Need help setting up a big osb 3 viv.

[Fraggler]

Hey Guys,

Time has come for Mangolito to get the space he deserves and will thrive in.
His current glass enclosure is way too small, so i bought and put together an Osb 3 Vivarium. I'm never had an reptile enclosure that was not made from glass, plus the dimensions are much bigger so proper temp zones and stable humidity levels will be easier to established. I'd love your help and will aproach this thread step by step.

The dimensions of the osb 3 enclosure i bought are: 150x60x80 (Width, deep, Height) or 4' 11"x1' 12"x2' 7" (please tell me if this is the correct way too call out these dimensions in the system you use in the U.s!?)
i already put the Vivarium together so the next step is to waterproof it and close the gaps in the corners and angles

What products would be best and in which order should they be applied?, im on the fence on using epoxy resin, waterbased polyurethane coat or maybe both and use wood filler where need to make the bottom flat enough. I also need the right silicon sealent to close of the corners and angles and wonder if it's best not to do just the bottom and several inches upward or all corners and 90°c angles.

the products must be safe when fully cured ofc so i also wonder which types of additives commely found in these products i should avoid. As Mangolito is still recovering i do not play to make it bio acive even though i would love to, but to future prove it and having the option going bio active i like to ask advice in for both types of setup, I'm from the Netherlands so certain products commenly used in the U.S might be differ in composition.

Let's spoil and make this enclosure a small and safe heaven for Mangolito, when this waterproofing and filling up gaps is done I'll move on with question about electronic placement, and the last phase will be substrate decoration placement like hides, elevations, basking and shade areas which will the most Fun part! I'll promise too take you along the ride with updates and pictures!

Thanks in advance!
Mangolito and Jeroen

 

[Fraggler]

Too add some context, I live in the Netherlands where the summers are Not stable and it's rare for the dutch to have airconditioned homes, every week can different from hot and dry, hot and humid and rainy seasons. Winters are dry when as the house heated.

 

[Fraggler]

And I don't plan to make any construction of foam board but use natural logs, branches, hides and stone

 

[KarrieRee]

Hey Guys,

Time has come for Mangolito to get the space he deserves and will thrive in.
His current glass enclosure is way too small, so i bought and put together an Osb 3 Vivarium. I'm never had an reptile enclosure that was not made from glass, plus the dimensions are much bigger so proper temp zones and stable humidity levels will be easier to established. I'd love your help and will aproach this thread step by step.

The dimensions of the osb 3 enclosure i bought are: 150x60x80 (Width, deep, Height) or 4' 11"x1' 12"x2' 7" (please tell me if this is the correct way too call out these dimensions in the system you use in the U.s!?)
i already put the Vivarium together so the next step is to waterproof it and close the gaps in the corners and angles

What products would be best and in which order should they be applied?, im on the fence on using epoxy resin, waterbased polyurethane coat or maybe both and use wood filler where need to make the bottom flat enough. I also need the right silicon sealent to close of the corners and angles and wonder if it's best not to do just the bottom and several inches upward or all corners and 90°c angles.

the products must be safe when fully cured ofc so i also wonder which types of additives commely found in these products i should avoid. As Mangolito is still recovering i do not play to make it bio acive even though i would love to, but to future prove it and having the option going bio active i like to ask advice in for both types of setup, I'm from the Netherlands so certain products commenly used in the U.S might be differ in composition.

Let's spoil and make this enclosure a small and safe heaven for Mangolito, when this waterproofing and filling up gaps is done I'll move on with question about electronic placement, and the last phase will be substrate decoration placement like hides, elevations, basking and shade areas which will the most Fun part! I'll promise too take you along the ride with updates and pictures!

Thanks in advance!
Mangolito and Jeroen

View attachment 82533 View attachment 82534

CooperDragon can help you w / this flagging to him
@CooperDragon

 

[CooperDragon]

I don't envy the lack of air conditioning given the heat wave that is happening there this summer! I hope that will come down to reasonable temperatures soon.

As far as the enclosure goes, you'll want to seal it as you mentioned. Since it's particle board I would probably think of adding a laminate or PVC/melamine veneer which will give it a more finished look and also protect against moisture. Contact cement or perhaps wood glue would be a good option for adhering a laminate to the wood. Then you could seal the edges with silicone as you mentioned. Polyurethane is a good option for wood with a tighter grain but might not be best for bare particle board. If you use a laminate then you shouldn't need to seal it once you've adhered it to the board. Either way, give it plenty of time to dry and air out before using. Probably several days for contact cement, less for wood glue.

When you start with lighting placement. Set your basking light for an extended period and monitor the temperature under the light and on the other side of the enclosure. If you are having trouble keeping the temperatures down, you might want to cut some holes in the sides to increase airflow. I suggest cutting some circles or rectangles on the low side of the cool end and on the high side of the warm end. That should pull cool air in and send warmer air out by convection. The holes can be covered by a vent grate or a mesh screen.

