Temporary Cage Needed? What should I do?

[Blueeheeler]

Well I woke up to a POP sound this am and quess what? My 75 gallon reptile tank cracked above the uth unit...Just great now what do I house my snake in until I can buil her a cage this weekend? I have a tote but it would not be big enough to give her warm/cool gradient.


Any Ideas would be greatly Appreciated!!! Jamie [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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[savannah_babe]

well depending on the size of your snake..you can go to your local hardware store and get yourself a big rubbermaid box, is what i use in situations like that. their cheap and you can always use them.
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[eddie]

Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot etc....
They all have some good sized totes for vey cheap, say around $2.50 up to $5.
They are big enough to give a gradient as well.
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[geckokid]

>>Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot etc....
>>They all have some good sized totes for vey cheap, say around $2.50 up to $5.
>>They are big enough to give a gradient as well.


Last week i went to home depot and saw a 55gal. tank size rubbermaid container for $13. Just look around, your bound to find something that will do.
good luck
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[Blueeheeler]

Thanks for all the info, I just got back from Home Depot with a 50 gl jumbo tote. I will be adding a light and some vent holes and a piece of plexi glass in the lid so I can see her, due to the tote being blue, they did not have a clear one this big only a 30 gallon. Did not think it would have been big enough. Anyway my New ?'s are this:


Where do I put the UTH?
On the bottom just like a tank?
Will the heat distribute like Glass does?
Will the plastic melt or warp?
What is too hot for plastic?


A lot of ?'s for the newbie using Plastics.


Anybody have a boaphile type cage that will house my girl who is at 5 ft right now, that they want to sell. Used if not then I will have to buy one new. Just thought I would ask . Jamie [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[NYCSpeedcore]

If the cage is only going to be used for a little while I would suggest againts putting the plexiglass on the top. Just drill a few air holes around the sides and put the UTH on the bottom just like the glass. Be careful to not make it too hot, as like you mentioned the plastic will warp and worse burn your snake. If you want to add some additional heat to the tank cut a piece out of the lid (a dremil with a cutting wheel works great) and get some bolts and washers and bolt some screen to the top. You can then place a heat lamp or CHE on top of the screen.
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[LdyDrgn]

The glass cracked because the UTH got too hot. It got too hot because a) you use a "brand-name herp UTH" and they overheat too easy, or b) you did not allow for any airflow underneath by not raising the tank by about 1/2 inch or c) combination of both.

Just in case you were wondering "Why?" [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] And now you can prevent it from happening again by getting a rheostat on the UTH if it is 'brandX' (blech) and/or get something to raise the tank with (we have pencils under one tank here, LMAO!) [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[1sttimesnakeowner]

Isnt there any way to repair the crack???
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[eddie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> Isnt there any way to repair the crack???
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Not really, the time and $$ that you put into getting the proper glass, cut and installed, along with the price of bandaids etc, you would be better off either -

A: Buying a new one.... or
B: Buying a new one....

On the plastidc tubs, when in use as homes, I use a human heat pad set on medium underneath the tote.

I do have one that I cut out a small piece at the bottom, just enough to get the cord and swith from a heat pad through it, then I use a sheet over the pad itself.

If you go this route, deffinately do NOT feed in the same tote since there are times that snakes do eat things that they aren't supposed to and scenting a nice fuzzy warm heating pad and sheet with rodentia is not a great idea even at the moment also is all. (Lori Laugh [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] )
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<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Lori Laugh </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

ahh..huh.. Ok Eddie.. What's that for ? My towel eating boa I suppose ?

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[eddie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> a great idea even at the moment also is all. (Lori Laugh )
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually, poking fun is all at the moent even is all! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
See what I mean actually at the moment even?
That's all I'm doing is all even at the moment.

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[Blueeheeler]

Well I just wanted to get back with you all to let you all know things are going well. I have my snake in a huge tote. I have added all of her lighting and heating and thermostates etc to her her temporary home. I have had to add an additional human heat pad under the tote just to get the temps up to 88, and a blanket over the top of the tote, but all is working fine for now. I am impressed as to how well it contains the humidity, anywhere from 68 to 75%. Hopefully she will have a good shed this time, she is in blue right now. This will be her 3rd shed since I have had her and they are getting better. Will see with this one. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] I plan on building her a 6'x18&quot;x18&quot; melamine cage( is that big enough she is at 5 feet now and 3 years old (stunted gowth) from previous owner not caring for her) with plexi sliding doors or maybe just one door that folds down out of the way completely. Not sure which would be better or easier to build, maintain etc...Advice Please [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]


Anyway starting to babble. Just wanted to update our situation since my last post. Thank you so much too all of you here! Jamie [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[Quakezombie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>I plan on building her a 6'x18&quot;x18&quot; melamine cage</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

While many people feel that 4' is an ideal length.I too plan on a 6' length enclosure but i plan for at least 2' in depth .Which most people will agree on.My planned height is 18&quot; also.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>plexi sliding doors or maybe just one door that folds down out of the way completely. Not sure which would be better or easier to build, maintain etc..</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

All i have ever used are the glass track type,so i might be biased here but i would think that this type would be more secure,but what do i know [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
So i too would like to hear the pro's/con's from others.Many of who will be along to give more(perhaps better) advice [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Best of luck with your project [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[Blueeheeler]

I would like to do 2' width also but that would stick out 6&quot; farther than the dresser she is sitting on. That's why I went with the 6' length to make up the difference in width. I have plenty of room for length but not for width go figure that one. Anyway I figure she is gonna be short in length so she will be able to use the entire 6'x18&quot; area to roam in and stretch out too! Anyway hope to get more Ideas and advice, i look forward to it....Jamie [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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