The Guru Retic Cage

[The Snake Guru]

LOL, become sort of a friendly joke, lately.....but hey at anyrate here's my
12ftx6ftx6ft Tiger Retic Cage, Lexon Doors, 4ftx2ft heat Mat, Infareds with Rheostats, Digital Thermometers, Hard plumed PVC Spray bar (for making rain LOL) the Logs are any where from 8 to 10 inches thick, solid black walnut limps, stripped and treated by myself, plants are all high quality replicas.

Enjoy!
~B~

About half finished:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r157/thesnakeguru/step9.jpg

Done:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r157/thesnakeguru/step11.jpg

Occupant: Kiana 14 ft Tiger Retic
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r157/thesnakeguru/Kiana3a.jpg

[Aaron_S]

I saw the pic on your site. Very nicely done. I'm jealous. How does the retic enjoy the height space?

[The Snake Guru]

Thanks man! She seems to enjoy it....I know I do, it's really neat to be able to actually walk into thier world (so to speak) kind of gives a whole new perspective of them, there are times where I just sit across the top of the logs and watch her it is pretty fun.

~B~

[chuck911jeep]

Real nice!
Did her temperament and behavior changed since you put her in this huge cage?
Thank's

[The Snake Guru]

Thank you.

Nope she's always been fairly mild mannered, all be it pushy....she really likes to test you some days and really likes to get up in your face but she's been like ever since she was hatchling.

~B~

[ffollett]

How come I have never seen the first pic posted on any of the sites?
or am i just getting old and don't remember it?

[Aaron_S]

So you must tell us your secret, how do you get such a massive enclosure and keep the wife happy? :P

Have you got the snake hooked trained for when you go in? Also, is it difficult to clean at all? If I ask too many questions just let me know to shut up.

[ohh_kristina]

Wow. I'm impressed.


And jealous!!

[The Snake Guru]

How come I have never seen the first pic posted on any of the sites?
or am i just getting old and don't remember it?

LOL, you must just not be remembering it, I've pretty much got it up even on your site! LOL

So you must tell us your secret, how do you get such a massive enclosure and keep the wife happy? :P

Have you got the snake hooked trained for when you go in? Also, is it difficult to clean at all? If I ask too many questions just let me know to shut up.

You'll laugh when you hear this, my wife has a 4 year degree in zoology so it's a match made in heaven! That and when we bought our house we bought it with my somewhat obessive tendancies in mind. Meaning that it used to be a duplex and I took over the entire 2nd floor for snakes about 1,200 sq.feet worth. LOL

All my snakes are hook trained starting the day I get them.

Cleaning is a little more envolved than smaller cages, basically I've got a big grain shovel and 55 gal drum, I scoop out the Aspen, and use my pump style weed sprayer with disinfectant to wash the floors and walls, then put the new stuff down, takes me about an hour to do a total tear down and clean.

Nope ask away man, happy to answer any questions.

Thanks much and glad everyone is enjoying the pics!
~B~

[Aaron_S]

hahah sweet match then! My girlfriend is pretty easy about the animals thus far. She likes them all too just not in the same way I think. Although we have yet to get a herp, we've just talked about it.

I sold mine before I went to college so I've only got the tarantula to move around with me. She's got the hedgehog (that dislikes me) and rat.

[The Snake Guru]

hahah sweet match then! My girlfriend is pretty easy about the animals thus far. She likes them all too just not in the same way I think. Although we have yet to get a herp, we've just talked about it.

I sold mine before I went to college so I've only got the tarantula to move around with me. She's got the hedgehog (that dislikes me) and rat.

Hedgehogs hate everything! LOL I never had one that was as easy going as what I was "told" they are. LOL

Definitely best to keep the collection small until you find a semi-permanent place to live, I know when we moved into our house it took me 2 days just to move the reptiles! LOL I can't even imagine how long it would take me now!

~B~

[Aaron_S]

Hers doesn't seem to like men's voices too much. It likes women though. It was raised with a guy who has a bagillion animals so I guess he was sort of neglected of socializing.

