Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just wanted to post some pics of my cages. These are built out of shower surround and Pine. Sheets are 4'x 8' and can be purchased at Home Depot for $10.00. I first rip some 2x4's and build a frame. Then I glue (gorilla glue) panels to the inside of the cage frame. I then fill the inside of the frame with 3/4" polystyrene, and glue on the outside panels. The doors are framed with pine ( ripped 2x4's) The inside is sealed with a caulk/epoxy combo I found at Wally World. As the floors wear out (they will) I replace them with formica. Actually, I don't replace them, I glue over the top.
These babies hold heat VERY well.
Also, the finished weight is 28 lbs.!!

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Jason Dowell

They look great. What's the total cost end up being(glass & all)? What type of glass do you use for the door? How do you attach the glass to the frame? Thanks!

Thanks!
The total cost is about $40.00 believe it or not..
I use acrylic for the doors. To frame the acrylic, which is 1/8" thick, I raise the blade on my table saw about 1/4" from the table top, and run a cut down the center of the frame. The table saw blade is 1/8" thick.
I would love to have stacks of Boaphile cages. They are awesome cages, but I can build 4 of these for the cost of one 421d.

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Jason Dowell

Very nice. The more cages I see using that particular type of shower material, the more I want to try making a cage out of it.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com
1.0 Ball Python, 1.1 Hog Island Boas, 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 0.1 Green Tree Python

I'm really happy with them. They are cheap, light, hold heat well, and don't look too bad. I learned the hard way not to scrub them too hard. The floor will wear out. Also, I like to vacuum my cages with a shop vac. At first, I used the plain round end, and scrubbed at the urates while vacuuming them up. That wore out the floor fast! Now, I let the urates soak, and use the brush fitting on the vac. Since I changed my approach, I have yet to wear out a floor. The one floor I did wear out, I glued a peice of formica over, and it works great. I've thought about just using formica from the get go, but the cost would go up. Might as well wait to use it until I'm forced to.
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Jason Dowell

I like this idea! What temps can you achieve in these cages?

Thanks~ I keep Boas in them. My temps are typically around 80* - 84*f ambient, with a hot spot at 92*f I use a Herpstat with Flexwatt and easily maintain those temps.
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Jason Dowell

Nice!

Believe it or not I have thought about constructing a similar cage using formica tileboard and a polysterene core. Now I will have to see haw yours handles before constructing.

Thanks saved me a crap load of work!

Looks good.
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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
0.0.10 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
1.0 Child

Thanks Jeremy ~ I have been using these for about two years now, and they've held up great. I though it would be a good idea to post them, incase it might help someone out. I'm glad it has!
Formica tileboard sounds like it would work great. Where have you seen it? Home Depot?
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Jason Dowell

Actually that was a typo it was suposed to be formica and tileborad, in which extruded polysterene was sandwiched between the two. However I think the amount work required to make appropriate panels would offset the potential costs with just BB ply. Didn't see it anywhere just htought it up about a year and half ago. Good job and good Luck.
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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
0.0.10 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
1.0 Child

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

Doggone it! Just when you think you've got it all figured out as to how your gonna build your cage someone throws another great idea at ya. LOL!!!

Take care!
Mike
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.

Ok how much weight can they hold? I am curious if you can stack them and if it will sag and ruin over time. I am also concered on the fact that you said it can be worn out quickly if scraped. How bad is the wear and tear?
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.1 Colombian Redtails
1.0 Hypo Colombian redtail
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa

I have two stacks of four high, and there is no sag. I could stack them higher, but that is all of the height I have. (basement)
I wore out a floor in a few small places when I scraped off urates with a putty knife, and again when I scraped at urates with a shop vac hose. Don't get me wrong, they are quite sturdy, but you do have to be careful about scraping the floor..
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Jason Dowell

Djinn,
What's the dimensions of that cage?

Thanks!
Mike
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.

What's the dimensions of that cage?

A digi cam would make this so much easier. My daughter and her camera are away at school.

When I build the frame, I rip 3/4" peices from a 2x4 or a 2x6. So, the framing material is 3/4" thick by about 1~3/4" because 2x4's are never actually 2 inches!
I start with the bottom or top, there are two 48" peices that I lay down horizontally, then there are three 24" peices that are laid down vertically. One on each end, and one in the middle. I screw/glue these peices together to make a top, and then I make another one (identical) for the bottom. The material i use to connect the top and bottom are 12" peices. These are the ACTUAL vertical peices of the frame, you dig? Explaining without pics is tough!
The only reason I am telling you this is because after adding the surround, which is about 1/8", you get funky dimensions.
The inside of the finished cage is: Length 46~1/4" x width 26" x height 11~7/8" The outside dimensions are length 48~1/4" x width 27~1/8" height 13~5/8".
I hope my explanation is written well enough to be understood!
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Jason Dowell

I wouldn't build frames out of solid wood IE numbered lumber like 2x4 etc.

Due to the sensitive nature of said wood the expansion and contraction caused by the enviroments herp cages often undergo, can be devistating to these frame members.

I would recommend using ply or other engineered product as frame members. They are less vunerable to those previous said enviroments as solid wood.

Best of Luck
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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
0.0.10 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
1.0 Child

I hear what you're saying, but my first cage is going on two years old, and there has been no problems. I'm familiar with those types of problems, being a guitar Luthier. It may be due to the way I glue on the tileboard, I don't know. The foamy nature of Gorilla Glue may allow just enough "give". Besides, 2x4's are cheap!
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Jason Dowell

You did a good job of explaining everything and I most certainly appreciate the extra details you gave. Nice job on the cage, too.

I'll be building either stackable cages or a cage rack system in a few months, after I build my burm cages. That's just about the size I need and I just might go that route instead of melamine or ply.

Thank you!

Take care!
Mike
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.

Great cage!! I don't get the design. You built a frame, got it, so the walls and floor and top are hollow like ChrisH's door blank design? or did you make a box and cover it with the material? Are there any other mods you would do to them if you could redo them? thanks, Blue

"Great cage!! I don't get the design. You built a frame, got it, so the walls and floor and top are hollow like ChrisH's door blank design? or did you make a box and cover it with the material? Are there any other mods you would do to them if you could redo them? thanks, Blue"

The walls and floor are hollow, yes. I fill that hollow space with insulation. The pink Polystyrene that is 3/4" thick. The framing material is 3/4" thick, so the fit is snug. The first cage I built without the insulation, then I was thinking one day. Wondering if they would hold heat better with the insulation. They do!
The only other mod I am considering right now is to use a different material on the inside. Home Depot sells a plastic shower surround that has a rough surface. I think it would take more water/humidity and cleaning abuse. Maybe the floor would never need replacement that way.
It is kind of a work in progress, which is part of the fun for me. I love designing things. I am quite happy with the basic design though.
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Jason Dowell

This is the thread that inspired my design. I meant to post it earlier, but it took me awhile to find it again!
http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/features-stories/10501-move-over-plastic-new-showersurround-tileboard-caging-print.html
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Jason Dowell

Very nice.
What did you use to seal the corners?

A qualk/epoxy combo in a tube at Walmart. It dries very hard, instead of rubbery like silicone does.
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Jason Dowell