First Attempt at Building Cages

[toker]

I did not have any tools so I was in my dads workshop for a while but other projects took up all the space. So after about 2 months I moved it into my garage and worked on it there for a few hours after work every other day or so and a few hours on the weekends.

Had to buy tools since I did not have any so that delayed it a month.

All in all I have about $50 in lumber, the plexy was crazy expensive $65 for the sheet but I will be able to make two more smaller cages of what is left so that works out well. Lights and heating about $30. Total man hours: 40ish.

It has two florescent lights built into the top front so it will have plenty of light during the day. Heating will be done by a strip of heat tape: 12" @ 2ft.

Over the next few days I am going to be testing it inside with heating and such to be sure its safe for my big BCI Scarlett.

Enjoy!!

P.S.
Be gentle, it really is my FIRST ever attempt at building a cage.




I have learned a lot from building this one that will make the others go a lot better.

For example, the locks, bad idea, need to do something different.

The doors will be two and inset instead of one.

The doors will open to the sides not down.

General design of the frame was backwards do to an error in planning, thus resulted in the center post

A substrate dam was not factored in so that had to be added later, and you can see it now through the glass.

Anyway… IT’S A BETA!!

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[reptilemama]

Wow, looks great, especially for a first try! I've built a couple, myself, and every time I think of something different to do the next time. One of these days I'll get it exactly how I want it!

[Ed_r]

Looks pretty good man. Far better than my first attempt. The downward opening door is not a bad thing. But having it chained to only drop halfway is going to turn into a pita, cuz you wont be able to pull the snake out from the front. Your back will feel the toll from trying to get her out from the sides.

Nice job.

I personally like the side opening doors for a higher cage(2' high). I assume the dimensions are 4x2x2'. for shorter wider cages the drop door is best.

[toker]

The downward opening door is not a bad thing. But having it chained to only drop halfway is going to turn into a pita

I hear ya.. I almost redid it a little and might still. Time is a factor here, Scarlett needs the bigger cage. I would let the door swing but the hinges bind b/c the cage is not square and the door is

once I build another I am going to take that door, split it in half and make it two inset doors that open to the side, put some trim work around the front to hide the ugly and it will be much better

[toker]

sorry, missed your question... its 5.5 x 3 x 2 total of 15ish sq ft of floor space.

[KuhnDog]

Wow... looks pretty darn good. -Especially for your 1st try. Much better/cleaner than my first (and only) try... so far.
Mine opens the same way, but swings all the way down. -well it WOULD if i had it high enough off the ground. lol.

What kind of wood did you use? Mines just plywood with pine for the plexiglass frame.

[haroldo359]

great job toker!

[faze]

looks dang good toker... atleast a helluva lot better then my first cage my first cage was a nightmare and got scraped shortly after construction lol