Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wanting to get some peoples opinions on wich would be better for cageing groups of lizards. Price is not an issue more quality, durability and such.

I have heard boaphiles sometimes bow when you stack them up (like 5 or 6).

I am just thinking AP would be better since they are made of thicker plastic and you can break them down for storage, cleaning or whatever. Less likely to burn.

Plus you dont need to get extra pieces to stack them and you can put rollers on them so if you have to move it its easier.

I cant tell by their pictures on their website but is is possible on AP cages to get it without the double windows? I know they have sliding glass but it looks like they just dont install the regular windows and use sldiing glass and you still have a inch or two picec of black plastic running down the middle of the viewing area.

Thoughts? The only plus I see so far is the boaphiles you can get those coupe models that dont have the plstic in the middle of the viewing window. Ventelation seems same.

I got one of those vision cages but I dont like it because it has those chanels running through it for stacking and they run through where I want to heat and I keep hearing you should put spacers between them if your useing this or that to heat.

I have no knowledge of lizard caging/husbandry requirements, but I would like to comment on the design and quality questions.

The size of the cage could be a factor, the Boaphile cages have different vent options from terrestrial to arboreal.

If the keeping of the animals and their general well being would be better suited by one of these designs over the other I would let that be the deciding factor.

Both cages are well made from a quality standpoint. The nod in my opinion would go to Boaphile in the fit and finish department.
Boaphile also uses a thermoformed, bonded case. This would most likely hold water, if that matters to you.

The one factor that I can see as crucial would be your door preference. Boaphile offers hinged only as far as I know and AP has both. Am I correct on this?

I am not sure what you mean when you say the AP is less likely to burn??

AP uses 1/2" material versus 1/4" on the Boaphile. I really don't see that as a really big deal for the most part. The thick er material would have a better insulating value. The thicker material is a requirement for the screwed together design, the 1/4" being too thin to accept a screw on edge. There is a strength difference, but the thermoformed design of the Boaphile makes up for the difference to a degree. You could bond the AP cage, but that would eliminate the ability to take it apart.
One other thing is the type of heat if any. The 1/2" material could have some issues with heating options,.

A friend of mine has a wall of the Boaphile cages and there are no sagging issues at all. On the long single door cage Boaphile uses a stiffener of some sort on the top front edge to prevent sagging at the door. Heavy substrate may be another factor here, that is a complete discussion on its own.

I would not mount casters directly to either one of these cages. A wood base of some sort would be how I would take care of that requirement.

One of the benefits of AP cages are that they come in wider sizes. At least the 48" and bigger ones are available in 30" deep instead of 24" deep and they can be a little taller too I think. As I am looking to house several lizards together the extra width allows for more surface area wich gives me space to put hides and such without cramming them next to eachother.

>>One of the benefits of AP cages are that they come in wider sizes. At least the 48" and bigger ones are available in 30" deep instead of 24" deep and they can be a little taller too I think. As I am looking to house several lizards together the extra width allows for more surface area wich gives me space to put hides and such without cramming them next to eachother.

I would definitely put the animals requirements first.

Both are great cages IMHO

By the way, when I said the Boaphile holds water I didn't mean permanently, just in the case of wet substrate or spilled bowl, etc.