Lefitte
06-24-16, 05:55 AM
I decided that having a shelf in the cage was a pretty neat idea that my kingsnake might enjoy but she already has her cage and I didn't chose that option. So, of course I figured out a way to add one!
I didn't have to worry about humidity in her cage so I went with a basic shelf I found at Home Depot. This style happens to be a floating design so there are no exposed brackets. This works for her since she's a slim-bodied snake and won't get very heavy. Her cage is 36x24 so I ended up with a 24" by I think it was 7" shelf.
I ended up putting it mostly towards one side which was accidental [planned to make it flush with the side] but worked out nice anyway. The shelf was $16 and came with screws but I decided to go with bolts, nuts, and washers instead since I knew it would be hanging out in the back of the cage and this and tax brought the total around $20.
I had to bring the cage off the shelving unit to the floor to work on it and opened up the top for easy access. After deciding where to place it, we made sure it was level and marked the holes. I didn't have the right sized drill bit so I ended up using one that was slightly too large for the bolts but it worked out just fine. After some hard work and a mistake that made the work even harder, we got the bracket mounted.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13533307_10209949343275295_8235957379026290783_n.j pg?oh=758c5058a1942a81554d9641f135a2c5&oe=5805F815
After that it was real easy. Slip the shelf on to the prongs and hold it in place with two small screws. We ended up making the shelf upside down because we didn't have a screw driver small enough to do the two screws from below like you're supposed to. They're smooth and won't cause the snake any problems. The finished product was pretty nice!
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13507095_10209949343475300_1206286818032551983_n.j pg?oh=e4a9805bd9f8cc5a4022501ec7c94101&oe=57C3FA53
Here, you can see the screws I mentioned. One gave me trouble and is sticking out the slightest bit but it's smooth.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13507224_10209949343835309_2462389825732404719_n.j pg?oh=96c3344f859d7cb297b9ff5564f221ab&oe=57C1F5FB
Here's what the back looks like. It stills nearly against a wall so it doesn't matter much to me what it looks like but it still doesn't look bad.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13537809_10209949344395323_8676186785864001646_n.j pg?oh=2e8722944bd8afcfc3e2c351b0a27fd2&oe=57EFF290
Finished product!
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13537717_10209949344635329_3200837469785421287_n.j pg?oh=aed5b23904f5c8a59cb8e6507dbf1d7e&oe=57C1B74C
Pics from each side with Eir now in her remodeled home.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13533055_10209949344915336_1392053226585345755_n.j pg?oh=557913879857ee96ee009de80484c889&oe=57C3CA49
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13501955_10209949345115341_3266365619307531676_n.j pg?oh=e42b47b25702da731c07759d48fd561d&oe=5805757D
And within ten minutes she was already using the new shelf!
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13508864_10209949345475350_4172955392535599591_n.j pg?oh=ee7c0842f5d70752b0d6a26f35be4737&oe=57F9249C
This is great for people who didn't choose the shelf option when they purchased and I could have done it for less money. I was thinking of adding a glass shelf to my BRB's AP cage when I get it, however after this I think it might be wiser just to pay the $30 for them to do it instead since it will cost about that much to do it myself and then I have to worry about mold or rust. That's one summer project down!
I didn't have to worry about humidity in her cage so I went with a basic shelf I found at Home Depot. This style happens to be a floating design so there are no exposed brackets. This works for her since she's a slim-bodied snake and won't get very heavy. Her cage is 36x24 so I ended up with a 24" by I think it was 7" shelf.
I ended up putting it mostly towards one side which was accidental [planned to make it flush with the side] but worked out nice anyway. The shelf was $16 and came with screws but I decided to go with bolts, nuts, and washers instead since I knew it would be hanging out in the back of the cage and this and tax brought the total around $20.
I had to bring the cage off the shelving unit to the floor to work on it and opened up the top for easy access. After deciding where to place it, we made sure it was level and marked the holes. I didn't have the right sized drill bit so I ended up using one that was slightly too large for the bolts but it worked out just fine. After some hard work and a mistake that made the work even harder, we got the bracket mounted.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13533307_10209949343275295_8235957379026290783_n.j pg?oh=758c5058a1942a81554d9641f135a2c5&oe=5805F815
After that it was real easy. Slip the shelf on to the prongs and hold it in place with two small screws. We ended up making the shelf upside down because we didn't have a screw driver small enough to do the two screws from below like you're supposed to. They're smooth and won't cause the snake any problems. The finished product was pretty nice!
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13507095_10209949343475300_1206286818032551983_n.j pg?oh=e4a9805bd9f8cc5a4022501ec7c94101&oe=57C3FA53
Here, you can see the screws I mentioned. One gave me trouble and is sticking out the slightest bit but it's smooth.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13507224_10209949343835309_2462389825732404719_n.j pg?oh=96c3344f859d7cb297b9ff5564f221ab&oe=57C1F5FB
Here's what the back looks like. It stills nearly against a wall so it doesn't matter much to me what it looks like but it still doesn't look bad.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13537809_10209949344395323_8676186785864001646_n.j pg?oh=2e8722944bd8afcfc3e2c351b0a27fd2&oe=57EFF290
Finished product!
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13537717_10209949344635329_3200837469785421287_n.j pg?oh=aed5b23904f5c8a59cb8e6507dbf1d7e&oe=57C1B74C
Pics from each side with Eir now in her remodeled home.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13533055_10209949344915336_1392053226585345755_n.j pg?oh=557913879857ee96ee009de80484c889&oe=57C3CA49
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13501955_10209949345115341_3266365619307531676_n.j pg?oh=e42b47b25702da731c07759d48fd561d&oe=5805757D
And within ten minutes she was already using the new shelf!
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13508864_10209949345475350_4172955392535599591_n.j pg?oh=ee7c0842f5d70752b0d6a26f35be4737&oe=57F9249C
This is great for people who didn't choose the shelf option when they purchased and I could have done it for less money. I was thinking of adding a glass shelf to my BRB's AP cage when I get it, however after this I think it might be wiser just to pay the $30 for them to do it instead since it will cost about that much to do it myself and then I have to worry about mold or rust. That's one summer project down!