View Full Version : Impressions of my new AP cages
Well, after YEARS of struggling to find the "right" cages..(trust me, in the 70's and 80's, you knew the struggle of the aquarium or converted bookcase enclosure)...I took the plunge and for my birthday ordered some Animal Plastics cages. I got 9 total, 5 of the Carpet Cages and 4 of the T-3 cages.
My impression thus far: the material is really nice, strong, but very lightweight. The fit/machining of the material is outstanding. Every single screw hole lined up...freakishly well. The assembly was a breeze. I put 9 cages together in about 4 hours. I got the recessed LED lighting, which is an exceptionally nice feature. The acrylic sliding doors are thick and sturdy (more about that later)...I do wish they would route a place for the heat tape rather than just aluminum taping to the bottom of the enclosure though.
The customer service was good. I had great communication w Ali at AP, and she walked me through the whole process, even when I made a couple of changes in my order. The time to ship was a little rough (mostly because I really just wanted my cages!)...The 8 weeks turned into a little longer, but in the end, the order was completed and arrived via freight completely intact.
Here are a couple of pics so far. The cages are sparse, I haven't completely furnished them yet. There is a nice gradient (based of IR temp gun) achieved just with the heat tape. Unclear if I'll add RHP or not.
You can see the shims I've used in the sliding doors...That is one weakness I can really have concern about. The doors do not seem secure. With the way the relics rub, I can see them nudging open the door and escaping. I tried the trophy case locks, but the center piece prevents it from working well. The shims are effective and cheap! :)
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh572/mtucker66/thumb_IMG_3732_1024_zpsfwxrabxh.jpg (http://s1252.photobucket.com/user/mtucker66/media/thumb_IMG_3732_1024_zpsfwxrabxh.jpg.html)
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh572/mtucker66/thumb_IMG_3731_1024_zpsbiaylq1d.jpg (http://s1252.photobucket.com/user/mtucker66/media/thumb_IMG_3731_1024_zpsbiaylq1d.jpg.html)
EL Ziggy
06-09-15, 10:34 AM
Very nice MDT. I like the new enclosures. What are the dimensions on the carpet cages? Will those be used for adults? I'm adding a carpet soon that I'll probably start in a tub but move to a larger enclosure in a year or so. I'm also ordering a T-10 for my bull snake. Her 40g tank is getting a little snug.
Wingbeats
06-09-15, 12:18 PM
Thanks for the pics and the review! I am planning on getting an Animal Plastics T5 cage for my rainbow boa when she outgrows the Ziplock weathertight tub she is in now. It looks like these ought to hold humidity pretty darn well.
Interesting note on the doors - I'll probably spend the bit of extra to add the lock.
@El-Ziggy...the dimensions are 36"x24"x18"....it gives a lot of crawl space.
@Wingbeats...I hope you can find a display lock that works. That centerpiece prohibited the secure attachment of the standard trophy case lock. I bought $60 worth of them at Lowes and had to take them all back 😕...
As far as humidity goes, I'm just experimenting with that now. There is plenty of ventilation and I'm thinking I'll need to block off some if the humidity becomes an issue.
Wingbeats
06-09-15, 12:36 PM
@MDT - huh, good to know! I may go for the swing doors - those look like they come with a lock.
And let me know how the humidity goes! Humidity is super important for BRBs, so that's a concern of mine. Of course, I could always block ventilation.
Albert Clark
06-09-15, 03:24 PM
Wow! Impressions are that its impressive. Great choice, and I love the recessed lighting. I thought I was in a store showroom for reptiles. Really nice. Cleaning looks like it will be easy also.
jossh27
06-10-15, 10:11 AM
Does it not bother you that you have to shim the doors?
I feel that if you are buying a product for the amount of money that one costs that it shouldn't need a piece ofwpod jammed in it to stay secure. Does AP sell them with locks built in also?
Aside from that i think they look great and the lighting is superb
jossh, good question...i think that with the swinging doors and drop down, they have locks built in. and really, this is mostly for my peace of mind. i doubt that they could "open" the sliding doors, but again, the way retics push sometimes, and in the event i was careless and didn't slide shut completely, this lets me sleep better at night.
