Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've built a cage to house many snakes. Essentially it's a bookcase about 4 ft wide and 5 ft tall. In place of melamine, I threw a bunch of 1x12 planks together (sides, top, bottom, shelves) and a piece of luaun for the back.
It's all gonna get clear coating.
My dilemma is the choice of door. My first thought was trimming the front out so I could have sliding glass panels, and then I considered a hinged-on-the-bottom door with glass/plexi to see thru. I still feel like there might be another AFFORDABLE method for doors. Each cage dimension is about 9 inches interior heighth, with of course a true 3/4 inch board as a base and "roof".
Picture a cheap throw together bookcase you can buy from Wal-Mart, and try to put a front on that.
Any input would be great!! Thanx folks

Tom
TCJ Herps

id say best bet is what you mentioned .. either plexi sliding doors or a plexi hinged door both woul dbe fairly cheap and simple .. just use plexi that will probably save you the most money.

Actually the cheapest way is 1/8" glass. If using acrylic doors you'd absolutely have to use 1/4" thick material. This is more expensive than glass.

1/8" acrylic is cheaper than 1/8" glass but is not escape proof in the typical sliding door application.

Safe choice is 1/8" glass, double sliding doors. Easy and cheap.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

Plexi is WAAAY more expensive than glass!!! I just priced a sheet yesterday. The cheapest I found was 80 for a 4x8 sheet, and I had to price the dude at the distributers down. What ever you do, don't get it at a glass co. or a lumber yard. They double the price!! Lowes wanted 47 for a 2'x4' piece of 1/4". We here at work buy it by the sheets in 1/4". I am just going to order it through the co.

Sorry if my post was confusing - I never said Plexi or Plexiglass, I said acrylic (of which Plexi is one kind). And I did say 1/4" acrylic is more expensive than 1/4" glass.

Let me clarify:

Most 1/4" acrylics, including Plexiglass, are more expensive than 1/4" or 3/16" plate-glass. The 1/4" acrylics that are cheaper than plate-glass are of very low quality and not worth using.

But when it comes to 1/8", acrylics typically are cheaper. That is because 1/8" plate-glass is formed at "double-strength".

But there are 1/8" acrlyic products that are still very expensive.

My comments regarding the cost of 1/8" glass vs. 1/8" acrylic are based on the comments from posters on this forum. I have not actually used 1/8" glass or 1/8" acrylic in many years.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

i like the ides of the sliding glass door. i am new to building cages so i have a question?
is the sliding glass door a kit you can buy or this this something you have to create?

You can create sliding doors but I don't recommend this for the novice.

But they're not exactly kits, either. Still easy to use, though.

You simply glue the track in and then install the pre-cut glass. It's very easy.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

I've been thinking about setting up some cages kind of like this down the road, but I was thinking about using barrister's bookcase type doors instead of regular sliding ones or hinged ones that drop down. They open up instead, pivoting at the upper corners, and then slide out of the way on little rails that run parallel to the ceiling of the cage. I figure I could install latches at the bottom corners to lock the door closed--possibly even gate-type latches that automatically catch when you shut the door. Has anyone tried doors like these or are they just a really bad idea to begin with...?

Annie

My main concern with these door mechanisms is the chance of an animal getting tangled up or stuck.

I'd take those doors out and put in sliders.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

I basically have a bookshelf too. I bought the plastic pieces that allows the plexiglass to slide at home depot. You get the top and the bottom for about 7 or 8 dollars. Its 8 feet long, and you can cut it. Then i bought pieces of plexiglass and had them cut.