Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought a new home and now have room for some nice retics....I was wondering...would an 8 x 2 x 2 cage be good or should it be 8Lx3Dx2T???

Opinions wanted!

Thanks

Paul
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R.I.P Steve "croc hunter" Erwin Sept 2006

It all depends on the size of your retics. I am assuming they are over 10 feet each. Your tanks should be at least 6x3x2. Depth is more important than height as they need more crawl space then height.

I us 8Lx4Dx2T. It might be a lil big to some, but i always look/think ahead. Of course for 10 foot an under 6Lx2Dx16"T. This is just what i us. Its what works for me.

Derek

P.S. I didnt go into sweater boxs because none of my Burms/Retics are under 5-6 feet.
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0.1 Normal Burm ( Stewie )
1.1 Albino Granite Burm ( Dollar and Cents )
1.0 Albino Tiger ( Lucky )
0.1 Super Tiger 100% Het Albino ( Blue )
0.1 Tiger 100% Het Albino ( Free )
1.2 Atrox 100% Het Albino ( One, Two and Three )
1.2 WA Gaboon Vipers Coming Soon ( Still Thinking )

Unless you're incredibly tall, anything past 3ft in width becomes quite cumbersome when it comes to cleaning. This really becomes a hassle when you have multiple cages that are stacked upon one another-one is always too high or too low. The harder they are to clean, the less likely you are to clean them.
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~Brian Ott

www.squamations.com

ok I have a wall about 10 feet to use and it seperates the basement....storage on one side my animals on the other....I could go 2 cages 4 feet wide and 6 feet tall and 8 feet deep. Would this be good for adults? I'm worried about heat though at this size....

But could build a 4 x 2 x 2 box and heat that with a pig mat and use cypress mulch for the bedding all around?

what do you guys think!

Paul

And thanks a ton!
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R.I.P Steve "croc hunter" Erwin Sept 2006

If I'm reading your dimensions correctly, they are a vast overkill. Furthermore, getting the materials (glass/plexiglass) necessary to view your snakes in those dimensions will be a pain and tremendously expensive. How many retics do you have? How large are they currently?

If you want to create spacious cages for your snakes and have 10 ft of wall space, I would probably make cages that are 8ft wide, 3ft deep, and 2 ft high. I would definitely leave yourself room on either side for supplies and maneuvering. If you want to get crazy, you could make them 3 ft high, 3.5-4ft deep, and add a shelf. The extra height will make it easier to clean in the back.

Honestly, most retics can be properly housed in cages that are 6ft x 3ft x 2ft. You can buy commercial plastic cages for this size that will save you a lot of time, will be easier to clean, and will potentially be cheaper in the long run. I've made a lot of cages, both wood and plastic, and found that overall my best bet is to just buy them

>>....I could go 2 cages 4 feet wide and 6 feet tall and 8 feet deep. Would this be good for adults?>>
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~Brian Ott

www.squamations.com

I dont have any retics yet! I am waiting to move into my new house b4 taking the plung! I have had them in the past! but the house we rent didnt have the room! I am puchasing a home and planning to build new cages!

Aslo the viewing space for the 4 foot wide by 6 foot tall by 8 foot deep cage woulve a door with a cut out for viewing!

Paul
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R.I.P Steve "croc hunter" Erwin Sept 2006

Don't take this the wrong way; but a cage like that is definitely a potential health risk for YOU. There are far fewer appropriate handling techniques you can employ if you are walking around in a cage with them versus a typical front-opening cage. I urge you to reconsider the use of this style of cage.
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~Brian Ott

www.squamations.com

no...I understand...I am going to build 3 8 x 3 x 3 cages. I will keep 1 male and 2 females to start! I was looking for advise and i like the 3 foot tall cage with a shelf and I see in my drawings it would be easy to clean as well!

Thanks guys

Paul
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R.I.P Steve "croc hunter" Erwin Sept 2006