Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, sorry for anyone I offended by my last post...I just want to move on now. Anyways, I built a nice 6 foot x 3 foot x 3 foot cage a week ago. A couple people said I did a really nice job. I can make a cage any size with a relatively inexpensive piece of plexiglass and 2x4's and plywood. I am pretty skilled, and I was wondering if I could start making cages for reptile collectors. The cage costs me around $120 to build, and I would want around $350 for my service. That would give me about 230$ for 4 hours of labor...that's about 55$ an hour...I would be mobile (free delivery), and I could assemble the parts inside. Thanks.

Most people don't want to pay for plywood cages. For large cages like the size you mentioned, people want light weight and/or modular cages and materials that withstand a lifetime of the rigors of housing a reptile or amphibian.

People don't mind building cages for themselves from these materials, but they want something more when they are paying someone else.

I suggest you start by build a few and putting them on consignment at you local pet shops. I gather since they sell Anacondas they have a customer base for these types of snakes.

Also, post some more pics of the cage you built. Specifically, address how the cage was built, how it was sealed, and how the doors operate. That way we can all pick on you some more, LOL. Seriously, though, we can give you feedback on how to create a better product. I think that's okay with Kingsnake's TOS.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

2.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

4.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

That brings up a question I have had. I am working on a design for a cage that would be strong and sturdy enough to hold an adult boa (we are arguing about the type... if my wife wins, let me correct that, when my wife wins, it will be a red-tailed boa). How did you re-enforce yours to handle the force the 'conda can exert on it?
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

Post some plans, like Chris says. People are always looking for ideas on how to build a cage. Plus, those of us that build cages will offer some constructive criticism, and pick on you some more.
I build all of my cages out of 3/4 inch plywood. I have never liked MDF for some reason. I also build my cages for comfort for the animal. My largest so far is 5'Hx5'Wx3'D for a coastal carpet. I'm still decorating the inside to make a more natural habitat.
I use a program called Sketchup to design everything. Its as easy as using paper and a pencil... Whenever I get bored I load it up and make new designs. I'll post my latest wall of snakes soon. its a 8'H x 12'W x 3'D wall of cages...fully wired for everything. And each cage slides in and out of the stand for maintenance. Its only gonna cost me an arm and a leg...but hey...why not
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Coastal Carpet Python 0.1 (Lillith)
Albino Burm 0.1 (Kimba RIP 10/23/04)
Columbian RedTail 0.1 (Squishy)
Kenyan Sand Boa 1.0 (Shai'hulud) MIA
Brown Water Snake 0.1 (Fang)
Common Snapping Turtle 1.1 (Sherman and Tiger)
(RIP Abrahms)
RES 1.0 (speedy)
African Rock Python (Mongo) 0.0.1

"fully wired for everything" - Cable or DirectTV ?

"but hey, why not" - Very true. We are dealing with animals that have a lifespan that is far longer than most other pets. People see nothing wrong with building a dog house, but god help you if you mention that you are building something for your snake, lizard, dragon, turtle, etc! When we make a commitment to get a reptile it is a long term commitment. Why not give them the best? Can't wait to see your designs and pictures!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

I'll answer your question first Bryan:

That brings up a question I have had. I am working on a design for a cage that would be strong and sturdy enough to hold an adult boa (we are arguing about the type... if my wife wins, let me correct that, when my wife wins, it will be a red-tailed boa). How did you re-enforce yours to handle the force the 'conda can exert on it?
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

I used a 2x4 frame. I screwed the 2x4's together using wood screws. I think the next cage I build I will make a stronger 2x4 frame, and I will use 2 1/2" wood screws for making the 2x4 frame, and shorter ones like 1 1/2" wood screws for screwing the plywood to the 2x4's.

I have to sell my anaconda, my parents won't let me keep it anymore. I bought a water moniter, to go along with my dumerils monitor. I might buy a 4 foot peach throat monitor next.

I will post some pictures of the design later this week along with material costs and other ideas I have.

Chris brings up some very good points. Nowadays, most people who buy caging want some type of plastic cage, and I can't blame them. I've built more than my fair share of wood cages in the past from a variety of materials and I honestly can't see having 26 heavy, awkward wooden cages. The number incidentally is the number of new cages I'm going to be making over the next few months as I transfer almost all of my animals to a uniform type of cage. Anyway, getting back to the point - I too thought of marketing a cage a few years ago, and that was when there were far fewer people in the business than there are now. All you have to do is scan the classifieds and the breeder/retailer page to see what your competition is. Unfortunately, and not to sound like a downer here, but the market is currently VERY saturated with cage manufacturers and many of them are simply copying the designs of the best of the manufacturers. The only way now to make money is I believe to make a specific kind of cage for only a very narrow range of species. For example, make an arboreal cage for Green Tree Pythons [a species growing exponentially in popularity], but then contact GTP owners and ask them what they want in a cage, and design the very best cage for that specific species. Even then I honestly think most smaller cage manufacturers probably barely break even.
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Matt Campbell
25 years herp keeping experience
Full-time zookeeper
Personal collection - 21 snakes (9 genera), 20 lizards (4 genera), 6 chelonians (2 genera)

do you have any pics of your work and can the cages hold water
also since you deliver what state and city do you live in