When I made my first cage my wife Cheryl came into the stable and asked me what I did. I groaned and mumbled something "building snake cage", while sincerely trying to put a little 'small details or in an annoying screw (I do not know which one), twisted and turned on the eye in the house - I believe, shook his head and perhaps rolling his eyes.
However, I wanted to make a good cage. I already had one, but it was too small when Idivided into two sections by a wooden partition in between. Cut in the middle of the cage and was close enough to the ground to avoid the interaction, while the space enough to slide a heat mat. There are about 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the cage, both sides of the center.
I decided to do it that way was less than two cages and two small children still pythons, just graduated from the plastic container. (When I inserted the plastic container that Ismall terracotta plant for their skin. I cut a little 'off the side of the base to start - this is a good suggestion for adolescents and young snakes and lizards)
I stayed two carpet pythons youth in this cage, one on each side, but because they grew up I knew that I needed to get another cage.
So I did some research and with a little help from pet shops and some internet research I could come up with what I thought was a snake cage, simple plan.
A snake cage designthat:
- It 'was easy to do
- He has been deeply
- It seemed good to
- If appropriate thermal properties
- If an easy access
- It 'been with lock
- It 'been easy to maintain.
I think I should have a little 'back and tell you how I made my first snake cage. Two young snakes are about to move from their little plastic cages graduate, I will need accommodation. At first I thought that I had two snake cages with two sets of mats, thermostats (I know, there areAlternatives), illumination and twice the amount of materials.
So I decided, after several graphs and experience to make a cage and divide it into two halves. I had to heat on both sides. I put a partition in the cage. It 'was close enough to Earth to prevent the snake goes under Flexiwatt still high enough to slide in electric stove.
I also have the divider so that it fitted exactly kept in cages, but instead of screws. These screws can thenremoved if I wanted to order a bigger cage and build a second cage.
I have a lot of bugs with this cage.
The front was made of glass, but was appropriate and not push or move. There were two hinged lid on top, one on each side. Since I was inexperienced, I did not see that his was a bad design. I soon discovered that it was. I would have done at least one port on the front can slip or fall down. The upper gate was a good idea, but not only for themselves.
I decided to make theMy new cage door on a drop-down door for a number of reasons.
In the first place was to facilitate. I did not push the door and a snake on the other hand, as snakes do not move very quickly out of the cage. If you are playful dragons or reptiles, it is better to have a sliding door or two drop-down or, alternatively, a combination that you have a drop down door on the front with a folding roof top. This allows easy access from above to get the reptiles and even simpleFront access for cleaning and accessorizing.
Folding doors are the easiest to do and forgive, especially in plexiglass. Drop down and glass sliding doors require a little more effort and time. If you have limited space, a sliding door is much more satisfying. All my cages have sliding doors below, but this is a personal decision.
When I had carpet pythons, I do not need to have a UV light - it is usually possible to use supplements to provide allExtra diets with snakes. If I wanted, in a UV light for a lizard cage in the first reptile, I said that I would have some difficulty because the folding roof and solid front would make the angle of access if there is a slight difficulty. I had actually deleted the middle of the roof and it was not easy on the back of the roof of the cage. I missed something, the thought at the time - the light should be installed on the same level as half of the roof.
Ialso chose to make my own mats Watt Flex. My first business was too hot pad and buckle one of my cages of plastic and the wood was. I had to throw away. Following the instructions, you should adjust and does not require a thermostat. It did not work. So I decided to make my personal pad and connect with a thermostat. No problem so far and the results are much better.
The carpet, I have holes in the back of the cage and removed a snakeOld power cord. I put a plug that I bought from the hardware and attached to the end and I soldered the other ends to the carpet. I wanted to use a plug so I could pass the cable through a small hole in the back of the wire cage. I wanted the hole is small enough to prevent an escape, even small snakes.
The welding was a bit 'difficult, because the welder was not renewed (I saw that and it works beautifully restored now - you can understand howrenew your soldering iron in my book "How to build reptile house.")
I also drill a small hole in the back of the cage for the spacecraft, which sat on top of the heat pad. I put down the carpet with tape, but was used for double-sided tape or clear tape, as better and keeps longer.
You can set the heating pad on the base and then put a thin layer over the top or something similar. I have yet to try this method. I have seen snake cages, whereTiles were glued and placed over the heating pad, after applying a layer of glue or similar substance. I use cheap vinyl on the carpet, since it is easy to clean, and have the paper or other substrates on top of that again.
Melamine is also a good base, because it is easy to wash. Silicon must be placed at the edges to prevent water leaks and joints, but there's a trick for a smooth silicone.
Positioning of the lights in the snake cagerelatively simple. I decided on-line command, each new light, so you can check out the cage, without any finding by the bone or a switch to scrounge a panel. I have all these self-timer using.
I have a pretty good selection of tools in my shed, but I do not really need much to make the cages. I think for most people, the cutting of timber space is one of the biggest problems. There are ways around this so that the construction of the cagerelatively simple (this could, in the book "How to Build Reptile houses" to find).
I have a lot of looking around for different cages, the best material in order to induce them to build from. I built with MDF. I use it for a number of reasons.
- It has good thermal properties
- It 'easy to use
- It 'well painted
- It 'easy to sand
- It is easy to buckle
- You can use relatively thin (2.1 ") of material does not make it workdifficult
You have to cut a little 'cautious, and I would advise wearing a mask. It can be very dusty.
You must also be some 'careful to put the screws. Put them in too hard, and give the hole. Not held correctly.
I can not imagine what a snake or other reptile cage made of pine or cedar. These materials can be dangerous reptiles. Some pieces of pine for the design is good, but not the whole cage.
Another good material is plywood. I do not use primarilybecause it can be chipped. Looks good, but when you are finished with a coating of the wood a light coat.
I also painted my cages (spray paint gives a beautiful surface). I let it dry for about a week before I put the animals there. This is to ensure that the color has time to heal and that the amount of water released enough to want to be a threat to the snakes. You can pop your head into the cage after 4 or 5 days and the smell inside the cage. When the paint odorsalmost disappeared, the snake or lizard cage to put the animals in
After painting, it's just a matter of adding locks, door holders and accessories such as climbing branches, rocks, hides, water dishes, fake rocks and all that fancy.
My children pythons, blue tongue lizards, bearded dragons and now live happily in their respective habitats.
Good luck.
