Building an oak cage

So I've been working on this cage, and am starting to have some questions.

From looking at the pictures, should I put any bracing on the bottom?
Would laying heat cable beneath substrate supply sufficient belly heat?
Would having half of the lid screened supply enough ventilation?

Here are the pictures of what I have so far. The cage is 5x2x2, has oak sides, front, and lid. The back and floor will be particle board. The entire inside of the cage will be lined with contact paper, and the window will be acrylic. The outside wood will be stained a golden color. This is just a rough mock-up.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...3-31095742.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...3-31095712.jpg

I would close the top entirely and make it a plate glass front entrance with swinging doors or sliders. Screen tops are terrible for humidity and make regulating temps a nightmare if it isn't in a controlled room. You don't need as much ventilation as you would think. You could make a few 1/4" wide 4-6" long notches on the back up near the top of cage and be good.

Depending on what you're putting inside there you could always staple hardware cloth on the outside for extra strength. Then again, gorilla glue or liquid nails is pretty damn tough with oak/ply.

You could run a few pieces of wood across the bottom front to back to act as ribs and lay a piece of melamine over it to make up the floor (then caulk edges). The wood bracing beneath it would give it support and you would have open sections of melamine underneath to stick your heat tape to.

I built a custom oak cage about two years ago, and here is what I did.

I would possibley brace the middle of the bottom, and then build a ledge along the bottom perimeter. Put a big piece of plexiglass on the bottom and use that as the floor. You can use some flexwatt for heating. That is what I did, and it worked great -- I live in a cooler climate, so I also added a radiant heat panel to the inside of the cage.

As far as a screen top -- definitely not. I just drilled 1/4" holes along the sides, and that was adequate ventilation. Plus, the front door probably won't be air tight either so there should be some ventilation there as well.

Here is a link to the one I built if that helps http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ure-with-Snake!

My cage is a bit smaller, but basically the same concept.

Good luck!

I live in MN as well! The bottom is 3/4" particle board, and it is already assembled that way. Going with a solid oak top and swinging hinged glass doors in the front. Trying to figure out the best way to get heat through the bottom. There will be a heat lamp up top also.

More pictures will come on Monday

Heya everyone. I am looking to build a 36x18x18 custom cage for my ball python soon, and probably one for my blood once he is an adult. I would go the easier route and buy a cage online, but shipping to Fairbanks is crazy :O

So I've been searching the forum and google for days and bookmarking pages with ideas.

Are you guys going to "water proof" your wood? I was thinking of doing something really simple, because I don't have any tools so I will have to buy some. I was basically envisioning a wooden box with a Plexiglas front that is hinged on the front, and folds down. No special cuts or anything fancy.

I was also probably going to have to use a heat lamp, until I save up for radiant heat panels. So a small metal screen area on top, then If I got the Radiant panels, replace the screen with wood, install it, etc...

Is the flexwatt inside the cage, or under the cage? How does the heat go through the wood if it is under the cage?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AkHerps

Heya everyone. I am looking to build a 36x18x18 custom cage for my ball python soon, and probably one for my blood once he is an adult. I would go the easier route and buy a cage online, but shipping to Fairbanks is crazy :O

So I've been searching the forum and google for days and bookmarking pages with ideas.

Are you guys going to "water proof" your wood? I was thinking of doing something really simple, because I don't have any tools so I will have to buy some. I was basically envisioning a wooden box with a Plexiglas front that is hinged on the front, and folds down. No special cuts or anything fancy.

I was also probably going to have to use a heat lamp, until I save up for radiant heat panels. So a small metal screen area on top, then If I got the Radiant panels, replace the screen with wood, install it, etc...

Is the flexwatt inside the cage, or under the cage? How does the heat go through the wood if it is under the cage?

---

You can check out the link that posted in my previous post. What I did with my cage was made the floor out of plexiglass. I was then able to use flexwatt to heat the cage.

As far as waterproofing; I used a marine grade wood sealant. I used about 2 or 3 coats, and then let it air out for about a week before putting my snake in.

Hope this helps!

Okay gotcha, and did you use glass for the door? How does glass it cut to the size you need, would they do it at a hardware store for you? I'm trying to draw up plans for something simple as I don't really have any tools so will have to buy some and don't want to spend hundreds of dollars just on tools haha.

MontyP I can't wait to see when yours will be finished, I bet it's going to look good!

And Chapskis1 yours is already awesome haha

I used plexiglass for the door as well. A friend of mine cut it on a table saw. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing some hardware stores might cut it for you.

Monty I like the looks of your crate. What thickness are the panels? I like it so much that I am going out and buy materials today.:)