Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I finally got around to taking some pics of the new room with stuff. Man I tell ya rooms fill up fast, and mine is still a mess.

So to satisfy those awaiting pictures or for those bored on a sunday I posted some pics of my new cages. Only 3 so far another 2 are on the way, and I am making another order of 3 later this month.

I know what your thinking, he bought cages! However, with the family growing, work getting worse, and a home remodel I just didn't have the time to build quality cages. That being said with the rising cost of fuel, it was difficult to buy cages as well...

Anyways I decided to give AP cages a chance. With some very strong recomendations from some fellow herpers, a little self research and deciding what I wanted out of a cage. AP cages fit the bill, and Mark and Ali helped out a little with crazy details, what can I say I'm a perfectionist.

I went with AP's T10 model in white, mainly because I don't light my cages, I also picked the belly heat option and the sliding doors w/locks.

Cage construction is a little wobbly at first but once the cage is fully assembled its rock solid. If you follow the instructions given you will have no problems, very well written.

I wanted my cages to sit up off the floor. Living in North Dakota it gets a bit chilly on the floor, despite heating the room. AP does make a fairly cool pedestal but it didn't fit the bill for what I needed.

Some of the problems with my last setup was that the pedestal was built into the bottom cage. Not a good idea!

Another problem was that I used four rotational castors rather than two fixed. They weren't a problem when in place however when the stack needed to move it was next to impossible to get it going in a good direction. With the two fixed castors I hope to correct that problem.

I also had a big problem with the controls on the last cage, I built it so the controls were hidden. However, I used dimmers which needed to be adjusted a lot! Meaning I had to take the cover off adjust and place the cover back on. Towards the end it just stayed off....

The new pedestal fatures controls at the ready, however they aren't dimmers any longer I have equipped the pedestal with a thermostat. Which is also at the ready. The wiring on this pedestal is a puzzle!

All in all I'm statisfied with the asthetics of the new stack and the operation of the pedestal. Hopefully I can move in some occupants this week as well as get the other two cages assembled and in use.

Appriciate any comments, Enjoy!

-----
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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.1 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

I like those very much! What do your switches control?

>>I like those very much! What do your switches control?

The weather.....LOL J/K

Each cage is powered seperatly.

Switch A powers the entire unit along with the cage the thermostat is housed in. Switches B, C and D power the remaining cages respectivly.

When complete the cages will be equiped with a data card and a hook for the keys. The Data card will identify which cages is which letter. I would have used numbers but the sticker sheet is left over from work and we just use the numbers so the letters are typically thrown away.

My own version of recycling, now the trick question should the other stack be lettered E, F, G and H?

Cheers
-----
Jeremy Payne
Owner
JB Reptile
www.jbreptile.com **Coming Soon**
Questions or Comments, Contact Me

"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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

That will work up to 26 times. Then you'll have to use another type of alphabet, maybe Greek? That is an awesome setup. Derek

>>That will work up to 26 times. Then you'll have to use another type of alphabet, maybe Greek? That is an awesome setup. Derek

Well I don't have that many cages...

of course I could double up letters, aa, bb, ab, etc... LOL

Thanks for the compliments!

Cheers
-----
Jeremy Payne
Owner
JB Reptile
www.jbreptile.com **Coming Soon**
Questions or Comments, Contact Me

"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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

Well I don't have that many cages...

Not yet anyway.LOL
-----
0.1.0 Burmese Python 12'
1.0.0 A-Mel Burmese Python 5.5'
1.0.0 A-Mel Granite Burmese Python 5.5'
1.0.0 A-Mel Burmese Python 10.5'
1.0.0 Reticulated Python 7.5'
1.0.0 BCI 7.5'
0.1.0 BCI 5'

Nice Setups, what do you plan to house in them, can you put a petition in to divide the units. Great looking setups.

-----
R.Bichlers Colubrids
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rbichler/index.html

>>Nice Setups, what do you plan to house in them, can you put a petition in to divide the units. Great looking setups.

Currently I keep Boa Morph's, so they will be replacing my old melamine 4 stack.

The units are stock AP T10's with the available options from their site. However, through many conversations with Mark and Ali, I'm under the impression slight modifications or in this case a partition would be possible. Seeing that the order isn't started until its paid for I don't see why custom work would be out of the question.

If your really interested I suggest contacting them via their site. They will answer any questions you may have, great people to work with real pleasure.

If you are looking for dividable cages I know Jeff over at Boaphile has some units just for that. Although I havn't used any of his product they do come highly recommended from the small circle of friends I belong to. The only down side is I prefer sliding doors, something Jeff doesn't offer....

Good Luck, and Thanks!
-----
Jeremy Payne
Owner
JB Reptile
www.jbreptile.com **Coming Soon**
Questions or Comments, Contact Me

"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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

Thanks for the reply.
Robert;
-----
R.Bichlers Colubrids
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rbichler/index.html

Hey Jeremy, Great looking setup (for storebought) Had ta jab you about that one!!! I've got one baby rack from AP and four large adult racks (10 high CB110) in manufacturing now. They do good work.

You said their pedestal didn't fit you. Did you have them do a custom one or did you make that pedestal yourself? Either way it looks great and fits together very nice.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

>>You said their pedestal didn't fit you. Did you have them do a custom one or did you make that pedestal yourself? Either way it looks great and fits together very nice.

