Animal Plastics T8

So, I ordered an Animal Plastics T8 after reading the entire post sticky’d in this forum!!

I ordered it on 2/9/18, and although it was a quick ship item, I asked Ali (who is awesome, by the way) to add a second strip of LED lights and router out temp probes on the left, center, and right, so it added a tiny bit of time to their quick ship (so I have a red strip and a white strip ;) ) because I wanted those customizations.

Super easy to put together, the instructions are very clear. Probably took me about an hour to put together (by myself), took longer to inbox it then to set it up! The pre-drilled holes were fantastic and spot on. I had two Pro Products RHPs shipped to them, so when I got it here, they were already attached to the top section! (I ordered two because I’m using the divider in this one.)

I’m super happy with it, just waiting for the sealer to cure, but here are the progress pics!!

U-Line wide bench. Same dimensions as the T8! It’s 36” high.

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Bottom and both sides on!

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Got the back attached. You can see the air vents pretty clearly.

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Flipped upside down. The short cords are for the led light strips, and the long ones are for the RHPs.

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Getting ready to attach the flex watt belly heat with the aluminum tape. I had them make channels for the temp probes on both sides and the middle so I could setup the cage in any configuration I wanted to. So I’ve got the probe in the middle, and it’s time to tape it down!

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I drilled holes on the back to send the probes through that will control the RHPs. Easy peasy. You can see the probes dangling (for now).

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Getting the temps adjusted. I know the sliding glass door aren’t on yet (Fedex sucks and is sending that box on Tuesday) but I’m really just learning how to use the HerpStat 4 (1 channel for UTH, and 1 channel for each RHP. Got one channel leftover. Maybe I’ll use that for a mister and humidity probe (probably not, lol).

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White LED strip

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cac2ec3c03.jpg

Red LED strip

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I’ll post more pics once I get the doors in and start decorating!


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gotta say, that's awesome.

I'm doing the white and red too. Looks amazing.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

I'm doing the white and red too. Looks amazing.

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That way we can peek in on them with the red lights and not bother them too much!


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Did you put the lights in front and back or both routed in the back or front?

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Did you put the lights in front and back or both routed in the back or front?

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They’re both routed in the back. The LEDs line the whole width and light up the whole cage pretty good. I’m sure they’d route them wherever you wanted, but their default was both in back, and I have no regrets with where they put them ;)


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Congrats on your successful build, it looks great! :)

Looks really nice. I got mine second hand so didn’t assemble. Nice to see how it’s done

Everything is cured, got the divider in, the substrate, his 2 marching hides and his climbing stick. Got the herpstat on getting things set for his moving day! (Hopefully tomorrow if all the temps are stable all day today and tomorrow. Other wise he’ll move in once I’ve had the temps and humidity dialed in for at least 24 hours!

So, here it is sparsely decorated (because I have substrate moved out of the way so I can temp temp readings with my IR gun right on the floor of his enclosure. So, it’s not “move-in ready” lol.

The T8 was SO easy to put together, take apart, put together etc. (For cleaning/moving, etc.). I had a MUCH harder time building the U-Line bench it’s sitting on!! I kept saying l, “Why don’t these damn holes line up?!?” Then I remembered that Animal Plastics had spoiled me with their pre-drilled holes! Everything fit together flawlessly!!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...bb6907d237.jpg

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If you’re debating about AP, don’t! I love them!


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Tyrion exploring his new home!!

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Excellent writeup, looks great


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Tyrian would look even more amazing on dark substrate like orchid bark !!

Not a criticism just a thought !https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0931d928ec.jpg


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Hey OP, great write up thanks! I'm going to be ordering a bunch of AP's in the coming months, and I was trying to figure out if I was gonna go strictly 2 RHPs for a divided T8/T10 or do it with RHP and UTH like you did. What is the placement of your RHP and UTH and how is it working out for ambients/gradient?

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Tyrian would look even more amazing on dark substrate like orchid bark !!

Not a criticism just a thought !https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0931d928ec.jpg


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I agree :) Right now he’s on a combo of eco earth and forest floor, which is dark-ish, but then I put the moss on top for humidity...and it lightened the whole thing up lol.

BUT, I can say I LOVE the T8 for humidity control as compared to the Exo Terra! (I got all that stuff thinking I was going to start with a bearded dragon, then I found this site and fell in love with BPs lol.

Here’s the Exo Terra all cleaned out and changed over to get ready for the bearded dragon it was intended for lol!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...31a2ec0bb2.jpg


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Originally Posted by Avsha531

Hey OP, great write up thanks! I'm going to be ordering a bunch of AP's in the coming months, and I was trying to figure out if I was gonna go strictly 2 RHPs for a divided T8/T10 or do it with RHP and UTH like you did. What is the placement of your RHP and UTH and how is it working out for ambients/gradient?

