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Anyone use those plastic petstore cages?

SPJ

New member
Does anyone use these? Would they make a decent temporary home for a corn snake? Can you use heat pads with them?
 
I'm not entirely sure what you mean but they sound alright. As long as they are big (or small) enough and have decent ventilation then they should be fine as a temporary home. It will be safe to use a heat mat provided that you leave a small gap between it and the plastic so it can 'breathe'.
 
Generally speaking, any enclosure that is tight enough to keep the snake from escaping, while providing for some ventilation is good enough. You do have to make certain about it being escape proof, though. Too many plastic containers are flexible enough for a corn to get out where you weren't expecting.

As far as the heating issue is concerned, it has been my observation that any heat source which could possible melt a plastic enclosure is too hot to use reliably on a glass tank too. Just provide that aforementioned space (as little as a 1/8" is fine) for air circulation.

Hope this helps
 
Hey SPJ,
I have used those plastic containers. They work very well. It's too bad that they dont come large enough for adult corns.
Be carefull, what size snake are you going to put in it? If it is a very small baby you must cover to holes in the top.( not the mesh looking part) Where the handles attach there are small holes. I just cover them with tape from the inside.
I hope that this helps.
Jimmy C.
 
you must cover to holes in the top.( not the mesh looking part) Where the handles attach there are small holes. I just cover them with tape from the inside.

Glad you pointed that out. It is a small hatchling amel. Don't want it escaping the first day in the cage.



It's too bad that they dont come large enough for adult corns.

I was thinking the same thing. The largest size would only be good for a smaller sub-adult.



What do you use to heat them? Would the small Zoomed work? It says on the package that it is OK for plastic cages.
 
Not knowing what a 'Zoomed' is I can't really answer but I'm assuming it's some sort of brand name like T-Rex. A proper Reptile heat strip or tape will be fine with a plastic container.
 
P.S.

Is 'rheostat' a brand name because I've heard it used a lot instead of 'thermostat'. I'm hugely ignorant when it comes to things like this as reptile supplies aren't a huge business in the UK.
 
A rheostat is a temperature control that allows you to raise or lower the temp on your heat tape, much the same way that a dimmer switch allows you to raise or lower lighting by varying amounts. A thermostat controls the heat tape by allowing you to set a specific temp setting, and then automatically clicking on and off as needed. That's the difference. :)


I would say one thing about place tape inside any container. You have to make sure that the tape is securely fastened, with no sticky parts showing. If a corn get caught on some exposed tape, you can have large sores on it where the little thing pulled its skin off to get away. :(
 
The "mini" size ZooMed works fine on the plastic critter keepers and other like enclosures. I have used one in the past with no problems.


With a rheostat you set the temp up or down manually, there is no automatic shut off when the temp is reached. A thermostat shuts off the heat source when set temp is reached and turnes it back on when it drops below the setting. Rheostats are used mostly with heat tape and uth's so you can turn them down as most of them get very hot:)
 
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I see. :D .

With my thermostat, you don't set a specific temperature, you just turn a little dial to adjust the temp and a 'probe' in the viv measures the temp and tells the thermostat when to turn itself on or off.

Thanks
 
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