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kimmeywooo
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
 Posted - 16/03/2012 : 16:25:11
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Okay, first of all I have never made anything useful in my life DIY wise! But I'm determined to do this!
So, would it be possible to buy a nice cabinet, I want an old antiquey fairly large (prob 3ft wide by 1.5/2ft deep by a 3ft high inside) kind of thing. and then I was thinking I could sand it down, make it purty and put a divider in the middle horizontally to make two separate viv spaces. would 1.5ft high each be okay? or should it be a lil higher? I'm terrible at these things.
also, I'd be worried about the wood getting damp so could i seal the whole inside with polyurethane varnish and put aquarium sealant around the edges like a shop bought viv? if that wouldn't work what should I do?
And what else would I need to do to make it safe for my snakeys?
I hope this is not too much of a terrible idea! As I said... Never done this before...  |
1.0 standard grey x black velvet chinchilla, Gizmo
1.0 lavender corn het diffused, Loki
0.1 striped amel corn, het hypo, bloodred & lavender, Juno
1.0 dogue de bordeaux, Hooch
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mkmattyk
banned
United Kingdom
837 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 18:18:17
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| dont worry many people including me do this all the time, but i use stuff from ikea, not exactly old and rustic, but they are really nice and are good to adapt |
Edited by - mkmattyk on 16/03/2012 18:21:00 |
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mkmattyk
banned
United Kingdom
837 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 18:27:09
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| sorry i use the besta range at ikea, but if you start looking im sure youll get some inspiration |
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kimmeywooo
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 21:16:08
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| I can find cabinets, but would it be worth getting one? i mean is it as easy as varnishing to seal the wood? or would i need to line the inside with something? Or is it a bad idea to use an old cabinet? so many questions lol! i could get a new one but it kinda defeats the point of making it for me, i could just buy some ready made for almost same cost (i only have two snakes so won't be making a big stack or anything) |
1.0 standard grey x black velvet chinchilla, Gizmo
1.0 lavender corn het diffused, Loki
0.1 striped amel corn, het hypo, bloodred & lavender, Juno
1.0 dogue de bordeaux, Hooch
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Auld Baldy
Ikea's Pimp
United Kingdom
1619 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 22:39:48
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To be honest, if you have little or no DIY experience just go for 2 appropriately sized VivExotic vivariums. Making a 'double decker' needs a bit of know how and accuracy. Add in the price of glass, runners, varnish, glue, sealant, tools, general mess plus time to do everything.
I have already built one viv from odds and ends as an experiment. It would have been cheaper buying an LX36.
There is also the fact that you have a male and female, there was a recent topic on trying to keep a determined male from going to party upstairs. 
Buy the vivs and try out your DIY on bits of furniture such as platforms and hides for the snakes. |
1.0.0: Miami Normal: Taggart
0.0.1: Carolina Normal: Wee Woody
0.0.1: Grey Rat Snake: Mirkey
0.0.1: Amel Corn: Blaze
1.0.0: Carpet Python: Vambo
0.0.1: MBK: Fester
0.0.1: Florida King Snake : Rattler (Rattle & Hum)
0.0.1. California King Snake: El Diablo Diego
0.2.0 Tarantulas : Ermintrude & Euphemia. |
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n/a
deleted
110 Posts |
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kimmeywooo
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2012 : 13:06:22
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Okay but with the vivexotics, can i put one lx36 on top of the other on the matching cabinet? Would it be sturdy enough? that's what i was worried about with buying vivs. my OH has experience in carpentry so i can get lots of advice from him in regards to building, i just wanted to build it myself purely for the experience. I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for something i love anyway and i have lots of time, my pair arent gonna be ready to go into 3ft vivs for a while.
What if i got a higher cabinet and had a storage drawer or space in between the vivs? would that be better?
And whether i bought vivs or made them id be very busy making things to make it nice for my snakes lol thank you all for replies :) been helpful! |
1.0 standard grey x black velvet chinchilla, Gizmo
1.0 lavender corn het diffused, Loki
0.1 striped amel corn, het hypo, bloodred & lavender, Juno
1.0 dogue de bordeaux, Hooch
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a2c7
Hatchling
United Kingdom
320 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 10:30:40
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I'm fairly sure you can stack the vivexotic vivs as long as it's same size on same size. (edit: Maybe get a wider, lower cabinet from the 2nd hand shop as a base to be sure) They actually sell stackables as well I think - if you're thinking of more than two I'd go this route, but there are some serious reptile room set ups which show multiple vivexotics stacked. I looked into converting some furniture into a viv and I may still do it but for now have given myself the project with a vivexotic, dividing and decoration simply due to cost.
I looked into polycarbonate sheets, pieces of secondhand furniture etc but the cost far outweighed the 'niceness' and practicality wise you can't beat a purpose built viv. The problem with a lot of furniture is holes! Are those doors sealed when they shut? How're you going to get a plug and wire out of it and then reblock the hole?
I know you want this as a project, but you can see what professionals like Ralph's Reptile Vivariums do with custom made vivs. He's very nice if you send him an email as well, I got quotes from him on a project and I think they're very fair but my budget is limited atm. |
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Edited by - a2c7 on 14/04/2012 10:32:03 |
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kdlang
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3556 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 12:59:14
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| I have just made a small viv out of a tv stand. It was really easy as the shelf that was in the middle was the perfect size to become the back piece. All I needed to do was drill some fresh holes for the dowels to go in that fastened it in place. You don't need to pass a plug for the heatmat through any holes, you remove the plug and feed the cable through. Any holes that could pose a risk afterwards, you just fill with sealant. I will get some pictures when it is done with pricings. I just need to drill a hole for the heatmat cable as I forgot it when I was doing the vent holes. |
4.1.0 corns - Izzy (Carolina) Alice (Amel) Peanut (Butter Motley) Swayze (Ghost) Carmellia (Butter Motley)
0.1.0 cat - Kizzy
1.0.0 Dog - Dobbie
Location - Chesterfield, Derbyshire
www.support-dogs.org.uk |
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Redshift Spec
Hatchling
379 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 18:37:26
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| I'd do it. It sounds like you want the challenge of building converting the vivs yourself. Go for it! I've just converted an old nasty fiberglass viv into a not so nasty looking fake wood looking one and it was fun. I'm useless with DIY and it would have been cheaper to just buy a new viv but i enjoyed the project :) |
Frank (Amel Corn 1.0)
Felicity (Flick) (Normal Het Albino BCI 0.1)
Jack (Sunglow BCI 1.0)
Maisie (Hypo het Albino BCI 0.1)
Silver (Snow Corn 0.1)
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adapting furniture into vivariums? advice please!
