Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just figured I would post this as an idea for people who build their own cages. My system isn't the best, but it works very well and perhaps I could give someone an idea to improve their cages or perhaps someone could help to improve mine. I am not opposed to buying professionally built cages, but I get most of the material for free, so I might as well right? Here's a few pictures and a small description below. I think they look nice.....

This picture was taken with flash-

This picture was taken without flash..... I use red heat bulbs so to the boas, it always seems dark-

a few close ups of a cage-

Ok, the reason I put heat bulbs inside the cage, it keeps the air temperature warm, instead of just a heat pad that would leave the air cool but provide a hot spot, which may cause an RI. It works really well because when breeding time comes, I replace the bulbs with lower wattage bulbs to drop the temperature, works out perfectly! Right underneath the lamp is about 92 degrees, and the far end of the cage is usually mid-lower 80s. Worked out that way by luck, but works very nicely. and even better, being inside the cage, the snakes dont go near the heat bulbs, the cages are big enough they dont feel the need to explore up there.

The cages themselves are built using 3/4" melamine screwed together with 2.5" wood screws. They are heavy, but it works really well and can hold humidity when I mist the tank without rotting the wood. The cage is 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet high, so very spacious! Then I go to Menards and buy a 3.5" trim that gives a nice wooden touch to the front of the cage. Some plastic sliding door track holds 2 1/4" pieces of plexiglass that lock with a sliding door lock with a key.

So for under $100, you have a very large, nice looking cage that works very well. Hopefully this can help someone else who needs ideas, or maybe someone could throw some ideas/suggestions to improve mine

Just for kicks, the top cage has my 7' arabesque het albino female, middle cage has my 2005 coral sunglow female, and bottom cage has a very large het albino female

Nice job. So your inside to inside measurement is 48" ? Or is that outside to outside measurement (outside of trim to outside of trim) ?
I found that more than 1 of my large Boas would always climb up wrap around the light shroud and eventually pull the whole works down,just for the fun of I think they would that.
. . . . . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz

inside measurement is 48 x 23 1/4. the bottom and top pieces are 48 x 23 1/4. the back piece is 48 x 24. the sides are 24 x 24. I wish I knew a way to make a drawing of what screwed into what and how, but I'll summarize it the best I can. I take the bottom piece, (48 x 23 1/4) lay it on a table. I take the back piece (48 x 24) and stand it, but it butts up against the piece already laying. Then I screw through the back wall into the bottom piece. Then I put on both sides by screwing through the side into the bottom and back piece, the sides covers up the open edges that arent laminated, so it makes it look clean. the top piece is a bit difficult and usually requires a second set of hands to hold it still while i screw it in. Again, the screws go through the back wall into the top piece, and also through the sides, into the top piece. Then from the front view, there is the open edges that arent laminated, so I buy the wooden trim which covers that and leaves a nice touch to the eye. Caulk all the corners to water-proof it, add the track and plexi-glass, and its finished.

Hope that all makes sense

Never had a snake go near the heat bulbs, I guess Ive gotten lucky, they stay away from them, which is why I keep building more of these cages

Thanks they look nice,so there is a full 48" inside .Makes a good space for your Boas. Can't beat free material,I used to get lots of free material.I miss that free material forsure.
. . . . . . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz

Nice setups. I always prefer to make my own cages since commercial ones are always so expensive! Sorry I don't have any pics at the moment, its been a couple years since I built anything. However, I am thinking of building some more this summer. One problem: I can't find track anywhere in my area! I used to get from Home Depot, but they don't carry it anymore. Lowe's doesn't have it either. Sometimes its hard even trying to tell someone what I mean by track. Anyways, do you know where I can get any? Preferably online?