building custom cages, have questions!

[rubeus]

The wife and I just bought a house so i have room now to build what ever i want
cage size is going to be 36L x 20D x 20H

will a uth heat through 3/4" wood MDF ok or should I use 1/2" wood MDF
will 1/2" be strong enough for the size? I can add a brace in the middle for support if I need. Would like to use 1/2" since its lighter, cheaper etc.

building these as sliding front, I have found all the supplies except glass!
Can I use plexi glass or lexan glass for the front or will it flex to much in the middle? I would like to use glass glass but i don't know where to find that
Menards, Homedepot or any of them have it? Glass company?

Vents how big and how many?
building two in a book shelf fashion, maybe three!

Thanks
Tim

 

[colinmcc]

I have a couple of vivs of about that size. (bought as flat-packs)

They are laminated MDF and I'm pretty sure they're 3/4". There are 6 circular vents mounted in the rear panel. Each vent is about 3" diameter and there are three along the top and three along the bottom of the panel.

I side mount all my UTH inside my wooden vivs. You won't get enough heat transfer through the wood if you mount them externally. I know internal side mounting is not something commonly done but I've done it that was for 15 odd years now and never had any problems. If you find the UTH unsightly just put some landscape backing over it (the plasticy kind obviously).

Also, make sure you silicon seal the base joints and up the side joints at least for the first 6" or so ...

Can't say about the glass but I imagine you should be able to find a local merchant that'll cut sheets to size for you. I'd also see about getting the edges rounded and, if possible, use safety glass.

 

[Fenbar]

Home Depot should have everything you need including plexiglass, mdf, and even glass, which last i saw was near the plexiglass.

 

[rubeus]

cool thanks much guys!
Would you think that 1/2" wood would be strong enough and transfer heat from below since its thinner?

Thanks

 

[colinmcc]

Couldn't say about the strength but I still don't think you'd get away with an external UTH, even using 1/2" MDF.

 

[Fenbar]

What if you used a piece of mdf for the floor, then put a uth on top of that, followed by a piece of glass or plexiglass on top of that?

 

[wild neonate]

wood thickness

1/2" strong enough for what? To support the weight of the cage, or to confine a 35 ft. reticulate?? If its some cross-ply laminated stuff and youre not putting an entertainment center on top you should be fine with 1/2"...do they have 3/4 sheets avaliable? Better safe than sorry.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

Are you going to be stacking these or putting anything on top, or strictly use them for cages? If it's just going to be a cage and not support anything else, I'd say you could use 1/2", but, I would recommend 3/4" just to be safe. MDF is fine, but it is very dusty when you cut it, so be careful and wear a dusk mask if you use it. As for heating I would recommend heat tape or a UTH that can be placed inside. Heat tape would be the easiest. Put it in and then cover it with plexiglass and seal the edges with caulk (this keeps your snake from getting fried if there's a water spill or something. I built some custom cages over the summer and it was a lot of trial and error, if you have any other questions feel free to pm me and maybe I can help you out and save you some of the hassels that I went through.

Here is a shot of one of mine that I built. 3/4" Birch Plywood with melamine flooring and lined the inside with contact paper after I sealed it. I wanted to use glass, but decided that acrylic was going to be the easiest to do. I'm glad I did choose acrylic over glass and would choose it again if I ever make more. The vents are the kind you put on the outside of your house but they have built in screening so the snakes don't get caught on any sharp edges of metal and can't escape. Very effective and cheap (and come in different sizes so you can pick which is best)!

Again, feel free to hit me up with any questions.

 

[rubeus]

I will only be using these for cages, no heavy top loads! probably use internal heat of some sort. what would work best? thinking heat tape under protection
or just red heat light. going to use 3/4" just because

Thanks

 

[Lennycorn]

Hi there rubeus,

I thinking on building my own too but not soon. But anyway here a link that might be useful to you. Check the cage link in it too.

http://arbreptiles.com/cages/flexwire.shtml

Please post us the final product.

Good Luck.

 

[rubeus]

awesome just what i was looking for :wavey:

 

[loise]

for the sliding front I rekomend you to gett glass.. becus thet is the chepest and durable.. plexi is esaly scratcht. here are som pics of my latest built..

 

[rubeus]

thats a great looking cage. what is the white stuff you used?
Haven't started to build mine yet. still kind of planing the whole room out and how every thing will flow.

 

[loise]

the stuff is styrofoam that I carv out and then "paint" with toxicfree cement so it will look lik a "rocky-wall". thera are a lot of looks you can create vith this materials..

 

[tcr03]

i was wondering how big of a gap there is between the two panes of glass. and would a hatchling be able to fit threw it.

 

[Lennycorn]

Well, that depends on the track that is used. Also keep in mind that most tracks were design to work with a lock that fit between the glass panels. I read that most hatchling do escape from cage using sliding glass doors but some folks put Velcro or sipping straws between them. You will have to figure something out for that problem.

Good Luck. :cheers: