Please recommend an enclosure

Could someone please recommend an enclosure which has the following characteristics:

-dimensions of something like 36x18 or 48x24, or something of similar size
-built into a stand or could sit on a stand which has cabinets
-has places to attach overhead heat lamps (I usually use two, one light and one ceramic heater screwed into a lamp fixture)
-has a cover which allows for humidity control (sliding panels?)

Right now, I have a 30x12 "aquarium" with a sliding screen top which is sitting on a table. The lamps are clamped to an adjacent bookshelf. It works but is pretty rickety. I thought since I now need something bigger, I should try to set up something better.

I also thought it would be better to have something which only has glass in the front. This seems more attractive. Does this make a snake feel more secure? I don't know...

I value function over appearance as the enclosure is not in common area of the house. But, I don't want something too ugly either. I also don't want to spend a fortune.

Please suggest where I can look.

Thanks,
Dan

There are lots of places to look, here are a few.

www.animalplastics.com
www.boaphileplastics.com
http://pmherps.com/racks.html

Thanks for the quick reply. I know I said "function over appearance", but some of these are very "functional" :). The animalplastics ones look ok but it isn't clear to me how I would attach heat lamps. There seem to be two circular openings in the top. Could I set a lamp into one of the openings and have the other one unobstructed for airflow? As I said, today I'm using two overhead heat sources (the additional one is ceramic that I use at night in the winter). Maybe I would need to switch to an under the cage heater for this???

The boafile cages don't seem to have any way of adding an overhead heat/light source.

The pmherps cages are a bit too plain for me and it also wasn't clear if they could do what I wanted to do.

Of course, all of them would require a separate cabinet to sit on. It would be nice to have something designed for the cage, but I suppose I could just set it on top of something.

Dan

Here's another option if you have the budget.

http://www.cagesbydesign.com/cages/specials_reptile.asp

Well, this is the other extreme, isn't it? :)

These are nice but are probably too nice. Maybe the R13 model would be ok, but it's still a lot of money. I didn't mention this before, but this is actually for my 12 year old son's room. For this reason, it shouldn't be too fancy.

Thanks for the point though. I will file it away.

Dan

Animal Plastics cages come with the option of using belly heat controlled by an external thermostat.

I have 2 Animal Plastics T3 cages with belly heat and they have worked wonderfully.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Animal Plastics cages come with the option of using belly heat controlled by an external thermostat.

I have 2 Animal Plastics T3 cages with belly heat and they have worked wonderfully.

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I have the same model. I agree.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bg1906

I have the same model. I agree.

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I assume you guys use an overhead lamp in addition to the under the tank heater, right? If so, do you stick it in one of the cutouts in the top and leave the other one empty?

Thanks,
Dan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dcrocker

I assume you guys use an overhead lamp in addition to the under the tank heater, right? If so, do you stick it in one of the cutouts in the top and leave the other one empty?

Thanks,
Dan

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I use a solid top with a pro products radiant heat panel along with the AP Belly Heat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Animal Plastics cages come with the option of using belly heat controlled by an external thermostat.

I have 2 Animal Plastics T3 cages with belly heat and they have worked wonderfully.

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Mine is finally supposed to arrive on Thursday. I can't wait because it has been so hard to regulate the temperature for my little guy. I live on the west side of San Francisco and this time of year the temperature can go from 75, sunny and still to 58, foggy and windy in literally about 30 minutes. I am really hoping that the T3 will be a good insulator against the fluctautions in temperature.

Rachel

My T3 arrived and it is sooo cool!!! I have never seen a material like this. I really feel like I got my money's worth. I swear, this plastic is so strong and light weight, I bet you could stack like 5 of them on top of each other. ;) An absolute cinch to put together and this from a 31 year old woman who is so mechanically clueless, she has never owned a tool in her life. I had to borrow a screwdriver to put it together. I really like the swing doors I got, it allowed me to put in a whole bag of wood shavings and none of it spilled on my floor.

In fact, I just a few days ago reserved an '05 CBB northern blue tongued skink and I plan on getting another AP cage for him. (I already named my new BTS: Bubba the Blue Tongued Skink.) Not sure what size cage yet though. But looking at this T3 cage, I can't imagine a skink needing more room than this, maybe so though. I'll call the AP people. They probably have some good ideas on what to get and all the accessories and they were really great to deal with before as well.

I have to say though that I already wish I had gotten the optional light. It is awfully dark in there. Good for my little man, but difficult for me to check things out. I will have to go get a little pen light or something for spot checking.

Shahrazad seems to have settled right in. He took one lap around the cage and went back to sleep. He is such a sweet boy. He now has a home that is nearly as beautiful as he is. Hopefully we will be near each other for decades to come. :love:

Welcome home Shahrazad!!!!!!!

Awesome job AP!!!!

Rachel

depending on what type of animal you have, you can make your own using any appropriate sized rubbermaid type storage bins. i have my bp in there and humidity has never been easier to control as well as the temps. just solder some holes in the sides and have a good top on it and you have your cage for about 15$.
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=40

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RWillinnable

My T3 arrived and it is sooo cool!!! I have never seen a material like this. I really feel like I got my money's worth. I swear, this plastic is so strong and light weight, I bet you could stack like 5 of them on top of each other. ;) An absolute cinch to put together and this from a 31 year old woman who is so mechanically clueless, she has never owned a tool in her life. I had to borrow a screwdriver to put it together. I really like the swing doors I got, it allowed me to put in a whole bag of wood shavings and none of it spilled on my floor.

In fact, I just a few days ago reserved an '05 CBB northern blue tongued skink and I plan on getting another AP cage for him. (I already named my new BTS: Bubba the Blue Tongued Skink.) Not sure what size cage yet though. But looking at this T3 cage, I can't imagine a skink needing more room than this, maybe so though. I'll call the AP people. They probably have some good ideas on what to get and all the accessories and they were really great to deal with before as well.

I have to say though that I already wish I had gotten the optional light. It is awfully dark in there. Good for my little man, but difficult for me to check things out. I will have to go get a little pen light or something for spot checking.

Shahrazad seems to have settled right in. He took one lap around the cage and went back to sleep. He is such a sweet boy. He now has a home that is nearly as beautiful as he is. Hopefully we will be near each other for decades to come. :love:

Welcome home Shahrazad!!!!!!!

Awesome job AP!!!!

Rachel

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Welcome to teh world of the AP T-3!

Animal plastics and NS reptiles are the only caging companies welcome here!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BiGBaLLiN

depending on what type of animal you have, you can make your own using any appropriate sized rubbermaid type storage bins. i have my bp in there and humidity has never been easier to control as well as the temps. just solder some holes in the sides and have a good top on it and you have your cage for about 15$.
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=40

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I know that I could have done his cage a whole lot cheaper that way, but I chose to spend the extra money because I wanted something that was of high quality, lasted a long time, but also, something that I could consider to be decorative furniture. The T3 is gorgeous. I got the black one with the stainless steel hinges on the doors and it is quite slick looking. I think I am going to get a white one nxt time. True I paid $240 for this thing including shipping, but if Shahrazad has even a relatively short life of 24 years, that comes out to $10 a year, as I am positive this cage will have no problem lasting that long. When I look at it like that, I have absolutely no buyer's remorse.

Rachel