The Snake Den - Phase 12 (New Climbing Tree 11/05)

My old climbing tree was falling apart after 5 years of use. It was also limited in that it could be tipped over by animals that were above 6-7 lbs. I decided to make something bigger & stronger. I wandered around Home Depot for a few hours trying to find materials that would fit my needs. I ended up with a plastic fence post, ten 3/4" dowel rods, and a Christmas tree stand. From these humble beginnings, a boa constrictor jungle gym was born. The "tree" is 5' tall and the dowel rods are 36" total width so they extend about 16" from each side. The stand is steel and creates a great base. Including the drill bit that I had to purchase, the total cost was right at $100. Later I added aluminum foil around the base (see last photo) and I highly recommend this for several reasons:

• Protects a falling boa from landing on the metal base
• My office is in the corner and when I'm working on the computer, my back is to the climbing tree. It was a major problem when an animal would quietly slip away. The foil acts as an alarm. As soon as I hear the "crinkling" sound, I know one of the kids is making an escape. Some of them actually dislike the foil and will not crawl over it.
• With all the climbing and excercise, the boas will occasionally relieve themselves of urates. The foil catches the waste and keeps it off the carpet. The foil is easy & cheap to replace.

Slightly updated photos. I found some other plumbing supplies that fit the end of the dowel rods and provide anchors for the boas. I also took photos of the tree in action, in this case, covered with 2005 holdbacks.