Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just built a cage pic at the bottom. It is for a redtail boa. Now my question is about the door. I was going to use a flip down door similar to boaphiles but have failed drilling the plexi twice(cracked each time).

Can you melt through plexi with a soldering gun? Or would you just suggest I go with sliding doors. The cage is 4x2x1. The opening is 32x8 1/4, which could easily be made wider if I go with sliding doors.

Also do any of you have guys have problems getting your snakes out of sliding door design.

Any ideas?
Thanks

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Symatic

"You can't appreciate Shakespeare until you've read him in the original Klingon."

for drilling what type of bit are you using? and what kind of drill? you want it to go as fast as it can with a carbide tipped drill bit. is this 1/4" plexi or 1/8"? Ive drilled 1/4" many times with no problems. If you keep having trouble, and are able to do so, i'd go with a wooden frame around a swinging door. i'm almost done putting the final coats of poly on mine so ill get pictures up shortly.
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-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

It is 1/4". I just realized my drill was set on speed 1. I will try to salvage what i have. It was more of a chip then crack. I would to hate to drop more cash into this. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I'll post back when I have more progress.

Thanks for the advice though..
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Symatic

"You can't appreciate Shakespeare until you've read him in the original Klingon."

Yes you can melt it w/ a sod. iron, or if you need to drill it and you are cracking it use some duck tape. Put the duct tape on the top and bottom, push it down good and smooth and you should be able to drill it fine. Don't push it hard. Hope that helps ya.

to answer your question about drilling plexi glass.... first drill it on a flat surface second get a bar of soap and rub the drill bit on it this will lubricate the bit and stop it from binding. Trust me I know I've been in the glass business for the last 18 years take your time and don't put alot of presure.
Good Luck
Bill
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Leos
1.0 Blizzard "Mr.Freeze" AKA " SID VICIOUS"
1.0 SHCT Baldy "Thor"
0.2 Tremper Albinos "Betty & Pinky"
0.1 SHCT Baldy "Lemon"
0.1 Hypo Tang "Sherbert"
0.1 Hypo Golden "Dott"
0.2 juveniles " Spot & White Stripe"
0.0.4 hatchlings wooo hoooo
Boas
0.1 Nicaraguan "Peaches"

Domestic Livestock

0.1 WIFE "PAM"
0.2 Daughters "Haleigh & Chloe"

Canines
1.0 Beagle "Chance"
0.1 Pit rodesian ridgeback mix "Missy"

put some duct tape on both sides that you are drilling and drill straight through the tape, that should prevent it from cracking. thats what i do

ken
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0.1 Albino Cal. King (Fokker)
0.0.1 Cal. King (Spot)
1.0 Reverse Okeetee Corn (trouble)
0.1 Creamsicle Corn (Titan)
0.0.2 Anery (Thanks Jimmy)(Frodo, and Sam Wise)
1.2 Dogs(2 Boxers, Cookie and Joe, Lhasa Apso, George)
1.0 Betta
0.1 Wife
0.1 Kid

I put duct tap on both sides and used some KY type stuff. Once the bit got warm it was drilling like butter.

Thanks alot!!
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Symatic

"You can't appreciate Shakespeare until you've read him in the original Klingon."