im planning on building a boa cage or two

[Reticsrule]

i really like the plastic cages that some of the companies sell but they just seem way to expensive for me. i have had many people tell me to build a cage because its way cheaper and you get what you want. so i have a few questions.

What is the best material to make it out of?(it seems like melamine)

What size would it need to be in terms of LxWxH?(i have one male BCI and possibly getting a female)

What is the best way to heat it?(i kinda like the idea of human heating pads if theyll work because theyre nice and simple)

Should the front be glass or plexigalss?

What do you think the total cost of each cage would be?

[peterm15]

build the cage around what you want...

melimine is pretty popular but plywood imo is better.. nothing rong with melimine though... for heating in my ball cage im useing heat tape and a dimmer.. human heat pads arent made to be on all the time.. and heat tape is cheaper... you could use either plexi or glass... i like glass cause it doesnt scratch as easy.. that and for me glass is free...

i built a 3 tear cage for about 75 bucks.. and thats just the price for heating and slider track and sealing... the wood was free...

heres a pic.. its only 2 cages hear but i added a third... sorry i couldnt help more

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/peterm15/Picture080.jpg

[Reticsrule]

thx for replying.

if you did make a cage out of plywood wouldnt you have to paint it or something?

and do they sell melamine and heat tape at home depot?

[Linds]

You can get melamine at Home Depot, of you want to go that route. I agree with plywood being the best choice to go with. Properly sealed with epoxy is completely waterproof (yes, you can make a pond or aquarium using it), cleans up easy, has a hard-as-nails finish, and lasts forever. Melamine is not. The surface is sensitive to scratches, it bubbles, it cannot be used to hold water, it is heavy, etc. The only nice thing about melamine is that it is VERY convenient. heat tape cannot be purchased at Home Depot, you are best off purchasing it from The Bean Farm, or another herp supply place. If you don't feel comfortable wiring it yourself, then by all means a UTH will work just fine. It sounded like you were intending on housing the female in the cage as well, if that be the case, please build a second cage. Minimum dimensions for both are 4x2x1, but this only gives room for the average sized boa with no decorations. 5x2x1 gives you a little extra if you want hides, etc., or are dealing with a larger snake. Good luck with your cages :)

[Reticsrule]

i was planning on building two cages as i dont like the idea of housing snakes together. and now i have a few more questions lol:).

ok so if i do use an UTH should i use one made specially for herps or is there some other kind i should use? and is an UTH safe to use with plywood or melamine? if i can i would prefer to heat each of the cages with an UTH instead of lights.

i was thinking maybe a 4x2x2 for the male and a 6x2x2 for the female(if i get her) do these sizes sound like a good idea. i wont have anything in the cages except for a water dish and a homemade hide box or two.

thx for the help so far:)

[Linds]

Reptile undertank heaters are basically just premanifactured heat tape, and both work effectively on heating both melamine and plywood enclosures. Your cages sizes sound fine :)

[Reticsrule]

well i now know everything i need to(i think lol) except the cost. i am hoping for this to turn out a little cheaper than if i bought a cage from some company. so could you give me the appx. price of each cage if i built them from plywood and if i built them from melamine(even though ill probably go with the plywood because it does sound like it would work better).

thx

[greenman1867]

I built mine out of Melamine (4x2x1) for around $70.00 but I already had the Lexan (plexi-Glass) for the front. I also used peg board for the back. It works well for ventilation.

If I were doing it again I would use plywood and Melamine primer and paint (home depot). That way I could use the paint on several projects for less $$$ in the long run. Also you can do 3-4 coats to get a better surface than buying actual melamine.

[Reticsrule]

if i do use plywood i have to paint it right? and how do i vent it?(sorry i forgot to ask)

and will this turn out to be cheaper than buying a plastic cage from one of the cage companies?

[peterm15]

definatly cheaper.. you could pob build both cages for around 200 bucks... depending on ply wood you use..

2 sheets should do it- 100 bucks( i think )

2 sliders track 20 bucks

4 plastic heating wents maybe more - 30 bucks

glass - 40 bucks

micl. - 20

[Reticsrule]

well thanks for the help everyone and ill start looking around for the materials and checking out the costs. even if i dont get the female im still gonna need a bigger cage for my male very soon.

thx again for the help