I think all in all I bothered Ali and Mark way to much during the 4 week wait, asking them to do a custom pedestal IMO would have pushed the edge. That and the fact I really didn't know how I wanted to go about it yet.

So I built this one myself...I used MDF for the structure and the castors actually bolt to 2x4's screwed to the structure. The joints are rabbeted and glued as well as the top surface. Than the whole thing was filled, sanded, primed and painted.

The tricky part for me was I didn't know how I was going to do the electrical work.... I knew I wanted the thermostat and the switches in the front and outlets and power cord in the back, but how to get it working was the tricky part.

The thermostat gave me the biggest headache, Ranco's mount to a surface but being 2" deep I had mount a board to the back side of the front panel spaced enough to allow a slight protrusion, equal to the switches. After I figured that out I had get a perfect hole rounted in the MDF, a chore in itself.

I used junction boxes designed for "Old" Construction for all the electric components. They literally clamp to the face, great product and since its MDF rather than Gypsum they actually hold better...

I used cable clamps to hold the wiring underneath in place and modified the J Box's to utilize NM style box clamps to hold the cable in place in and out of the boxes. The wiring is literally a maze but once its complete its neat and tidy. Thank goodness I have a cotinuity tester!

The second pedestal is being wired ATM so I'll post some completed pics of it before I place cages a top the work of art....LOL!

Thanks
-----
Jeremy Payne
Owner
JB Reptile
www.jbreptile.com **Coming Soon**
Questions or Comments, Contact Me

"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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

Wire labels....

I label all my wires with labels. They come in strips of 1-36. For most applications that is plenty. I also have strips of individual numbers. Point being you label each end of every individual wire. Then later when you crack it back open to make a change (you know you will) it's much easier to trace back what you did before. I even label the wires from the individual cages at each end, where it comes out of the cage/heater and the plug end. Most of my wires get bundled behind the cges and again, now I know which is which without taking the bundles apart. VERY important with my multi thermostat rack stacks. I usr a herpstat pro (four channels) to control a ten high tub rack. Currently 2/3/3/2 but can move around a little as long as the probed tub stays connected to the same output.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

>>Wire labels....

That's a really good idea, the local store didn't have them....I'll check another later. Thankfully nothing is 220 otherwise it would get real complicated as it is know I have, 1 run neutral 1 Ground and 7 hot....Of course all Black!!!!

Thanks
-----
Jeremy Payne
Owner
JB Reptile
www.jbreptile.com **Coming Soon**
Questions or Comments, Contact Me

"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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

Jeremy,

Looking good, hope these look well for you.

Tell me more about the locks on the sliders. Is it a cam lock of some sort in a hole in the glass? Hard to tell on my monitor.

Also, what did you use to seal the edges of the cut MDF? I hear a lot of woodworkers use bondo.
-----
Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

>>Looking good, hope these look well for you.

Now I need to get to work on my 41 qt rack and I'll be good....

>>Tell me more about the locks on the sliders. Is it a cam lock of some sort in a hole in the glass? Hard to tell on my monitor.

The lock is attached to the front pan, the back pane has a hole, and there is a milled hole in the CDPVC panel. When you look at the lock, mechanism and key, you think "this will never work". However when you actually get it together it works very well. The mechanism has a cam that doesn't allow any excess movement of the panes. No animals escaping from these cages. Other than maybe my big female pressing the glass out of the cage....However there is a routed grove at each end in which the glass slides into to prevent such an accident.

>>Also, what did you use to seal the edges of the cut MDF? I hear a lot of woodworkers use bondo.

I used Wood putty to fill the gaps and painted the unit. I did nothing to seal the ends. They just required a second coat, I had considered using drywall mud since I have a crap load. But the MDF sucks the moisture way to quick, making it hard to use. It does sand neatly...as I used it on the cover in the room to hide some pipes.

It turned out alright...

Thanks
-----
Jeremy Payne
Owner
JB Reptile
www.jbreptile.com **Coming Soon**
Questions or Comments, Contact Me

"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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

Lookin' pretty sharp there, Jeremy!

The base looks good & matches good, too.

Good job! Congrats!

Have a good one!
Mike
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

Thanks Mike!

I was waiting for your response....I knew at least three fella's would respond to the post, Chris, Dave and Mike.

Not in any particualr order but I knew you three would eventually say something.

Now I just need to get the other two assembled put on the pedestal and clean up the room so I can take pictures for Dave.

Of course everybody needs to move in as well....
-----
Jeremy Payne
Owner
JB Reptile
www.jbreptile.com **Coming Soon**
Questions or Comments, Contact Me

"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
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

I love natural wood finishes but there's something about the white setups that give a professional look. The organization of the setups, room, play a big part, too. Dave's got it goin' on and you're dead on his heels.

The hard part for me, when I get there (if I ever do) will be to keep the room from getting all cluttered up. I'm a packrat, with little storage space.

Now it's time for me & Chris to step up to the plate. I think Chris is ahead of me. I should have mine completed sometime within the next 20 - 25 years, at the rate I'm goin'.

The color of your room, it's flooring, combined with the cages makes it what it is...... Sharp! You should be proud. I'm happy for ya. Jealous, too. Ha! Ha!

Later Tater!
Mike
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com