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I built this cage out of the inside of a dishwasher! The front is made out of expanded PVC with an acrylic door. The top is an acrylic dome that I got at the local plastic scrapyard for $3.
I plan heat it with a 11x16" RHP at an angle in the back. The light is a 18"? florescent.
Size of cage 22"w x 26"t x 22"d
Cost bare cage $45 with all lighting and heat and herpstat $215
I plan on growing up a couple spilotes in this and then use it for some elaphe prasina



Nate

Nate,

Great job, I really love that idea! Plastic inside, re-use of what would be trash, inexpensive.. can't beat that, especially for tropical animals.

I don't know about mounting an RHP on the back. I would think the heat would go up. But for an arboreal animal, that is probably fine. Just make sure to ask that question here before doing it. Or ask Bob Pound at www.pro-products.com. I want you to do what is best, because your cage is awesome. Again, great idea to use a dishwasher carcass.
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Mark

Thanks for the compliments Mark.
While I would have prefered to mount the rhp on the top I can't find any that are skiny enough so I'm gonna mount it on the side with a slight downward angle in hopes to reflect the heat back into the rest of the cage.
If all else fails I'm just gonna revert back to my original idea and screen off the top and put a lightdome on the top.
The RHP gets here tommorow and if all goes the snake should be in it sunday.
Nate

Nate,

Good job, you really have the wheels turning in my head. And I agree with Mark, this cage is awesome on many levels.

Just curious, but about how thick is the plastic in the flat areas (i.e. the areas without the molding ridges, etc.). And about how heavy is the cage, if you have an idea?
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

thanks Chris!
the cage is about 1/8" thick and weighs around 7lbs max. I would be a little worried about heat retention if I lived in a colder climate or if I wasn't stuffing a 11x16 RHP in it. I was gonna go skiing sunday but the weather sucks so I think I'll finish the cage.
Nate

Great use of the dishwasher. Now I want to go to our local appliance dump area to see how many they have. They'd make a nice rack type system.

complete with drains and auto wash cycles.

I love ideas where you take something and use it for something totally different.

very nice.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

With the big clear door, and the dome lid for easy viewing, it looks like that could also be a nice incubator. The water inlets would make it easy to install the wires for heat and temp prob.

As handy as you obviously are, you could probably alter the dish racks to hold the containers of eggs and slide them in and out to life easy.
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"The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think. Oh by the way, which ones pink?"

I just posted on the shed about the thinnkers in here.

I know picture an entire like of dishwashers in a rack. Cages, now incubators, auto sprayers in some. And teh way the doors open has pluse and minuses. yea they are in the way, but you can line them up next to each other. Maybe mount upside down? The door would open up out of your way? At least on an upper rack.

I want a red bull fridge for an incubator, Glass door, but they are price too. And I know managers of stores where they sit in junk piles in back rooms. But they are not allowed to give them away to even toss them. But a small glass door fridfe is another one of those great boxs you can do so much with.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

Thats funny you mention that I have a wine cooler thats my brumation chamber durring the winter and my incubator durring the summer, They are great multi-functional things to have around.

My original idea for the dishwasher was to have a auto-mister natural vivarium with a recycling filter/pump basin underneath with some frogs and compatable geckos. This one was my first go at it and I'm sure there's no shortage of dishwashers out there.
Nate

OK, this is just in idea stage. Like you guys I look at stuff and immediately see what else I can do with it.

So, the other morning I was in the middle of my morning constitutional. And PSSST,, scared the crap out of me as I was half a sleep. But since I was in position, I was not upset. The wife installed this little air freshener on the wall. About 5 minutes later PSSt, WTF? OK, I'm awake now, looking at this think spraying me. 5 more minutes PSSt. THAT'S IT! Close enough to reach, I take it off the wall, research its mechcanicalizms. AHHHH, ingenious. battery operated timer, a little cam to press aerosol can.

IDEA!

What if it had water in it? Since no one makes an aerosol can of water (YET) I thought what about a can with a air value and removable cap to add water and pressurize it.. WOW, a portable little auto mister with a timer for a cage. Then I thought, what about a larger can, or a line to a outside container pressurized. And the timer actuated a little value. Cheap off the shelve timers! Then I was about to have the best idea, but then a BOOM BOOM BOOM on the door,,, "Dad I have to use the bathroom" Like most of my good ideas I left it in the bathroom.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

Who are you getting the RHP from?
I need one but cant remember who sells them. I know bean farm does but I thought there was a place that was supposed to be better.
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Jason

mines coming from beanfarm. pro-products also sells them, If I notice my cheeper one starts going bad I'll spend the extra bucks for a pro.

I wounder whats the big difference between the two?
Nate