 

[xp29]

For the silicone make sure its pure silicone. Aquarium sealants would probably be idea. The osb will likely have evergreen wood mixed in (aspen, pine, ect) and should be sealed for sure, all varieties of evergreen are toxic. Cedar is the worst. If you use natural logs you pick up try to avoid evergreen and be sure to bake anything you find at about 200 degrees long enough for the middle to get hot to kill any parasites or other baddies.

 

[Fraggler]

I've also been looking into Pond liners for the bodem, but there are several types of materials like Epdm which is strechy but very sturdy and thick, but also pvc and hpde, there are also rubber liners at hardware stores, are any of these save? thinking of flattening the surface with a proper substance than seal coat it with withnthe best option and use pond liner or any other material with too create double protection layers.

 

[Fraggler]

For the silicone make sure its pure silicone. Aquarium sealants would probably be idea. The osb will likely have evergreen wood mixed in (aspen, pine, ect) and should be sealed for sure, all varieties of evergreen are toxic. Cedar is the worst. If you use natural logs you pick up try to avoid evergreen and be sure to bake anything you find at about 200 degrees long enough for the middle to get hot to kill any parasites or other baddies.

I'm sure its pine as it smells exactly like it, How bad is it? are the fumes toxic or do beardies dislike the smell? maybe a primer plus a top that is heat resistant non toxic coating for the top and the walls, My mother has an holiday house on France and got loads of hardwoods like oak buxus and accacia, and have some at my in my house place already for years, this wood was collected at the river and does not rot in francegues thats a safe bet as i can get lots of nice big and beautiful pieces.

 

[Fraggler]

@CooperDragon

I do plan to make extra wholes and or probably rectangles, wide enough that air can pass through passively on the first half of the rectangle and put fans on yhe other half of the that i that can be triggered on my stat one of my stat channels when temps get too high, thinking about making these openings with a mesh on the lower cold side and at the top back of the hot side as the mesh on this viv right now is only on the bottom and top of the front frame.

Btw, theat wave is finished one and half weeks ago, were back to rainy cloudy days so all levels are back too normal in the current viv

 

[xp29]

I'm sure its pine as it smells exactly like it, How bad is it? are the fumes toxic or do beardies dislike the smell? maybe a primer plus a top that is heat resistant non toxic coating for the top and the walls, My mother has an holiday house on France and got loads of hardwoods like oak buxus and accacia, and have some at my in my house place already for years, this wood was collected at the river and does not rot in francegues thats a safe bet as i can get lots of nice big and beautiful pieces.

I think the biggest issue is the resin evergreens produce, but the smell can be strong also, and they have a more simple respotory system than us so it could irritate them unless it has good ventilation. As long as you seal it though you should be ok. Be sure to let the sealer cure to zero fumes as well

 

[Fraggler]

For the osb3 i found a primer and epoxy resin here in europe that fully cured should be eco friendly.

Epoxy Primer Epoxy Resin Kit - EPODEX - USA

EPODEX Epoxy Primer is ideal prior to the application of epoxy resin. It is applicable on a variety of surfaces such as floors, countertops, tabletops and bartops. Application instructions can be found on this product page.

www.epodex.us

and next layet could be:

Coating & Sealing Epoxy Resin Kit - EPODEX - USA

Ideal for coating, sealing, crafting and other applications Layer Thickness: 1/16" - 3/8" Useable on all surfaces such as wood, concrete, glass and more Working time: 25-60min, Curing time: 16-24h Kit consists of resin and hardener (mixing ratio 2:1) Select a color and receive the right...

www.epodex.us

would this do the job for the floor and seceral inches up the walls?

another question, my mother will bring back old olive and buxus woord, branches and root parts big stuff this stuff is really hard and found at river beddings, too hard for creepy crawlys to chew there tunnels throung,

aquarium silicone sealentent i will use for all corners and 90° angels
after sealing with the epoxy primer and resin, i plan to use pond liner on top for an extra safe layer, isnpvc liner the most safe or is ndme or rubber liner safe as well as its stronger and more flexible?

is old but strong river bed olive wood and buxus btw safe when properly clean? as Mangolito interior?

thanks

 

[Fraggler]

These are pieces my mother gound on the riverb dding in france, no insects can bite dig tunnels into these.

 

[xp29]

The epoxy should be ok after it cures, just makecsure all the fumes are gone. The pvc would be ok, the rubber and the other one I'm not sure about.
I would still bake the pieces of wood, it's more parasites and bacteria that i would be concerned about. Any Other creepy crawlies would probably just end up as lunch lol.
Those pieces look way cool i can't wait to see the finished product

 

[CooperDragon]

Those are nice pieces! I agree that baking them for a little while is a good idea. I wash/rinse off my driftwood pieces really well and then bake them on low in the oven for 45 minutes or so. I don't bother with sealing or anything else.

 

[xp29]

Those are nice pieces! I agree that baking them for a little while is a good idea. I wash/rinse off my driftwood pieces really well and then bake them on low in the oven for 45 minutes or so. I don't bother with sealing or anything else.

One of the perks also is that if it's a nice smelling wood your house smells like that for a little while (i guess if it isn't a nice smelling wood that would be a con instead lol)