Need some help with a rubbermaid bin modification, please!

[LBoz]

I have a new snake coming in the next week or so. He's not used to being in an open glass viv such as what I was going to use, so I have a 35 gal. rubbermaid bin that I'd like to set up for him.

Searching the posts, I've found that a soldering iron is great for making holes, but I'd like a bit more visualization, so I'm going to try Wade's recommendation of using fiberglass window screen on two sides and the top as well. Wade (or anyone) what guage screen is best? Does it have to be especially strong, ie. can a snake burst through it?

Heating. I've never used a heat mat on plastic, but from what I've found here, it says it's fine at that low (85) temp. I just stick it right to the bottom of the bin, right?

I was going to go get a heat mat and found that my local store is closed for two months. I can get a mat at Petco, but not a thermostat. Is there a good place to order these online in the US?
The lid has the locking handled ends, so I'm not concerned about his escaping through the lid, but the screens are concerning me.

Any tips or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Drizzt80]

I would suggest going ahead and placing him in one of your surplus aquariums. It should not be a problem for the "psychology" of the snake. The modifications you plan to make to the Rubbermaid bin could potentially increase your chances for an escape. The easiest thing to do would be one of your aquariums with a screen top, and then, use aquarium background or wrapping paper to close of (from the outside as you would a fish tank) the back AND sides!

If I find that I need to order things online, I use Bean Farm. www.beanfarm.com

Hope that helps and makes things easier for you.
D80

 

[wade]

I agree with Brent in every way, he is so smart.

If you still use a rubbermaid tub, just use regular window screen. The fiberglass type is easy to cut with sizzors and can be glued to the tub with hot melt glue. You can also cut a hole in the lid and glue screen over it as well.

Here us a picture of one of mine

The Bean Farm is great and they will have both the heat mat and the thermostat.

 

[LBoz]

Thank you both! Another reason I might have to go with the bin is because the largest empty viv I have is a 20 long, and I'm not sure that this will be large enough for a 3 yo king. Do ya think? What I might do is move my corn back into the 20 long (after moving the hamsters out of there and into the 15...good grief...anyway, moving the corn into the 20 and putting the king into the 40. My baby king is currently in a 5.5, but I'll have plenty of available tanks by the time she needs one.

I like the idea of the rubbermaid for the ease of cleaning. That 40 long is a total pita to move or clean. I use bleach and a hose, so I have to get someone to help me lug it outside for this.

I think I might just go with the bin for a few months until I get my cichlids rehomed and put him in the 60 g then. And also get some sanitizer so I don't have to move the tank for cleaning.

Sorry for rambling....I'm sorting of thinking this out as I type.

Wade, thanks for the photo. I was thinking of making a larger opening, yet gluing the screen over the entire side, if that makes sense? So the screen edges won't be right along the edges of the opening, so very little chance of him crawling into the seam of it and out the opening.

 

[Nanci]

That screen gluing business makes me nervous! That is going to be a strong snake who will spot the screen as the weak point! My Cali King is two, 350 or so grams, and very active. She's fine in a 20, although if I had a more inactive corn in a 40 I would trade. Why do you have to take it outside to clean? I've never had to hose mine out- I just put in nice deep aspen! Poo hardly ever comes in contact with the glass.

 

[LBoz]

That screen gluing business makes me nervous! That is going to be a strong snake who will spot the screen as the weak point! My Cali King is two, 350 or so grams, and very active. She's fine in a 20, although if I had a more inactive corn in a 40 I would trade. Why do you have to take it outside to clean? I've never had to hose mine out- I just put in nice deep aspen! Poo hardly ever comes in contact with the glass.

Oh, I use a ton of aspen! But (and here I'm showing my newbie hat) I thought you were supposed to disinfect it at least monthly? The only time he didn't go on the aspen was just the other day when he went beside the water bowl and peed at the same time. I just spot cleaned it with vinegar while holding him, but I was lugging that beast outside every few weeks to bleach it out. Are you telling me now that I don't have to do that? I'll be doing a happy dance if that's the case! I know there is a disinfectant spray, so when I order the thermostat, I'll see if they have that as well. Is that enough?

 

[Drizzt80]

If you spot clean regularly and change bedding out every so often, you should only need to do a major cleaning once or twice a year in a larger aquarium like that. :shrugs: I've had no problems (knock on wood) with doing it that way.

D80

PS. Wade's method looks great, but like Nanci I just get extremely nervous reducing the integrity of sterilite/rubbermaid by cutting holes big enough for escapes. I'm sure Wade has had complete success doing it this way (he's about as smart as me, if not smarterest!), but I like to be safer and remove as much doubt as possible. Woodburning tool and a ruler and a bunch of holes for me!

 

[Nanci]

It's the best when they go _in_ the water bowl, if you can get it poured down the toilet without vomitting!! (I've had some close calls when Big Jake "dropped the kids off at the pool")!

 

[LBoz]

Sweeeeet! I'll do one more major disinfecting before getting the new guy and then it should be good til spring, then! I saw some spray stuff on the Bean site, so I'm going to get that as well. I do a complete aspen change about every ten days or less.
Otherwise I just remove the entire half tank's worth when he wastes and fill that side in with fresh stuff.
I'll switch out my very inactive corn and put him in the 20, then put the new King in the 40 long.

