Rubber-Maid Enclosure

[reptilez]

I was just wondering if any1 had any pics they could show me of there Rubbermaid Enclosures. I want to make one but i'm just not sure how you give them light and heat.

[alex_33]

I dont have any pics, but what i did is, i got a clearor opaque rubbermaid container, cut a large hole in the top, covered the hoel with a screen and placed a lamp on top, pretty simple

[Lisa]

we're not lighting our rubbermaids but for heat we have the under tank heat pads with the paper still on the sticky. for air holes we took a cheap soldering gun (this will ruin the soldering gun) and melted holes in the plastic.

[Edwin]

I dont have pics of my rubbermaids, but they generally look like this:

http://www.chondroweb.com/fineGTPs/cagingbabies.htm

The only difference is that I cut enough off the top for a fluorescent light, and I use a heat pad underneath for heat.

[reptilez]

Edwin:
Wouldnt that get really hot, since its so small??

[Edwin]

I use human heat pads set on the lowest setting, covering about 1/3rd of the rubbermaid. Temps are 86-88 on the high side, and about 78 on the cool side.

You can adjust the temps by the amount of heat pad that is placed under the rubbermaid.

If you use a heat lamp on top, then you can still manipulate temps by using a dimmer/thermostat, changing the wattage of the light bulb, or changing the distance of the heat lamp from the rubbermaid.

I personally find rubbermaids, while not aesthetically pleasing, the superior choice for housing reptiles. Now I just need to convince my friends and family that my home is not the condo recycling room.

Hope this helps!

[norman]

Just a suggestion for someone who needs light....i have not tried this but i had some rope light laying around (not sure what its actual purpose is) and it could be easily put into a cage/rubbermaid. I think i saw it done a while back on this site too...I cant remember who did it though.
Anyways..im thinking about putting it in soon, once i build some actuall cages for my brazilians.

[reptilez]

Thanx for your help guys and gals:D

[Lisa]

Originally posted by norman
Just a suggestion for someone who needs light....i have not tried this but i had some rope light laying around (not sure what its actual purpose is) and it could be easily put into a cage/rubbermaid. I think i saw it done a while back on this site too...I cant remember who did it though.
Anyways..im thinking about putting it in soon, once i build some actuall cages for my brazilians.


I've considered the rope light for heat/light as well, all the rope lights i've seen are meant sort of as a decorative use. but i suppose in a small enclosure they might be useful.

[reptilez]

What is rope light??

[Lisa]

Originally posted by reptilez
What is rope light??

well well the ones i've seen are like a flexible plastic tube with little lights (the size of a christmas tree light) in it. They sell them @ walmart and canadian tire.

[Edwin]

Here is a picture of rope light:

http://www.presentsdirect.com/imageLibrary/jpeg230/1971.jpg

It is normally used because of its flexibility (e.g. in racks). I have never used it myself, and am not sure if it will significantly increase temps.

[damzookeeper]

I used to use heat pads on my rubbermaids but now I will be using heat rope. I haven't got to start on my cages yet. :( Waiting for hubby to help with the groves for the rope. The pannels are over 6 feet long and I'm not quite 5 so they will be hard to work with alone. lol. Anywa, point being, I will be using heat rope for my next rack system. I will try to take pictures as we build so I can post them. ;)

[cyberfrog]

I use the FineGTP design as well