DIY Vivarium

 So a few months ago I decided to build my own vivariums. I did this so that I could make sure that they were all exactly the same size and colour because I was going to stack them in my bedroom. I'm a bit of a neat freak and a perfectionist so I wanted it to look spot on, and like they say if you want something done properly you have to do it yourself! It seemed a bit daunting to start with, but once I had worked out the dimensions and materials I would need, I started to look forward to starting this project.

The first thing I did was draw up the plans. I already had a vivarium I had bought before that I wanted to copy and match my vivariums to, so all I had to go was measure the dimensions of that one. Obviously everyone will have different sizes that they would like, but the dimensions I used are as follows:

Once I'd worked out the dimensions ,I then needed to look at the type of wood I wanted. I used beech melamine covered MDF as this is what my other vivarium is made out of. I know a lot of people use contiboard/furniture board which is cheaper but still does the job really well. The only reason I didn't use this type of material was because they didn't do it in beech in my local DIY store. 

You can get your wood cut at most DIY stores when you buy it from them. I got mine through a friend who works for a distribution company (which made it cheaper), but had to cut the wood myself. Honestly, if I were to make more vivariums I would try to find a store that stocks the same wood and get them to cut it for me. This would have saved a lot of time and frustration (measuring was not fun)! 

Building the vivarium is pretty simple because it's basically just a box with the front missing. You might need someone to hold the wood for you as you screw it together, but I managed to do it myself and I am no DIY expert believe me. Once you have screwed all the pieces together the next thing you will need to do is seal the inside of the vivarium. This is to ensure that the heat and humidity is contained within the vivarium.

 

 Once this is done you can glue on the glass runners. You can get the glass runners on eBay, and if you message the sellers some of them will even cut it to size for you. Here's what my vivariums looked like after all these steps:

 

 

Measuring for the glass doors is the most important part. First measure from the top of the bottom runner to the bottom of the top runner in millimeters. Then add 8mm to that figure and that should be right. This is working on the basis that the bottom runner is normally 5mm deep and the top runner is 10mm deep (but you can check these measurements when you buy the runners). If you add 5mm to your measurement that allows for the glass to sit in the lower runner. Then add an extra 3mm to account for the glass to sit in the top runner which totals 8mm. This leaves a sufficient gap to lift up the glass and remove.

 

You can go to any Glazier to get some glass panes. They will ask you whether you would like polished edges or not. I didn't get polished edges as it is more expensive and not needed. Just ask them to smooth down the edges of the glass slightly so you don't cut your fingers! Also I would recommend taking a towel or something similar to wrap the glass in.

 

After this is all done the only thing you need to do now is tidy up the vivarium and set it up! You can buy beech edging (or whatever wood you are using) to glue to the cut edges of the wood. This will neaten up the appearance and give it more of a professional finish. 

Then add in your substrate, hides, water bowl, heating equipment etc. and set your snake loose to enjoy it's new home. 

 

You get a real sense of accomplishment when you have built your own vivarium. Every time I glance over at my snakes I feel proud that I've put in the time and effort to make their home! Good luck everyone, and if you have any questions or have built your own vivarium please leave a comment below!

 

xoxo