• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Melamine...bit off topic

Tribal Gecko

Tribal Gecko

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...but I was finishing up a new rack system today in preperation for spring, and got thinking a bit. Does anybody know how well melamine board holds up to humidity? I was thinking of making some nice cages out of all the scrap that I have, but not sure how well it will deal with high humidity some animals might require. Any Idea's? :confused:
 
How high is high?

I use melamine cages for ball pythons, crested geckos and leos. I mist the cresties every day and haven't had any issues. I would n't use melamine for frogs or arboreal snakes that need to be misted constantly or chameleons. Make sure you seal off the edges (where you can see the particles of wood. Also seal the insode edges and corners with silicone. Hope this helps ya out.
 
i would not suggest melamine for high humidity animals.. if you get a scratch in it or do not seal it well it will begin to bubble and eventually it will begin to fall apart. BASICALLY what melamine is, is compressed wood shavings and glue, with the surface usually painted or sealed in some way
 
Uhhhh... Robin? Melamine is plastic laminate. It's usually used OVER pressboard or fiberboard but the melamine itself is a countertop material.

I've used melamine with a great deal of success for herp enclosures and have not had any problems with warping, bubbling, peeling or the material used underneath getting wet... when the melamine was properly cut, properly adhered and some care was taken to ensure the corners and edges were well coated (the silicone suggested earlier is the way to go in my experience). If there are deep scratches, where a cut goes completely through the melamine to the material underneath, you'll have problems with any moisture... but if you don't scratch it up, you won't have any problems.

It's a material that's really very easy to work with and allows you endless versatility in the construction and dimensions of any enclosures you may be constructing. It's also a material that's fairly easy to make a mistake with if you shave it a little crooked or forget to properly seal all edges. So if you've worked with it before (you have, since it's scrap) go for it. Makes a great enclosure that'll cause water to bead, is nonporous so it basically retards bacterial growth and is VERY easy to clean and sanitize.
 
ok smartass, this is true. however most people associate them together and some do not know that the actual melamine is the plastic covering over the particle board. when you go to a home depot, or lowes and ask for melamine they generally take you to the melamine bookshelves and what not... and these same places generally do not sell or you might have to special order melamine sheets throught the cabinets section... i guess so you can laminate your own ass ...,... if i am having to go out and buy sheet of melamine to cover my wood (ermm ass) i would use tile board............... it's not the actual melamine that bothers me it is the compressed saw dust and glue (particle board) between the melamine.... scratch past the layer of melamine and that cute little space will begin to fall apart. least with tile board you have alot more protection. but if i am going to go through all that i might as well use UHMW, Delrin or polycarbonate
 
Well, I have the actuall laminated form, not just the particle board crap. I was just curious on making sure the actual melamine held up fine over a period of time. I assumed it would...but wanted to make sure :p

I still have two sheets left, along with a bunch of pretty good sized scrap, so want to make a nice center for my beardie and crested. Not sure how yet...but that's the plan :).

Thanks
 
OK after reading that, it makes it sould like I am housing them together...and since I can't edit, I will have to reply :p...It's to seperate cages, lol.
 
well since it is coming to this seamus...

Huh. Better a smartass than a dumbass I guess.
Click to expand...

.... i'm rubber and you're glue
everything you say bounces off of me and sticks to you...


=oP
 
my 2 cents

Well I would definetely side with Robin in this case. I have used Melamine exclusively for all the racks I have built. Melamine Board has the outer coating of melamine on it but it can easily be scratched or punctured leaving the poor quality particle board exposed. IT can even be easily rubbed off! Not only will the melamine BUBBLE, but the underlying particle board will start to mold & chip even rot away! In my honest opinion if your looking to use it for an enclosure I think I would probably seal it with poly urethane. Once sealed then I suspect you would have little issue with the moisture and the concerns associated with misting or spraying or spills inside the cage. Oh and one more thing. Use the half inch for the shelves of your racks instead the 3/4. This makes the racks SOOOOO much lighter and easier to maneuver. Again just my two cents.
 
The poly urethane won't have no long term effects on the herps then I take it? I was thinking about that.. but was a bit reluctant due to the chemicals. Did'nt want to take any unneccesary needs :)
 
poly urethane

I have seen people use poly urethane on wood cutting boards for food preperation. Now I am not sure what the long term fumes or release of it would be. Good question!
 
you have to make sure it is completely dry and aired out before housing anything in it ...... also you neeed to silicone any corners ect. we do not use polyurothane inside the enclosure we use tile board and silicone. but whatever you use inside the enclosure ineeds to be water soluable.... no oil based products
 
UV radiation will also degrade polyurethane unless it's cured against it... something to keep in mind when mixing the intended sealant.
 
This may just be my Polish side showing... but wouldn't adding heat to polyurethane cause fumes?
 
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