Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was just looking at the room i am moving my snakes into and if i rearange it i have room for a 4'Dx12'L cage for my burm.i was thinking of making the framing out of 2x2s and lining the inside with some 1/8" smooth plastic sheets i can get from work for either real cheap or free.i know it wont look the greatest but it would give her lots of room.what do u think of this idea?any suggestions would b appreciated.also im insulating the room with reflectix isulation

When it comes to large boid cages I always recommend and prefer a cage that is taller than it is deep. Or a cage that is not deeper than m arm. Reason is to avoid exposing head and upper torso to pottential bites. With a cage that is taller than it is deep ther is room to manuever but it is by no means safer.

Also 1/8" plastic is way to thin to support a large boid on its own I hope you are planning on useing another sheet material for support.

Is this a permenant cage?

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
0.0.16 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

I agree about the sizing for large constrictors, or any cage for that matter. The only burm cage I built that was 4' deep was a walk in sized enclosure, not something I had to stick my torso into to get the snake.

The depth to height ratio can vary depending on a few factors but in general don't design a cage you have to lean your torso into.

Also, I am not a fan of cages built from 2x2 framing with sheeting over that, especially 1/8" plastic sheeting. 2x2 framing is very likely to warp and twist over time and is hard to join accurately. If you have some 2x4's that have been dried for at least a year and can mill your own 2x2's that might be a different story. If you just plan to go to the store and pick out the straightest 2x2'2 you can find you're asking for trouble.

I would build a basic carcass out of 1/2" wood sheet material at a minimum. Maybe even two 6' cages that can be joined together with bolts. The line the cage interior with your free plastic.

If you're worried about weight make large cutouts in the back sides, top and even the bottom before laminating the plastic to the interior. This saves a significant amount of weight and little strength is lost.

Bighurt and I talked a poster last year through the process of building two 5'x2.5'x2.5' cages that could be bolted together to make one 10' long cage. This was accomplished with the super high quality baltic birch plywood that comes in 5x5 sheets.

He did use an interior frame which I don't like but he did end up with what I consider to be about the ideal burmese cage.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Malaysian locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

i have the room to make it a walk in cage.i was gunna frame it up like a wall but on 8-9" centers with bracing between the studs to suport the 1/8" plastic.if i make it a walk in what would u suggest i use to heat it?

Boy, if you do that try to make it a design feature of the home somehow. Maybe like a large walk-in closet or storage area or something? That way you can just frame it out and drywall as normal (although maybe use greenboard) and then laminate plastic over that?

I saw a condo where somebody had done something like this but put in an entire glass wall and made it into a solarium. Very nice and I think you should at least consider that.

Regarding heat, I would probably use a large radiant heat panel, 220V if you can swing it, for ambient and then another radiant heat panel installed below a shelf to provide a hot spot down low. That's the pricey option. There are cheaper choices but you'd have to take steps to keep the snake protected from them.

This sounds like a very cool project.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Malaysian locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

the room im putting them in is off of my front room, rite now it is just used for storage.it has its own base board heat so i can keep it at 80 degrees.there is also a glass wall between it and the front room so u can see into the room without goin in the room.