Enclosure Tips!

[T.O-SK8TER]

I ve been seeing a lot of threads lately asking for advice on building enclosures for there animals! Here are some of my suggestions........

A ledge on the back of your cage creates a great hidebox, it won't touch the ground so it will never get dirty and looks a hell of a lot better than a shoebox!LOL
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/468673/Dscn1214.jpg



Use vinyl flooring for the bottom of your cage, it will water proof the floor, it is easy to clean and easy to install with some vynyl and carpet glue.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/468673/Dscn1219.jpg



Rubber baseboard with some aquarium sealant (silicone cocking) allows your enclosure to hold in water and other nasty things!
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/468673/Dscn1216.jpg




A trap door on the top of an enclosure allows for safe feeding. Feeding large animals in a seperate cage may be suggested by some but it will not be my practice due to the size of my burm This trap door is a little over 1 square foot, make sure it will be large enough to fit the prey item your animal will be eating, in my case rabbits.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/468673/Dscn1220.jpg

Also don't be affraid to use too many locks! I have 7 on the front door and 3 on the feeding door! Feel free to ask any questions about building enclosures.

Thanks Adam!

[Zoe]

Awesome cage Adam! I'm inifinitely jealous :D

I don't plan on building anything in the near future, but that was still very cool to see.

Zoe

[Jeff_Favelle]

Actually, that's a pretty cool cage! The shelf can totally act as a hide "box" where a big snake could wedge itself in there and feel really secure.

Way cool.

[Tim and Julie B]

Those are some good ideas! I might "borrow" a few.

[CDN-Cresties]

Awesome enclosure and great post...im sure it will give ideas to many snake keepers.

-Steve-

[Invictus]

Great tips Adam. Many of them I had already thought of myself, except the rubber baseboards. That never occured to me, but now will be incorporated into all of my future cage designs. Good show, ol' chap!

[Edwin]

Great tips Adam, thanks for sharing.

[sapphire_moon]

you might want to give a few tips on what to use to seal the wood, how to heat it etc...etc..........beautiful cage!!! I can't wait till mine is done curing (if ever!)...

[Dani33]

Awesome! I love the rubber baseboards and vinyl flooring. I am most certainly going to use a few of your ideas!

[Amirra]

the pics didnt show in my comp.,...wish i could see them though, the tips were very helpful too.

[T.O-SK8TER]

The pics are back up!

[Yness]

wow....that is an amazing enclosure....would that sort of hiding spot work for a brb?

[T.O-SK8TER]

what is a BRB?

[JonD]

Originally posted by T.O-SK8TER
what is a BRB? Brazilian Rainbow Boa

[Derrick]

good stuff. lots of thought put into that cage

[T.O-SK8TER]

Oh a rainbow boa, I guesse it would work for one, yet it would have to be smaller, my ledge for a hide is for a burmese python so it is 8 inches tall and almost the length of my cage which is 8 feet. Making this ledge as long as the cage is good for thermoregulating!

[maiden_canada]

i cant see the pictures. box with a red x. anything i can do to see them?

[Mephisto]

I Want to see the pict. evryone say it's great but i see nothing... then it's a great nothing!!!

[T.O-SK8TER]

haha, its back up again what is going on?

[NewLineReptile]

Nice enclosure Adam, And very good tip's

Brandon

[Skink Keeper]

Nice post it helped with alotof ideas, do u get the rubber baseboards from home depot? how much? once again, great post.

[T.O-SK8TER]

Yes I got it at home depot it cost 86 cents a foot but there are others that are cheaper, the brown which i have is the most expensive!

[Skink Keeper]

Oh, thats not bad. i think i'll add them in my already built enclosures. Thanks for your help.

[T.O-SK8TER]

no problem!

[drewlowe]

if you can't see a picture then RIGHT click on the box with an X then in the dialog box choose the option Show picture...

Oh sweet cage by the way!!!

[emroul]

There is a limit to how many people can look at the pictures in one day from villagephotos.com, which is where he is posting from. ;)

Great pictures and tips by the way! That will sure help some snake keepers out there.

[T.O-SK8TER]

Originally posted by sapphire_moon
you might want to give a few tips on what to use to seal the wood, how to heat it etc...etc..........beautiful cage!!! I can't wait till mine is done curing (if ever!)...

I put on 6 layers of high gloss latex kitchen and bathroom paint to seal the interior of the enclosure, and 3 coats semi gloss latex paint for the exterior. I will be using a 150 watt ceramic heat emmitter and a 250 watt one aswell both on the same side of the cage, hooked up to a rehostate. The reason why most of the top is covered is so that the heat will stay inside the cage.