Small? A tarantula isn't even a collection! lol

[The Snake Guru]

Prickley little buggers anyway....I hate it when they do that "head butt" thing what a pain! LOL

Ehhhh everyone does what they can, hell there was a time when I only had one snake.....granted it was a Looooooooooooooong time ago, but there was a time I swear. LOL

~B~

[Aaron_S]

Yah that's how it starts. Just one. Then it's a mate. Then it's another snake you want and another. You can't forget mates for those buggers either. Snowballs lol

[The Snake Guru]

LOL ain't that the truth.

~B~

[gonesnakee]

Nice to see aproper size enclosure provided & done well. Looks great! Mark

[The Snake Guru]

Thank you much! I always go as big as humanly possible on all my enclosures...may be my downfall someday, but as long as they have the space they need that's all that matters to me!

~B~

[ffollett]

Lori lives in fear that I may have you and Sam come help me build cages one day.

[gonesnakee]

It just makes me sick to see 12ft+ snakes in 2X2X4s etc. where they can't even get off the hotspot if they wanted. Glad to see someone doing it the right way. Mark

[The Snake Guru]

Lori lives in fear that I may have you and Sam come help me build cages one day.

All ya gotta do is say the word man! Sam and I will show up at the door with semi-trailor full of supplies and power tools! LOL


It just makes me sick to see 12ft+ snakes in 2X2X4s etc. where they can't even get off the hotspot if they wanted. Glad to see someone doing it the right way. Mark

I hear what you're say'n Mark, cages that small I may keep Male boas in but even my female boas are in 6ft and 8 foot cages, Retics and Burms I go 12ft across the board, it's sad seeing big snakes crammed into small cages, but what are you going to do.

[Aaron_S]

All ya gotta do is say the word man! Sam and I will show up at the door with semi-trailor full of supplies and power tools! LOL


So you want to come visit the north with all that stuff? :P

[ffollett]

Given enough time off work and the right supplies they would do it.

[Aaron_S]

O_O I better get on the ordering plastic bits and pieces. I want my own plastic caging!

[ffollett]

No plastic only wood and you have to be able to house a small family in it for them to even concider building it.

[Aaron_S]

Hmm quite possible...but I don't think the girlfriend wants me having a cage where we can't move it!

[The Snake Guru]

So you want to come visit the north with all that stuff? :P

Ha that would be a quick trip compared to his house....you are only about 8 or 9 hours away from where I live! He's 24 hours+ LOL

Yeah I haven't really worked with plastic, beside Plexi-Glass, that would be a new one. LOL

~B~

[Aaron_S]

Always time to learn something new!

[The Snake Guru]

Always time to learn something new!

I don't know man, there are things that are nice about plastic, but to tell ya the truth there are more things I don't like about it, than like about it. Plastic has the tendacy to warp, burns (or rather melts) easier if there was a issue with heating (say your thermostat went out), it's a pain to work with with the whole heating and bending, it doesn't support as much weight wise, scratches easily, cracks even easier.

on the plus side:

It's very easy to keep clean and disinfect, holds humidity extremely well, is light weight and more manuverable.

Just an old dog here.....think I'll stick with my lumber....LOL

~B~

[Aaron_S]

I don't like the weight. lol I like lightweight things that look better. I would use wood but I don't have a permanent residence so heavy things a no-no.

[The Snake Guru]

Yup I got that already, see and there the type of cage you are looking at is more condusive to your current life style....if I knew I was going to moving around a bit, I sure as hell wouldn't have the cages that I have now! LOL

~B~

[Aaron_S]

yah. I don't want a large collection really. Not even if i get my own house. Just too much care. I just one a snake...to hold me over until I can get more. lol. I should splurge on a Chondro,dwarf retic or something lol

[The Snake Guru]

I should splurge on a Chondro

Seeee now this type of snake would actually do better in the type of caging you are looking at getting! Plus it could be a smaller type plastic cage say
24"x24" or 36"x24" totally movable.

~B~

[Aaron_S]

Yah exactly my point! Just moving Chrondros I don't know how good of an idea that is. Anyways that's not for this thread.

I want a chat room...this is getting rediculous. lol

[The Snake Guru]

LOL, no worries man, I allow hi-jacking on my threads....hell I just like shooting the sh*t about snakes....does it really matter where? LOL

~B~

[Aaron_S]

Touche...touche...