My First Snake Vivarium Build

Bracing

These are the first thing I stained. Structural supports for the legs.

Legs

This is a close up of the stain on the legs.

Cut to size

The half inch plywood cut to size. 7 foot by 4 foot by 2.5 foot.

Bottom Supports

Adding supports to the bottom to increase rigidity.

Legs being attached

Adding the legs and bracing to the bottom of the Viv. Secured with a center bolt and glue. Bracing is attached with counter sunk screws and liquid nails.

Back

The back is going on.

Side view

A side view with the side of the box with the vent holes cut for the grate vents.

Corgi

My corgi for scale.

The front

The front with the door hole cut out.

Adding sealant

I used Restore 10x in slate grey. I wanted a water proof sealant that had some texture to it for the back wall.

All sealed up

The inside first coat done.

Let the staining commence.

The first stain coat on the outside. I used a polyurethane stain combo for this.

The front is stained.

The front part stained.

The outer edging

Staining the outer trim work.

The top and bottom trim going on.

The trim work was held on with liquid nails.

Edging

The vertical trim was just an L piece stained and cut to fit in between the main trim work. Added the vents as well

Beginning to look like something.

A view with the trim and edging done.

Making the door.

Screwing the plexiglass to the door frame. Please pre-drill your holes and use high speed so it doesn't catch and crack.

Staining the door parts

Staining the door frame and trim work.

Frame in place

We used hinges that had a step in them to prevent the door from sitting to far out so we could keep the tank as sealed as possible.

Hanging the frame

Hanging the frame to see if it hits the trim work on the box. It didn't.

Adding the locks

Skipped ahead a little here. Cracked the glass and had to redo the door and I didn't take photos of the redo. Black wasn't my first choice but I wanted them to be a bit more obvious so prople could see the cage is in fact locked.

Lights

Just a 20 dollar shop light I spray painted Brown.

Let there be light

The light installed on top and on.

Weatherstriping

Helping with the sealing.

Added the main log for climbing

White oak sapling cut and dried to make a basking platform for her.

Heat wire

Added the heating wire. 52 foot of it.

Homemade hide

Made a home made hide for her because I was feeling crafty.

All lit up

The log and hide under the lights

Transporting

Had to transport the viv from my parents basement to my house.

Home wreaker

My home made hide didn't enjoy the humidity of the tank once it was set up.

Thermostat

My good friends at my local pet shop gifted this slightly used thermostat to me. Tested it for a month before I trusted it enough to run my tank temps.

Plants!

Set the plants in there to figure out where I wanted them to go.

Homemade log planters

Made myself some planters out of a fallen tree. Took almost and your each to make.

Planted

Planted the plants with organic soil.

Snake time

This is Cassiopeia. My Salmon Hypo BCI.

Hi there

She is about 4 foot long at the taking of this picture. Around 9 months old.

Checking things out

Her checking out everything she can reach.

In the Ivy

Her laying in the creeping fig.