Idea for Show Enclosure

[The Green Man]

So I know many of you are breeders, or otherwise keeping snakes in such a large quantity that the rack systems are simply the most practical caging solution. This post concerns my idea for a "show" cage, and I wanted to get opinions relating to the viability of this idea AS a "show" cage. I know rack systems are convenient, affordable, and offer many advantages over more attractive options, but again, this is an idea for a show cage.

So here it is. I'm talking to my wife a few days ago, and we're discussing the various options to build an attractive, large showcase cage for our ball python without having to spend thousands of dollars. I said we needed something big, easy to get in to and out of, and waterproof. So you know what she comes out with? This is pure genius, I think...

A shower stall.

Let me say that again, give you a chance to let it sink in.

A.

Shower.

Stall.

Imagine it! You buy one of those three piece modular shower inserts from Home Depot or something, and a tub and sliding clear shower door with it. You'll either have to finish the outsides with firring strip and drywall, and have a huge stand-alone unit, or find a corner in your home and have two of the three sides already finished. Then, you just have to build a false wall or some other way to finish the last raw side. Then, some clean attractive way to put a lid on the whole shebang, but that wouldn't be too difficult, and a latch of some kind for the sliding door. Finally, cap the drain on the underside.

So what you're left with is an enclose that's five feet long, three feet wide, and five or six feet tall, for under $1,000. The bottom will hold water, so you could give your python a five foot long basking pool deep enough for full summersion. Inside, there's room for an entire tree! And with the framing on the outside to anchor screws into, there's room for all sorts of basking platforms, shelving, and ropes or vines.

Obvious problems:

How to cap the top. I'm imagining building a "drawer" that'll slide into some heavy duty slides mounted on either side (since it makes the most sense to build the whole thing into a corner anyway). With a false front on it, you could arrange basking lamps and a humidifier on the top and they'd be invisible. It would be difficult to fit the whole thing plumb enough to avoid escape-able gaps, but it could be done. Rotating latches would keep it from sliding forward until you wanted it to.

Heating. It's a lot of space to heat, both horizontally and vertically.

Anyway, that's my idea. Sound off!

[Argentra]

Cool idea but impractical. Too tall (a BP would never use even a fraction of that height), and too expensive. You could get an RBI cage for only $200 or so, or build a nice display cage yourself for even less.

The shower idea would be great for a carpet python or GTP, something that needed the height.

[Mitch21]

I love the idea! BUT... I would love it for an arboreal snake. I don't think the ball python would "enjoy" it as much as you think it might.

Very cool regardless. I definitely want to do something like this later on!

[Lateralus_Love]

I agree with the other two. But not only would the height be too extreme, you're thinking of filling the entire bottom with water..which means no bottom for a GROUND dwelling snake species. See what I'm getting at?

Like Adriana said, there are nice show cages for WAY cheaper, and practical, for the snake.

[The Green Man]

Just curious, but has this been everyone's experience with BPs? Badoo (my BP) is currently in a cage that's roughly three feet long, two feet wide and four feet tall, and he uses the entire space. There's lots of vines and chains inside to climb on, and he regularly climbs along the vines, spends time on the shelves (which are mounted about a third of the way up), and just generally makes use of the entire real estate.

Is anybody else keeping a BP in a tall enclosure? And if so, are they using the space?


The Green Man
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Chinese Water Dragons
1.1 Beardies
2.1 Oriental Firebellied Toads
1.0 Gineau Pig
1.0 Marshall Ferret
1.0 Chihuahua
0.1 Beautiful Wife
1.2 Beautiful Kids

[TMoore]

When ball pythons are young they can be fairly good at climbing. As they get older they get much larger and thicker making them clumsy when trying to climb.

With all that height, its just a matter of time before your bp falls with the possibility of hurting itself.

I don't think a shower is practical as a cage.

[nixer]

Just curious, but has this been everyone's experience with BPs? Badoo (my BP) is currently in a cage that's roughly three feet long, two feet wide and four feet tall, and he uses the entire space. There's lots of vines and chains inside to climb on, and he regularly climbs along the vines, spends time on the shelves (which are mounted about a third of the way up), and just generally makes use of the entire real estate.

Is anybody else keeping a BP in a tall enclosure? And if so, are they using the space?

this observation is probally you seeing it trying to find an escape route.

on that enclosure thats something that is way too tall!
even then it would cost more than a real cage and would be impossible to heat now if you have carpets they might like that.

[MDB]

sounds like you have great intentions wanting to give your ball python plenty of living quarters, but unfortunately with such a tall enclosure your bp could fall and it could be fatal believe it or not. Also heat would be an issue. Having the bottom completely submerged in water is a bad idea, they spend most of their life on the ground and would not enjoy this. But I give you credit for trying to give your ball pthon a very nice living quarters

[m00kfu]

I'm with pretty much everyone else on this -- not so great for a ball, but freakin' awesome idea for a carpet. I just might have to steal this idea in the future as I wanted to build a large corner display enclosure when I finally get a carpet. This idea should make the whole thing a lot easier to build, and if you put a false floor under it you could actually make the drain functional. How easy would cleaning it be if you can just go in there and hose it down?

[gothkenny]

For a Green Tree Python or some other aboreal snake, that would be sweet but I would be a little nervous with the BP climbing up and falling.