i would like to get a bigger terranium/vivarium for my frog and considered building my own. i know i can buy one but the i can't realy afford to go and pay £100 for the size i would like. i was looking at building one from glass and drew it up in c.a.d for sizes and then my dad asked me why not wood. seems sensible question as i am a qulified cabinet maker and i wondered if anyone had any reasons as why not to use wood, with a glass sliding door on front as i did with my iguana's vivarium.

wood tends not to last very long in the kind of humidities needed by most of the amphibian species we keep. What kind of frog is it?

wood is susceptible to warping and moulding where glass isnt. Also if you need to have a water area like with alot of apmphibs you cant with a wooden construction.

of course with the right kind of varnishing and enough layers, or maybe sheets of PVC you may be able to overcome the warping problem

__________________


Whites Tree Frogs, Litorea caerulea
Crested Geckos, Rhacodactylus ciliatus
Mossy Geckos, Rhacodactylus chahoua
Golden Retriever
4ft Tropical Community tank
2 tier mixed Koi pond

wood will rot in moisture. simple answer.

__________________
1.1.0 berber skinks
1.1.0 kenyan sand boas
1.1.0 common garter
1.0.0 het lavender brooks kingsnake
1.4.200 common frogs
1.1.0 crested newts
1.3.0 smooth newts
1.0.0 wired haired pointer
1.0.0 labrador/ doberman



http://www.amphibianark.org/
sign the petition, maybe give a donation.
Amphibians need our help.

the frog is supposedly a vietnamese blue, although it is now green.
as for the construction i was considering using a veneered mdf and coating the inside using a plastic coating, this would be done in layers as i would normally do with a varnish, starting off with a diluted mix first and then increasing. i am aware of the moisture element and have considered using a plastic of sorts on the base area and a lower part of the sides too.

MDF by nature is only medium density, so i would have thought that over time, even with sealants, moisture will creep in and warp it. i'd just go for glass!

__________________


Whites Tree Frogs, Litorea caerulea
Crested Geckos, Rhacodactylus ciliatus
Mossy Geckos, Rhacodactylus chahoua
Golden Retriever
4ft Tropical Community tank
2 tier mixed Koi pond

go for glass IMO but having said that i do have cresties in wooden vivs fine

__________________
Lizards9.9.7 Crested Gecko5.14.5 Leopard Gecko1.1 Berber Skink1.2 Fan Footed Gecko1.0 Mossy Gecko2.3.7 Gargoyle Gecko1.1 Uroplatus.cf.ebenaui 1.0 Uroplatus Guentheri1.0 Uroplatus Henkeli2.2 Cat geckos1.1 Eurydactolodes agricolae1.1 Tokay Gecko[/option][/option]
Snakes 1.0 Hognose1.0 Milksnake(soon to be 1.1)1.0 Spotted Python[0.1 Corn snake
Amphibians2.1 Axolotl(one morphed)
Mammals0.5 Mice2.0 Cats (soon to be 4.0!!)
OthersLots of fishLots of snails
Soon for sale0.0.3Leopard Geckos0.0.2Gargoyle Geckos0.0.2Crested Geckos
Looking after7 cats
http://www.freewebs.com/freckstheleopardgecko

thanks for input, will consider my options a bit more. the timber etc i can get from my previous place of employment free of charge. sealing the inside i would use rustins plastic coating, heat and moisture resistant and of course all joints i would seal with pva first and then silicone sealant once fixing and afterwards. much to ponder.

I wouldn't use wood for frogs because of the moisture - You'll just get rotten mouldy wood.
I use glass vivaria for my frogs - if you don't want to buy tanks at new retail prices you can get some great bargains on eBay.

__________________
0.0.4 Dendrobates azureus
2.2.12 Epipedobates Tricolor
1.1.0 Oophaga pumilio "Isla Colon"
5.1.200+ Xenopus laevis (albino)
0.0.3 Bombina orientalis
1.1.8 Phodopus roborovskii
0.1.0 Oryctolagus cuniculus (Dwarf Lop)
Lots of stick insects.....

what about lining wooden vivs with pond liner / visqueen. Wouldn't that overcome the warping and rotting?

__________________