# Boa Constrictor Build



## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

Hey, 
I've just started a little project, setting up a vivarium for a boa I'm picking up this Sunday Fully aware this is gonna take some time I've set to work now in the hope it'll be done by the new year:lol2: 
So I'm planning on a "naturalistic"-ish setup, was originally planning on using live plants but decided they'll just get smushed and will be a waste, so am going to create shelves, use fake plants, have branches for climbing and hopefully a bioactive substrate to make it all run a little smoother. Will be heated by a ceramic in a dome atop of the viv so will have to cut a hole for that at some point. What I'm starting with is a half put together 4x2x2 viv, some lino, varnish and shelves. Will hopefully varnish the rest of the viv tomorrow and perhaps patch up the silicon... Then I've gotta go branch collecting which shouldn't be too hard considering I live in the middle of a forest.

Here's what I started with:








(Please excuse the state of our shed)

Then began lining the bottom with lino:









Then sealed with silicon(which will hopefully dry clear as I'm not the neatest siliconerrr):

















Then decided to varnish the top and shelves, to leave to dry to hopefully do a second coat tomorrow:


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

So far do good... What kind of lino is it??

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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

vukic said:


> So far do good... What kind of lino is it??
> 
> Sent from my ST26i using Tapatalk


They're actually vinyl tiles oops, just stuck them in with silicon


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## Corfel (Apr 29, 2013)

Look forward to seeing the progress ~

: victory:


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

No pictures today as nothing was really picture worthy. Varnished the inside of the viv as the silicon had dried, added second coat of varnish to roof of viv and shelves, then cut down a small tree and started splicing it into reasonably sized chunks:whistling2: Planning on using some straight branches to support the shelves and add a rim to allow them to hold substrate, then have a nice long V shaped branch run the lenght of the viv for climbing onto shelves. Gonna get them scrubbed up and cut to size tomorrow ready to screw in. Need to go shopping for some cork bark so I can sort some hides out So yeah, slowly making progress:2thumb:


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

*Update...*

Done tones today!
Firstly gave the viv a second coat of varnish, then left a heater running to dry it off within a few hours








Then set to work slicing branches in half to create some rims for the shelves, then came attaching them








Shelf rims finished we attached the shelves to the viv using L brackets and a couple of well placed screws








Then began measuring up the wooden supports, cutting them to size then screwing them into place








Siliconed the bottom








Then did the same for the second shelf
























Then measured up and cut the best looking branch I could find to scrub down and screw in tomorrow:2thumb:








Very excited it's all coming together now, just gonna be a while airing out the fumes and adding finishing touches but quite happy with how it's coming along Any criticism or feedback is welcome


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## Nicquita (Mar 14, 2009)

This is excellent, I love the idea of edging the shelves with branches! (Mind if I steal that idea? :Na_Na_Na_Na: )

It looks like it's coming together really well  Can't wait to see the final product


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

Nicquita said:


> This is excellent, I love the idea of edging the shelves with branches! (Mind if I steal that idea? :Na_Na_Na_Na: )
> 
> It looks like it's coming together really well  Can't wait to see the final product


Thanks:2thumb: 
Of course you can! I just thought they'd give it a more natural look, they also create a rim so I can put substrate on the shelves without it spilling off. Wasn't easy cutting them though, had to use an evil mechanical circular saw to get the straight edge, almost took my fingers off:devil: Hoping to order some fake plants to fill it out a bit and some cork bark, substrate will be Eco earth and orchid bark so not really too much left to do.


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

Finally picked up the soon to be occupant of this viv, a gorgeous 2012 male albino boa who I picked up yesterday from a lovely member of the forum:flrt:
We've named him Lemon
















Please excuse the naff photo quality, didn't want to disturb him so took the pictures through his RUB


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## Corfel (Apr 29, 2013)

very nice

looking forward to see the finished viv ~


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## xXxLynnxXx (Aug 9, 2009)

Looking good hun :2thumb: cant wait to see the end result , he's gonna love it ! miss his pretty face , enjoy him :flrt:


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

xXxLynnxXx said:


> Looking good hun :2thumb: cant wait to see the end result , he's gonna love it ! miss his pretty face , enjoy him :flrt:


Glad you like it and thanks again for letting me have him :flrt: 
All the building work is finished now, just ordered an LED strip and some fake plants so once the varnish fumes are all cleared I will start getting it all set up He's settling in well, loves to have a nosey about when I'm sat at my desk (which his RUB is currently on) and is getting used to being handled though is still a little cautious of us. Can't wait to move him into the viv and watch him explore:2thumb:


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

Sorry I haven't updated recently, just been doing tiny bits and pieces whilst it aired out but finally it's finished!
Added some plants and the substrate yesterday








I also attached some mesh for the ceramic to sit on and silicones in the LED strip, I silicones around the mesh too the cover any sharp edges








Then today I attached the thermostat probe to the correct position and covered the rough edge around the ceramic with a metal covering
























As you can see the LED strip works brilliantly in providing light for daytime viewing.
So with everything finished there was only one thing left to do...
Put Lemon into his new home!
























Very excited to have finally finished! Only a couple of last minute adjustments to do like upgrade the ceramic to one if a higher wattage and buy a wedge to prevent any escapes, but other than that I'm so pleased with the end result and can't wait to watch him explore:flrt:


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

Got a little excited when I came up to bed to find him on one of the shelves as I'd been worried he wouldn't be able to get up there, so in my excitement I decided to take a crappy flash photograph as I didn't want to disturb him by flicking on the lights but in retrospect the flash from the camera probably disturbed him even more dohh


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Looking awesome... 

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## pjd88 (Oct 26, 2011)

Awesome build. Really like the shelves and care you have put into making it look great! Well done 

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