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Good question :) okay so what I have currently:

The flexwatt belly heat I ordered through AP (I was lazy. Lol) in the middle so it covers both “halves”.

I also have 2 Pro Products RHPs, one on each side. I called Pro Products and spent about 3 minutes answering his questions, and he shipped them over to AP (order the AP and the RHPs at the same time. There’s a lead time on the RHPs as well, but if you order both at the same time, the RHPs will make it over to AP at just about the right time!)

I have a herpstat 4 that controls: 1) the RHP on the left (currently disabled until he gets a neighbor) 2) the RHP in his side 3) the UTH and 4) the white LED light strip to simulate a day/night cycle since his current room isn’t affected by the sun that much.

With the herpstat 4 setup, it EASILY maintains 90F at the plastic for the hot side, while the cool side plastic is like 80F and the RHP keeps the ambient right at 80F. A spritz in the morning keeps humidity right around 60% all day.

I don’t think I’d appreciate how wonderful that is if I hadn’t struggled with the Exo Terra first. (Let me note here that “I” struggled. My baby did not. I worked my tail off to keep his temps and humidity correct. I certainly didn’t mind doing it, because he was happy in his home, but I LOVE that the AP T8 makes MY life so much easier!!



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Originally Posted by Avsha531

Hey OP, great write up thanks! I'm going to be ordering a bunch of AP's in the coming months, and I was trying to figure out if I was gonna go strictly 2 RHPs for a divided T8/T10 or do it with RHP and UTH like you did. What is the placement of your RHP and UTH and how is it working out for ambients/gradient?

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I should also point out that I asked Ali at AP to make slots for the temperature probes in all three locations (left, right, and center) which they were happy to do, and didn’t charge me anything for it. That way I have the flexibility to move the hotspot wherever I want to (if I make that one a full size T8 by removing the divider.)


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Originally Posted by sparky767

I should also point out that I asked Ali at AP to make slots for the temperature probes in all three locations (left, right, and center) which they were happy to do, and didn’t charge me anything for it. That way I have the flexibility to move the hotspot wherever I want to (if I make that one a full size T8 by removing the divider.)


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Can you show me the slots you asked for? I can't quit picture what you are describing. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Can you show me the slots you asked for? I can't quit picture what you are describing. Thanks.

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Hi ;) If you go back to the original pics (I didn’t want to weigh everything down by re-uploading them lol) I think it’s the 4th and 5th pics where it’s flipped upside down. You can see 3 grooves. That’s for the temperature probe placement for the temp controller (in my case the herpstat) that way the flexwatt can be flat because the temp probe is sandwiched in between the flexwatt and the enclosure itself, but hiding in the groove so everything it flat ;)

If that doesn’t help, let me know. I’ll get all John Madden on the photos lol.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by sparky767

I should also point out that I asked Ali at AP to make slots for the temperature probes in all three locations (left, right, and center) which they were happy to do, and didn’t charge me anything for it. That way I have the flexibility to move the hotspot wherever I want to (if I make that one a full size T8 by removing the divider.)


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Awesome thanks! Are the RHPs currently placed closer to the heat tape, just in the middle, or basically takes up the whole side?

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Originally Posted by Avsha531

Awesome thanks! Are the RHPs currently placed closer to the heat tape, just in the middle, or basically takes up the whole side?

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AP mounted them on each side of where the divider goes, so closer to center. I didn’t specify, they just put them there ;) makes sense, though. Works great!


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Nice! I’m thinking of getting one for my Ball Python! I have some questions though

1. How long was it to ship? I know it’s a quick ship item but generally how long would it take?

2. Would you think a Ball Python would need enclosure locks to prevent escape?

3. Is the sealant you mentioned necessary? What’s it for?


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Originally Posted by JustinGatCat

Nice! I’m thinking of getting one for my Ball Python! I have some questions though

1. How long was it to ship? I know it’s a quick ship item but generally how long would it take?

2. Would you think a Ball Python would need enclosure locks to prevent escape?

3. Is the sealant you mentioned necessary? What’s it for?


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I ordered it on 2/9 and received it on 3/30, but I added a few things to it which made it not so quick ship. They quoted a three week turnaround for quick ship (without any “can you do this too??” Stuff lol)

I got the locks. Both to prevent them from sliding the door with their boop snoot (he likes to rub the glass) but also to prevent anyone from just opening it.

