I’m looking to build a new cage for my boa, and I know pine wood is toxic. But my question is, if I paint and seal it, will that make it safe? It’s so hard to find any plywood that’s not over $60 a sheet, especially for a big and sturdy cage! Melamine MDF is more expensive than pine plywood in my area ($50 a sheet, and pine plywood that just needs some sanding is only $25 a sheet).
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I learned some things about pine when I was researching safe materials to use in my chinchilla’s cage. Most pine that’s used for lumber has been through a process that removes most of the harmful sap from the wood. It’s often called “kiln dried.” For this reason, most pine wood products are safe for chinchillas, but raw pine stuff (pinecones, for example) are not safe because they’ll still contain the harmful sap.
Snakes are not chinchillas, but given that both can have sensitive respiratory systems that are irritated by many of the same things, I feel like pine (provided it’s not raw pine) would be fine for a boa enclosure, especially if it’s sealed.
That said, I don’t know for sure.
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Sharing this from a previous discussion about plywood enclosures:
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Yes, it’s fine to use. Just seal it well. Here is a link to my EZ cage prints.
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Just wanted to say those cage plans are awesome
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