Reptile Tanks?
- Thread starter jimmy g
- Start date
aidos
Member
MDF stands for Medium Density Fibreboard, which really means it is the saw dust collected and compacted in to a sheet with a liquid glue substance. it is much finer than particle board and about three times stronger. it is usually used in cabinet furniture construstion with a veneer layer on both side. u wont need to use veneered board though just use the normal MDF boards.
here is a link.... just gives u an idea of wat to look for
http://www.unilin.com/eng/melaminefacedmdf.asp
should be able to pick it up from ur home depo store....we sell it here at bunnings where i work.
if u wanna make it as cheep as possible try and pick up some cover sheets used for transporting. it is usually the same stuff but may have a few dents and scatches that u can work around.
btw it is excellent for insualting as well so should help on the power bill compared to glass enclosures.
good luck
here is a link.... just gives u an idea of wat to look for
http://www.unilin.com/eng/melaminefacedmdf.asp
should be able to pick it up from ur home depo store....we sell it here at bunnings where i work.
if u wanna make it as cheep as possible try and pick up some cover sheets used for transporting. it is usually the same stuff but may have a few dents and scatches that u can work around.
btw it is excellent for insualting as well so should help on the power bill compared to glass enclosures.
good luck
aidos
Member
yeah buy two piece of glass equal size with about a 50mm overlap in the middle... then u should be able to pick up some glass runner at ur local hardware store so that u can slide them from side to side.
u dont need to sand the timber back (it is very smooth material all ready, or is here in Australia).......instead while ur at the local hardware store pick up 500ml(sample pot) of blue paint (any shade ur like and making sure its not toxic) and paint ur sides and roof (gives it a very good look...much like painting back of ur aquarium)... then use some sort of material like sand or barkchips(small pieces of mulched up timber bout in 20-40mm chuncks) to layer the floor, then u can also give the substrate rizes and dips.
BTW if u plan up all ur dimension for the enclosure ur local hardware store or home depo may cut it up for u. u will get more accurate cuts which will help heeps.
all the best mate
u dont need to sand the timber back (it is very smooth material all ready, or is here in Australia).......instead while ur at the local hardware store pick up 500ml(sample pot) of blue paint (any shade ur like and making sure its not toxic) and paint ur sides and roof (gives it a very good look...much like painting back of ur aquarium)... then use some sort of material like sand or barkchips(small pieces of mulched up timber bout in 20-40mm chuncks) to layer the floor, then u can also give the substrate rizes and dips.
BTW if u plan up all ur dimension for the enclosure ur local hardware store or home depo may cut it up for u. u will get more accurate cuts which will help heeps.
all the best mate
OK, I have to disagree with making reptariums out of wood. This is going to be a closed system where the snake defacates, sheds, etc., etc. Snakes have parasites. Even if all the mites on the surface of the snake are removed, the prey carry parasites which in turn are passed on to the snake and released into the enclosure every time the snake goes to the bathroom.
You need to be able to santized the enclosure as needed, and wash it down regularly. Wood will hold bacteria as well as parasites. That is why professional rep enclosures are never made of wood.
You may want to look at a breeder type aquarium that gives you more square room. In any case, you definately want to go with at least 18" depth.
Jimmy, I know you're young and probably short in the cash department, but if you can, you should take the snake once a yr to the vet for a check up, especially to have him checked for interanal parasites. There just is no way to avoid it, unless you can manage to convince your snake to eat frozen chicken..... You would need to look around for a vet that has some herpetology experience. Maybe you can work out some kind of discount to just have the feces tested and not the full blown vet check. Bascially, you can do the physical checks that the vet does yourself.
You need to be able to santized the enclosure as needed, and wash it down regularly. Wood will hold bacteria as well as parasites. That is why professional rep enclosures are never made of wood.
You may want to look at a breeder type aquarium that gives you more square room. In any case, you definately want to go with at least 18" depth.
Jimmy, I know you're young and probably short in the cash department, but if you can, you should take the snake once a yr to the vet for a check up, especially to have him checked for interanal parasites. There just is no way to avoid it, unless you can manage to convince your snake to eat frozen chicken.....
You would need to look around for a vet that has some herpetology experience. Maybe you can work out some kind of discount to just have the feces tested and not the full blown vet check. Bascially, you can do the physical checks that the vet does yourself.
aidos
Member
Very true Beth, but i have made my enclosure very easy to clean out all the sand is removed once very few months and replaced.
Beth if he paints the timber inside which seal the timber wouldn't that stop the timber holding ablity for parasites? that is what i was told at the the local reptile store. then i use this natural non toxic liquid to wipe down the surface to kill any bacteria.
Beth if he paints the timber inside which seal the timber wouldn't that stop the timber holding ablity for parasites? that is what i was told at the the local reptile store. then i use this natural non toxic liquid to wipe down the surface to kill any bacteria.
Aidos, would it? I don't think so. I painted my wooden front door with polyurethane and used a waterproof seleant and the door is obviously suffering from water damage. I'm going to have to replace the door.
Its just my opinion but a lot of reps die from respiratory disease, and snakes especially. I think that inappropriate enclosures and husbandry techniques are the culprit. There just is no way to get fluid out of wood 100%, so there's no way to keep bacteria and parasites from finding a cozy home in wood-based reptariums.
I am not an expert but I think its kinda obvious. Perhaps someone with paint experience or wood coating experience can add something that could resolve the wood problem in my mind.
FYI Jimmy: http://animal.discovery.com/guides/r...python_02.html
Its just my opinion but a lot of reps die from respiratory disease, and snakes especially. I think that inappropriate enclosures and husbandry techniques are the culprit. There just is no way to get fluid out of wood 100%, so there's no way to keep bacteria and parasites from finding a cozy home in wood-based reptariums.
I am not an expert but I think its kinda obvious. Perhaps someone with paint experience or wood coating experience can add something that could resolve the wood problem in my mind.
FYI Jimmy: http://animal.discovery.com/guides/r...python_02.html
jimmy g
Member
Ok Thanks a lot guys, I will try to save up and take my snake to the vet that I have by my house (well, a couple towns over) that you can bring in your exotic pets. They said I could bring in my snake for a check up. I really want to get him over there to insure he is in good health.
Thanks Beth for the link.
Thanks Beth for the link.