The sealant comes with the cage. It’s like caulking, but clear. You just do the around the bottoms and like an inch or two up the sides. It’s to keep the water in if your little buddy knocks over the water dish.


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Great write-up OP! It's looking really nice. Mine should be arriving soon and I had a couple questions for someone who just received one like yourself.

I ordered a T10 w/ an RHP and white LEDs so same length and depth as yours just a little bit higher.

I don't think I need to request any additional 'cuts' from AP but wanted to double check before it's too late. The 3 temp probes you had them do seems like a great idea but I'm not going to have flexwatt.

Seems like all the cuts I'll need are just a simple hole (i.e. Tsat probe hole for RHP and any temp/hygrometer probe holes).

Congrats!

Also, any reason for the divider? (i.e. planning to put another animal on the other side?)

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Originally Posted by sparky767

That way we can peek in on them with the red lights and not bother them too much!


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It’s a lot easier to view nocturnal animals with a blue light, like the moon light bulbs in terms of intensity, then using red.

Humans can’t see into red all that well, and a good moon glow blue is like nature so it won’t disturb your nocturnal pet.

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Great write-up OP! It's looking really nice. Mine should be arriving soon and I had a couple questions for someone who just received one like yourself.

I ordered a T10 w/ an RHP and white LEDs so same length and depth as yours just a little bit higher.

I don't think I need to request any additional 'cuts' from AP but wanted to double check before it's too late. The 3 temp probes you had them do seems like a great idea but I'm not going to have flexwatt.

Seems like all the cuts I'll need are just a simple hole (i.e. Tsat probe hole for RHP and any temp/hygrometer probe holes).

Congrats!

Also, any reason for the divider? (i.e. planning to put another animal on the other side?)

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Thanks ;)

Yep, I just drilled a small hole (just big enough for the probe tip) in the back panel of each side to run the temp probe for the thermostat through. If you aren’t using belly heat, then you don’t need the grooves cut in the bottom ;)

Yeah, I got the divider in this one because it is my first one. That way when they’re small I can have two in that one until they grow out of it into their full size T8 (to be ordered soon). That way each “grown” BP will have its own full T8. The one divided will be for up to 2 babies while they grow. When I’m done, I’ll just take the divider out when the last one is ready for it’s own full size T8 ;)


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Wow your cage is amazing!:) May I know how much does the RHP cost? So we can just ask Pro to send them to AP and AP will install them? Do you request them to install them to the corner or middle of each unit of the cage? Oh may I know how do they install? Is it paste to the cage or some holes are drilled? Oh and may I know that is the light safe for the snakes? I worry my snakes will climb on the light and break it or something...I remember they have both LED lights and fluorescent light options, but what's the difference? And did you choose pop in/out divider or screwed in divider? They also have some add screen options... does that mean they replace some part of the cage from PVC to glass screen? Thank you so much!

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Originally Posted by alice40604345

Wow your cage is amazing!:) May I know how much does the RHP cost? So we can just ask Pro to send them to AP and AP will install them? Do you request them to install them to the corner or middle of each unit of the cage? Oh may I know how do they install? Is it paste to the cage or some holes are drilled? Oh and may I know that is the light safe for the snakes? I worry my snakes will climb on the light and break it or something...I remember they have both LED lights and fluorescent light options, but what's the difference? And did you choose pop in/out divider or screwed in divider? They also have some add screen options... does that mean they replace some part of the cage from PVC to glass screen? Thank you so much!

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You can call Pro Product and talk to the guy (Bob, I think) because he’ll tell you what you need based on a bunch of variables, so the cost might be different.

Yes, Pro Products will ship them to AP, and AP will install them. They came screwed to the top section with all the holes drilled, etc. it’s the way to go.

I got the led lights, which are embedded. So safe.

The rest of the questions are best answered by Ali at AP. Just email her, and she’ll walk you through the whole process. Easy peasy!


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Thank you so much lol!

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Originally Posted by sparky767

You can call Pro Product and talk to the guy (Bob, I think) because he’ll tell you what you need based on a bunch of variables, so the cost might be different.

Yes, Pro Products will ship them to AP, and AP will install them. They came screwed to the top section with all the holes drilled, etc. it’s the way to go.

I got the led lights, which are embedded. So safe.

The rest of the questions are best answered by Ali at AP. Just email her, and she’ll walk you through the whole process. Easy peasy!


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Good news! After a week of letting him settle in, he’s right back on his F/T eating schedule!!!! After the first few days of constant hiding, over the last couple days I’ve seen him in different spots just chillaxin. I’m so happy he likes his new home!


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