# Green Tree Python Viv Build



## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

Last year at Kempton I picked up myself a Green Tree python who's been happily living in a large RUB but it's finally time to build his viv! 

First off, here's the man himself, Heisenberg:










My plan is to use an Exo Terra 60x60x45 viv with a large cork log in the background, a DIY expanding foam background and jungle vines as perches held in place by the foam. I know holding humidity is an issue with these vivs so I've got a perspex sheet which I shall cut into 4 parts and put over the mesh on top of the viv, leaving a space for the heat lamp in one. Hopefully this will do the job, if not I may get an automatic misting system and set it to spray twice a day. 

Lighting will be provided by some cheap LEDs off ebay, one white and one red for night time. I've already got a system set up for my other vivs with dimmers and light timers so I'll be able to just wire it into that.

Nothing groundbreaking for a viv build but I love a build thread! 

Everything has been delivered this week so I guess it's time to start building!


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## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

So first off, the viv... A nightmare getting delivered but I got there in the end. This one came complete with a cat. She sat in there quite happily for a good 10 minutes, presumably in hope that I might be bringing a snake or gecko out to put in it.










Here's the branch that I got off of ebay, so chuffed with this as it looks great! 










Playing around with vines, Exo Terra jungle vines cut down to roughly fit the width of the viv. Once I'm happy I'm going to cable tie them up, put a bit of silicone around the ends to cover the inner wire and then coat the silicone with eco earth so that it will blend in with the background. 









Getting a rough idea of the layout, I thought it would be quite sparse in there but the log really pads it out.










I had to cut a bit off the back of the log so that it can fit a bit better onto the back, no problem as the ebay page had great photos and an accurate description so this was no surprise! I also have the added bonus of having the offcuts to make a hide for my spider now.










I've also had to put expanding foam into the holes so that the snake doesn't disappear down into them, I'll cover this in eco earth to make it more natural and they'll be angled in such a way that you won't really be able to see inside anyway.

I've never used this stuff before so I was a bit worried that it might expand too much and crack the wood but luckily it was fine.










The log siliconed into place, tough to get a picture with the viv lying down.











Once this has dried I'll get on with the first lot of expanding foam on the background and then once that's dried enough I'll be able to do one of the sides. 

Oh yeah and seeing as he's Heisenberg I've thought I'd have a slight Breaking Bad theme and get some mini Methylamine barrels hidden into the viv! I picked up some of these sweets and will be spraypainting them black and then making a stencil of the bee logo to spray paint on in yellow. One thing I've not looked into yet is how safe the paint is to use in a humid viv, I'm thinking that I may have to varnish it or seal it in some form. Any ideas anyone?


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

best way to seal it will be yacht varnish and you can get it in a spray can : victory:


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## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

bigd_1 said:


> best way to seal it will be yacht varnish and you can get it in a spray can : victory:


Thanks, will grab some.


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

DrChino said:


> Thanks, will grab some.


 you can get it cheep of ebay : victory:


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## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

Got all the foam done over the course of today. I clearly wasn't prepared as one large can only did the back and a tiny bit on the side! I had to pop out for an emergency supply run for some more foam, although fortunately the nearest shop is only round the corner from me. The second can seemed to expand a hell of a lot more though and then after it was half empty it barely expanded. The end result is the foam on the right hand side of the viv coming out a good few inches and the other side only an inch or so! I may cut it off and try again, although once I've put the eco earth on it could actually look quite good. I'll have a sleep on it and see what I think tomorrow. 

Anyway here's some pics.

The background. It expanded a bit too much on the top but I've cut that back now that it's cured.









Right side, expanded like crazy.









Left side not so!









Overview, roughly cut off the bits pushing out the top but will clean these up tomorrow.









Chucking some plants in to see how it might look:


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## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

bigd_1 said:


> you can get it cheep of ebay : victory:


£4.27... perfect! 

Spray Paint Gloss Matt Varnish Radiator Undercoat Primer Metallic DIY Aerosol | eBay

Thanks, saved me having to buy a big pot of varnish for 4 tiny little bits of plastic!


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

DrChino said:


> £4.27... perfect!
> 
> Spray Paint Gloss Matt Varnish Radiator Undercoat Primer Metallic DIY Aerosol | eBay
> 
> Thanks, saved me having to buy a big pot of varnish for 4 tiny little bits of plastic!


 yep just get the blue yacht varnish and best to let it air for 30 days befor puting in whit reptils 

your viv now looks like a 45x45x60 whit all that fome :lol2:


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## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

bigd_1 said:


> yep just get the blue yacht varnish and best to let it air for 30 days befor puting in whit reptils
> 
> your viv now looks like a 45x45x60 whit all that fome :lol2:


Thanks for the info.

Haha I know, I measured it this morning and it really isn't far off that now on the width... about 48 cm! I think I'm going to carve a lot off the right hand side tonight and reclaim a bit of space back!


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

will be doing sum gtp vivs soon. well when my vivs get made from nonstop reptiles got sum 2x2x2ft comming :2thumb:


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## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

Nice, make sure you get some pics! Was looking at plastic vivs like that but I do love the exo terra vivs.


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

no more up dates


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## DrChino (Aug 23, 2010)

I made a bit of progress over the week but was a bit too lazy to post an update! I started again on the right hand side as it had expanded to a ridiculous amount! Luckily the second time around it didn't go quite so mental. A bit in the bottom corner got a bit out of control but I'll just carve that out, it will be covered by a plant anyway so it's not too much bother.










I've carved some holes out in the foam to slide the vines into, hopefully with the silicone and eco earth it should hold them in place quite firmly but still be removable. I can always silicone them in permanently if I have any doubts. As always I've rushed through this and probably put one of the lower branches a bit too low so will probably fill in the holes with silicone and move it up a bit. 











I also started work on the barrels, giving them a few coats of black paint and stinking out my kitchen in the process.










Today I made the stencil and spray painted the bee logo on. The Chinese writing would have been impossible to make a stencil out of at this size but I'm happy with the bee. It took a few attempts to get the stencil right, luckily an outer cover from a magazine proved to be the perfect material! 



















I also started putting silicone and getting the eco earth on the background today. The rubber gloves that I bought where nowhere near thick enough and my fingers soon went straight through them, looks like I'm going to have silicone under my fingernails for the rest of the week now! Also meant that I couldn't get any photos of it in progress as I was home alone and didn't fancy messing my phone up!


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