to what I'm making is far more expensive..more than I can afford. Not only that but I am planning to sand the exterior back and give it a nice stain and add a few mods like having wheels underneath which will be hidden by hinged or removable skirting boards. When finished I want it to look like a nice solid piece of furniture rather than something that came from Ikea. Also the fact I want the hides to be drawers. Cheers

 

[Snifter]

I'm asking here for advice because I have very little faith with pet stores.

 

[twistedFrog]

Just a few suggestions, I have a converted TV unit and I find the one big thing I have found is the closeness to the ground of the enclosure presents a few issues as far as cleaning maintenance and getting a python in and out. I mean I spend a lot of time sitting on the floor for these things. Which I find a little bit frustrating. In hindsight an enclosure that is on a stand and high enough to get to everything while standing will be my first priority on my new build. I would with your build think about leaving the top shelf and extending it on both sides to house the lights and mounted flush with the bottom of the shelf/ Then you can enclose that space at the front and have holes for the wiring to come out the back, much nicer look than having them mounted on top of the unit.
There are plenty of threads in the DIY section here if you search them you will find plenty of info on the lights to use and wattages etc.
Hope this helps

 

[Snifter]

In hindsight an enclosure that is on a stand and high enough to get to everything while standing will be my first priority on my new build.

Thanks, I forgot to mention in my post that the enclosure will be raised about a foot fot several reasons, to bring the display closer to eye level, to allow reasonable size wheels to be fitted underneath, and to prevent bottoming out when I move the enclosure and have a step to deal with, wheels going to be hidden by removable skirting boards.... may sound ugly but I'll be ensuring it blends in nicely with the cabinet. Cheers.

 

[ronhalling]

Don't take much notice of what HiramAbiff has to say about not building your own converted TV unit and their is no way the build will came anywhere near the $1500 that you mentioned, the sense of accomplishment you will get from building it yourself cannot be replaced by buying a professionally built enclosure regardless of how long it takes.
12 inches is not really enough in my opinion to raise the enclosure for comfortable cleaning, i would be making a rectangle about 18 inches high and put the enclosure on top of that, some people i have seen doing these conversions have put a trap door in the bottom of the enclosure as well as an entry flap on the stand so you can just put a cardboard box under the trap door and sweep all the refuse through the trap door.
I would be leaving that top shelf in the enclosure as a basking spot with under floor heat in the form of heat cord and putting LED strip lighting under the shelf for lighting, you can use branches and vines for access to the shelf so your Snake will have heaps of exploring opportunities, as far as everything else is concerned it is only limited by your imagination, so get to it and have some fun, just keep us updated with pics as you get along with it. ........................Ron

 

[Snifter]

Thanks Ronhalling much appreciated. Do you think 5mm plexiglass would be suffice?

 

[ronhalling]

As long as the Plexiglass is fixed solidly and not used for a sliding door setup it should be fine, although the 1 big drawback of Plexiglass is how easily it gets scratched if a lot of care is not taken when cleaning and moving branches, hides, water bowls etc around the enclosure, when used as sliding doors the snakes can easily push between the sliders and escape, not exactly what you want in an enclosure. .....................Ron

 

[smileysnake]

bredli enclosure

my bredli enclosure...only cost me $20 for the cabinet $120 for framed glass door $50 for other bits and pieces....

 

[arevenant]

Built this 4x4x2 for my Bredli a couple of years back, cost about $140 all up including 5mm glass.

 

[smileysnake]

hope pic works now