Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm resorting to making an enclosure (well, two) for a ball python, and a small blood python. Does anyone have any suggestions as right now I don't have a lot of money to spare (rubbermaids etc are out of the question as I would like these to be semi presentable)
Does anyone have plans for a cheap cage around the 36"x15"x"15"
(LDW)
much appreciated, thanks

it all depends on how much you have to spend...you can make one out of shower surround framed wiht 2x2 for about 20 bucks not including glass and other hardware. if you dont have alot of money for an enclosure why did you get the animals? what are they in now?
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0.1 Albino Cal. King (Fokker)
1.0 Reverse Okeetee Corn (trouble)
0.1 Creamsicle Corn (Spot)
1.1 Bearded Dragons (Bob & Margret)
1.3 Dogs(George, Sandy, Cookie and Ladybird) they are rescues, Lhasa Apso, Mutt, Boxer, and Daschund mix
0.0.22 Bearded Dragon Eggs...more to come
1.0 Betta
0.1 Wife
0.1 Kid

This is about the cheapest/easiest cage idea I've used.

What I did was take a 50 gallon storage tote and mounted it on a sealed-wood face frame. For your needs I would seal the back of the frame with rubberized contact paper.

The box is attached with polyurethane caulk and several sheet metal screws. For your cages I would use silicone and the screws.

The door is a bit expensive but there are ways to make it cheaper. Probably double sliding, 1/8" glass doors would be my choice.

Sorry for the condition of the cage in the picture. A friend of mine had a Corucia zebrata born and needed an emergency cage for the mother and newborn. They trampled the cage pretty good with that first night of exploration.

I'll post a second picture in another reply.

In this picture you can see I routed out the top of the box (in your case you'd have the box horizontal) and attached screen with rivets and hot glue.

I'm not sure if you would use screen or not. I'd probably just drill ventilation holes to save money. For light you could drill holes and weave rope light through the top of the cage. This would provide a bit of heat as well as light. A lot of people with Boaphile cages use this method.

Large shelf bracks can be attached to the back of the frame to make it free standing.

For your cages you could make separate cages but I'd probably make one large face frame with two openings. If you're not confident with making a frame you can buy a half-sheet of plywood and simply cut two rectangles out of it.

Good pics chris i like those as well.

These are 50gallon tote by rubbermaid. they are framed with 2x3's and then screened in on top.

they lock and have fixed lighting they only cost me 60.00 total and 2 hours to build and of all my cages built my wife likes these the best.

sorry for the mess but this is the only pic i have!

Paul

I would be curious to see some close up pics of those! I'ld like to see how you have them set in the wood frame and how there are attached.
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Tegan

the tubs sit in the frame so they can be removed with ease. They are light in wieght as well.

to build my rack i needed 12 pices of 2x3 45 inches long
12 pieces 20 inches long and 8 pieces 13.5 inches long.

two rolls of chicken mesh or wire with 1/4" holes
4 hasps for locks and 4 hinges.

lights and heat pads i have already.

2x3 s are $1.47 each you need 9
2 tubs are 12.97 each
screen in $5.00 per roll
hasps and hinges are 10.00

thanks Paul

if you have any other questions email me pmcintyre@rochester.rr.com

email

are you only using the light to heat it?

no they are heated from the bottom as well with hospitol heat pads. they are not itemized because i had them but they are 10.00 each.

Paul