Need help with making/buying a outdoor pit.

[critterguy]

Hey all, haven't been in for ages, check my other thread for a update on my herps.
My wife and I are very close to finally being in a house again and out of the unit, so the 1st change that I will do pets wise is make/buy a outdoor enclosure for the blue tongues.

These are the ones I'm looking at currently, the 1st one is a no go now as can't used treated pine for them due to toxicity.
For the raised garden bed I would add on hinged lids with the fine/snake proof mesh to keep them out.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/bedford-120-x-120-x-31cm-acq-treated-pine-raised-garden-bed_p3320914 This one is crossed out now due to being treated pine and it being bad for them.

There is the more expensive wooden garden bed of the same size but is chemical free and the type of wood is supposedly naturally termite resistant (must taste bad to them). I would pay the extra or just make one from lacquered/painted pine (whichever was ok to use). https://www.bunnings.com.au/birdies-1200-x-1200-x-300mm-heritage-timber-garden-bed_p3321356

The chicken coop or a guinea pig run I like the idea of the most as it already has the fine snake proof mesh and the one I've shared has a raised section with a ramp that they could use to not drown if it rains and both my partner and I aren't there and some water builds up on the ground.
They are fine with the mesh as their current enclosure and a previous one has bars, they climbed on the odd rare occasion in the old enclosure. http://www.*********.au/itm/Chicken...316927?hash=item46334bceff:g:h2kAAOSw1vlUyZfS, copy and paste that and add in ebay for the blanked out bit to make the link work.

Also with the chook coup you could easily widen it by adding on a extension with wood and mesh onto the back of it, same with lengthening it. I need something with the fine mesh due to the high chance of a snake trying to get in, whether it be in the side like that or just in the lid like it would be in the raised garden bed one. The doors are also lockable on that coop and could make the slide out tray of the raised part lockable as well.

I would lacquer the wood as well if it isn't already done, would lacquer be fine to use, any particular ones to recommend?
And if not then what kind of paint could I use to protect the wood and nails from the weather and degradation.

There is also this chook coop but I like the 1st one better due it would let more sun in for part of it than the gumtree one and the raised sleeping area part and lockable doors. http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/alice-river/pet-products/chicken-coop/1118870017

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The other idea I had was just making one similar to the raised garden beds but larger in size and add in the raised sleeping part for them to use to get away from water on the ground if it rained and neither of us were there to remove them.
Due to that factor I am also leaning more towards the chicken coop/guinea pig run type one as the water could escape rather than build up and flood the enclosure.

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Here is their current setup, it would be too light to be able to use the cage for the outdoors, a snake could easily nose their way under it unless I had it weighted down and I was would have the put the fine mesh on it to keep one from just slithering in.

We created it by combining the best pieces of cage from the previous enclosure with one that was folded down in the cupboard using pliers, wire, a grinder, some bamboo and a heap of small zippy ties.
It's larger than it looks as well, measuring 1080mmx550mm, not too bad a size for the limited amount of space we have being in a 2 bedroom unit, also those logs in there are larger than the enclosure makes them appear and they usually just dig a hole in the newspaper and hide under it if they need to hide better or it's cool (I now just rip a few holes in the newspaper to save them digging them).

Due to being a cage type it is also better ventilated than a tank and keeps cooler and less humid in the hot part of the year, due to the height of the roof I just rig up the ceramic heat bulb with some wire to hang low enough to provide heat but not so low that they could touch it and cover that half of the enclosure with a sheet, they take turns in the sun cage for part of the week for their sun, it's much smaller so not for housing them except when I have to split them up in the breeding season due to the fighting.
Their is a double folded sheet down under it all and under the newspaper.

 

[Allan]

If you go for something like the chook coup you might have troubles with them rubbing their noses against the mesh. I've just finished a very simple Blue Tongue enclosure and had that problem. Painting the inside of the mesh white to make it more visible seems to be working, but I'm thinking of lining the inside of the mesh with shade cloth the first 10 cm (from the bottom)
To make the mesh "invisible" from the outside, I've painted it low sheen black.

 

[pinefamily]

The first link you provided would be ok. The treated pine is ACQ, which means it is suitable for animals and humans. That's why it is used in a raised veggie garden setup. ACQ treated timber now must be used in all situations where food is grown, and any contact with children or animals.

 

[critterguy]

Thanks for the replies, both are helpful and I didn't know that about the ACQ bit either, I should have figured that one out though with it being sold as a raised garden bed that could likely be used for growing food.