Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Looking at animal plastic and boaphile 4 foot cages for my red tail boas (columbian). Anyone have experience with them and what they would recommend? I know this has been posted before but having trouble finding answers.
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Tom
1.2.0 Leopard Gecko (dot, spot, casper)
0.0.1 California King Snake (booboo)
0.1.0 Sulcata Tortoise (tank)
0.0.2 Russian Tortoise (tito and lulu)
0.0.2 Red Ear Sliders (bernie and ernie)
0.0.3 Painted Turtles (larry, curly and moe)
0.0.1 Western Soft shell (Squirt)
2.2.0 Bearded Dragon (marshmellow,Bubba,Sparkles,Alfredo )
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor (beef)
1.0.0 Peachfront Conure (kermit)
0.1.0 Love Bird ( KIKI )
1.1.0 Dog (layla and Rosco)
2.1.0 Crazy Cats (babe, sabastian, tinkerbell)
0.1.0 Lion Head Rabbit (daisy)
0.1.2 Ferret (jordan RIP, Cosmo and Izzy)
0.2.0 Guinea Pigs (lilly and petunia)
0.0.1 White Tree Frog (dumpy jr.)
0.0.2 Fire Belly Newts (spork and blaze)
0.0.1 Fire Belly Toad (ferdinan)
0.0.1 Red Spotted Newt ( red)
0.0.2 Bull Frogs (goliath and tubby)
0.0.1 Spectacled caiman (wilbert)
0.0.3 Green Anoles
1.0.0 Bahama Anole
0.0.1 Giant Millipede
Lots Of Fish

You will find valid opinions for both companies. I personally would go with Boaphile as I have had much better success using them when compared to AP, but with that I only have experience with the 6x2x2 AP cages, (and they are the much older ones at that, so don't know how the newer designs do).
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Randall L Turner Jr.
Boas make the world go round.

Boaphile doesn't make a sliding bypass doors for their cages...

AP does...that was the selling point in my case.
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
0.1 Anerthrystic

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

>>Boaphile doesn't make a sliding bypass doors for their cages...
>>
>>AP does...that was the selling point in my case.
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>>Jeremy Payne
>>JB Reptile
>>
>>1.0 Snow "Kahl"
>>0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
>>0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
>>0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
>>1.0 Ghost
>>0.1 Possible Super Hypo
>>0.1 DH Ghost
>>1.1 "Kahl" Albino
>>1.0 Hypomelenistic
>>1.3 Pastel Hypo
>>0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
>>0.1 Anerthrystic
>>
>>1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

I only own AP so I cant say much about boaphile other then I hear they tend to sag over time and it can be hard to get in touch with the owner.

If you heat your reptile room you will have allot less problems then I did. I purchased the heat cord version and with the room kept in the low 60s heat cord couldn't keep up. So I had to go with a RHP which does the job. I also used a 2" blue board under the cage for added insulation.

The ventilation in these cages is little to none, however it is easy enough to add more if needed. The window tends to stick sometimes and it takes a weekly cleaning just to keep the acrylic clean/sliding but this could be due to how I have it setup. I wish I purchased the longer cage for my guy but for now this will have to do. Other then that at this point I am fairly happy with my purchase.

Here is 2 year old pic.

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Jason A.
"Long time Herper, first year Breeder `07."

I have some Boaphile, and they are very good cages. I have one Boaphile that is from when he originally started making them, and it is still going strong.

There are many other cage mgfrs than Boaphile and AP. One mfgr uses 3/8" thick material which is a very good middle ground between the 1/4" (Boaphile) and the 1/2".

A few mfgrs like Vision, Bean Farm (actually a supplier for a line of cages) and Constrictors Northwest use HDPE or similar material which is super duper tough and will last 10 lifetimes. That material does not insulate quite as well so have ample heating.

Either way, if you take care of the cage, meaning don't drop it down concrete stairs and don't heat it to 250 deg F, you will be OK with any of the available plastic cages. I would go with whatever door style you like and then decide on the material - PVC for better insulation and slightly better heating qualities, or polyethylene/polypropylene for maximum toughness and ability to be kicked and abused w/o damage.

I have had problems with acrylic slide doors, but never with acrylic drop-down doors.
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Mark

I have two Boaphile cages (5' expandable and a 4' Condo) and I love them. I didn't want sliding doors because you can only ever get to half of the cage. My personal preference. I like Boaphile Plastics because of all the options you have, it can be as fancy or as plain as you want.

Now, I also have an AP rack on the way. I couldn't spring the price of the Boaphile rack. I didn't think the AP was as high quality, but I have heard that they work well. I also wanted as many options in my rack. It's a 10 level sideways IRIS tub rack. Fitting two 15 or one 32 qt tubs per level. Boaphile Plastics has sideways racks too, but not 10 levels.

I'll have to get back to you once I start using my AP rack. But I don't assume I'll have any problems.