Mikoh4792
06-10-15, 01:17 PM
Looking good! Really liking the white color. Have you tried the locks that ap puts on their sliding glass doors? I have them installed on my cage doors and they seem to hold up well.
SnoopySnake
06-10-15, 02:23 PM
They look great! How thick are those pieces of wood?
Looking good! Really liking the white color. Have you tried the locks that ap puts on their sliding glass doors? I have them installed on my cage doors and they seem to hold up well.
Geez...I just looked those up on their website after I read your comment. Those look great! I may message them and pick some up. Aesthetically, much better!!!
Thanks for the heads up :D
They are just standard shims that you get at Lowes or Home Depot. About 1/4" at its thickest
sharthun
06-10-15, 09:09 PM
Great choice! I wished I would have ordered mine with the recessed lighting option.And the white looks very clean and cool.
psychocircus
06-10-15, 09:36 PM
one of my boas really pushes, and the doors have not budged in the slightest. (although she is probably only a little under six feet right now.)
The swing doors have several little latches that you put over them, so it is even less of an issue.
Love my ap cages..
Ouroboros
06-16-15, 11:54 PM
Love mine too! I can't seem to find anywhere on their sight about recessed LED lights. I would've definitely gotten those, as right now I'm actually in the hunt for a decent LED fixture.
And I'll second the locks! I have a VERY strong BP that loves to push up against the glass when he gets hungry, and the locks and glass have held up extremely well.
The wait was definitely the hardest part, but you're right about Ali. She nailed customer service for sure. I plan on getting a third T3 to stack atop my first top, but with the divider, half for my sand boa and half for another smaller species (thinking hognose or rubber boa).
Mikoh4792
06-17-15, 12:14 AM
Love mine too! I can't seem to find anywhere on their sight about recessed LED lights. I would've definitely gotten those, as right now I'm actually in the hunt for a decent LED fixture.
They need to update their website. If you want LED's with your cage you'll need to call or e-mail ali and she can put those on your order. Really liking the LED's.. low wattage and barely any heat output.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/DSCF0578_zpsjsbtjwta.jpg
bigsnakegirl785
06-17-15, 12:23 AM
How much do the LED lights cost to have them installed when buying? They look really nice!
Mikoh4792
06-17-15, 12:33 AM
How much do the LED lights cost to have them installed when buying? They look really nice!
Depends on the size, but for the 4 foot cages they are $40 each.
if you're thinking about adding lights, Mikoh is right...you do need to call. Website is pretty out of date. I would say, that really really consider spending the $$ for the lights. It's gonna be harder to go back and retrofit lights. I looked at both the LED and the fluorescent option. The LEDs seemed the best option.
Ouroboros
06-17-15, 12:32 PM
So there's probably no way to add the LEDs to my current T3s? That makes me sad =(
Mikoh4792
06-17-15, 12:50 PM
So there's probably no way to add the LEDs to my current T3s? That makes me sad =(
Sure there is. You just attach the leds on the ceiling, drill a hole through one of the walls, slip the cord through, and plug it into an outlet!
You can get adhesive backed LED strips at Lowe's or Home Depot. The only hole to drill would be for the cord.
On another note, I just got my locks in and installed. No more wood shims!!
Danimal
06-17-15, 02:07 PM
If you are a DIY'er Lowes and amazon similar lights. 40 bucks for that kind of light isn't outrageous.
reptiledude987
06-17-15, 02:25 PM
I got a 32' roll of led light strip from my local army surpluss for $20 and can use it to light multiple enclosures as I dont mind the DIY factor.
Mikoh4792
06-17-15, 02:27 PM
You can get adhesive backed LED strips at Lowe's or Home Depot. The only hole to drill would be for the cord.
On another note, I just got my locks in and installed. No more wood shims!!
That was quick. How do you like them?
I really like them. Easy to install. I'm confident that even this butt hole won't be able to push his way out!! :D
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh572/mtucker66/IMG_0069_zpszs7c4cqt.jpg (http://s1252.photobucket.com/user/mtucker66/media/IMG_0069_zpszs7c4cqt.jpg.html)
bigsnakegirl785
06-18-15, 12:37 PM
Hmmm...if their site hasn't been updated, has the sale on 3'x2's ended? The ones that were on sale for $175.
