Cage debate

Trying to plan ahead.
Within the next year I'm going to need new cages for my Carpets and Boas.

I want PVC. I have a couple of boaphile cages for my BCIs and pretty happy with them. With that said, I'm not happy with his service and wait times.
I spent a couple of thousand with him and still can't answer an email. Whatever, that's another thread.

So I have been looking at Animal Plastics. I don't mind putting them together and they will save me money.

I'm hoping you guys can help me. I'm looking for detailed photos of the cage. They talk about Vents in the back but I can't find any photos of them.
I would also like some photos of the shelf and lights installed.

How does the bottom edge look after you seal it?

Pros and cons?

These people in the caging business need to find a photographer to work with :)

Thanks everyone

Serpent Merchant posted an excellent thread with photos of AP caging. Do a search here. I was just looking at his setup and want an AP myself.

I might have missed it but I didn't see any of the vents.

OK, I'll go back and check, but I thought he had all of the shots from all sides. If not PM him as he gets back to you fast and has a lot of great info.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...plastics+cages


Yep the vents are in the back check it out!!

Damn I feel like an idiot. I was looking for something ugly when i read that last night and didnt even notice those. That's a plus for AP.
Looks nice and clean.

Thanks for pointing it out to me. :)

I have 2 AP enclosures and couldn't be happier. The "vents" are simply a few slits cut diagonally into the back and side panels of the cage, in the corners. They hold humidity rediculously well and are easy to put together and to clean. Plus, their customer service is excellent...and they answer all emails quickly and thoroughly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lmartelli77

I have 2 AP enclosures and couldn't be happier. The "vents" are simply a few slits cut diagonally into the back and side panels of the cage, in the corners. They hold humidity rediculously well and are easy to put together and to clean. Plus, their customer service is excellent...and they answer all emails quickly and thoroughly.

---

I agree. I've had a t8 for about a month and will getting either another t8 or t10 soon.

I guess with shipping, boaphile is cheaper on the 48x24x18 size.

Boaphile 48x24x18 $379 free shipping
AP 48x24x18 t11 $330 + shipping

But the t10 48x24x15 is only $225

Can anyone add to the con list?

I can live with a 3" difference.

I've looked at the Boaphiles and I just can't spring for the 422D after setting it up with the extras. If you set up the AP with light and flexwatt and shipping you still end up less if you do the same with the Boaphile.

Proline has the 48 X 24 X 18 for $285 shipped. From what I've been told the AP and Proline cages clean up better and retain a lot less waste/staining odor over the years. The Proline cages apparently have ZERO retention due to the type of plastic used.

Pro's and cons certainly are a personal matter much like Ford Vs Chevy, but I think the ease of putting together the Proline and the AP and the added size (low to high), I prefer them over say a Boaphile 421D at 11.5". I'm sure there are a lot of people who swear by Boaphile cages which is why I'm only stating my own opinion from things I've learned here and other sites.

I like the glass, sliding doors like the AP has.

I've gotten some very good starter advice here and having been turned onto Herpstats for thermostat usage (bought Herp II) and hearing some good things about AP design I figure it may be a smart move. I've already e-mailed AP just to kick around some ideas and they got back to me very fast. The customer service end of things seems pretty good.

I don't think any of the 3 cages makers I've mentioned makes a bad enclosure, so maybe price, and preference of features/size come into play.

But if saving $$ for a bigger cage means 15 mins with a Phillips screw driver and some sealant, I think I'd lean that way.

I waited almost 2 months for my last cage and rack. The day after I ordered Jeff sent me an email asking if I wanted the perch installed or left out like the first time. I emailed back and asked to ship it installed. Didn't come installed. :(
Sent him 3-4 emails asking about watts in the flexwatt, prices and a few other questions. Never heard back.

If I send you a $1000, send me an answer or two.

Now I'm looking for a new company. I have many more cages to buy. Oh well

I have seen cages, in person, that are 12" high and 24" deep. In my opinion that combo doesn't work. I don't feel I can get in there to clean it out easy enough. That's just my view.

It sucks that the AP t11 is $100 more for the 3" inches in height.

The Boaphile is really only 17.5" high so for tonight I'm thinking of the 48x24x15

Does anyone know if the AP cages are pretty close to the posted size? I know they say email them for the exact size so I'm guessing it off by some.

Ahhh it's good to vent some :p

Your cages look pretty nice.
I think shipping to the US would up the price a good amount?

I'm also thinking about getting away from the drop down doors.

Thanks for sharing your link.

Well the big con with both companies is the wait time to get your cage. Me I ordered a cage from Evolution cages and got it in 2 weeks. I have had AP, Boaphile, and others and the delivery time was at least 4 weeks. Boaphile are a lot nicer then AP, IMO. RBI used to make cages and those were the best I ever got. Now I use Evolution only as they are cheaper and delivered faster, and never had an issue with quality at all.

