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Thread: DIY rack/cage.

  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran pinkeye714's Avatar
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    DIY rack/cage.

    Alright I have just finished building the cage for my snakes. i have 3 snakes the cage will have 4 slots just in case i wanted to add another.

    here are things you will need all which i got at homedepot and walmart

    1- 3/4" birch plywood that is 4'X8' $44.97 (4 Shelves and 1 side piece. )
    2- 3/4" handy panel 4'X2' $20.97 each (1 side piece and last shelf)
    5MM thin birch plywood 4'X8' $9.99 (back peice)
    plexiglas that is 3'X4' i got on sale for $29.98 (front)
    2 1/2" wood screws $5.58
    2 black paint cans from rust-oleum high gloss which is $7.98 each
    2- 2" nails thin ones like picture frame nails
    utility knife $1.98
    24 vinyl tiles which are $0.45 each but it came out to $10.80
    speckling $3.48
    paintbrush $1.28
    16 hinges

    and that is everything for the cage itself, not including the housing needs. also i got the light figures at walmart for $8.88 each.

    so let me with the 4'X8' birch plywood, when cutting home depot lays it long ways so from long ways like a rectangle they cut 2' off, which means now you have 4'X6' now cut the wood right in the middle so you have 2 pieces of 3'X4' have them cut 1 1/2 inch off the end of one of the 3'X4' so its 34 1/2"X48" now
    cut both pieces down the middle so its 3'X2'
    here is a picture



    everything red is what will get cut, everything green is what it is used for.
    the second handy panel will get cut to 34 1/2" by 24" and that will make your last shelf.

    the back piece that's really thin will be cut to 49 1/2"X36" reason being you need to remember the shelves are 3/4" plywood so you need to give your self room
    now paint everything with the color of your choice, but mine was black

    to



    after letting the paint dry add your tile if you want, as you can see i drilled holes in the corner so the heating pads would have an air flow.


    then let everything dry for a couple of days and once dry construct your "box"



    the top and bottom shelf will rest right on top of the side panels so its a little taller then exactly 4', reason why i rested it on top of the panels is because it makes the "book case" more sturdy.
    i drilled holes where i would put the screws. and remember when drilling holes you pick a drill bit that is like the screw without the ridges so when you do screw in the holes the ridges will catch on without going astray.

    i used 4 screws on each joint.

    next i put in the shelves. which i already put the tiles on, and since the "box" is 49 1/2" tall that means i had to place the shelves at around 11" and 7 mm and then i could screw them in. i used a leveler to tell me where i need to drill and screw so once done it came out like this





    here is the side picture so you can see my markings and screws


    then i nailed in the back piece and that is pretty simple to do, i would advise to drill holes where you would nail just so you don't make it crooked.
    now that the back is one. i drilled air holes and repainted the holes to be non visible and sandpapered them so the snakes would not cut their face. i also cut 2"X2" squares in each left corner so the heating pad wire and lighting wire could fit threw, once the wires are through i speckled the holes to be so the snakes would get out of the small hole, though the ball pythons cannot leave from that hole but my corn snake could.

    oh and with the Plexiglas it was exactly 4'X3' when i got it. i had the women at homedepot cut the Plexiglas every 1' and out of those 1' i had them cut 3" off and those 3" will be used as a dam to hold in the substrate. and to put the hinges.

    i drilled very small holes in the Plexiglas and that was hard, the glass is easly broken, depending on which one you buy, when drilling and screwing the holes i had someone spray water the entire time to keep the heat from spreading and had tape hold down the glass so it would minimizer vibrations.


    oh i glued the hinges to the glass so i would not have to drill anymore holes. if you click the picture you will see a bigger version.

    i used exoterra heating pads in mine attached to a thermostat and i placed the heat pads in the far left corner and placed a tile over it.
    in the end it after adding my own lighting and decorations it came out like this





    yup, i am terrible at trying to explain things but if you have any questions. i will be glad to help!


    everything together including decorative things it came out to $275.61 so just under $300. i think without the decorative things it will come out $190
    Then I'm tiny like a door mouse
    Short like a bungalow house
    Minute like a pixie
    You can barely even see me


  2. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to pinkeye714 For This Useful Post:

    AkHerps (05-23-2011),hig (05-24-2011)

  3. #2
    BPnet Veteran kylesreptiles's Avatar
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    Thats is great!! You didnt have prices for everything so do you mind giving a ruff estimate on how much it cost for everything? Im veryinterested in building one when I get back as yours look very good!
    -Kyle-
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  4. #3
    BPnet Veteran pinkeye714's Avatar
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    Re: DIY rack/cage.

    Quote Originally Posted by kylesreptiles View Post
    Thats is great!! You didnt have prices for everything so do you mind giving a ruff estimate on how much it cost for everything? Im veryinterested in building one when I get back as yours look very good!
    i have prices for the material needed. right next to the things i listed, i added the price of them and at the very end of the post in deep sky blue i put how much everything was including the decorative things.

    but to save you time i will say it again ahah it was lower then $300 for everything including the substrate, hide, water bowls, plants etc..

    ^_^
    Then I'm tiny like a door mouse
    Short like a bungalow house
    Minute like a pixie
    You can barely even see me


  5. #4
    BPnet Veteran MoshBalls's Avatar
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    Looks good! Great job!

  6. #5
    BPnet Veteran kylesreptiles's Avatar
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    OMG I didnt even read the blue cause I thought it wa sthe start of your signature haha. That is amazingly affordable!! Thank you very much and I apologize you had o post it once more
    -Kyle-
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    If your on Reptilegeeks.com add me!! www.reptilegeeks.com/kylesreptiles

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