Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK, so for the recap, Chris helped me design an AWESOME cage that will, someday, be perfect. lol. After talking to a bunch of cabinet makers, mill people, and lowes type places I was extremely frustrated (and astounded, by the chauvinism still prevalent in Indiana).

Them after agonizing how to build it, I ran into some rather high, and very unexpected bills. lol. So here is my new plan. Two build one cage for my current Uro, myself. Similar to Chris' cage with the vine leaf patterns on the side, and then use that Uros current terrarium for the new Uro until I can get some more money, and then probably build a second one to stack on top of the first.

Are there any design considerations I need to keep in mind if I am eventually going to be stacking these two very heavy cages on top of each other? It seems like they should be able to more than support the weight, since they will be the same size, so the force will be placed on strong joints.

Thanks for your continued help. I will be so glad to get this part over and done with!

Elizabeth

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1.0 Uro Archimedes
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

Sorry to hear about the sexism. From my experience the ability to build something is more related to mathmatical skills than the presence of a Y chromosome.

Really, it's about seeing something as the sum of it's parts rather than a finished product.

But I digress.

>>Are there any design considerations I need to keep in mind if I am eventually going to be stacking these two very heavy cages on top of each other? It seems like they should be able to more than support the weight, since they will be the same size, so the force will be placed on strong joints.

The weight won't all be distributed to strong joints. If it were just the cages, then yes, but with the heavy substrate there will be a lot of force distributed in the direct middle of the floor.

Before we had discussed using 1/4" thick plywood for the back to save weight. You can still use it, but with the new stacking design that back piece won't be acting as a single piece anymore. The downward forces will be distributed differently.

Moreover, with the original design the lower lip of the top cage was going to be combined with the upper lip of the bottom cage, making for one very tall and sturdy piece of material.

Now that will be two separate pieces of material and may be more subject to flexing.

I've got to run, but think that for your peace of mind that a solid plywood back that fits inside of the side, bottom and top panels might offer more strength.

There's a chance you might have to add a central support behind the front lips of the cage to keep the door opening square.
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1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)