Damn, AP had a wait ?

I'm not a fan of those little latches they use.
$229 shipped on the 47x23x15

Not a bad price but they need to update that latch.

Hey 3skulls,

Did you ever look into the Proline cages? 48 X 24 X 18 $285 shipped.

There is a 48 X 24 X 14 for $220 shipped.

I'm not sure what the wait is, but the prices seems in the ball parks with the others, and the 18" height is nice on the more expensive one.

meeistom,

What did you like more about the Boaphiles? I was considering one but I really dislike the 11.5" height, and the 17.5" is much more. I decided I will use a Phillips screw driver and a bit of sealant for a bigger cage when the time comes.

Check out Jim at PVCCages.com, I paid $340 for a 36x24x24 with 85w RHP and a light. It hold humidity and temperature amazing. Has two sliding doors, when I start getting more carpets I will be ordering from Jim. Plus I got the cage in less than 2 weeks.

Proline uses those little cheap latches. Do 100s of people use them with no problems? I'm sure they do. But an 8-9' Carpet pushing on the corner trying to get out, I don't trust it.

I don't understand why they make a great cage and put a .20 cent latch on it. Boaphile has the best latches I have seen.

I'll check out pvpcages.

Thanks everyone.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1nstinct

Check out Jim at PVCCages.com, I paid $340 for a 36x24x24 with 85w RHP and a light. It hold humidity and temperature amazing. Has two sliding doors, when I start getting more carpets I will be ordering from Jim. Plus I got the cage in less than 2 weeks.

---

Can you post some pics? How do you like those vents in the back? Did you add on the perch?
Are far as I can tell on my phone, they look really good.
Thanks for the link.

When I get home today I'll add photos of my boaphile cages.

Crap photos, I think my phone has just about had it.

Boaphile cage. 36x18x17.5 These are under the arboreal link.
Best latch that I have found on a cage. They kinda "snap" shut. Heavy duty, overkill? Maybe
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/21/guguvy6u.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/21/ynasusyp.jpg

The hinge is also very nice. Very smooth operation. Acorn nuts on the back.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/21/juju4a7a.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/21/u2eta8ab.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/21/ne6u3asu.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/21/zu7ehaja.jpg

The only venting is around the door.
Those are 2 BCIs about 4-5' long

Very happy with the cage. Not happy with the service at all :(

The search continues....

A few bits from my own experience:

I prefer AP cages to boaphile cages, especially for the money. Racks are an entirely different discussion fwiw.

The next cages I get may be from Constrictors NW, a few personal recommendations from people I respect pointed me in that direction. At the moment it's a toss up between whether I try some 4 foot Constrictors NW cages or go back to AP.

Flexwatt doesn't do it for me for most species when it comes to heating PVC cages because MN winters make for colder indoor air temps. However my diamond crosses do great with just flexwatt!

Use some kind of substrate rather than newspaper with APs. I started with newspaper and now have stains on my white APs.

Do you have a link?
I'll take a look at them.

I love my smaller boaphile rack but not happy with the ball room rack. I had to screw it to the wall before I felt safe loading it with snakes.

I'm already finding that I need to keep the room a bit warmer to keep the cages at the right temp. Its not even cold yet, I have the flexwatt.

What are the reasons you like AP over BP, besides cost?

This is my PVC cage from Jim at PVCCages.com
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_4698.jpg
and here she is nice an perched on her branch
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_5131.jpg
I didn't go with the perches because i live near the beach so i decided to go down their and get a nice piece of drift wood that i think makes the cage that much better, shes seems to enjoy climbing all over it, and shes close to 6' and weighs 2684 grams empty with still plenty of room to move around.

The cage looks huge with her in there.
Did you go with the 1/8 glass?

Thanks for posting photos and thats a great looking Carpet!

Hey does anyone have an opinion on B.A.R.R.S (www.herpcages.com)? I ended up ordering one based on A. the fact that they were incredibly well-priced, and B. two or three reviews I saw. That being said, I couldn't find more than 2 or 3 reviews. They're not that pretty I realize, but, does anyone know about function? I figured I'll have to get a bigger cage eventually anyway so if it sucks it won't be forever, just wondering how people felt.

I have never seen those.
Post some pics and a review when you get it

There are a bunch of different models, the website is http://www.herpcages.com/ (sorry, I know my last link didn't work), but there are pictures on it, apparently if you email them they'll make custom adjustments as needed (so the reviews say anyway).

Not much reviewed online, only really found http://www.venomousreptiles.org/reviews/detail/180 and http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ad.php?t=31250

The cage hasn't come in the mail yet so I don't know what it's like first hand but--one annoying thing was that I emailed the website (which they ask you to do before ordering) 3 weeks ago and never got a reply. Actually ended up buying it through a distributor (http://www.pmherps.com/). Once I found him though, it was pretty speedy. I'll let you know how it looks when it gets here!