Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am currently setting up a Hot Room...

i need some HELP and OPPINIONS about different kinds of Herp Cages, and what people find good on the market at the moment.

Some people have mentioned about...

"Vision Cages" and "Precision cages" and "Racks"

But i would like to know what would be the best website to order from... from other peoples experiences...

Thanks for your time..

Declan.

Personally, I am a huge fan of Animal Plastics cages. Especially for high humidity snakes.

Their locking system is somewhat fool proof to make it so you remember to lock the cage, and the cage is indeed locked. Their glass can also not come out while the cage is locked, unlike lots of other cages.

They are sturdy, and while it is possible fangs could get through a vent (very very unlikely), they are positioned in areas it would really take extreme stupidity to have an accident.

Just my thoughts.

on the species you're intending to keep...Caging requirements are different for a mamba than they are for a Gaboon, so your enclosures should vary accordingly...

I personally keep native rattlesnakes, and I find that Vision cages work quite well for these guys. They are secure, are stackable and lightweight. I have also used custom built wooden enclosures with success, and these can be made to be just as secure. They tend to be a bit heavier than Visions, but they can also be made to be stackable...

As far as front vs. top opening, that's largely gonna depend on the species you're keeping...

Good luck....

-AzAtrox

Thanks alot friend, could i ask you what company you got your vision cages from

Nice Rattler btw

We got our Visions for our venomous herp exhibit directly from Vision. We, too, have used Vision for years and for a home collection, I think they work just fine. For our public exhibit, we found that they did not stack well when you include natural substrate (sand/etc), real rocks, limbs, etc. When an incadescent lamp burns out, it's a real pain in the rear to change the bulb (perhaps the biggest design flaw of these cages that are advertised as "stackable"....BUT, you can easily get around that with heavy duty shelving but that didn't work in our situation. So, Visions are nice, provide for the needs of the animal, are pretty easy to clean/sanitize and overall, a serviceable cage.

Going back to Gavin's recommendation of Animal Plastics, it took me a while but I'm jumping on their bandwagon. I am using a couple of their cages at home to try out and really like them. We are going to be housing some of our exhibit rattlesnakes in them and I like the way they look, their prices, the service and the double locking system that Gavin mentioned.

The Bean farm sells "Showcase Cages" which is similar to a Vision but better design features (easy access to heat shroud, etc. stacks better, etc); but not quite the quality of a H.S. or AP....nice mid range cage. They have a great deal right now where you can get free shipping on these cages; might be worth looking into.

If you have the money, though, and want perhaps the best of the best, you can't go wrong with Habitat Systems' hollow core PVC cages; they are really outstanding....either way, AP and HS are great products.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>Thanks alot friend, could i ask you what company you got your vision cages from
>>
>>Nice Rattler btw
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

What about Repti-Racks? I have been seriously considering purchasing a few of their new Pro Line HDPE enclosures, but I'm curious if anyone has used these cages, or if anyone has experience with Repti-Racks. The price seems to be right, and I can have them build the cages in the sizes I need for a reasonable price too.
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Roy Blodgett
Green Man Herpetoculture
royreptile@yahoo.com

1.1 Drymarchon corais
1.1 Pseustes sulphureus
1.1 Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus
0.0.1 Coluber mormon
1.1 Lampropeltis getula californiae (desert phase)
1.0 Boiga dendrophila dendrophila
2.3 Pogona vitticeps (snow and red/gold)
1.0 Iguana iguana

“All men lie enveloped in whale-lines. All are born with halters round their necks; but it is only when caught in the swift, sudden turn of death, that mortals realize the silent, subtle, ever-present perils of life.”- Herman Melville

The double locking system does not come standard. That was my idea for exhibit, and AP was more than willing to do it.

Still, even with only the single lock system, it is a pretty sure way of knowing if the cage is locked or not, and there is not a way it could be turned by the animal, or loosen its security.

Visions can be nice cages...they just don't work great for everything.

Let's start out that I no longer keep hots but did for over a decade. When I kept them the choices were few and far between. Most cages were either neodesha's or home-made out of ply and plexi. With that said, from what I see now-a-days, the boaphile cages are very close to ideal. The ventilation is second to none. It would be very very unlikely that a fang could make it through. The humidity control is very easy to maintain bone dry or almost 100% and they are lockable with a key lock. And the price for what you get is unbeatable with options that can make every cage configuration you can think of.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

Thanks for your post sir.

Could i have the Website please

np
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!