Reptile & Amphibian Forums

with a seperate access door to remove the snake if it is in the hide. I think that might be good for a 6' snake so you don't have to reach in, move the hide and get the snake. You could have a second small door on the side .
Could install the hide with bolts so that you could increase or decrease in size and clean.
Any thoughts?

My main concern with the separate access door would be reaching into the hide to pull out the snake. That's seems the ideal way to get a food response or defensive bite.

Hey, sorry for threadjacking your post below with the pocket hole jig question. But I do appreciate your response. And I'll go ahead and threadjack this one since it's at the top of the page

Do you agree with Alan that the K2000 is worth the extra money over the Rocket model?

http://www.kregtool.com/
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

thread jacks happen!
I have not used the rocket so I can't say. I started using pocket jigs a few years ago with an old kreg that was all aluminum and I was sold. However I purchased the new plastic kreg and did not like it as much. It did not seem to clamp and hold as good. I ended up returning it and purchasing the woodcraft pocket jig which comes in a kit with extra stuff. Kreg does not make a metal jig anymore that I know of so the all metal woodcraft jig has worked much better and was cheaper.
Again there is hardly a cabinet I have built in the last two years that did not have pocket hole joints.
Travis

I am in the process of building one right now for an Eastern Indigo that uses a built in hide method. I put in a false bottom to make two "underground" hides with three inch holes in the floor leading down into sterlite bins. I have a seperate hinged door that provides access to the sterlites and they are easily slid in and out. Makes really secure hides for the snakes and makes more available space.

Here's a pic of the start of the cage showing the basic design.

Here's an updated pic.....almost done now.

I have actually done this before. You basically have a plastic box below a cage that acts as a lidless rack system of sorts. Then have a PVC pipe that sticks into cage so the snake can go back and forth.

Don't why I didn't think of that.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

You're even right about the PVC pipe.....I work at a Plbg/Htg wholesaler. I can't wait to test this one out.

You might also consider using this for a water bowl of sorts. It's the neatest way to hide a water bowl I've used.

Keep us updated.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

I've done something similar to this as well. I think I saw something similar to this concept originally for use as a shifting mechanism for working with hots, and also as a way of having a separate breeding/egg-laying chamber for Gilas. Anyway, I made a sumo rack of sorts using the largest storage boxes I could find at the Container Store [I think the measure about 28 x 10 x 12]. The tall boxes were the main chamber and a second shelf below held a 28 x 10 x 6 box. I cut about a 4 or 5 inch hole through the shelf and the upper box. I then glued down a pvc toilet flange using a hot glue gun. I placed my hole in the middle though which has occasionally caused some minor problems when you want to feed and a snake is half in half out of the lower/upper box. My set up was originally designed to provide a large damp area in the short box for egg-laying. I never did get any successful breeding though, but I like the idea so I may incorporate something similar into later cage designs. Oh yeah, I used the flange so that substrate wouldn't be constantly falling into the lower box. I find the snakes that have that level option tend to move up and down between the boxes as their mood suits.
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Matt Campbell
Animal Keeper, Small Mammal/Reptile House
Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago, Illinois

Assistant Curator
Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, Illinois

wow liiks like you are off to a good start. I never thought about an underground hide. You just have to make sure the snake is not half in/half out when you slide the hide out.
Thanks
Travis

You just have to make sure the snake is not half in/half out when you slide the hide out.

Actually, just leave the PVC entrance near the front of the cage. That way the tub would have to be slid well open before you could hurt the snake. And at that point it would be easy to see if there was any potential problem.

If I were to do this design again I would have three tubs under the cage. One heated, one not heated, and one for water.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

heres some links to a OOOOLD site i forgot about . The built in hide made me search it out to find it again lol this site is no longer used dont even no passwords for it lol

the links show one i built some time ago i actually used the large mortar tubs for the built in hide and had a heat pad under it to heat it . my old boas ( no longer alive ) were 7ft male and 9 1/2 female actually BRED in the tub and she had babies in the tub aswell . Only bad drawback wqith a hide like that is atleast my boas LIVED in it hardly ever saw them come out unless for they were hungry lol

LINK: http://groups.msn.com/HallsHerpsCustomHabitats/custombuiltcages.msnw?Page=1

and chris is right the hole in the front will prevent any chance oof cutting the snake in 1/2 lol this was made mid year of 2001 pics were posted while the breeding was going on the female had 26 babies in the tub . Im going to working on some plastic cages and incorperate the built in hide in to one but just have to find time to do it lol
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Buisnesses come and go everyday, what keeps you here is how you treated the customer the day before....My Boa Can Kick Your Boas _ss!www.cheapcages.com

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edited sig file 2/8/05

I think a lot of others might too. Good luck.

Im doing my vivs with melemime and think Ill definately adopt this idea but how do you cover the bare board where the whole is (for hygene/safety reasons) what types of pypes where you guys talking about?

cheers

sam

Use plastic pipe found in plumbing shops. I believe the PVC piping is the same in both the US and UK.

With the proper adhesive this will protect the cut edge.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

I built an undertank hide for my burm. It saves allot on floor space but stays to cold. I need to figure out a good way to heat it. Over the winter he stayed in it allot and stopped eating. Once I removed him and closed it off, he started eating and hasn't stopped since. I have the side door as you mentioned and I remove him with a hook if his head is within striking range.
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DZ

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell