Convert Vs. Buy?

[Brylee1233]

I bought a china cabinet with hopes of converting it into a snake enclosure for my BRB. Explaining the process to my mother, she told me it was going to be expensive. Yes, I know it would be an expensive project, but thinking about it now with me being just a mere youngen, having a budget, and not properly knowing all the steps I should take, or if there are must do and don't do's, I was wondering if I should just buy an enclosure or try to trek through with the china cabinet.

The enclosure I would buy would be the Exo Terra: Natural Terrarium Large/X Tall. The dimensions are 36"x18'x36" (WxDxH).

My china cabinet is all wood (duh). and I was thinking about getting it lined with plexi glass and sealing that, so i wouldn't have to deal with the wood sealant stuff… It's dimensions are about 38 inches tall 15 inches depth and 40 inches in width… (These are rough estimates).

I was wondering what your guy's opinions would be? Should I Buy or Repurpose?

Also, would the glass tank be big enough for a full grown male BRB?

[reptiledude987]

conversion cost with lining the entire inside with plexi will be around the same cost as buying the exo terra with alot more work. the question is if you want to take on a project for the sence of accomplishment that you did it on your own. Or would you rather just get something turn key? the decision is yours at the end of the day.

I will say that the height of these enclosures will be excessive for what a brb will use. they may climb a bit but not a whole lot.

[Minkness]

Honestly, I'd donboth. Get an appropriate sizwd enclosure for now, and work on the cabinet a little at a time. I have a wooden wall unit that is currently our entertainment unit, but when my mom gets a new unit, I'm taking this ine, sanding it down, painting it black, sealing it, then converting it to a custom enclosure that will house multiple snakes. =)

[eminart]

You'll probably be surprised to learn how expensive plexiglass is. Unless you're experienced with building stuff, you'll probably come out ahead just buying something. But, if you have the ability, or the ability to learn at least, making your own stuff is rewarding and CAN HAVE nicer results. But, again, it's usually at least twice as expensive as you anticipate, and four times more work.

[Jim Smith]

Another consideration to keep in mind is the future use of the enclosure, perhaps even when you move out of your mom's house. The Exo -Terra tank would be a lot more portable and much easier to fit into another house or apartment, especially if space is limited. To further save on your costs, you might be able to shop around and find a used PVC cage that will meet your needs. Just a thought...

[Brylee1233]

okay thank you guys for all of the advice! There is a snake show coming up soon and I'll look around there. Thank you again!!