Rubbermaid anyone???!!!!!Please help

[lordkovacs]

Does anyone that uses rubbermaids to keep snakes in have advice for me? My corn is about 23". What dimensions would be suitable? How many air holes would be appropriate? Thanks...
Mike

[Kurzix]

get the show box size, and use a soldering iron to poke holes every few inches around the outside perimitor

[Cas]

I keep my corns in rubbermaids (and rubbermaid type GSC boxes, which I actually prefer... don't have to modify the lids). Can't remember off hand, but I think my rubbermaid boxes are model # 2223 (don't feel like treking all the way downstairs to check at the moment ;) ). I think they're 8 inches tall, and 16" x 23" deep and wide.
Here's a pic (rubbermaid on the bottom, 2 GSC's on the top)... modified with doors for easier access.
<img width="384" height="512" src="http://image.photoloft.com/opx-bin/OpxFIDISA.dll?s=cano&src=/PhotoLoft/Asset19/2002/06/10/9593/9593016_0_8561.fpx,0,0,1,1,384,512,FFFFFF">
The GSC boxes are model #211510 Clear, and are great if you can find them... the lids fold together and only need to be held closed at two points.

Oh, for air holes, I've got about 30 holes drilled around the sides of the GSC boxes (the rubbermaids have holes in the lids... rather inconvienient for stacking though).

Dawn

[Jeff_Favelle]

Use the 11.4L Rubbermaid. If that look to be too small, use the 42L ubbermaid, which could probably house an adult corn its whole life.

[Syst3m]

hey cas where did you pick up those windows and how did you install them
???

[Cas]

The doors are just plexiglass or glass pieces. Basically it's just a hole cut into the container, and then a wood frame made for the hole with a groove so the doors can slide. I've got a gallery of pics of the rubbermaid at <a href="http://hyperphoto.photoloft.com/view/Album.asp?s=cano&u=1707858&a=1268730">http://hyperphoto.photoloft.com/view/Album.asp?s=cano&u=1707858&a=1268730</a>. The GSC boxes are alot easier... the frame is just square for them (because it doesn't have to be angled to the same curves as the rubbermaids). I used to have a very basic step-by-step kicking around for the rubbermaid alterations, but no idea where it's at at the moment.

Dawn

[Syst3m]

Did you have to make the frames from scratch or did you buy them somewhere?

[Cas]

They're from scratch (convienient having a parent with a shop at times). Making the frames for the GSC boxes isn't difficult if you're at all handy with tools. I've considered making and sellling some of the frames if enough people were interested, but only for the GSC's... and that would depend on people being able to find the GSC boxes and being able to cut the hole in the box themselves.

(GSC does have a website, btw... http://www.gsctechnology.com/GSCframes.html but they don't sell direct. May be able to tell people who carries them though).

Dawn

[Syst3m]

Sorry again Cas if I am being a Pain in the rear, I really like that design and I think I'm going to make some in the next couple days or at least try and make some in the next couple days. I see the pics of how you screwed them into the rubber maid, did you use the same technique for the gsc boxes except made a full windows frame? And I am guess you put a grove in the top portion of the windows frame. I think I can make one like you have utilizing some of the tools I have at home and a good jig. Easy enough to make a template out of the scrap rubber maid box. how did you cut the holes in the boxes? rotary tool? Melting? Cutting? Again they look awesome.

[Cas]

No worrries, glad you like them enough to want to make some :)

And yeah, same basic idea. The 2 in the pic actually have the frames glued on, but same difference (I have 2 GSCs with my 2 new snakes that have the frames screwed on just like the rubbermaid). The top is grooved, and the groove for the top is deeper - allows the doors to be lifted out when needed. I personally like glass for the doors... I'm overly paranoid about escapes, and don't like the flex in thin plastic. The doors of the rubbermaid are plexi, and I added a bolt with a wingnut on it to the center to keep them from flexing (actually, this would be an alternate way of holding the doors closed as well... makes other fasteners redundant)

Actually, it was done with a table saw (with a fine blade). A jig saw should work fine to. Heck, anything that you can get a decently straight hole with really ;)

One important thing, is think ahead how you're going to keep the doors closed! Shaping fasteners out of plastic or wood works great if the knobs are grooved like the ones on my rubbermaid version. My GSCs have woodedn knobs (chunks of dowel) with a groove cut in them, but haven't gotten around to making fasteners yet... they're currently held closed with pipe cleaners :p Really the biggest expense is the plastic or glass for the doors. Plexi isn't to cheap... but neither is glass when you need to get holes drilled for the knobs.

Dawn (Cas)

[Syst3m]

Not Bad Really, As far as making the top groove bigger then the botton grove, aren't you worried your snake will find some way to do open that? And drilling a hole in glass is a pain from what I hear too, have you thought about using adhesives? I'm sure there is something out there that can bond a it to glass.

Speaking of wich I need to find a plentiful supply of that glue so I can use some sort of steel fasteners. Or use thicker acrylic for the doors. thanks for all the great ideas. this should be fun.

[Cas]

Actually no... I think it would take too coordinated an effort for my snakes to do it accidently... have to push up and out in the middle of the door (on one side it wouldn't clear the groove all the way and just fall back into place) hard enough to actually move the glass... and it would have to be on the outside door, the inside one is blocked by the outside one. Maybe possible... but odds are low enough that I'm not overly concerned. More secure than many an aquarium screen lid I've seen, anyway ;)

I did have the wood knobs glued onto the glass (can't remember the kind of glue, but it's something my dad used to glue the rearview mirror back to the windshield of his car), but the glue let go... I think from the force of having pipecleaners tightly wound and unwound repeatedly. Fasteners being opened and closed all the time would probably cause it to do the same. There's probably a better type of glue out there for this particular use though. And if you were just using the knobs for opening and closing and not for security, it wouldn't be a problem anyway. There's all sorts of ways to keep the doors secured. I've got my yearling black pine in one of these for the time being, and have little sticks going between the frame and the glass on both doors for a little added security (the same way people will put a broom handle or whatever in their sliding patio doors). because she's so strong and active. A small one of those mettal locks you see on display cases in stores would probably work great too... if you don't mind having to unlock your cages every time. My dad actually had the idea of pieces of wood or plastic that go between the two knobs... which would work great, but reduce the visibility a little. So many choices... :)

Dawn

[Cas]

Oh, and you can usually get holes drilled at whatever place you buy your glass from... just a bit pricy.

[Syst3m]

I found some nice Rubbermain containers at my local 24 hour grocery/everything store. the sides are completly flat wich should make building a window to put in it fairly simple, I've got some ideas that should make it pretty painless.

Although my dimensions might be a little larger. The container I was looking at was about 2 feet tall. not quite bit close. When I finish it I will post some pics. I'm thinking about using aluminum U channel for the window groove probably about 1/2 wide so I can drill through it and use wood as the actual fastening point. And just a solid peice of glass that I remove when I want to access the cage, It will be easier to secure I think. Only time will tell.

Thanks for the great ideas.

[Cas]

Sounds interesting... I'll definitely like seeing those pics.

Oh, and another thought on security/fastening the doors closed... with fasteners like I have on my rubbermaid, when the doors are shut they can't be lifted out... the fasteners have to be opened first (the pipe cleaners on my GSCs aren't nearly as helpful of course... really need to finish those *lol*)

Dawn

[Syst3m]

woot. Good nes is kurzix found a place that I can buy glass track for my snake cage so now more plans are under way to make more cages from different material.

To Much excitement for one week.