Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, so I'm about to make a large purchase of cages (10) and I'm not sure which one to buy. I'm down to the boaphile vs pro-line plastics. Both have the same size cages that I'm looking for which are the 48x24x11.5(or 12 on the pro-line plastics). I know that boaphile is probably the most popular of the two but I'm kind of leaning towards the pro-line plastics based on their construction. However, I also like the expandability of the boaphiles which will come in handy in a few years. I'm also leaning towards white instead of the typical black. I just think they look a lot brighter and cleaner in my opinion. And since I use the paper cage liners, I think the combination of the colors will look nice and crisp.

If any of you own either one of these cages, your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Frank

Frank,
I have nothing to say about the companies but thought I would throw my 2 cents in on the colors.

I hate Black and White, and I will explain.

Black is easy on the animal its is less exciting so they become a little less stressed. Unfortunatly its a pain to clean and hard to see.

White is very stressfull due to it being bright and I mean bright, but at the same time it is really easy to keep clean.

The best way to comprimise is to not light the enclosure but light the room this way its not to dark to see but not so bright it freaks out the snakes.

Just my 2 cents on colors ideally I think Tan or Almond would be the best color but most companies don't make anything in those colors.

Good Luck with your decision, I will have to look in on that one company never heard of them do you have a link? And I don't mean Boaphile! LOL
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

Thanks for your opinion and suggestion. If I go with the white, I definitely will not put any lighting in them. Just like you suggested, the light of the room should be enough. Here's the link, let me know what you think. Thanks again...

http://www.constrictorsnw.com/cagessupply.html

I assume ProLine is still offering their cages in PVCX and HDPE. If given the choice I would go with ProLine's HDPE cages over Boaphile's PVCX cages.

Now, if you're stuck on PVCX in order to have a lighter cage I'm not sure if I'd pick Boaphile or Proline. I guess it would boil down to who could fill my order quicker.

By the way, I have nothing against PVCX as a cage material. But with the kind of money cages sell for I feel HDPE is a better long term investment. I don't have any data to back that up other than the general properties of the two materials and the condition of some PVCX cages that are only a few years old.

HDPE will be heavier, though.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Jave local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

Keep in mind that mfgrs of herp products and caging can go out of business quicker than quick, or else completely change their cage details, construction and materials used.

If you buy all 10 from one mfgr, you'll wonder if the other's cages would have been better. In 10 years, you will likely end up with cages from multiple mfgrs. What you'll realize then is this: all will work for you. I have cages from at least 5 mfgrs, and each cage works just fine.

In my mind, for larger snakes like boas and pythons, I go for strength vs weight of cage, within reason. HDPE cages are stronger and will last forever, but are heavier (still lighter than melamine.) PVCx are lighter but insulate a little better due to the properties of the foamed PVC.

The Pro-Lines are tough cages. They will outlast your snakes and possibly your interest. Boaphiles can last as long too but are just not quite as durable due to the PVC vs HDPE properties. I have a Boaphile from when he first made cages. Still going strong after alot of abuse, including me dropping it on its corner (I needed to repair a crack after that, but easy with PVC.) PVC is easy to repair and alter. I made vents in mine, drilled holes, filled holes I didn't need anymore, etc. Easy with PVC.

If you have lots of money, then look at
www.kingsnake.com/habitatsystems/
The Habitat Systems cages are the one cage that you just can't find anything to complain about. But you pay for that.

So, either buy one cage from each mfgr and decide for yourself, or just realize that any decision you make will work nicely, but you will always wonder if that other cage would have been better.

I think HDPE cages have better resale value, just in case you change focus and want to sell your cages down the line.

So now you're probably really confused!

Because I make proline cages...LOL... So you know what my opinion is..

Someone had mentioned us making both types, Just wanted to jump in and say we did make PVCX cages for a bit trying to make a better priced cage. I have some of them myself and they are OK they have a nice looking mat finish. My problem with them was shipping. I sent some test cages to some friends around the country, and 2 of probably 10 or 12 broke. I mean fractured plastic looked like a puzzle...LOL... Only thing we could salvage was the doors and hindges for myself.

Now I am not saying that PVCX can't make a good cage because it can, but we have had ONLY 1 HDPE cage break back when we used different welders and it was a seam that popped. We have sent out a LOT of HDPE cages all over the US and Canada... Fedex brought the HDPE cage back to me without a box!, looked like someone slid down a hill on the back of it, (like they were using it as a sled). I looked at it and saw where the problem was and went and got better plastic welding equipment (hot air plastic welders) I sent the folks a new plastic cage, welded the road rashed cage back together, and Kevin my partner on the cages has it in his snake room still, I would have snagged it myself but I use the natural white cages. You can't tell anythings wrong with it unless you look at the back....LOL...

So with broken PVCX cages on the first test run of PVCX and only one with HDPE and a ton more having been shipped we dropped the PVCX line, and made more HDPE cages the same size. my choice was I could pay for the extra cost of HDPE, or more packing material on the PVCX. Cost would have been about $5 cheaper with PVCX and bubblewrap but why pay for somthing that is going to be thrown away on the day it gets opened up?? I'd rather do a little overkill on the strength rather than make more garbage with packing, and pay for it to boot.

BTW.. all of our HDPE is a recycled material.. and the scrap can be recycled.

An HDPE cage is about 5 pounds heavier than the same sized PVCX cage, it boils down to 5 pounds more plastic.
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Ed Lilley, www.constrictorsnw.com
www.reptileinsider.com

Have to give you props on a great product. Strong and durable and wipe clean easily.