You guys are awesome! Thank you for the help!

 

[Susielea]

Lori, can you get some veterinary type disinfectant over there like "F10sc", you should be able to use something like this, I mean how many vets do you see lugging there tables and other equipment out to the yard to hose it down?

I've just spent 2 days cleaning some of mine, 8 4ft x 18" x 18", 4 of which are joined together, so they don't go outside. Once every couple months they get a good wipe down with the disinfectant, with fresh bedding etc and as Brent said, if spot cleaning is done regularly, I get away with a total breakdown 2 or 3 times a year I've been doing this for 5 years!

Edited to add, I take too long to type at the moment because my fingers are sore

 

[LBoz]

Sue, are your fingers sore from taking all those pics of rat bums! :laugh:

Good point about the doctor's tables. I should check to see what they use in the hospitals. We spray them down with something after every patient, but I have no idea what it is.

The gentlemen recommended this site for ordering, so I'm gathering a list. What, of these products, would you suggest:

http://beanfarm.com/cgi-bin/store/a...duct=Health_Care&user4=Disinfectants/Cleaners

 

[wade]

(he's about as smart as me, if not smarterest!),

Smarterest ???

 

[Nanci]

I would never use what we use in the hospital near a snake- it's way too potent! You're not even supposed to touch it with bare hands! You just need a nice disinfectant, not an anti-viral/bacterial/everything.

The Bean Farm spray is probably nice, or if you are cheap, a 10% bleach solution will kill almost everything. Not coccidia, though, but that isn't an issue with snakes. Well, unless you have crypto going on, but you don't.

Nolvasan is a nice cleaner, but I think of it more in terms of cats and dogs. I think it's overkill for your application, but it isn't harmful.

 

[Susielea]

Sue, are your fingers sore from taking all those pics of rat bums! :laugh:

Good point about the doctor's tables. I should check to see what they use in the hospitals. We spray them down with something after every patient, but I have no idea what it is.

The gentlemen recommended this site for ordering, so I'm gathering a list. What, of these products, would you suggest:

http://beanfarm.com/cgi-bin/store/a...duct=Health_Care&user4=Disinfectants/Cleaners

Ahh now I've seen posts here about chlorhexidine being used, let me see if I can find the posts.......

 

[Susielea]

Here's one thread where Jazzgeek says he uses it.....

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66572&highlight=chlorhexidine

Just search chlorhexidine there's a few threads

 

[LBoz]

Well then that's excellent! I use 1/2 strength bleach spray all over the house because of the fish tanks. That will definitely save me some cash.
Thanks, Nanci! I'm assuming you wipe it out with plain water afterward, right? I typically use vinegar spray for spot cleaning now, and then wipe it down with water.

Ok, next question since I'm on a roll here. I've been using the zoo med UTHs because that's all I have available at my LPS, but Bean has one that I found interesting. Has anyone tried this mat?

http://beanfarm.com/cgi-bin/store/a...6.746&product=Heating&user4=Undertank Heaters

It would be great to not have to get another thermostat if possible because these tanks won't be near each other. Is it safe? Note: I use a deep layer of aspen, at least 5 inches, on the heated side.

 

[Susielea]

Well then that's excellent! I use 1/2 strength bleach spray all over the house because of the fish tanks. That will definitely save me some cash.
Thanks, Nanci! I'm assuming you wipe it out with plain water afterward, right? I typically use vinegar spray for spot cleaning now, and then wipe it down with water.

Ok, next question since I'm on a roll here. I've been using the zoo med UTHs because that's all I have available at my LPS, but Bean has one that I found interesting. Has anyone tried this mat?

http://beanfarm.com/cgi-bin/store/a...6.746&product=Heating&user4=Undertank Heaters

It would be great to not have to get another thermostat if possible because these tanks won't be near each other. Is it safe? Note: I use a deep layer of aspen, at least 5 inches, on the heated side.

I've got these mats on all my tanks!!! But I still run them on a thermostat, as it can get pretty hot under the bedding.

Edited to add, these are great under tubs too, on a stat, as they don't have to be stuck on and can be moved as and when needed, without damaging the mat

 

[Nanci]

I have those on my cage stack (Jake and Maizey). On a thermostat. I like them, but they don't have glue. You have to use aluminum tape if you want to attach them. Which means you can move them! I haven't had one die on me yet, while I have had ZooMed and ExoTerra mats die after a couple years. And some that don't.

 

[Susielea]

If you're attaching those to the outside of tanks, a little sellotape just along the edges works well to hold them on, my Hubby has one that's over 5 years old under one of the Leopard gecko glass tanks and all we do is refresh the tape about once a year

 

[LBoz]

That's great that they work, bummer that you still need a stat. Ok, I'll add that to my cart. Thanks, gals!

Sue, I'm not sure what cello tape is? I do have a few rolls of aluminum tape around, though. Maybe I can rearrange the LR and put the two tanks next to each other. Does it mess with a snake's psyche to have his heat moved from one side of the tank to another?