Enclosure Site

Hey guys, new user here. I'm in the planning stages of getting a ball python, ordered most of the stuff I think I would need, just waiting for it all to get here and then I'll make sure I can get the proper conditions and get the snake in a week or two. Came across an enclosure site/company that I liked, the tanks aren't cheap but they're the nicest ones I've found so far so I thought I would share it. It's http://stores.ebay.com/Custom-Wood-Reptile-Cage-Company
I've been quietly reading everything on this site for about a week now, thanks all for providing all the information.

if youre new to herps, how would you know it's the nicest cage out there?

I thought what I said was that it was "the nicest one I've seen so far." I have been looking for a few weeks.

there are many ways to house ball pythons, and in my experiences (which include housing in everything you can think of), rubbermaids are the absolute best way to go.

Whoa relax Will it was just an innocent post. He found some nice looking enclosures and decided to share.

Thanks for sharing Locke24 those are some nice looking enclosures but i would try to stay away from screen top tanks. If you do use a tank that has a screen top be sure seal the top somehow so the humidity doesnt escape.

It sounds like your well on your way to owning a ball python. Its good to see that you are willing to do your research first and set up your snake's home before you actually get it. Lots of people get a snake and all of the supplies all at one time. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

So don't buy one. I saw these, I liked them, I wanted to share. Why I get my head bit off I don't know. Plenty of people have screen top tanks and employ a variety of simple solutions to fix the heating and humidity issues associated with them.

who the hell isn't relaxed? i just asked a simple question. so [expletive deleted].

Those are really pretty cages... now I want one :D

Hey Will chill out dude.

stop telling me what to do.

Seemed to me like you were getting ready to open fire on this kid.

Forget it. I was just trying to keep the peace. Its not really worth it here anymore.

i really wasn't... it seems to me like everyone here totally misunderstood my first post. i swear to god i meant absolutely nothing negative about it, i just wanted to know why someone who's never owned a snake was advertising caging. i didnt even go to the damn site and look at the cages, they could be the sweetest cages out for all i know. i do not care. i just asked a question. so lock me up, throw away the key.

No prob Will. But i don't thing he was advertizing. Do you??? He found some nice cages though it looks like you could put heat lamps and such on top. Its not right for a ball python but would be perfect for a bearded dragon or something. You got to admit they are pretty nice.

If I or whomever misunderstood then lets just forget it and move on. Nuance is often lost in this sort of communication, no big deal.

exactly... no big deal. locke, im sure you can find a more suitable enclosure for a ball python. if something that looks nice is what youre going for, then by all means modifying a tank with a screened top isn't at all wrong. i say go for it, in fact i have one bp in a tank right now. the rest are all in rubbermaids. i like the rubbermaids bc the temp and humidity is maintained with literally no effort at all. my 2 cents...

I like rubbermaids too. Jojo is in a 90qt and it holds humidity almost too well. I agree with will. If you want a cheap easy to maintain enclosure then a rubbermaid or sterilite enclosure is your best bet. The corners are rounded so you can clean very easily unlike tanks with 90* corners its hard to get in the areas where the corners meet up. And you can completely fill a rubbermaid with a cleaning solutions and leave all the decorations in it at the same time so those can get disinfected too. All thanks to a material we call plastic. LOL

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Originally Posted by gozetec02

The corners are rounded so you can clean very easily unlike tanks with 90* corners its hard to get in the areas where the corners meet up. And you can completely fill a rubbermaid with a cleaning solutions and leave all the decorations in it at the same time so those can get disinfected too. All thanks to a material we call plastic. LOL

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very good points ive never seen posted before. cleaning a rubbermaid is SIMPLE. lugging those ol' 40-50 gallon tanks i have outside to the water hose is a pain.

My thinking was just that its something I have to look at for a really really long time, so I wanted it to look nicer. I got a cheaper tank to start off with and if I can't get the conditions right then I'll scrap it and move on.

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Originally Posted by locke24

If I or whomever misunderstood then lets just forget it and move on. Nuance is often lost in this sort of communication, no big deal.

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Yeah, you have to be careful when communicating on the net because of that.

It's not just humidity and heating, as you can also get nose rubbing problems. If it gets to the point where the scales are rubbed off, I believe that they will not grow back and thus there will be permanent scarring. With that said, a lot of people use screen lids without that being a problem. It's probably more likely to happen if the enclosure's too small, but could probably happen in any size with a hyperactive snake.

Anyway, as long as you're on the lookout for it you should be able to catch it in time before it gets to that point. It's just one less thing to worry about if you start off with a rubbermaid/sterilite.

Welcome to the forums by the way, locke24!!! Your willingness to do research and setup the enclosure before buying is a great step in the right direction.

Those do look nice, thanks for sharing. If you do get one, just do your research on the difficulties with glass tanks because they have screen lids as well. That way you'll be prepared when/if you get this one. Glass tanks w/ screen lids can be more work (more so in figuring out what works for you, but once you get that figured out it's a piece of cake) - glass tanks can work if that's what you want. I wanted a display tank so that's what I went with. However, I'm getting my BP a boaphile to make things a bit easier and moving a coulbrid to his current tank. I personally will not try a BP or other snake needing the humidity they do in a screen topped tank again. But again, it can work and if you only have a small collection you may not mind the extra effort it takes.

