Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Where do you guys get your melamine wood to build your cages/racks? Also do they precut it for you or do you guys cut it yourself? Thanks. I'm thinking of attempting to build a cage (never had any experience building anything) because I don't want to put my babies in a rack but having multiple terrainiums is getting annoying now. Would like to be able to stack them up.

I get all mine at Lowes. I haven't seen large sheets of melamine anywhere, though. Only precut shelves in 12 and 16 inch widths, lengths of 3 to 8 feet. I build racks out of it.

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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

Get 4x8 sheets at home depot but the stuff at cabnet shops is better. I will try to post pics. I am not an expert I am in the midst of building my first reptile cage and i took on a large project lol. It is 8'x8'x2' and has 10 different cages of all dif sizes ranging from 2'x2' all the way to 8'x2'. See how it turns out.
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Tom
1.2.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 California King Snake
0.1.0 Sulcata Tortoise
0.0.2 Russian Tortoise
0.0.2 Red Ear Sliders
0.0.3 Painted Turtles
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor
1.0.0 Peachfront Conure
0.1.0 Australian Shepheard
2.1.0 Crazy Cats
0.1.0 Lion Head Rabbit
0.1.0 Ferret
0.2.0 Guinea Pigs
0.0.1 White Tree Frog
0.0.2 Fire Belly Newts
0.0.1 Fire Belly Toad
0.0.1 Red Spotted Newt
0.0.2 Bull Frogs
Lots Of Fish

Please do post pics. I'm interested in seeing your project.
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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

When I use it I buy a higher quality product from a hardwood/cabinet supplier in my area. And I do have them cut it down to a rough size so I can transport it easier. If I needed the cuts done to final assembly size then I would go to an actual cabinet shop.

I also like the precut shelves already mentioned. They are typically a 100 weight melamine and have very high quality edge banding on one long edge. Very hard to beat that with the iron-on edge tape you can buy yourself.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

Ok so basically specialty cabinet shops have better quality but go to the big hardare stores if you can't find a cabinet shop. Cool thanks to all those who replied. Hopefully by summer, I can start building. Still looking at various plans/pics in the forums and I think I get the jist of building a cage. I'm thinking of moving into other species than ball pythons and sand boas. It's been a a year now and I think I can broaden my collection to outside of the beginner snakes. Just need to find out what the next one will be.