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Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

This is what our member has to say: So I've decided to build an enclosure for a blue tongue skink. I intend on getting some time in the future. I'm finishing ...


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Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...



 
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  #1  
04-30-2008, 03:24 PM
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Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

So I've decided to build an enclosure for a blue tongue skink. I intend on getting some time in the future. I'm finishing college soon so I need something to keep me occupied!!
I was thinking of making it 4' x 2' but can go a bit bigger if needed...what do you guys think of the size?

I'm thinking of building it out of plywood that I have at home but was wondering what kind of finish can you put on plywood?

Thanks guys, ed

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 I helped move the meter!   04-30-2008, 03:47 PM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

I don't know about enclosure size for a Blue Tongue Skink, but plywood is fine as long as you seal it with a water-based polyurothene (sp?) and let it dry for a week to get rid of all the fumes.

There are lots of threads on building custom enclosures, you should do a search and check them out! Mostly they are for snakes and water dragons, but you will get the idea.
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  #3  
04-30-2008, 03:50 PM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

Hey man! we're in the same boat! I'm getting my bluey in a couple of months from Blue Tongue Skink.net and I'm going to start building the enclosure, i hope to start next week. I'm going to do a whole write up with pictures and detailed instructions and everything, hopefully it'll be worth a sticky.

I'm going to have it 4' long, 1 1/2' deep, 1' high. I'm going to do sliding glass doors(still having some trouble on how to get them to lock but also look good at the same time). I also want a screen top on hinges with a lock. I'm still in the design phase and trying to think of every little thing i possibly can.

I'm going to build a cabinet to go along with it. it's going to be my first build so i think it'll be really helpful to post it all up and be able to tell people what problems I ran into.
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 I helped move the meter!   04-30-2008, 04:12 PM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

I don't have any BT skinks, but 4x2 sounds like it may be a little bit too small, i'm not sure though, i'll let the Blue Tongue Skink owners chime in here.

As For Finish, you could use a water based stain, and seal it with a water based sealer. I use polyacrylic by minwax.
or You could also paint it, in which case you want to use a Nontoxic acrilyc paint.
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04-30-2008, 04:29 PM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

Thanks guys
30mm would you think about maybe doing hinged doors they'd probably be easier to keep closed. I've only started designing mine...I was thinking of drawing somthing up on my computer so everyone could give it a good look over before I do anything
it would be cool to see how you go about doing yours it might give me some ideas!

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04-30-2008, 07:13 PM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

4 x 2 is fine for a bluey, they are great skinks to keep, and hardly have any problems, great choice.
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 I helped move the meter!   05-01-2008, 01:16 AM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

The more floor space you can give the better.
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05-02-2008, 02:59 PM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

i have thought about hinging the doors but i don't don't know how hard it is to put them on glass. i don't want to use plexi glass because i'm afraid he's going to scratch it all up.
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05-04-2008, 10:39 AM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

Hello 30MM. If you are still considering glass sliding doors, Home Depot has what is similar to a Jewelers case lock. I have one on my enclosure that I built for my Ball Python. The latch secures to the inner door and protrudes out between the small overlap of both doors and the lock actually slides over the latch preventing the doors from opening. The lock is keyed. You can also buy tracking and glass framing at any hardware store. I have a picture, but it won't upload to this message for some reason.

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05-05-2008, 12:03 AM
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Re: Planning My First Enclosure (for a Bts)...

oh really? i didn't know you could buy tracking, i was thinking i had to groove out the wood myself, good think you said that haha. one note on the key, does it become a pain in the butt having to unlock it all the time? i'm going to be in and out of his home daily so yyeeeaahhhh.
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