Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I found out that I can pick up my subadult dumeril's boa in a couple months and I'd like to have a cage made for him that'll work when he's an adult.

My dad knows guys with the tools to make a cage, but I don't think any of them have actually made a snake cage before... So now I'm just trying to figure out what mods would be a waste of time to bug them about and how to word things so I don't drive them nuts. =) If anyone has pictures of how to put any of this together or links to sites where it explains how, that'd be great.

I had an idea I had when I was half asleep last night.. I don't know if it's feasable or not. Or if all of this be done to the same cage.

What kind of wood is best? ( In case he works with more than one. ) How should I ask him to waterproof or line the cage?

It'll be footprint of 4' or 6' x 2'. I think. Should he have a bigger cage? This one is going to be permanent. The cage should probably be about 18" tall ( I've heard ) and I'd like it to be about 1' or 2' above the ground on legs or a little stand with a door. I want about 4" or 5" of dirt in the cage, so I've no idea how thick the bottom of the cage would have to be to hold the weight. Any ideas?

I want to use a plastic container about the size of a large litterbox ( but thicker ) for a water bowl, but I'd like a valve-thing on the bottom of it so I can empty the water out of the container before I take it out to clean it. I'd also like the doors to start about 6" up off the bottom of the cage so there's room for the substrate. Would it be possible to have the doors hinge at the top so the entire front ( minus the bottom 6" ) can be lifted and put flat on the top of the cage? Or would the door be too heavy? Would two side-by-side doors work better?

I'd also like a little hinging door that lifts up on the bottom of one of the sides of the cage that's about 2" or 3" tall and runs the entire length of the side so I can push substrate out of it to make cleaning easier. Is this just too lazy? Would it work?

Right now my Dumeril's is in a crummy little glass tank with a screen top and a heat lamp. I know that people who house them in racks use belly heat.. that's better for keeping the cage humid, right? Would it be possible to get belly heat in a cage like this, or should I just stick with a fixture inside the cage that's in a little box at the top so he can't touch it? Should I have little screen vents on the sides of the cage? If I should, where should they be placed?

If anyone has any other ideas, I'd love to hear them. =)

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.2 leopard geckos
1.2.4 crested geckos
.1 mali uro

Wow.

Here's my take. Go with a cage larger than 4ft long if possible. 5ft is good, as is 6ft. Whatever you can reasonably fit through the door into the room. 18" high is fine.

For heating a snake that will be quite massive in just a few years - I suggest a radiant heat panel. The 60 watt model is likely fine and will heat a large snake and last a very long time. Mounts inside the cage on the ceiling. Use a proportional temperature controller for great results or an ON/OFF controller for basic safety. See www.beanfarm.com for an RHP and various controllers.
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Mark

Heh. Too much caffeine, I think. I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up doing a 6' cage. Did anything seem like it -wouldn't- be a good idea to do? Or a waste of time? I've always just kept snakes in glass tanks, so I don't really know what I'm doing.

The heat panels look good, thanks. =)
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.2 leopard geckos
1.2.4 crested geckos
.1 mali uro

>>Did anything seem like it -wouldn't- be a good idea to do? Or a waste of time? I've always just kept snakes in glass tanks, so I don't really know what I'm doing.

Yeah I wouldn't use substrate with Boa's, I would stick to a disposable liner (kraft paper) or newspaper. Its way easier to exchange and keep clean.

If you want a substate to increase humidity you can use a humid box, filled with cocohusk, or use cypress mulch for bedding. I find soil compacts to much for spot cleaning and it weighs a ton and isn't really necessary with Boa's. Cypress mulch is easy to spot clean holds humidity and releases it well and is high volume to weight.

Good Luck
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6 Red Bearded Dragon's
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

So adults don't burrow like the young dumerils do? He's two years old and he still spends all of his time covered in dirt in the cage he's in right now.

Newspaper would make cleaning a ton easier.. And I'll keep the cypress mulch in mind. Thank you.
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.2 leopard geckos
1.2.4 crested geckos
.1 mali uro

I agree with the cypress bedding. You don't need to cover the entire bottom of the cage with it, just 25 % or so, enough to raise the humidity up a bit. Depending on where you live you should be able to find it at your local home DIY center, get the double milled if you can as the chunks are smaller and even easier to clean!.
- Blue

>>I agree with the cypress bedding. You don't need to cover the entire bottom of the cage with it, just 25 % or so, enough to raise the humidity up a bit. Depending on where you live you should be able to find it at your local home DIY center, get the double milled if you can as the chunks are smaller and even easier to clean!.
>>- Blue

Fair warning you will not find cypress mulch on the west coast! Frieght costs are also very expensive.

Good Luck
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6 Red Bearded Dragon's
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

>>So adults don't burrow like the young dumerils do? He's two years old and he still spends all of his time covered in dirt in the cage he's in right now.
>>
>>Newspaper would make cleaning a ton easier.. And I'll keep the cypress mulch in mind. Thank you.

Try and remember in captivity we simulate or emulate nature not duplicate it. I agree meeting the needs of the animal is the most important aspect. However proper temp humidity and cleanliness, should be the first on the list. In nature dirt is dirt and is laced with all kinds of fecal material, however its also Bio active. Where as in captivity that amognst many things is very hard to emulate, so most substrate becomes septic after a given length of time.

Remember even fancy terrerium's require soil changes. Its not nature its a simulation.

So yes they need cover they just don't need soil. I use kraft paper (dimmpled) for substrate in all my Boa cages. And stratigically place the water bowls to achieve evaporation. I also mist, For timid animals I've used garbage can lids bowls upside down ect, to provide cover.

Its all about the individual, there aren't any real rules.

Cheers
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6 Red Bearded Dragon's
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

You can find dimpled Kraft paper at Uline.com. It is a great substrate for large snakes. It has a texture to it so they can get purchase when crawling on it - something that is not easy on newspaper. Oh, and no inky hands when you work with it. Looks great too. IMO it is the best large snake substrate that isn't cypress. Very cost-effective too. Try it, you will be sold.
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Mark

Okay, I'll check out the paper.

Do any of you have pictures of finished cages? A coworker offered to make the cage for me since he's got free time and he said pictures would be helpful. Are there sites I should send him to for plans or pictures, too?

What's good for sealing the inside of the cage? Should it be lined with something in particular, or is there something that can be painted onto the inside?
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.2 leopard geckos
1.2.4 crested geckos
.1 mali uro

What's good for sealing the inside of the cage? Should it be lined with something in particular, or is there something that can be painted onto the inside?

There are a handful of choices. A lot of it really depends on 1) the look you are after, 2) whether you want a "lifetime" cage or don't mind re-sealing every few years and 3) what your budget is.

Give us some feedback on those three issues and we can help you narrow down the choices.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

He backed out of making the cage for me and I don't have the tools to make it myself, so I think I'm going to go with a Boaphile or AP cage. I appreciate everyone's input, though.
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.2 leopard geckos
1.2.4 crested geckos
.1 mali uro