Enclosure sealing

I converted an old wooden trunk into my ball pythons new enclosure. Cut out the vents, 1/4" wore mesh, and plastic lining the bottom. Needless to say, my dresser is now unfortunately ruined given the plastic has been leaking this entire time :woman_facepalming: i was looking into using spray foam to line and seal the enclosure as i have zero luck with silicone based products (just ask the pig, she still doesnt have her big water barrel yet! Lol) it always either doesnt completely set or still leaks. Shes too big to go back into her 30 gallon aquarium type set up for more than a week or so. Her current leaking enclosure equals out to (roughly) 60 gallon tank.

Also, if the spray foam will do the job, how far from her heat spurce does it need to be? Please ignore my tape job on the front and sides, it wasnt holding heat or humidity until I used the hvac tape to cover part of the ventilation. The lamp is diagonal and fairly close to the back side of the enclosure.



3 Likes

I don’t have any advice to give on the sealing unfortunately. Silicone is what I’ve used in the past.

I did want to give you a heads up on the mesh though. If that’s chicken wire, your BP is an active one and likes to push, she can injure herself on the mesh. If she ever has facial swelling or abrasions that will be the most likely source.

3 Likes

Do you know what kind of wood this is and whether or not the finish on it is toxic? Is the tape the only thing securing the mesh? Honestly, in my opinion, this enclosure is wholly inadequate and very dangerous. There’s no point in sealing it, I’d invest in something actually meant for a snake.

That lamp setup is a fire hazard. Unless you used heatproof tape, it can melt, and if the mesh is metal, it will heat up and possibly cause burns if the snake can reach it. There are visible gaps between the lid and enclosure. You’re using duct tape which can cause injury if the snake is able to access the adhesive. The thermometer/hygrometers you have in there are not accurate. The wire mesh, if it has any sharp/accessible edges or is pushed against as Christina noted, can cause damage.

4 Likes

I’m agreeing with what @noodlehaus and @armiyana have said.

This enclosure is just way too much work to be worth anything good for your BP. I’d recommend starting over and buying an actual glass or pvc board enclosure, in the long run this will save you more money not having to worry about adjustments and repairs to this box. Spray foam will not seal water, and you need to use 100% silicone and wait at least 24 hours before it ever comes into contact with anything to work, which isn’t an option since your snake needs somewhere to live. Plus silicone in my experience does not bond well with wood especially if its been exposed to moisture recently.

Also depending on the wood this box is made from it can be toxic to your snake. A lot of wood types that have a resin or sap of some kind (pine, cedar, fir, etc…) are toxic to all reptiles as well as what kind of staining/finish it has. Not to mention a lot of lumber is chemically treated for pests like wood mites. Your safest bet for a wooden enclosure is aspen wood that is obtained from a source that does not chemically treat their lumber and have it sealed with some kind of waterproofing finish that isn’t toxic to animals once cured. Though any wooden enclosure just isn’t worth the hassle and thats why you don’t see a whole lot of reptile keepers/breeders using them.

2 Likes

First: I did follow everyone’s advice and moved her back into her old 30 gallon glass tank until i can purchase a larger one. Although she is very very mad at me right now, im sure she will settle back in soon.

My dad built the box himself, it was only sanded, never painted or stained. It had sat outside in the sun and elements for a few years on his porch is why the outside looks stained. The wire i put on it was stapled to the outside and rated for reptiles, the tape was the foil tape used for heating/air conditioning so it wouldnt be able to melt or catch on fire. In the long run though, i do agree that its just too risky and will cost too much to do what needs done. Thankfully, my dresser is not nearly as ruined as i thought it was. We will be selling the box as a small animal cage at our next poultry auction, im sure someone needs it worse than i do.

1 Like

Years and years ago I sealed some wooden cages with a generous application of a fiberglass resin bought from an auto parts store. It took a long time to dry in the sun to stop the strong chemical odor. If that cage has sentimental value maybe give it a try then let it air out back on the porch for a year, lol.

2 Likes