Could use some input

[Jane]

Hey everyone, I'm new around here and what really made me join is the current problem I'm having. I have a 4ish year old red tail who has reached about 5 feet long now and he desperately needs to be moved. I don't have the money to buy him a nice place (otherwise I'd go with Cages by Design) so I'm making it. The issue is that I'm struggling with materials and dimensions. I live with my parents while I go to college, so in the next two or three years I'll be moving out. Ideally, I would make something that is big enough to last for years but I need it to be able to be disassembled easily. I had thought of just making it small enough to fit through the doors but I measured the doors and they are only about 29 inches wide. My thoughts so far on materials have been a modified shower stall, mostly plexi, and after checking out some threads, wood.

I could use everyone's opinions on all this. Thanks.

[spike06]

put the sides together with wood screws, that way u can take it apart and put it back together easliey. as for dimmension, i think 6x2x2 is good, but im not a snake expert

[ssjsmits]

Unfortunately, a custom built cage that is designed to be taken apart, will be a struggle to hold temps and humidity correctly. It can be done, but much more effort will have to be involved. That's one of the luxuries of a wooden cage, they hold temps and moisture very well.
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You could get away with a 4x2x2 for an adult male boa.

[echoxxash]

I don't know much about building cages, but there are plenty of sites that sell good plastic cages relatively inexpensive. They aren't a nice looking as a Cages by Design, but they also aren't $3,000, . Here are a few all around the same price: 1, 2, 3.

Anyway, have fun and good luck building!

[Jane]

I'd like it to be fairly large...maybe I could manage something like 4x3x2, and build a hood on top so that I can use the space above and not worry about the lamps. The 2' dimension would allow me to get it through doorways when I do eventually move.
Okay, so wood holds temp and humidity well? How do I keep it from warping? How would I do warmth on the bottom? What if the front face is plexi and the bottom is glass, with crossbars for support so that I can use a UTH risk-free? I read the papers for the zoomed uth and it said it should only be used on glass. If I seal the wood bordering the glass bottom (assuming I choose this option) it could be fairly moisture proof...

	Under Tank Heater Under Tank Heater

[Eric H]

If you make it out of wood, you can always use melamine, which is inexpensive, but you need to make sure to seal it properly, i hear lots of people use shower board, and seal it with caulking around the edges/corners.
You can get away with any size, as long as there is 1 sqaure foot for every foot of snake, so your snake need a bare minimum of 5 square feet (4x3x2 will give you 12sq feet of room).

Big apple herps have a good size water resistant/mold proof heat mat for around 35$ i think, comes in 3 sizes that you can use inside the cage. You just need to make sure its connected to a thermostat.

Another less popluar option is to use a rubbermaid container, which can be temporary, for around 20$ plus modifications for your snake.

[scink]

I just built this cage yesterday, its 4x2x2 made out of melamin and a sliding glass storm window...cost = $100

[Jane]

A few questions for the last couple replies...

Is it a square foot or a cubic foot per foot of snake? I thought it was square, which, 4x2x2 would only give eight...still fine for now, but I was curious.

I made a rubbermaid one a while ago, and I was extremely pleased but my concern was that the UTH warnings urged not to use it on anything but glass. I kept it as I figured even if I didn't use it someone could. It has a hinged door, half plexi, half wire mesh and it was my first experience of that sort, so I was extremely pleased with the way it came out. That might at least provide something bigger while I take some time to decide what to do.

Is melamine lightweight?

Big Apple Herps...I'll check that out, sounds like I'd be more comfortable with that sort of mat...

Thanks guys.

	Under Tank Heater Under Tank Heater

[Eric H]

yes it is for every sq foot, not cubic foot. i was giving an example in response to yours, which you were looking at 4x3x2, which would 4feet long,by 3 feet wide, by feet wide, so that would be 12 sq feet of space. Melamine is not that light weight, youd probably want to be at least 2 people carrying a 4 foot long enclosure, but it would be your most inexpensive option imo.

	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

[Jane]

Silly me...I did say 4x3x2, I'm now thinking 4x2x2. Either way, it would still last awhile. I'm heading to Home Depot right now to check more stuff out.