Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently built this cage from materials that you can buy at Lowes except for the wire screen under the light. The screen came from Publix and is made for a grill to keep small items from falling through. The cage is made from 2 large pans that are made to mix concrete in. The light box and front trim are made from wood and the front is a sheet of clear polycarbonate.
All total about $25.00 and is comparable to much more expensive cages you can buy.

Gotta hand it to you, great idea.

I've used those tubs but made a plywood top. But I like your design (a pain to pull off a big plywood top every time on mine.) Love the light box.

How did you secure the door frame to the tubs? Silicon and screws?
-----
Mark

Thanks! I just screwed the front frame from inside the box. The screws go through the plastic and into the wood. The screw heads are flat and sink into the plastic so they do not stick out. The screws are about 3" apart. The wood front is about 2" thick so that the sliding glass clears the flanges around the tub. This was made from the smaller of 2 tubs Lowes carries. The larger tub would make a huge cage.

>>Thanks! I just screwed the front frame from inside the box. The screws go through the plastic and into the wood. The screw heads are flat and sink into the plastic so they do not stick out. The screws are about 3" apart. The wood front is about 2" thick so that the sliding glass clears the flanges around the tub. This was made from the smaller of 2 tubs Lowes carries. The larger tub would make a huge cage.
-----
Mark

Just no time to get creative, but I wanted to use a CHE in this nice tub I already had, and I needed it asap. I had to use two straps to secure the lid. There is a small boa constrictor in there, but he was able to push out with one strap only.

Maintains ideal temps in there. Simplicity is just the best. A pain to unstrap every time I need access, but fine for temporary and quarantine housing.

-----
Mark

>>Just no time to get creative, but I wanted to use a CHE in this nice tub I already had, and I needed it asap. I had to use two straps to secure the lid. There is a small boa constrictor in there, but he was able to push out with one strap only.
>>
>>Maintains ideal temps in there. Simplicity is just the best. A pain to unstrap every time I need access, but fine for temporary and quarantine housing.
>>
>>
>>-----
>>Mark

Got a picture of that cage with the wood top

No, sorry. My brother has those I think.

One was a frame of 1x2 pine covered by plywood. The other was 1x2 pine frame covered with pegboard. Both had cutouts and screen for a dome lamp. Actually a good setup, but when you have a flighty colubrid in there, getting the lid back on when the snake is trying to get out proved trying at times.
-----
Mark

Hey mark I use a similar setup for temp cages for snakes. Except I use heat mat so I can stack and instead of straps I drill holes between the rim and lid and put bolts and wing nuts to keep shut easier to open and close, stackable and secure I have had a 5 foot boa temp in it.
-----
Tom
0.0.1 California King Snake (booboo)
0.2.1 Sulcata Tortoise (tank, sahara and skittles)
0.0.2 Russian Tortoise (tito and lulu)
0.0.4 Red Ear Sliders (moe, uncle sam, bernie and ernie)
0.0.1 Western Soft shell (Squirt)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragon (marshmellow and Sparkles )
0.0.1 Sumatran Water Monitor (Tiny)
1.0.0 Peachfront Conure (kermit)
0.1.0 Love Bird ( KIKI )
1.2.0 Dog (layla, Roxy and Rosco)
2.2.0 Crazy Cats (babe, sabastian, tinkerbell and sadie)
0.1.0 Lion Head Rabbit (daisy)
0.0.1 Spectacled caiman (wilbert)
0.0.1 Aligator Snapping turtle
0.0.1 Mexican Red Knee Tarantula
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon
0.0.1 Argentina Black and White Tegu
2.1.0 Columbian Red Tail Boas
1.2.0 Kenya Sand Boas
0.1.0 Green Iguana
1.0.0 Ball Python
1.0.0 Western Hognose Snake
1.0.0 Chocolate Skunk

I like the ingenuity. Very nice and affordable. Nothing beats a clear front so you can enjoy seeing your animals.

what did you use to cut the boxes and are those 2 x 4 you frames the glass in with? and how do you enter the cage?
-----
www.myspace.com/apabana