Cutting Energy Corners...

[Loren]

When I got this house it had a "spare" living room, the ceiling fan was already there.

and Loren, I have clipped my head just last week

I was up on a stool, getting my corn snake out, when I felt a sharp "thump thump thump" on top of my head.

I am 6 foot 4, lucky to have 8 foot ceilings.

Thats gotta hurt!

When I got my house, the reptile room ( a separate building) had just 2 outlets and a porch light. I insulated it, replaced the door, added about 14 outlets and an overhead light, and the fans and heater and an a/c unit.

[brain]

My room (soory the pic is crooked)

What a wonderful set up you have. How many snakes are there?
I moved into (10 yrs ago) about the same conditions. The was an out building 12’ x 16’ one light, no windows. Now I have put in a bay window, outlets on all four walls, insulated, dry walled, and paint … a good place to start my I’m thinking.
Wrong!
My wife said “Oh thank you for the guest house” !@#$%
So now there’s cable TV, heating and who stays in it … her outside kitties. Yes outside cats witch she puts up of a night and treats them with a spoon of Tuna snack (in water not oil).

[Loren]

I need to do a count again. I should normally have about 70 snakes in my collection(probably near 40 different species/subspecies), but I had some babies born, and took in a few extra snakes this year, putting me over 100 at one time. So I have been trying to get back down to 70-ish. Like I said- I am over due for a head count. Some are brumating in the house right now, so its a little harder to keep track.
This building becoming my reptile room was part of the agreement when we bought the place- not that it matters anymore- She isnt with me anymore.

I have slowly but surely been getting more and more of the cages heated with 4" flexwatt heat tape, giving them all a hot spot in the 90-95 range. When I get them all that way, I can leave the ambient a little lower, giving a lager temp range.

[brain]

Loren
Amazing room … love it. I believe this is what I want to do is raise a few different species of Thamnophis.
You said “40 different species/subspecies” are any of them local. I’m not sure what is local here and this would be one of my goals, reinforce or bolster. I do know that the Contia tenuis, Sharp-tailed snake is rare and protected in Washington.
I might just have to erect another out-building. Have you looked into using solar power for the energy source foe the tape? The more I think on this project the more involved it can get.

Humm this would be a good way to occupy my retirement days.

[Loren]

A large part of my collection is CA. native species- legally collected/aquired animals only. I do have a few odds and ends that are not native as well. It is my goal to have 1 of each species that I can legally have, apart from the very few that I may not be able to provide a steady captive diet for. I like to do presentations with them occasionally.
I tried to keep a Sharp tail in the past- I did not do well with it. According to books, they eat slugs and slender salamanders- but in my personal experience- they just eat slender salamanders(nearest slender habitat is 1.5 hours away).
I have not looked into solar power. I would love to hook my entire house up to solar- but the initial cost will need to come down some first- or my bank account balance will need to rise.
I did put quite a bit of work into the insulation of the room, so that helps with power useage. I also cover the windows with 2 inch thick foam panels- rated at R-13. The ceiling has 6" deep blow-in insulation that I spread by hand. The walls have R-13 under the sheetrock. The prehung steel door insulates great too.

For me, having a separate building is great- not all house visitors want the "reptile experience" and sometimes, like if an insurance man comes or something- it is best that they dont see them. This keeps the animals safe and out of site for all but those who want or need to see them.

[brain]

I tried to keep a Sharp tail in the past- I did not do well with it. According to books, they eat slugs and slender salamanders- but in my personal experience- they just eat slender salamanders(nearest slender habitat is 1.5 hours away)..

Slender salamanders … well I have enough slugs of three different types around here maybe that will work. A buddy herper knows of area in the Sedro/Woolley (town) where we might get one … hopefully.

For me, having a separate building is great- not all house visitors want the "reptile experience" and sometimes, like if an insurance man comes or something- it is best that they dont see them. This keeps the animals safe and out of site for all but those who want or need to see them.

True very, true my cleaning lady won’t go down the hallway towards my snake room ... lol. It was funny the first time she came. I told her I had snakes but really didn’t explain to well where they were. Short part was as soon as she opened the door and seen my Kings she did a 180 and screamed “Michael”. Brought back memories’ of my child hood.

[Loren]

yeah, I hope no one opens my master bathroom closet right now (my brumation room).

[infernalis]

The solar power comment got my attention quick.

We are situated in such a way that I can get direct exposure on solar panels from rise to set.

The overhead air current is almost always there, so small wind turbines would be very productive, And I have already began working with low voltage lighting on my enclosures.

By next winter we will have the wood boiler installed, and I can fuel it with my wood lot out back. I also figure excess thermal energy from the boiler could be used to generate power.

Another concoction I'd like to try, whenever I change the mouse enclosures, the wood chips begin fermenting rapidly, so why not dump all the organic matter from my enclosures into a big slurry tank to ferment, then distill the alcohol from that to use as well.

Use the wood boiler to run the still, free methanol

[brain]

We are situated in such a way that I can get direct exposure on solar panels from rise to set.

The overhead air current is almost always there, so small wind turbines would be very productive, And I have already began working with low voltage lighting on my enclosures.

By next winter we will have the wood boiler installed, and I can fuel it with my wood lot out back. I also figure excess thermal energy from the boiler could be used to generate power.

Another concoction I'd like to try, whenever I change the mouse enclosures, the wood chips begin fermenting rapidly, so why not dump all the organic matter from my enclosures into a big slurry tank to ferment, then distill the alcohol from that to use as well.

Use the wood boiler to run the still, free methanol

On my ½ acre lot we have a guest house, a lumber storage building and my El Camino with coverage so there is a lot here. I brought up the idea of another building for my snakes and it’s approved. As long as I figure out the power requirements. This is what has me looking into solar.

Where to place the panels is the tough one. Still looking into the cost part.

We do get wind coming thru the straits of San Juan Defuca but it gets defused by the trees, the evergreen state.

I’m done with the boiler idea I did that for 22 years in the Navy. But there is quite a potential power in steam good luck with that.

A still not a bad tough … mouse urine distillate hummm.