viv building from scratch, please help

[MdngtRain]

I want to build a few large vivs from scratch, but cannot figure out the best materials. I want to make them at least 2'x2'x4' (maybe larger), and make at least 3 of them. I want to make them easily movable (so I am thinking attaching casters to the bottoms of all of them) and sturdy for a coming cross-country move in a year or so). They will be higher humidity, so I wanted to use glass, but at that size, that would be not only very heavy, but super cost-prohibitive.

I have read a few places that I will need to seal the wood (if that is what I end up going with), but it does not tell me what type of sealant to use... all the various websites say are to pick sealants that don't leach chemicals when wet... I have no idea which ones those will be, and I hesitate to listen to the hardware store employees, since they are not educated on selling the stuff for use with animals. Would it be stupid to make a wood frame (back and bottom), then line it with thin and cheap acrylic? I would use a glass panel for the door and sides, and screen for the top...

The vivs would be naturalistic set-ups with built-in misting (& drainage valves). I am looking to house my 2 tokays and my halmahera... I will also be building a snake viv or 3, but I will take those questions to a snake forum (if there are snake people here who have experience building large snake display vivs, please feel free to PM me).

Also, where can I get the black silicone? I have only found silicone in white or clear, but I want a darker color to make it look a bit cleaner when I do my background. I have only been able to find roofing sealant in black... that will not work, correct?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[pistachio-leo.]

for sealent i used aqurium seal. you can get it in clear, black, or white, and is safe for animals.

 

[mecoat]

If you have access to acrylic, can't you make the vivs from acrylic? Perhaps with an external wooden frame for strength?

Just a sideways thought.

 

[MdngtRain]

wouldn't the acrylic scratch too easily? I thought of that at one point, but I don't want to have it scratch-up in just a few months.

 

[MdngtRain]

for sealent i used aqurium seal. you can get it in clear, black, or white, and is safe for animals.

That's the silicone, correct? When I was talking about a sealant, I was thinking of something that I could put on the wooden parts to keep them from rotting with the humidity...

I found some food-grade silicone in black on ebay that I picked up. I'm guessing if it's food-grade it is ok to use in a terrarium also...? (black silicone)

 

[Aimless]

I would think food-grade would be fine.

about 4 1/2 years ago I built an epic cage for a pair of my pythons. I used clear cedar because I love the look, and I sealed the daylights out of it with several coats of water-based polyurethane so there wouldn't be any off-gassing, and for water resistance.

I also used aquarium-grade silicone to seal the seams in the bottom 1/2 of the cage. this made it water-resistant, but NOT water-tight. I can mist heavily, they can spill water in the substrate, and it's all good - I initially tried to plant it, but after about a year there was a little bit of leakage around the tree so I gave that up.

three things I would do differently if I were building it now:
1. get a custom-made acrylic "insert" for the bottom where the substrate will go, so that it can be water-tight
2. make the front panel out of glass and not acrylic (or assume you'll replace it every few years, because YES, scratching is an issue)
3. put it on casters! I'm totally agreeing with you there.

I'm actually working on some caging upgrade for a few adults and sub-adults. I found a Habitat for Humanity outlet store and got 3 pieces of 2' x 3' tempered thin glass for $6 each, after pricing single-paned windows and being horrified at what they would add to the cost of building. I'm going to basically build big picture frames and set the glass in; these will be the cage fronts.

don't forget ventilation, too! this cage has a door on the side that's essentially a wooden shutter, and the top is mostly a screen panel where the heat source rests. I'm going to use actual ventilation panels on the new build.

I'm trying to incorporate everything I learned this cage is still going strong, although I've added quite a bit in the way of fake vines to make it prettier. beneath is a shelving unit that holds my herp books and college textbooks; the whole thing is about 6 ft high or so.

 

[MdngtRain]

Thanks Aimless! That is very close to what I am hoping to make for my carpet python. Thank you very much for the tips. I totally forgot about the Habitat stores... I will have to check out the local one (I know I passed one 2 weeks ago, but can't remember where it was for the life of me). I was also thinking of using a dresser or armoire for the shell... Just have to find suitable ones. They should hold up to wheels being attached to the bottom.
I am planning on vent holes drilled at both top and bottom locations for maintaining air-flow...

 

[Aimless]

I also picked up ventilation panels (sort of like this) at the Habitat store for super-cheap. I'm going to put a small brown/putty panel in the front, and then a larger panel in the back. the 3 cages are for IJs and will be placed next to each other, so I can't use the sides.

I think all the same concepts apply to caging for geckos, except that you'll need more humidity, of course.

the "tree" in that cage is a few pieces of corkscrew willow bolted together and then into the flooring, coated with the same polyurethane to make it easy to wipe clean, and never get moldy.

armoires can be reasonable. I looked for a long time and couldn't find anything suitable that was at least 22" deep, so I decided to go from scratch.

 

[mecoat]

wouldn't the acrylic scratch too easily? I thought of that at one point, but I don't want to have it scratch-up in just a few months.

I think it depends on what you plan to put on/in it. A small piece of felt on the edge of the bottom of each hide should stop them scratching, and can be replaced if they start to get dirty etc.

It's up to you though.

 

[Definitions]

minwax water based sealer is perfect

 

[frankenspud]

Check this out. I saw this vid a while back and thought it would be a great way to seal a wooden vivarium.HOW TO: Plywood Aquarium - YouTube