Mikoh4792
06-18-15, 12:39 PM
Hmmm...if their site hasn't been updated, has the sale on 3'x2's ended? The ones that were on sale for $175.
They should still apply. I recently ordered a stack of 4 footers and the price ended up being the sale price.
bigsnakegirl785
06-18-15, 12:49 PM
They should still apply. I recently ordered a stack of 4 footers and the price ended up being the sale price.
Ok cool. I plan on calling them for other things, so I'll just double-check with them then. If it is still $175, I should be able to get the two PVC enclosures I plan on getting within a month of each other, and hopefully then they could ship them together. I just want to order each one as I get the money if I don't need it for other, more important things, so I don't end up buying like $80 worth of movies again or something. haha
Here is the (hopefully) finished product. Cage liners from cageliners.net , the factory locks from Animal Plastics..cypress mulch, etc, etc...everyone settled in an happy!
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh572/mtucker66/IMG_0076_zpsqtuu7jcs.jpg (http://s1252.photobucket.com/user/mtucker66/media/IMG_0076_zpsqtuu7jcs.jpg.html)
psychocircus
06-21-15, 04:38 PM
did you have to get new glass doors to install the locks?
Nope...the plexi was pre-drilled w the holes.
psychocircus
06-21-15, 04:50 PM
ah gotcha, i ordered glass doors, which do not have pre-drilled holes.
EL Ziggy
07-17-15, 10:37 PM
I'm going to order a couple of the T-8's from AP. Any significant advantages or disadvantages between the sliding glass vs. the sliding acrylic doors? The sliding glass door enclosures ship a lot sooner. I just wonder if the glass is pretty strong.
Mikoh4792
07-18-15, 06:26 AM
ah gotcha, i ordered glass doors, which do not have pre-drilled holes.
You can ask AP to ship the doors assembled with the locks.
I'm going to order a couple of the T-8's from AP. Any significant advantages or disadvantages between the sliding glass vs. the sliding acrylic doors? The sliding glass door enclosures ship a lot sooner. I just wonder if the glass is pretty strong.
The glass doors are relatively strong, being that they are 1/4" thick. Though I would expect them to shatter if dropped from shoulder height.
Zig....i was a little leery of the acrylic doors when i ordered them, however....i gotta say, i have been very pleased with them. they are very sturdy, easy to care for, and as Mikoh suggested, no worries of breakage. i'm glad i went w acrylic.
EL Ziggy
07-18-15, 11:16 AM
The glass doors are relatively strong, being that they are 1/4" thick. Though I would expect them to shatter if dropped from shoulder height.[/QUOTE]
Zig....i was a little leery of the acrylic doors when i ordered them, however....i gotta say, i have been very pleased with them. they are very sturdy, easy to care for, and as Mikoh suggested, no worries of breakage. i'm glad i went w acrylic.
Thanks guys. I was concerned about the glass getting broken too even though it shouldn't happen. I haven't broken any of my glass tanks so far :). Ali said the acrylic could bend with high temps and humidity but that shouldn't be an issue either. The biggest difference is the 10 week shipping time for acrylic doors vs. 3 weeks for glass. What to do, what to do?
Ali said the acrylic could bend with high temps and humidity but that shouldn't be an issue either.
True, that was my thinking....my temps or humidity is not nearly high enough to cause warpage in acrylic that thick. Now, the time thing...that is legit. My order did take longer than originally stated...but, worth waiting for.
Lefitte
08-22-15, 04:29 AM
I bought a T3 earlier this year for my king and I love it. I went with the swinging doors and locks though. I rarely lock them, the tabs hold surprisingly well. Mine actually took 12 weeks due to some quality issues they said. I can echo everything about Ali, she was great! I'll be getting another of these in a couple years for my brb's adult cage (T10). I had to add more ventilation holes for my king to help with giving more of a temperature gradient (my house doesn't go below 78 often during summer) and to lower humidity. Her tank would stay in the high 60s with a small water dish, aspen chips, and dry climate. You shouldn't have any issues holding in humidity with the right substrate. I do plan on getting some cheap LED lights to add to her cage, it's pretty dark inside so finding all her tiny poo can be difficult and searching for poo via flashlight is ridiculous.
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