Trying to Pick a Plastic Cage

[Egapal]

I am a perfectionist who wants the perfect solution to my problem. I am looking to buy an enclosure for my new ball python that will be a good size for the rest of her life once she outgrows the 10 gallon aquarium she is in. My enclosure needs to be as attractive as possible for my girlfriend to allow it in the house. So with my concerns ordered from most to least important to me, what would everyone recommend. Brand recommendations are welcome dimension suggestions even more.

1. A healthy, happy, easy to maintain home for my new friend.
2. Must be as attractive as possible, look like it belongs in my home office.
3. Price, I would like to stay under $1000 dollars.

Racks are seriously off topic and stand alone tubs are right out. I have the tools, and skill to build but new projects cause my female human to get stressed and she becomes aggressive. I own a 37 gallon tall aquarium that has 2 Jack Demseys that may be moved to a 55 gallon aquarium I also own.

If I haven't bored you more details below.

Hi, I am new to the community. Quick bio, I have wanted a ball python since 6th grade. My mom didn't like snakes and we were pretty poor growing up. For the past 10 years I have been an "adult" and every time I see a ball python I get choked up and wish I could have one. Well guess what, I am an adult with a job that pays well I can do whatever I want.

So 1 week of research, easily 20 hours of reading, and I impulse bought a captive hatched ball at a local pet store. Should have waited, but I had the fever. So I have a very friendly 20" normal of undetermined sex. I have lived with her for 17 days now. She is living in a 10 gallon aquarium with an under the tank heater on a dimmer a large water bowl and a terra cotta pot base for a single hide. I have a lamp that's on during the day. My humidity is holding at around 60%. I have 2 analog dial thermometers and 1 hygrometer, looking for a good digital. In my fever, although I intended to get her small F/T mice I got fuzzies. I fed her 48 hours after she was home, too soon I know, and she took it within 5 seconds. She had been at the pet store for 6 weeks had refused to eat for the first month, eaten twice and was due to be fed when I got her. I intend to feed her every 7 days just after dark but due to the small size of the food items I have, I fed her 5 days later. This time she seamed disinterested. After a minute or two I heated up the body of the fuzzy and then further heated the head and after that she took it quickly, 10 to 15 seconds. 5 days following her second feeding I decided not to feed her as her eyes were pretty cloudy and I didn't want to stress her. She shed this past Sunday, good shed, and I fed her the following evening. She took it almost instantly. I hate to make too many changes as from what I can tell things are working but I really want to get another hide and 2 digital thermometers two measure the temp under both.

So far for a new enclosure I am looking at Showcase Cages, Reptile Basics and Vision Products. I am thinking of a 3x2. Assuming my snake is a female and she gets big for a ball could she outgrow that size. Does anyone see anything wrong with a Showcase Cage other than the price. How soon would people recommend upgrading to a 3x2 if that's what I go with. If I put some nice secure logs in there and some plastic plants and of course 2 hides could I move her sooner and take stuff out as she grows.

[Adam_Wysocki]

There's nothing wrong with a 3x2 cage ... just understand the the larger the enclosure the more difficult it becomes to heat properly and the more difficult it becomes to provide your ball python with the security that it needs.

But, if you're willing to spend the time and do the work, your snake can have a great life in a large enclosure.

All of the manufacturers that you listed are excellent ... if I were you, I would make sure to take the time to speak with representatives from each company over the phone and let them know what you're interested in doing ... helping people in your situation with the right setup is what the people at those companies do for a living and they do an excellent job at it. They'll be able to work with you to make sure you have thought of everything that you'll need to setup the right home for your snake in one of their enclosures. What a lot of people don't realize is that they do a lot more than just "take orders and ship cages" at those companies and they can help you with heating, humidity, lighting, etc when it comes to the cages that they sell. Use them as a resource, you won't regret it.

Hope this helps.

-adam

[Beardedragon]

Did you look at these? Or are these the showcase ones you mentioned above.

http://reptiledepot.com/showcase.html

They look very nice and are on the cheaper side of nice display cages. They also can come in different colors. I give them a thumbs up for one snake

[chetman7]

^^ those are nice.. too bad the 3x2 cage is 2 ft high.

I've always liked the design of RBI cages. I want to pick one up real soon.

[Egapal]

Thanks Adam_Wysocki, I fully intend to use the vendor as a resource once I have decided on an enclosure. My snake appears to be doing great right now in the 10 gallon and I feel like getting a displace case is more for me than for the snake. I am willing to put in the time and effort for sure. I have waited over 10 years for this.

Beardedragon, yeah I was looking at going with a 36x24x24 but was thinking of buying from http://www.showcasecages.com/

I have the thumbs up from my girlfriend on either the white or the green.

I emailed the support at http://www.showcasecages.com/ and they recommended the 48x18x24 for an adult ball. From everything I have read that seamed overkill? Thoughts anyone? If I went that big it would not be for a while.

I feel like so far I have been very lucky in getting a docile good feeder and don't want to jeopardize that. Plus there is not a lot of room for a 4x24 cage in my office, and nothing is as quite, warm and low foot traffic as my home office.

I will post a pic of my setup after work.

[starmom]

I have several Reptile Basic cages and I love them!! Here's the link: http://www.reptilebasics.com/2x3-Cag...h-p-16286.html.

The cages are 3x2x1 and are easy on the eyes. They will house a female ball python for her entire life. They are amazingly easy to keep temps and humidity perfect-- and I live in a place that has about 28-32 humidity year round and is mostly cold!

Aside from holding heat and humidity really well, they are incredibly easy to clean and come fully assembled with the heating option of your choice. The owner, Rich, offers the very best customer service and support of anyone out there, and totally stands behind his products 10000%!!!! Even after the sale!!!! He is truly a great guy!!!

So, I encourage you to check out his products and contact him for further information and to answer any questions you might have.

Take care.

[MAballs]

Here's the 2 RBI cages i got for 4 of my snakes. these are 4x2 cages that i divide in the midle to make 4 sections and works really good for me. I was also very concearned with the "looks" side of things because i just bought a new house and want to keep things looking nice



i agree with Rich from RBI being great with his customers i actually just ordered a CB70 rack from him this week for my breeder females.

[Argentra]

RBI is the way to go for a purchased display cage. Rich is Da Man to deal with, and all his merchandise from heat tape to racks is excellent!

Personally, I prefer to save money and build my own enclosures...but if that's too hard for you, then going with a 3x2 RBI cage is the best alternative.

[simplechamp]

I have the tools, and skill to build but new projects cause my female human to get stressed and she becomes aggressive.

I almost fell out of my chair when I read that! Good stuff.

I don't think it's a matter of it being too hard for him to build Argentra. He would be in hot water from his girlfriend for starting a new project, so he is buying instead.

Good luck taming that 0.1 human!

[kratos]

I am digging this!