Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got a JCP and I need some ideas on cage design. If any of you have pics of your setups, please post. I want to give him the best.

midnight: remember 'the best' needs also to consider the ease of cleaning, feeding, and access to your snake, not just what the setup looks like or how 'realistic' it looks, just take that into consideration when building.
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Chris - TX

2.2 Splendida
1.1 Nigrita
1.1 Ruthveni
0.0.3 277 Alterna

Chen, we are building an arboreal cage for him which will give me easier access to him. I just need tips on how to properly maintain heat and humidity as well as decorations. We may make the cage out of melamine wood.

>>Chen, we are building an arboreal cage for him which will give me easier access to him. I just need tips on how to properly maintain heat and humidity as well as decorations. We may make the cage out of melamine wood.

Melamine and humidity are a bad combo, trust me I know.

Now if you use a vinyl film or other interior product as a primary barrier it should be ok.

Heat for arboreal cages I would use a Pro-Product Radiant Heat panel run on a proportional thermostat

Humidity, daily misting or a mist system on a timer.

Decorations, definitely faux and preferably washable.

Lights can be ambient room light or you can use fluorescent fixtures.
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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
1.0 Ghost
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.2 Normal

0.0.2 Morelia Viridis
1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

How much would the cage cost with the stuff you mentioned?

>>How much would the cage cost with the stuff you mentioned?

500
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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
1.0 Ghost
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.2 Normal

0.0.2 Morelia Viridis
1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

>>I just got a JCP and I need some ideas on cage design. If any of you have pics of your setups, please post. I want to give him the best.

I always though I'd follow Will Leary lead.

Cheers

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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
1.0 Ghost
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.2 Normal

0.0.2 Morelia Viridis
1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

Radiant heat panels are the way to go. A 40 watt panel should do it unless the cage is large, then go the next panel size up.

I would look at plastic cages. There are many types available and they are all very good. Look on the classifieds here for manufacturers. Search for arboreal cages too. There is one mfgr who will give you the whole setup, branches and all.

You can keep one even in a 12-inch high cage and just have some branches on the ground. Since you have such a nice display snake that will at times use branches higher up, then look for cages with at least 17 inches in height.
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Mark

I bought him a week ago and he is almost 5ft, so I don't know what the best/cheap material to build a tall cage is. He likes to climb on the branches I have in the tank now (55 gal.) and its around 18 inch high.

>>I bought him a week ago and he is almost 5ft, so I don't know what the best/cheap material to build a tall cage is. He likes to climb on the branches I have in the tank now (55 gal.) and its around 18 inch high.

Cheap material for caging won't last as log as the more expensive product. Thus it will have to be replaced more frequently then the expensive material.

Which is cheaper in the long run.

In my experiance melamine cages with no additional protection will last approximatly 2 years in high heat/humid condiions.

Given that many plastic cages are over ten years oldand still holding up.

You could say you will have to buy the same melamine cage 5 times in the same time frame as a plastic cage.

Given that melamine cages are not 80% cheaper than plastic, plastic is the more economical choice.

Although many people enjoy building their own cages and it is far easier to DIY melaine than plastic. It sometimes wins out, and when used with a second layer of protection it can last longer when maintain properly.

Just food for thought.
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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
1.0 Ghost
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.2 Normal

0.0.2 Morelia Viridis
1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

I think we are going with the Melamine. Its $10 for a 1x8 sheet and I dont know how much plastic sheets go for.

>>I think we are going with the Melamine. Its $10 for a 1x8 sheet and I dont know how much plastic sheets go for.

Be careful with melamine the pre cut shelves are often light weight and not very durable. If you can get melamine 100 weight or higher from a cabinet shop they will usually cut it for you.

My vendor will give me one free cut per sheet, however its feasable they will cut everything to size for you. Or find someone like myself with a full shop and get them to cut it for you.

Its worth saving money by using some effort in finding a cabinet shop or a savy woodworker.
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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
1.0 Ghost
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.2 Normal

0.0.2 Morelia Viridis
1.1 Morelia Clastolepis