Thanks again for sharing!

https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...l_DSC00036.JPG

hey Locke24,
Welcome to the site!
I think the cages are awesome and the simple and no fuss no muss with the screen top is plain and simple, Duct Tape, just cover the lid with duct tape and cut the corners out small for air and if ya need a overhead light for heat ( I recommend a heat pad) just cut out hole about 1" bigger than the light.
People here are mostly sold on rubbermaids and they work great, but I myself like to display my bp so I choose a glass tank.
I have had my bp since Dec. and I have NO problem with heat or humididty, Like the above post it just takes some time to tweak. I bought a Tropic-Aire humidifier and it works sweet. My bp has shed 3 times and they have been prefect.
It is all in what you like and is safe for you bp. As for the rubs on the nose from the screen top I haven't had a problem with it but if your bp is one who likes to rub then just cover the inside with tape also.
Anywho, Like the others have said great you have done your research and just get things set up and give it a few days to settle and tweak then get your bp :)
You will find most people here are very easy to ask questions to and get answers from. It is a great site with good people, glad you found us.

I have two of my snakes in tanks now. I completely ditched the screen lids. We made lids using plexiglass with small airholes drilled into it. The back piece of the lid is permanently siliconed to the tank, while the front piece hinges on this and opens. My humidity stays right where I want it. Tanks might not be good for you if your house is chilly, however, as glass is a horrid insulator. but our house never oes below 75, and I use UTHs on thermostats.
I despise screen lids, and think that they should be made illegal for snake-keeping! I have seen a poor kingsnake whose nose was rubbed raw from one of those lids. And my friend has a beardie in her pet store whom she took in as a rescue, who still has nose scarring from months ago, from a screen lid. I say, save the screens for your windows.

We link to that site in weblinks. Ok stuff.

I think caging is pretty....variant. It all depends what someone is looking for, the species, the size of enclosure needed. Suppose a person wants a really nice arboreal cage for their living room, a rubbermaid won't cut it. But a nice custom PVC cage would. Some people are in search of design rather then function.

Having just rigged up two new rubbermaids myself.... I can say they are the cheapest, most efficient, and easily modified type of cage you can get. And easy to replace.

Ginevive, do you have a pic of your tank top? I'd love to see it.

Thanks, Locke! Those do look interesting, and if the formica were moved to the bottom they could make excellent cages for crested geckos. Also, if the screened side were replaced with wood and the plexiglass had holes drilled for ventilation, it would likely make a very good ball python cage. Fortunately, they do offer on every page to customize cages and I doubt either of those requests would drive the price up too much, so it's still quite a good find.

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Originally Posted by Wizill

rubbermaids are the absolute best way to go.

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hmm well I think that statement is a bit opinionated , Will how would you know have you used any thing but rubbermaids?

lol you brought up this thread to "challenge" him? :P

I believe in a post in this thread, he said something along the lines of himself using all sorts of cages in his time.

Edit: Actually, it's from the same post you quoted, lol..

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Originally Posted by Wizill

in my experiences (which include housing in everything you can think of), rubbermaids are the absolute best way to go.

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Also, I wanted to mention something...In an earlier post on this thread, someone mentioned taping the inside of the screen top to stop nose rubs. I'd stay away from any sort of tape on the inside of an enclosure after what happened to a member here with their poor snakey. :( The tape can come down from the humidity, and the snake can get stuck to it, causing trouble.

You have a point , but in another thread it was stated he dident have the cash for a "properly designed and built" "Herp Cage" So I am assumeing he hasent used one... Just a question ... I am not "challenging any one simply asking a question ..... the hostility around here is nerve wrecking...

Also I agree on never useing tape on the inside of the enclosure ...much less on the outside there are many various, more permanent ways to make a cage more suitable for its tenant ... you just have to use your brain a little...

Hostility? HA this place is as friendly as a child day care. I admin the most popular wrestling forum on the net(not gonna do any cheap plugs or anything, lol) and that place is full of people that throw around put downs and name calling and stuff like that. But its all in good fun. We have it like that so its not run like a prison, and it's fun. 70,000+ members can't be wrong.:-P

Anyway, I've never seen ANY hostility on this board at all, so I don't know what you speak of. :?

I agree - avoid tape on the inside. I've seen it fall down and can only imagine the horrible consequences. I put the tape on the top outside of the screen - the snake can not come in contact with it.

And I also have to agree that I have never seen any hostility on this forum - unlike many others. When I meet people on some of the other forums I go to I always recommend that they join this on and tell them they'll find nothing but a nice group of people very willing to help anyone out. It's such a relief to have a 'hostility free' forum to go to.

Hey could someone knowledgable clue me in on the precise nature of plastic i.e. rubbermaid containers. I am interested but how do they work? What do you use for a top? And guys, you know royals are from dry regions and don't need much humidity right? 45 - 65 points is perfectly sufficient for balls. But I like the plastic idea, how do you guys have yours set up?

For rubbermaids you just use the top that comes with it, but you have to secure it very well. I've seen some people use bungee cords, S hooks, Spring clamps.....

Here's some ideas:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/PNphpBB2...ic-t-2825.html
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showt...threadid=25763

Also, the humidity where they are from is higher than that. They also spend most of their time in burrows, etc where the humidity would be higher. In captivity humidity during nonshed times of 60% and 70% during shed is great. 45% all the time - very likely to have problem sheds.

This time of year humidity in Ghana, Togo, etc is 80-90%

don't got the cash? i'm rich baby...